4. College Football News Preview 2020: Utah State Aggies Defense 3 Things To Know
– The defense wasn’t quite as nasty as it probably should’ve been. It allowed over 440 yards and 29 points per game, it wasn’t nearly good enough against the run, and it had a hard time getting off the field. However, it was great at forcing takeaways. Five of the top eight tacklers are back, but seven of the top 12 are gone.
The front line takes the biggest hit with three starters done including top pass rusher Tips Galeai. The tackles have parts to fill in, and 255-pound senior Justin Te’i is back on one end, but UCLA transfer Marcus Moore needs to be an answer on one side.
– Star linebacker David Woodward is out of the mix, but 225-pound senior Kevin Meitzenheimer is back after making 89 tackles from his spot on the inside. 230-pound senior Eric Munoz missed half of last year, and now he should be a leading tackler on the inside.
– The pass defense has to be tighter. It wasn’t helped by much of a pass rush, but it still came up with plenty of picks and big plays. It also allowed 239 yards per game and got hit way too hard way too often.
The corners are the concern with JUCO transfers and underclassmen needing to form a good rotation early on, but the safeties are among the team’s biggest strength with Troy Lefeged and Shaq Bond among the Mountain West’s best.