Colorado State coach Steve Fairchild is close with his quarterbacks. Not emotionally close, more like close in proximity.

“I spend most of practice with my mouth about 6 inches from their ear yelling at them,” the second-year coach said. “I try to make it harder and louder than a game will ever be so hopefully they can toughen up.”

But Fairchild doesn’t holler just to hear his voice. He was an All-American quarterback at Mesa Community College in 1977. He was Colorado State’s quarterback from 1978-80. He was the offensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams (2003-05) and Buffalo Bills (2006-07).

“His intelligence is unbelievable,” quarterbacks coach Daren Wilkinson said. “Every day, coach will come into my office and draw up plays. There’s plays on the board right now he drew up. He probably has too much time when he goes home because he always comes in with new plays.”

Wilkinson critiques quarterbacks Jon Eastman, Klay Kubiak, Nico Ranieri and starter Grant Stucker on their mechanics, but in a more subtle way than Fairchild.

“Coach Wilk isn’t as vocal as coach Fairchild,” Stucker said. “You can be anywhere on the field and hear coach Fairchild, but coach Wilk, he’s a lot more face to face. He’ll pull you aside and talk to you.”

Wilkinson heard those same shouts when he was a Rams quarterback from 1995-96 and Fairchild was his position coach.

“Yeah, that hasn’t changed,” Wilkinson said with a laugh. “The neat thing about it is during games, he was up in the booth so he couldn’t yell at me face to face.”

Whether it’s Fairchild’s style or Wilkinson’s under-the-radar methods, the duo can create successful quarterbacks. Last year’s starter, Billy Farris finished the year with 2,934 yards and 19 touchdowns passing.

“Since they came here in 2008, it’s been day and night for me,” Stucker said. “Knowing where coach Fairchild has come from and knowing coach Wilk’s experience — it’s going to help anybody out.”

CSU coach Steve Fairchild spends a lot of time in practice with his quarterbacks. Photo by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS