NOTEBOOK : Freedom Bowl : Former Mission Viejo Running Back Todd Yert Makes Rare Trip Home

Todd Yert, at home for the first time in a year and about to play here for the only time in his college career, was beaming after Colorado State’s practice Saturday morning at Orange Coast College.

It’s good to be here, said Yert, a senior fullback from Mission Viejo High School. For one thing, the weather, chilly as it has been in Orange County, is still to Yert’s liking. “It’s 10 below back in Colorado,” he said.

And the homecoming is for a special occasion: Saturday’s Freedom Bowl between Colorado State and Oregon at Anaheim Stadium.

“The bowl game means everything,” Yert said. “Ten years from now, I’ll remember this game. My career couldn’t end any better, playing at home.”

A three-year starter, Yert found his niche quickly at Colorado State. He’s at his best burrowing for short yardage near the goal line.

He has scored 16 touchdowns, the second-highest single-season total in school history, and most of his touchdown runs have come from inside the five.

Most often, Colorado State uses tailbacks Tony Alford and Brian Copeland to move the ball down the field. Then the Rams turn to Yert for the touchdown.

“He always gets the ball in there,” quarterback Mike Gimenez said. “He’s so reliable. Everybody knows he’s going to get the ball, but they still can’t stop him.”

Alford and Copeland know Yert’s going to get the ball, too.

“I would say they get (angry) when I walk in the huddle and the play’s called for me,” Yert said. “But I always tell them, ‘If you want to score, take it in. Don’t wait until we’re inside the 10.”

One reason Yert gets the call so often is that he has fumbled only once in 1,866 carries at Colorado State.

He remembers it well, too.

“Third play versus Eastern Michigan in the ’89 season,” he said.

Two key factors explain Yert’s success hanging onto the football.

First: his running style. Tailbacks tend to spin and juke, looking for extra yardage. They’re not always concerned about protecting the football.

Yert takes a different tack.

“I just try to run people over,” he said.

Second: fear of Earle Bruce, Colorado State’s coach.

“He starts every pregame meeting by asking the same question: ‘What’s the most important thing today?’ ” Yert said. “ ‘Hang onto the football,’ we all say.”

Yert, who is on schedule to graduate in May, spent last summer in Ft. Collins taking two classes. He hadn’t been back to Mission Viejo in almost a year.

That’s OK, though.

His mother, Shirley, has attended almost all of Colorado State’s games this season.

Because of the Rams’ schedule, if she wanted to see Yert play, she had to travel.

Colorado State has only played once in Southern California in Yert’s career and that was at San Diego State his freshman season.

Colorado State has sold 7,000 tickets for Saturday’s game. Yert’s family has purchased 60 tickets for family, neighbors and high school friends.

“At $28 a pop, that’s more than $1,600 (it’s $80 more),” Yert said.

Quite an investment, indeed.

Quotebook: Told that Oregon is a 9 1/2-point favorite, Colorado State backup quarterback Kevin Verdugo said: “I don’t pay much attention to those (point spreads). I don’t understand how people can think they can pick that anyway. It’s good to be an underdog. When people are put in the position of being favorites, it may cost them mentally.”