Beehive State rivals square off in season opener
Salt Lake City, UT
The newly-appointed head coach of Utah State, Gary Andersen, makes his return to Salt Lake City on Thursday night where he and the Aggies will face off against 19th-ranked Utah at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
Andersen, who was a key ingredient in Utah going a perfect 13-0 last season and a final ranking of second in the nation, lands in Logan after performing his duties as the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator for Utah head man Kyle Whittingham. With the move from one team to the other, Andersen becomes just the third coach since 1982 to kick off a new season against the team for which he was formerly employed. Andersen takes over a program that won just three games a season ago and failed to capture a single non- conference decision. When it came to Western Athletic Conference play, the Aggies defeated Idaho, Hawaii and New Mexico State all at home. Unfortunately, the squad lost all six away games and heading to SLC this week doesn't help matters.
The Utes were the only team to post an unblemished record in 2008, and they hit the ground running in 2009 sporting the longest win streak in the Football Bowl Subdivision at 14 straight. The last setback for Utah, a team that has won eight in a row at home, was November 24, 2007 versus Mountain West Conference foe BYU by a score of 17-10. Coach Whittingham, now 37-14 in his four seasons with Utah, ran the table in the regular season a year ago and lined up versus fourth-ranked Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, a meeting that produced a 31-17 triumph for the Utes. The victory was the eighth straight in the postseason for Utah, the longest such streak in the FBS.
In terms of the all-time series between these two teams, the Runnin' Utes are in complete control at 76-28-4 after putting up a resounding 58-10 win in last year's event. The scoring outburst by the Utes was the most ever in the series and ran the team's win streak over USU to 11 games. Utah finished second in the AP poll behind only national champion Florida and former Utes head coach Urban Meyer.
The Aggies are calling on junior quarterback Diondre Borel to make the offense operate again this season. Borel is one of just seven signal-callers in the nation who has led his program in both passing yards and rushing yards in the same season. With close to 200 yards per game in total offense, Borel ranked fifth in the conference in that category as a sophomore with the Aggies.
There is a lot of inexperience ready to settle in behind Borel in the backfield, with sophomore running back Robert Turbin leading the way. Turbin has yet to carry the ball more than 17 times in a game and has had double- digit attempts in just three outings in his career, yet he did tally 10 overall touchdowns a season ago.
Seniors, both of whom have three years experience, Xavier Bowman and Nnamdi Gwacham will be the ones to look for heading down the field from their wideout positions, while sophomore Stanley Morrison also figures to have a share of balls thrown his way.
Even though the offensive line has several returning starters from last season, bouncing back from placing 107th in the nation in sacks allowed (2.67 per game) will not be an easy trick.
The Utah State coaching staff has made drastic changes on defense heading into the opener, shifting more than a dozen players to that side of the ball. The team has a list of seven returning starters on the defensive side of the ball, but only three of them have managed to letter three times for the Aggies.
A Second Team All-WAC selection in 2008, Paul Igboeli is one of those with extensive experience for USU as he registered 78 tackles a season ago and forced a pair of fumbles after recording 95 stops a season earlier. Unfortunately, Igboeli will be on the hook to take care of a lot of the action in the middle of the field since fellow linebackers Bobby Wagner and Quinn Garner are both sophomores.
Senior cornerback Kejon Murphy and strong safety James Brindley have the responsibility of locking down the secondary for the squad. Brindley led the team in interceptions a season ago with three and now has six for his career as he closes in on the all-time school record. But as good as Murphy, Brindley and Igboeli may be, filling the void left by the departed Jake Hutton and lineman Ben Calderwood will be a tough task.
Last year the Utes relied on both sides of the football to get the job done and had confidence in all of those experienced performers. In 2009, the story is much different, beginning with the quarterback position for coach Whittingham. "Obviously at quarterback, whichever guy is in there has never taken a Division I snap. That's a situation where with the quarterback particularly you never know what you have until they are under fire in a game. We will be finding out on Thursday." According to the team's depth chart, freshman Jordan Wynn is slated to be the starter, but that doesn't mean he will be there for all four quarters. Terrance Cain, a juco transfer could also show his face.
Either way, expect to see running back Matt Asiata handle the ball quite a bit, especially with how he took a number of direct snaps last year and managed to create something unique for the Utes.
Senior wideout David Reed will also be a crucial piece to the puzzle, as will other skills players such as John Peel and Aiona Key, both of whom are also seniors performing out on the wings. Now a junior, Jereme Brooks is the most experienced returning receiver for the squad after appearing in 25 games and starting eight contests.
"Diondre Borel is a terrific athlete," coach Whittingham is quick to point out. "He is not a real big guy, but he is quick and fast and can hurt you in a few different ways. To have an effective spread, you need that kind of guy back there." With that said, the Utes will be going after Borel and the Aggies by following the directions of new defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Kalani Sitake. Believed to be the first Tongan ever named a defensive coordinator for an FBS program, Sitake can take comfort in knowing that linebacker is considered the deepest position for the Utes heading into the new season.
An All-America candidate, senior Stevenson Sylvester was voted team captain for the second straight year and will be the focal point of the defense. Middle linebacker Mike Wright, the top returning tackler from a season ago, joins Kepa Gaison to bolster a tough-minded middle of the field for Utah. Where the team might have some trouble is in the secondary after losing both starting corners from 2008 to the NFL. Nevertheless, R.J. Stanford and Brandon Burton, two of the fastest players on the roster, are ready for the challenge.
Salt Lake City, UT
The newly-appointed head coach of Utah State, Gary Andersen, makes his return to Salt Lake City on Thursday night where he and the Aggies will face off against 19th-ranked Utah at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
Andersen, who was a key ingredient in Utah going a perfect 13-0 last season and a final ranking of second in the nation, lands in Logan after performing his duties as the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator for Utah head man Kyle Whittingham. With the move from one team to the other, Andersen becomes just the third coach since 1982 to kick off a new season against the team for which he was formerly employed. Andersen takes over a program that won just three games a season ago and failed to capture a single non- conference decision. When it came to Western Athletic Conference play, the Aggies defeated Idaho, Hawaii and New Mexico State all at home. Unfortunately, the squad lost all six away games and heading to SLC this week doesn't help matters.
The Utes were the only team to post an unblemished record in 2008, and they hit the ground running in 2009 sporting the longest win streak in the Football Bowl Subdivision at 14 straight. The last setback for Utah, a team that has won eight in a row at home, was November 24, 2007 versus Mountain West Conference foe BYU by a score of 17-10. Coach Whittingham, now 37-14 in his four seasons with Utah, ran the table in the regular season a year ago and lined up versus fourth-ranked Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, a meeting that produced a 31-17 triumph for the Utes. The victory was the eighth straight in the postseason for Utah, the longest such streak in the FBS.
In terms of the all-time series between these two teams, the Runnin' Utes are in complete control at 76-28-4 after putting up a resounding 58-10 win in last year's event. The scoring outburst by the Utes was the most ever in the series and ran the team's win streak over USU to 11 games. Utah finished second in the AP poll behind only national champion Florida and former Utes head coach Urban Meyer.
The Aggies are calling on junior quarterback Diondre Borel to make the offense operate again this season. Borel is one of just seven signal-callers in the nation who has led his program in both passing yards and rushing yards in the same season. With close to 200 yards per game in total offense, Borel ranked fifth in the conference in that category as a sophomore with the Aggies.
There is a lot of inexperience ready to settle in behind Borel in the backfield, with sophomore running back Robert Turbin leading the way. Turbin has yet to carry the ball more than 17 times in a game and has had double- digit attempts in just three outings in his career, yet he did tally 10 overall touchdowns a season ago.
Seniors, both of whom have three years experience, Xavier Bowman and Nnamdi Gwacham will be the ones to look for heading down the field from their wideout positions, while sophomore Stanley Morrison also figures to have a share of balls thrown his way.
Even though the offensive line has several returning starters from last season, bouncing back from placing 107th in the nation in sacks allowed (2.67 per game) will not be an easy trick.
The Utah State coaching staff has made drastic changes on defense heading into the opener, shifting more than a dozen players to that side of the ball. The team has a list of seven returning starters on the defensive side of the ball, but only three of them have managed to letter three times for the Aggies.
A Second Team All-WAC selection in 2008, Paul Igboeli is one of those with extensive experience for USU as he registered 78 tackles a season ago and forced a pair of fumbles after recording 95 stops a season earlier. Unfortunately, Igboeli will be on the hook to take care of a lot of the action in the middle of the field since fellow linebackers Bobby Wagner and Quinn Garner are both sophomores.
Senior cornerback Kejon Murphy and strong safety James Brindley have the responsibility of locking down the secondary for the squad. Brindley led the team in interceptions a season ago with three and now has six for his career as he closes in on the all-time school record. But as good as Murphy, Brindley and Igboeli may be, filling the void left by the departed Jake Hutton and lineman Ben Calderwood will be a tough task.
Last year the Utes relied on both sides of the football to get the job done and had confidence in all of those experienced performers. In 2009, the story is much different, beginning with the quarterback position for coach Whittingham. "Obviously at quarterback, whichever guy is in there has never taken a Division I snap. That's a situation where with the quarterback particularly you never know what you have until they are under fire in a game. We will be finding out on Thursday." According to the team's depth chart, freshman Jordan Wynn is slated to be the starter, but that doesn't mean he will be there for all four quarters. Terrance Cain, a juco transfer could also show his face.
Either way, expect to see running back Matt Asiata handle the ball quite a bit, especially with how he took a number of direct snaps last year and managed to create something unique for the Utes.
Senior wideout David Reed will also be a crucial piece to the puzzle, as will other skills players such as John Peel and Aiona Key, both of whom are also seniors performing out on the wings. Now a junior, Jereme Brooks is the most experienced returning receiver for the squad after appearing in 25 games and starting eight contests.
"Diondre Borel is a terrific athlete," coach Whittingham is quick to point out. "He is not a real big guy, but he is quick and fast and can hurt you in a few different ways. To have an effective spread, you need that kind of guy back there." With that said, the Utes will be going after Borel and the Aggies by following the directions of new defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Kalani Sitake. Believed to be the first Tongan ever named a defensive coordinator for an FBS program, Sitake can take comfort in knowing that linebacker is considered the deepest position for the Utes heading into the new season.
An All-America candidate, senior Stevenson Sylvester was voted team captain for the second straight year and will be the focal point of the defense. Middle linebacker Mike Wright, the top returning tackler from a season ago, joins Kepa Gaison to bolster a tough-minded middle of the field for Utah. Where the team might have some trouble is in the secondary after losing both starting corners from 2008 to the NFL. Nevertheless, R.J. Stanford and Brandon Burton, two of the fastest players on the roster, are ready for the challenge.
