Tag: USU football

Utah State vs. No. 19 BYU Game Preview, How to Watch, Odds, Prediction

Aggies look to course-correct on the road against ranked BYU This game is sure to be super fun and definitely not terrible Contact/Follow @Logantj & @MWCwire Utah State vs. No. 19 BYU Game Preview, How to Watch, Odds, Prediction WEEK 5: Utah State …

[jwplayer jF5wU66N-sNi3MVSU]

Aggies look to course-correct on the road against ranked BYU

This game is sure to be super fun and definitely not terrible

Contact/Follow @Logantj & @MWCwire

Utah State vs. No. 19 BYU Game Preview, How to Watch, Odds, Prediction

WEEK 5: Utah State (1-3, 0-1 MW) vs. No. 19 BYU (3-1)

WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022 at 6pm

WHERE: LaVell Edwards Stadium (63,725), Provo, UT

TV: ESPN

RADIO: KSL (1280 AM/97.5 FM), or online at kslsports.com/kslsportszone

SERIES RECORD: Utah State trails BYU in the all-time series 37-50-3, which includes an 18-28-1 road record.

LAST WEEK: Utah State dropped its homecoming game against UNLV 34-24. BYU won at home vs. Wyoming 38-24.

WEBSITES: UtahStateAggies.com | Byucougars.com

ODDS: Money line: Utah State +1250, BYU -2800. Spread: BYU -24. Over/under: 59.5 points

Preview

Well. This should be an interesting voyage down to Provo for the Aggies, who are still searching for themselves this season after a disappointing 1-3 start. On the road against a top-20 opponent isn’t generally where you see a team figure out its offense, but hey — any given Sunday, er…Thursday, right?

…right?

Key #1: Limit BYU QB Jaren Hall

Hall has the goods to captain a ranked Cougar squad through its decently challenging schedule this season, already tallying 103-of-144 passing for 1,164 yards (291.0 ypg), nine touchdowns and one solitary interception. This year’s Aggie defense has routinely been placed in awful situations thanks to an offense that turns the ball over more often than it crosses midfield, but in the right circumstances the front seven in particular have flashed some playmaking ability.

Get creative, get to Hall, force difficult passes and perhaps Utah State can keep things competitive early.

Key #2: For the Love of God, Please Take Care of the Ball

Masochists who watched the UNLV game in its entirety technically witnessed six Aggie turnovers, but if you add unsuccessful 4th down tries and accidentally downing a punt attempt at the wrong 5-yard-line to the mix USU effectively gifted UNLV the ball nine times.

NINE TIMES? Nine times.

Rumors abound regarding Aggie QB Logan Bonner’s status for this game and an alleged foot injury that may cost him the rest of his season, meaning backups Cooper Legas and/or Levi Williams may well see action tonight. Whoever winds up under center (and let’s be honest, it could change more than once given the history of QB injuries for both teams in this series), the Aggies just can’t afford turning the ball over. This matchup is already lopsided in terms of the available talent on the field — give the ranked Cougars free passes into plus territory and the game’s as good as over.

Key #3 Be Better at Offense. And Eliminate Penalties. And Call Better Plays. And…

Just…play better football. You can point to a significantly reduced WR corps failing to create separation, a softer OL than USU anticipated and stale play calling as pretty critical holes in this team’s armor, but nothing excuses 11 penalties for 93 yards last weekend. This may not be a very fun game for the Aggie faithful or the dudes on the field, but controlling the things you can control even when you appear outmatched goes a long way.

BYU may throw all over this secondary, or find the edge repeatedly in the ground game once they shift things into cruise control mid-third quarter, but staying competitive through disciplined football would give reason for optimism in the rest of USU’s season.

Prediction

It’s tough to picture the Aggies pulling off a stunner in Provo considering how stagnant their offense has looked through four games. However, there’s a lot of easy room for improvement in terms of cleaning up dumb penalties and even dumber turnovers, not to mention simply acting like they’ve played in big games before (because they have!) which might make this one worth the watch for a quarter or two.

Final Score: BYU 42, USU 10

 


Advertisement

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1360]

[protected-iframe id=”f7652191f99ba13728097498e8a79cd8-137729785-123448869″ info=”https://open.spotify.com/embed-podcast/show/48681pqFq0kB9dhrtPPoNd” width=”100%” height=”232″ frameborder=”0″]

—-

 

Utah State Football: Players to watch on Offense and Defense in 2020

The players to keep a close eye on in 2020 for USU.

[jwplayer 8KnRaLLR-sNi3MVSU]

Contact/Follow @SamMcConkie & @MWCwire

Who will stand out and elevate the Aggies?

With the 2020 season (hopefully) coming up on its opening date, Aggie fans have plenty to look forward to in terms of on-field talent being displayed. I expect many of the players on this list will flourish compared to where they were last year. Some are in their final years of eligibility, and others have much to prove after being sidelined for various reasons.

Without further ado, here is my list of the top players to watch on offense and defense for the 2020 edition of the Utah State Aggies.

Defense

1. CJ Pollard, S

USU hit the jackpot with portal transfers this off-season. Pollard comes in as a graduate transfer from USC with one year of eligibility remaining. For a young defense that needs all the help it can get, Pollard is a greatly needed addition to bolster the defensive backfield.

With the Trojans, Pollard totaled up 30 career tackles, 3.5 for a loss and 0.5 sacks in three seasons. Though these numbers are modest, Pollard was nonetheless a very highly rated prospect coming out of high school. The physical talent and measurements are certainly there to succeed in Utah State’s scheme. His presence in the backfield will greatly help out senior Shaq Bond as the defense looks to do better than its 86th rank in 2019 for 238.6 passing yards allowed per game.

2. Hale Motu’apuaka, DL

The sophomore defensive lineman recently made it back to the team after an off-season hiatus. As a freshman in 2019 for the Aggies, Motu’apuaka tallied 13 tackles (5-solo, 8-assist), which included 0.5 tackles for loss, to go along with one quarterback hurry. He red-shirted in 2018.

With the Aggies abandoning the 4-3 base defense in favor of the 3-4 scheme they have traditionally run, this player is ripe to make a jump in production for the team. He has excellent size and measurements and he’s certain to be a key part of the defensive line rotation along with SR players Soni Fata and Caden Andersen.

Even if he doesn’t get a ton of tackles or make flashy plays, Motu’apuaka will be able to take up blocks and clog the middle against opposing rushers with ease. His natural fit in USU’s traditional scheme will significantly bolster the rush defense, which gave up a dismal 201.9 ypg in 2019.

3. Eric Munoz, LB

Aggie fans no doubt remember Munoz’s memorable heroics in a slugfest vs the Pokes in 2019. Though it was just his first career start, Munoz made the most of it as he recorded a career-high 13 tackles, including 0.5 tackles for loss, and nabbed two interceptions, including the game-winner. After the game, he opened up on his struggles to find playing time at different schools and how he finally broke through for the Aggies.

Making the story even sweeter, Munoz earned a scholarship within a week after the Aggies retained the Hawkin rifle trophy against their Mountain division rival.

With the switch over to the 3-4 scheme, Munoz will have an excellent opportunity to put his stamp on this year’s defense along with fellow SR Kevin Meitzenheimer. He’ll be afforded more opportunities to blitz opposing QBs and more chances to ensure his final year of eligibility ends with a bang. His emotion is as refreshing as it is inspiring.

[lawrence-related id=31390]

Offense

1. Jaylen Warren, RB

My regular readers know how high I am on this senior running back. Nonetheless, I don’t think it can be overstated just how important Warren is to the rushing attack this season. If he were to go down with an injury, it would be a savage blow to a position group that struggled previously struggled to establish genuine consistency. Ranking just a modest 73rd in 2019 with 152.2 ypg, USU’s run game needs to do better this year if they want to improve on their 7-6 record.

When Warren is healthy, he’s a load to tackle and he runs angry. He’s also a legitimate pass-catching threat as well, so it helps stifle any temptation opposing defenses have to stack the box against him. Warren carried the ball 112 times for 569 yards (5.1 ypc/47.4 ypg) and five touchdowns last year. Those are strong numbers in a vacuum, and they will get better if he avoids the injury bug in 2020. His spot on the 2020 Doak Walker Award watchlist is well justified and he may just be the best offensive weapon USU has going forward.

2. Jason Shelley, QB

With Henry Colombi transferring to Texas Tech, the Aggies desperately need strong leadership at the QB position to calm the team waters. Fortunately, Jason Shelley may be just what the Aggies need to succeed in 2020.

Shelley is a true dual-threat QB, which is very much in line with the QBs Andersen has recruited to USU in the past. Combined with the run-heavy emphasis the Aggies will be relying on this year, his skillset is naturally-attuned to this offensive scheme. Shelley earned five starts at QB for the Utes and overall produced 1,428 yards of total offense, combining 1,205 passing yards and 223 rushing yards. If runners like Warren ease the pressure on him, don’t be surprised to see this QB turn into an All-league talent by season’s end.

3. Justin McGriff, WR

USU’s passing game last year was good, but it nonetheless left something to be desired. The recent addition of JUCO transfer Justin McGriff will hopefully boost the passing offense closer to where it was in 2018.

He is the third-highest rated commit in Utah State history, according to the 247 sports composite ranking. In his one year at ASA Miami, Justin pulled in 25 receptions for 360 yards and 8 touchdowns, some very solid numbers. In terms of size, he’s quite similar to former Aggie star receiver Ron’quavion Tarver. With McGriff’s presence on the field, the Aggie offense will have a chance to be multi-dimensional again. McGriff can also win the jump ball battles USU often failed to get in 2019.

No disrespect to senior receivers Savon Scarver and Jordan Nathan, but they’ll produce more for the team with McGriff’s services, which makes him a player that both fans and opposing teams will need to keep a close eye on.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1377]

Utah State Football: Offensive Preview

Aggies have a potentially great offense on their hands if they can put the pieces together

[jwplayer RXKIyfcF-sNi3MVSU]

Contact/Follow @SamMcConkie & @MWCwire

Plenty of preseason intrigue for this Aggie offense

If football is played this year, Utah State has plenty of interesting story-lines on their offense. Late season transfers, both incoming and outgoing, have fundamentally shifted the focus and identity of this offense. On top of that, the Aggies return plenty of experience in their receiver corps. Combined with having a new offensive coordinator, this side of the ball has the opportunity to flourish if the pieces can effectively come together.

Quarterback

To the surprise of just about everybody, the Aggies landed grad transfer Jason Shelley out of Utah. The signal-caller has two years of eligibility left and can start playing immediately.

He carved a name out for himself as the Utes’ starter in 2018 after starter Tyler Huntley went down for the season due to injury. Shelley played well, all things considered, scoring key victories against the Oregon, Colorado, and BYU as the starter. His efforts helped send the Utes to the PAC-12 championship game against Washington that year. T

hough the offensive wheels came off against the Huskies, Shelley finished the 2018 season throwing 1,162 yards for 5 TD and 6 INT while rushing 63 times for 192 yards and three scores.

Those are decent stats that can only stand to improve with more time to be groomed as the proper starter. He’s shown the ability to be elusive with his feet, so any extra dimension this offense can get is positive for Utah State. Considering how many times the Aggie offense stalled last year in third-and-short situation, an extra body the defense has to respect boosts this unit’s chances of success.

Depth is more precarious behind Shelley, however. With the departure of Henry Colombi to Texas Tech, an unmistakably big loss, the Aggies will need to rely on largely unproven backups in case Shelley needs relief. Returning from injury will be SO Andrew Peasley.

He showed tremendous promise with his legs early last season, but it’s unknown how well he can throw the ball. Playing in garbage time against Stony Brook doesn’t say much about how he can contribute this season. His injury against the Sea Wolves almost certainly hampered his progression, and redshirt freshmen Cooper Legas and Josh Calvin haven’t played at all.

[lawrence-related id=30880]

Running Back

Utah State’s backfield is looking much better now than it was even just a couple of months ago. The Aggies received extremely welcome news with the addition of another graduate transfer in Devonta’e Henry-Cole. He looks to end his final year of eligibility on a high note and this offense may give him just what he needs. He originally signed with BYU, but had a change of heart late and received a release from his NLI.

At Utah, Henry-Cole put respectable numbers in a limited role. He rushed for 451 yards on 86 attempts in his last two seasons, including four touchdown runs. In a deep unit for the Utes, he managed to average over 5 yards per carry.

For the Aggies, Henry-Cole gives badly needed production for a unit that lacks depth behind SR Jaylen Warren. With an experienced teammate to help him out, Warren can reasonably split carries now and hopefully avoid any injuries that plagued him last year.

When healthy, Warren was a load to tackle in 2019 for opposing defenses. He rushed 112 times for 569 yards and five touchdowns, good for 5.1 yards per carry. Plus, he is on the preseason Doak Walker watch list for the best running back in the nation.

If Warren can avoid injury this go-around, the duo can easily carry the load on the ground while younger backs like FR John Gentry and FR Elelyon Noa find their footing. There will be plenty of touches for the older backs and it will help younger backs adjust to the system. Both Gentry and Noa are talented and have impressive offer lists, but they still need to crank out production when they can.

[lawrence-related id=31390]

Pages: Page 1, Page 2

Utah State Football: Aggies’ Best moments from 2019

Best plays and moments from USU’s up and down season from 2019.

[jwplayer 18QegcJn-sNi3MVSU]

Utah State Football: Aggies’ best moments from 2019

Counting down the top moments from USU football

What was the best moment?

Contact/Follow @SamMcConkie & @MWCwire

The 2019 season had some genuinely great moments for USU’s football team. Despite an up and down year with stretches of unbridled frustration, the Aggies did put together some incredible plays and keyed up a few noteworthy wins. Without further ado, let’s look at the best of the best this season had to offer for Aggie fans.

1. Beating SDSU on the road

San Diego State had themselves a rock solid season, getting to 10-3 and winning a bowl against Central Michigan in what would be Rocky Long‘s last game an Aztec. San Diego State nabbed a good road victory against UCLA (a school they had historically not beaten until this tilt) and fielded a truly stifling defense, holding their initial opponents on the schedule to 0, 14, and 10 points.

The Aggies came to town looking for their first win against SDSU since 1967. USU dominated the first half of the game and held a 23-3 lead to begin the third quarter. The rest of the game would see the Aggies blow several big plays on defense and allow the chippy Aztecs to get within six points in the closing minutes.

Dominik Eberle missed a sure game-winning kick and SDSU appeared to be on the way to a crushing comeback… until Ryan Agnew decided to sprint backward chasing down a wayward snap. Years of blown chances in close games wouldn’t nip the upset-minded Aggies this time.

Altogether, it was a roller coaster game with a terrific ending, which makes this the best win USU got in 2019.

2. David Woodward‘s Strip-six vs CSU

In what turned out to be an incredibly wet and gusty evening, USU weathered the storm (no pun intended) against the feisty if beleaguered Colorado State Rams. Though Utah State went on to win the game 34-24, there were a lot of mistakes along the way that prolonged the fight and kept all in attendance nervous.

The offense didn’t click much despite a great rushing attack from the Aggies. Jordan Love threw a pick-six and Bright lost a fumble early in the game. Late in the game and with a tenuous lead propping up the Aggies, linebacker David Woodward decided he had enough. He forcefully stripped the ball from Rams’ runner Marvin Kinsey and returned it eight yards for the game-clinching score. Great stuff from a stud defender.

3. Eric Munoz vs Wyoming

In another nail-biting game, USU toppled the Wyoming Cowboys in dramatic fashion. Former walk-on linebacker Eric Munoz had his coming out party in Logan with a sturdy 13 tackle, two-interception performance against a resilient Cowboy offense.

After the game ended, Munoz had a memorable and tear-filled press moment where he detailed his struggles to make it in college. The former walk-on went on to earn a scholarship less than a week later. Great win and a great person helped make it possible for USU.

4. Eberle kicks Fresno State to the curb

The Aggies have had a long and painful history of missed opportunities, especially when it comes to field goal kicking. Against Fresno State, Dominik Eberle ensured Utah State would get a needed walk-off win. It was not only the first game-winning kick in Eberle’s storied career with the Aggies, but it was also the first time since 1998 the Aggies had won a game on a last-second field goal.

So, THAT is what it feels like to win one of these things.

5. Scarver just returns kickoffs for touchdowns

In an otherwise forgettable game, Savon Scarver racked up his fifth kickoff return for a touchdown in his career. This set the school record, passing the previous mark of four that was set by Kevin Robinson. The blocking and coverage downfield was flawless and the junior speedster made it look easy against the Wolf Pack. Aggie fans are fortunate they have this guy around for one more season. Enjoy him, Aggie nation.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1377]

[protected-iframe id=”c0286d6e1aad69344270e42782a7311d-137729785-123448869″ info=”https://anchor.fm/mwwire/embed” width=”400px” height=”102px” frameborder=”0″ scrolling=”no”]

USU Football: Keys to victory over Kent State

Aggies and Golden Flashes square off in third annual Frisco Bowl for bragging rights

Contact/Follow @SamMcConkie & @MWCwire

USU looks to end season on strong note against Golden Flashes

Bowl Season: Utah State (7-5) vs Kent State (6-6)

When: Friday, December 20th, 2019 – 5:30 pm MST

WHERE: Toyota Stadium; Frisco, Texas (20,500)

TV: ESPN2

STREAMING: Sling TV – Get a seven-day free trial.

RADIO: Utah State radio broadcast on 1280 the zone (1280 AM), 1280thezone.com / Tunein.com

ODDS (via ESPN): Utah State -6.5

Three Keys to a Utah State victory

1. Get excited

It’s no secret just how uninspired and unmotivated USU looked against New Mexico in the regular season finale. Yes, Utah State won the game by double digits, but they didn’t look good for much of it. Thanks to a quick avalanche of mistakes and turnovers by New Mexico, the Aggies posted a dominant second quarter. However, the Aggies got outscored in the second half. In the final quarter, they didn’t score at all and looked like they were just trying to get out of Albuquerque as soon as possible.

Against Kent State, a flat performance could prove costly and end this season on a sour note. Kent State is going to a bowl game for the first time since 2012, and this is just their third bowl appearance in school history. The Golden Flashes are going to be plenty motivated to win this game and snap their winless postseason streak. Coming into the game, they’ve won three in a row, all within one possession. USU has done well in close games themselves this season, so they must take this upset-minded team seriously and come out swinging.

2. Lean heavily on the run game

Gerold Bright has a great opportunity to finish his senior year with a bang. He’s rushed for a solid 827 yards and eight touchdowns through the regular season. Against an extremely poor run defense like Kent State’s, he should be able to have a career game. He may not eclipse his season-high of 179 rush yards against Colorado State, but a monster performance is very much within reach and would put him close to 1,000 yards for the year. If Jaylen Warren is finally healthy enough to consistently help out, both of these backs can do some heavy damage to the Golden Flashes.

3. Contain Dustin Crum

Though Kent State will be hard pressed to win a defensive struggle against the Aggies, they can give themselves an excellent chance at winning in a shootout. QB Dustin Crum fuels Kent State’s offense with a good arm and dangerous rushing ability. He not only leads his team in net rushing yards, he rarely makes mistakes. Crum set a school record by completing over 68 percent of his passes, and his 18:2 touchdown to interception ratio is one of the best in college football. The sheer number of yards he’s responsible for on the season may not look eye-popping, but he’s made every one of them count. 

This quarterback plainly has enough offensive balance to keep USU’s defense guessing. The Aggies have gotten burned on deep passes a lot this season, and that trend will continue unless the Aggie D-line can generate some much needed pressure. USU has only gotten a moderate number of sacks this season, coming in at 83rd in the NCAA with 22. It’s time for this defense to step up its game or risk getting an embarrassing loss.

Final Thoughts

USU has significantly improved its program in the last decade, making bowl games eight of the last nine seasons. Kent State is only in a bowl for the third time, having never won in the postseason. USU may look to end this decade on a winning note, but Kent State will be gunning for it extra hard.

This is going to be a close, hard-fought game. Even one or two mistakes could spell doom for either squad. In Jordan Love‘s last collegiate game, I expect him to have a convincing stat line burnished by a strong ground game from Bright and Warren. The Golden Flashes will never go away, but depth will come into play in the fourth quarter and the Aggies will come out and secure another trophy.

Utah State 38 – Kent State 34

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=645997210]

Frisco Bowl: Three Kent State players to look out for against Utah State

Kent State has a handful of good players that will factor heavily in the 2019 Frisco Bowl

[jwplayer 18QegcJn-sNi3MVSU]

Contact/Follow @SamMcConkie & @MWCwire

Kent State has a few notable players

It would be easy to dismiss a team like Kent State. The Golden Flashes only managed to go 6-6 in a relatively down season for the MAC. They also don’t have any particularly strong NCAA stats to boast of this season. This team only ranks in the top 10 in one  NCAA statistical category – 4th down conversion percentage – and they rank in the bottom 10 in total defense and run defense. None of these facts would strike much fear in opposing teams.

With that being said, the Golden Flashes have some good talent on their team that could prove pesky for the Aggies on December 20th. Here are three Kent State players to keep an eye on during the bowl game. They’ll play extremely prominent roles in the contest and will provide Kent State’s best chance of scoring their first ever bowl win.

[lawrence-related id=23593]

1. QB Dustin Crum (Jr)

Kent State isn’t exactly known for great quarterbacks, but Dustin Crum has quietly had a solid season for this team. He has thrown for 2,336 yards and 18 touchdowns with only two interceptions along the way.

At any level, those are admirable stats that show the signal caller rarely makes mistakes. Coupled with his strong arm, he’s rushed for five touchdowns and a little over 46 yards per game this season. Through the year, he actually is the leading rusher on the team. His relatively good offensive balance brings stability to an offense that has had some struggles this season, not unlike the Aggies. If he can stay upright, he could pose some moderate to big issues for USU’s poor secondary.

2. CB Jamal Parker (Sr)

This solid cornerback is a bright spot on a defense that has struggled mightily to stop opposing offenses. He’s helped anchor a decent secondary and has a team-high three interceptions on the year, a worrisome stat for an Aggie team that has turned the ball over a lot this season. Parker has also racked up a healthy 58 total tackles during the regular season. On top of his defensive duties, he’s put in good work on kickoff returns, including a 96-yard kick return for a touchdown against Eastern Michigan in the season finale win. It never hurts to have versatility.

3. WR Isaiah McKoy (So)

Adding some explosiveness to a just alright offense, speedy receiver Isaiah McKoy leads the team with 767 receiving yards and seven touchdown grabs. He’s produced some monster plays for the Golden Flashes when they’ve needed it and he appears to only be getting better. Season over season, his YPC total has increased from 10.1 to 15. Coupled with Crum’s arm, Utah State’s pass defense will need to be on point or risk getting burned. McKoy’s stats look a lot like USU’s Siaosi Mariner, so his role in the offense cannot be understated or underestimated.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1360]

[protected-iframe id=”c0286d6e1aad69344270e42782a7311d-137729785-123448869″ info=”https://anchor.fm/mwwire/embed” width=”400px” height=”102px” frameborder=”0″ scrolling=”no”]

First look at USU vs Kent State in Frisco Bowl

Ags look to secure 8-win season against MAC foe Kent State in Frisco Bowl

Contact/Follow @SamMcConkie & @MWCwire

The what bowl?

The Aggies learned their bowl destination during Selection Sunday: USU will travel to Frisco, Texas to take on the Kent State Golden Flashes on December 20th.

This is a relatively new bowl game. It was originally the Miami Beach bowl until ESPN bought the rights to it in 2017. With that taken into account, the bowl has only been around for six seasons. This year’s sponsor is Tropical Smoothie Cafe. The name doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, but it’s about the kind of game Utah State deserves after a disappointing 7-5 season.

Kent Who?

Located in Kent, OH, the Golden Flashes have had an unimpressive 6-6 season. However, they do have an alright 5-3 mark in conference play, good for 2nd in the MAC east division. They’ve lost badly to all the teams they were supposed to lose to (at Wisconsin, at Auburn, at Arizona State) and they’ve beaten a couple of okay MAC teams (Buffalo, at Eastern Michigan). They had a shot to beat Toledo,  but couldn’t finish a 2-pt conversion. Though they didn’t win the game, they did beat Toledo out for a bowl berth. All in all, the Golden Flashes are decidedly middle of the pack in the top-heavy MAC.

Is there history between these teams and will the game be any good?

There is minimal history between Utah State and Kent State. These schools have met twice, with both contests in the 1970s. The Aggies lost in 1973 in Logan, but got revenge the following year on the road in a close one. The burning question is this, though: is this game going to be any good? Well, if stats are to be believed, it could turn out to be a surprisingly decent match-up.

Kent State has a wholly decent QB in Dustin Crumm. The signal-caller has passed for 2,333 yards with a strong 18-2 touchdown-interception ratio, a far prettier number than what Jordan Love has amassed for the Aggies this year. On the other hand, Crumm has also been sacked 39 times. That unfortunate stat is good for the bottom ten in the NCAA. Against a USU defense that has struggled to get pressure, it will be interesting to see which opposing unit produces better: the Golden Flashes’ offensive line or the Aggie defensive line.

Stopping the run has been a major issue for Kent State. They’ve given up 2,992 yards on the ground this season, which averages to over 5 yards per opponent rush. Matched up against USU’s middling 84th ranked rushing attack, the Aggies may actually have a few struggles if Jaylen Warren isn’t healthy enough to back up Gerold Bright. Time will tell when these teams clash on December 20th.

I’m expecting a relatively even gridiron tilt. With that being said, I wouldn’t be surprised one bit if one team runs away with the score. Both of these teams have shown the propensity to get blown out in big games. Kent State hasn’t been bowling since 2012, so they’ll certainly have something to play for. USU needs to show up ready for a fight.

See you in Frisco. It beats freezing in Boise (sorry, Nevada).

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=645997210]

Boise State Clobbers Utah State, Ending Aggies’ Title Hopes

Aggies get embarrassed in home finale, lose division to Boise State

[jwplayer BzHIBxDF-sNi3MVSU]

Contact/Follow @SamMcConkie & @MWCwire

Dismal performance from entire Aggie team

Utah State didn’t bother showing up in their own stadium with the Mountain Division on the line. Boise State showed up and showed why they’re the class of the conference, though, by winning 56-21.

Boise State received the ball to start and promptly drove down the field in under two minutes, going up 7-0. On USU’s first possession, they promptly failed to gain offensive rhythm (again) and punted away to the Broncos. It would be the first of many failed drive attempts for this Utah State offense.

After the Aggie defense forced a punt from the Broncos on their next offensive series, Utah State put together a very nice drive using Jordan Love‘s arm. The Aggies capped off their first touchdown drive with a sick one-handed catch by TE Caleb Repp. It would be only one a few highlights for the Aggies.

Late in the first quarter, with the game tied 7-7, USU got the ball back with some critical momentum. Jordan Love then promptly threw the momentum away with a pass to the flat that was nabbed by Boise defender Jalen Walker for a costly pick six. Boise State never looked back after this (and USU needs to burn that play from its playbook).

Boise State went on to score on five straight offensive drives. Utah State’s defense could not tackle and could not get any stops on third down, a continuation of an alarming trend they have seen this season. There were numerous times on the night where the Broncos’ running backs would easily slip past USU’s defensive line and linebackers. Oftentimes, these gains would be for 7+ yards, ensuring Boise State would have manageable offensive situations all night long for their third-string QB Jaylon Henderson.

At halftime, USU was down 35-7. By the end of the third quarter, it was 56-14. Jordan Love had an average night, throwing for 229 yards on 21-of-36 passes with a touchdown and one interception. Gerold Bright performed well below expectations, rushing for 51 yards and one touchdown on 10 carries. Adding insult to injury, DJ Williams got two unsportsmanlike penalties in the game, getting disqualified from the game and weakening an already battered secondary.

On the opposing side, Boise RB George Holani had himself a terrific game, rushing for 178 yards and two touchdowns. Backup QB Jaylon Henderson played like a season starter with 187 yards and three touchdown passes with no picks. The Broncos have superior team depth all around and it showed in this game. Utah State couldn’t contain or stop either of these players and the game was never close after the first quarter.

By the end of the night, USU had managed to score 21 points, but most of those came in garbage time with the game well out of reach. QB Henry Colombi ran in the final score of the night for USU and brought the game to a merciful close shortly after that.

Boise State won 56-21 and the remaining people in the stadium were mostly Bronco fans. It was a painful, but not terribly unsurprising end to the home slate of games for USU.

Few silver linings

The game was miserable, but the season has been about where I thought it would be. Assuming Utah State beats a terrible New Mexico team in the regular-season finale, USU will finish with back to back winning seasons. That’s a step in the right direction considering the Aggies had three losing seasons in a row from 2015-2017.

A win over New Mexico would also guarantee USU a bowl game. This will result in extra practices for the younger players on USU’s roster. Coupled with some rest, these bowl practices could prove to be rejuvenating for the team. Aggies will likely be matched up against a winnable opponent from the MAC or C-USA, a salve the Aggies could use after getting roughed up in November.

If nothing else, with all of their weaknesses exposed in this most recent loss, it will help shed additional light on the recruiting areas Gary Andersen needs to address. Focusing on this for next season along with getting as many reps as possible for the young players could pay off down the road. This team has talent, but they need to learn to put it all together.

Just a couple more wins will help ease the pain of some big missed opportunities this year. If Aggies can win out, we’ll all feel better for next year having taken our lumps in stride. And in this author’s case, because I foolishly bet against a fellow MWC beat writer on the outcome of this game, that means I’ll be taking a cream pie in the face.

You’ve earned the right to laugh, Raja (but watch out for basketball season)!

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=645997189]

Utah State QB Henry Colombi Will Most Likely Start Against Boise State

Aggies pit their new starting QB against Boise State in pivotal divisional clash

[jwplayer bjF8KTgI-sNi3MVSU]

Contact/Follow @SamMcConkie & @MWCwire

With Jordan Love most likely out, it’s Henry Colombi‘s show

Utah State had given its season new life with a close win over a tough Wyoming squad. Now, the balance seems to be in doubt again with the unknown status of Jordan Love.

Late in the game, USU went on a drive deep into Wyoming territory. Jordan Love kept the ball himself and ran inside the Wyoming five-yard line. Love took a vicious hit and USU ended up settling for a field goal on the next play. It seemed about right for the type of the day the Aggies had in the red zone.

After the Aggies went on offense again, sophomore QB Henry Colombi stepped in. He mounted a decent drive, but Eberle missed a field goal try. In the fourth quarter, Colombi would get the Aggies in scoring position again, with Eberle making his last field goal attempt on the day.

The offense didn’t look drastically different and the receivers still seemed to respond well to Colombi. He did just enough to finish the game and get the win and he committed no turnovers. Pedestrian stats against a strong defense are to be expected of a new QB when coming into a game late, after all.

What Colombi can reasonably do for USU

The newly minted starter is going to have a sizable challenge on his hands when the Aggies take the field against the Boise State Broncos on Saturday night. Colombi’s playing time has been substantially limited this year as compared to last, so his inexperience with this team will show at points. Nonetheless, he can manage the game and not turn the ball over against the Broncos.

The good news for Aggie fans is that Colombi isn’t being thrown into this game with cold feet. As mentioned before, due to the number of teams the Aggies were blowing out last year, Colombi got to play a lot of minutes in his backup role. It wasn’t uncommon at all for him to play entire halves of games against lesser competition. These scenarios allowed him to continue learning the offense and become mentally prepared for when his number would be called.

Against the five teams he played in 2018, Colombi racked up 239 passing yards on 33 passes in 40 attempts. On top of that, he rushed for 108 yards and on just 13 attempts. His lone rushing touchdown came on a long scamper against UNLV near the end of that game. An already beaten Rebels squad didn’t have an answer for him.

It’s hard to say how effective of a passer Colombi is since he mostly managed games, but his running ability is definitely a major plus for this offense. USU’s running game has been hit or miss this season, so adding an extra set of wheels to the mix will make the play-calling for Mike Sanford easier. Utah State is going to need every advantage they can get on the ground against a Broncos defense that is giving up only 117 yards per game, good for 23rd best in the nation.

A nice break for the new starter

Henry Colombi is also catching another break: he most likely won’t need to worry about Curtis Weaver living in USU’s backfield. Weaver limped off the field last week against New Mexico up in Boise and was later seen in a boot. Though the Bronco’s easily won that game, the loss of Weaver cannot be understated.

At his peak, Weaver has absolutely terrorized opposing quarterbacks in this league. His sack rate is third best in the country! Teams game-plan specifically to stop him, and that doesn’t work a decent chunk of the time. Whoever replaces him at DE, there will almost certainly be a noticeable drop-off in production.

Boise’s pass rush against USU’s offensive line is going to be key in this game. On the season, USU’s offensive line has acquitted itself nicely, only allowing 15 sacks on the year. We won’t know how good of a passer Colombi can be if he can’t stay upright against the Broncos, so USU’s line must continue playing well. The absence of Weaver may just give USU’s QB a level playing field in what would otherwise be an extremely difficult positional match-up.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1360]

[protected-iframe id=”09e6ca4e11e5838c3834d87c7b471ffb-137729785-123448869″ info=”https://anchor.fm/mwwire/embed” width=”400px” height=”102px” frameborder=”0″ scrolling=”no”]

Utah State outlast Wyoming in ugly Bridger’s Battle game

Ags retain the rifle and keep MWC title hopes alive in bruising win over feisty Pokes

Contact/Follow @SamMcConkie & @MWCwire

USU’s conference title hopes remain alive

The phrase “cardiac kids” comes to mind with this Utah State team.

Much like the Aggies of 2011, this group of players has been hanging tough in numerous one-score games. Unlike the 2011 team, this Aggie team has had significantly better luck in close contests. USU has gone a solid 3-1 this year when the game is on the line in the closing minutes. No thanks to untimely penalties, Wyoming shot themselves in the foot just one time too many to reclaim the rifle.

[jwplayer 3aEtzgZJ-sNi3MVSU]

The game started out extremely poorly for both teams. USU failed to gain any offensive rhythm and turned the ball over in the first minute of the game on a batted and intercepted pass from Jordan Love. This felt like a “here we go again” type moment for USU as Love’s struggles with ball security reared their head yet again.

Unfortunately for Wyoming, newly minted starting QB Tyler Vander Waal showed some serious jitters. After easily getting his offense inside USU’s 15-yard line, a blitz off the edge sent Vander Waal scrambling backwards. Vander Waal then promptly lost the ball after tripping on the turf and USU recovered it around the 35-yard line.

This game would overall be a battle of defenses as neither team scored anything in the first quarter. Wyoming’s star LB Logan Wilson then made his presence felt beginning the second quarter as he picked off another batted Jordan Love pass and took it 10 yards for an easy score. Already at two turnovers on the afternoon, it felt like this game could get out of hand quickly for USU.

A few minutes later after USU’s defense forced a punt, Jordan Love shook off his funk and tossed a dart to Siaosi Mariner for an 80-yard touchdown pass. It would signal the start of a strong second quarter as Love threw a TD to Gerold Bright on a busted coverage in Wyoming’s questionable secondary. Now the Aggies had rhythm and Wyoming would have to keep up.

For Wyo’s RB Xazavian Valladay, this would prove to be no issue. The rusher bullied his way down the field on a strong drive, aided by a couple of sloppy penalties on USU’s defense. It then set up Vander Waal for a leap into the endzone, tying the game up.

Before the half ended, USU kicked a couple of field goals to go up 20-14. One of the kicks was set up after Shaq Bond intercepted a tipped pass from Vander Waal. USU had a chance to go up more before half, but USU got caught with an ineligible player penalty that wiped away an endzone bomb from Love to Thompkins.

In the second half, the defensive war was in full effect.

USU forced the Cowboys to punt after sacking Vander Waal to end an extended drive. USU then went on an extended drive themselves and made it all the way inside Wyoming’s five-yard line. Jordan Love took a nasty hit on a scramble and then USU was unable to finish the drive with a touchdown. On a frustratingly predictable play call, they turned the ball over on downs.

These defenses continued hitting each others’ offenses in the mouth. USU was able to squeeze out one more field goal apiece from Dominik Eberle per remaining quarter to take a 26-14 lead with 11:11 to go in the fourth. But Wyoming wasn’t going away by a long-shot.

The Cowboys ate up over four minutes of the clock and scored on a touchdown drive to bring the game to 26-21. USU QB Henry Colombi, filling in for the possibly injured Love, was then unable to respond with a score of his own in two drive attempts and USU had to punt. Not only was the game getting too close for comfort, it looked like an ending we’d all seen before.

Not known for their passing prowess, Wyoming would need to rely on Tyler Vander Waal’s arm to win the game. Walk-on LB Eric Munoz for the Aggies had other plans though.

Vander Waal got his offense moving and the Cowboys inside the Aggie 40-yard line. Sure heartbreak felt like an inevitability as the Aggies struggled all afternoon with the QB’s ability to scramble. Some late pressure came from USU’s defense and got the QB rushed. He threw across his body right into the arms of the waiting Munoz.

Ecstasy and relief in one fell swoop for the Aggies. They avoided the upset and preserved their conference title hopes, even with the status of Jordan Love unknown. Wyoming suffered their second consecutive heartbreaking loss and was left to wonder what might have been. But oh what a game!

The Last Stand

Utah State, despite some big ups and downs this season, is right where they want to be. With two games remaining in the regular season, they have a chance to at least tie for first in the loaded Mountain Division. Another loss from Air Force and then an Aggie win over the Broncos would launch USU into the MWC title game.

Boise State comes to Logan with QB uncertainty of their own, as well as some other question marks. Despite their strong 9-1 record and national ranking, the Broncos have looked inconsistent and downright ugly at times on offense. They struggled to put away Wyoming on the blue turf and had to go to overtime to finish the job. They also had to survive a shootout on the road against upstart San Jose State, a team with a less than stellar defense.

While team depth is still better for the Broncos, the potential loss of Curtis Weaver from their defensive line could make the upcoming game a suddenly fair fight. It could be Boise’s backup QB vs USU’s backup QB.

USU’s offensive line has gelled better in recent weeks and if RB Jaylen Warren continues to heal up, the Ags may finally have the offensive balance they need to take on the Broncos. With or without Love at the helm, the receivers have stepped up big in recent weeks to help secure the close wins.

This is the moment we’ve been waiting for since 2013, Aggie fans: show up this weekend and support our boys! They’ve battled through significant hardship and they still have a shot to accomplish all their team goals on November 23rd (coupled with an Air Force loss somewhere).

A win validates the program culture, possibly for good. A loss would be painful, but we would still have gone bowling in eight of the last nine seasons. All things considered, that is no small feat for a program that is only a decade removed from its dark ages.

I believe. Do you?

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1377]

[protected-iframe id=”c0286d6e1aad69344270e42782a7311d-137729785-123448869″ info=”https://anchor.fm/mwwire/embed” width=”400px” height=”102px” frameborder=”0″ scrolling=”no”]