FORT COLLINS — As the second week of spring ball ended for the Colorado State football team Saturday, the Rams moved inside Canvas Stadium and took live reps in game situations for the first time under new head coach Jim Mora.

Mora’s evaluation of the practice that saw the Rams’ first-, second- and third-team offenses and defenses go up against each other drew mixed reactions. But overall, he is pleased with what he has seen from his team in the first two weeks of spring workouts.

“It was good to get in the stadium and practice,” Mora said. “We’ve been practicing on the practice field, so just changing up the environment I think is good. A lot of live work today, so a lot of learning took place. You kind of see where you are in terms of the progression through spring, a lot of things that you are pleased with and certainly a lot of things that you need to improve upon.”

One position group Mora has been genuinely encouraged by has been his quarterbacks, specifically the two getting the most first-team reps, Oklahoma State transfer Hauss Hejny and UConn transfer K’saan Farrar.

The new coach was also encouraged by the only returning starter who saw action for the Rams last season, Darius Curry, on Saturday. Curry has been recovering from a foot injury.

“They’re making progress,” Mora said. “The top two that have practiced the most, Hauss and K’saan, they’re both really good football players. What was very encouraging this week is Darius was able to kind of participate at a higher level because his foot is getting a lot better. I thought today was the best he’s looked. He’s a good football player.

“I feel like we’ve got three guys that are very competitive, and that competition is going to propel them to be better. So, I feel good about that position.”

Farrar followed Mora to Fort Collins from UConn and played in two games last season before being redshirted. He completed 11 of 18 passes for 84 yards and rushed for 30 yards and a touchdown.

Joining his coach at CSU or going somewhere else was an easy decision, he said.

“He’s a quarterback-friendly coach,” Farrar said. “He pushes his quarterbacks to be the best every day. He demands that out of us. We’ve been competing at a high level. We’ve just been pushing each other.”

All three quarterbacks Mora mentioned had their moments during Saturday’s live reps as the team continues to progress through spring practice and form a bond with so many new players on the squad.

Mora said in this day and age of college football, that is very important.

“With the number of transfers and then early enrollments that we have here, just how fast they can come together as a group is so important on and off the field.” Mora said. “Off the field, they have to have great relationships off the field. They have to develop that trust, so it carries over to the field.

“They’ve got to care about each other, like each other, but to an extent share a mutual love of the game and what we’re trying to accomplish, and I see that developing. It doesn’t happen overnight, but this is a high character team, and these guys do care about each other and it’s growing.”

Another player who followed Mora to CSU is Oumar Diomande. The linebacker had 116 tackles last season with the Huskies.

He is used to Mora’s style and the intensity he brings to practice, and he has helped his new teammates understand and get used to it through the first half of spring practice.

“The location is different,” Diomande said. “The altitude is different. The weather is different. But in terms of working, how he does stuff for practice, it’s the same thing. It’s hard, but I was kind of used to it a little bit.

“The practices are designed for us to break down or quit or whatever, but if you just keep your mind into it, you get the best out of it. It comes out the way you want it to come out.”

CSU has two more weeks of spring practice before the finale April 15.

Mora hopes to continue to see progress in all areas as he continues to lay the foundation for his first season leading the Rams in the fall.

“Every day, you’re just trying to do better, and you wear the last one,” Mora said. “If you can maintain that, then you’ve got a chance to be successful.”