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Show Sportstacular Bag 6 September 27, 1979 Utah State makes ft no secret they want 'Beehive Boot' Docpito oight injurios, Utos oxpoct tooxcall te LAST WEEK: The Ute concluded fhelr 13,000 mKo, threo-wee- k road swing in front of the largest crowd over to too a Utah team play (05,703) at Knoxville, Tennessee, but a good Vel attack and maybe terminal et lag, helped the Vais run up a 0 victory. Utah played well early taking a 341 lead at the end of the first quarter an Jeff Hucko's field goal, his first of the year. Although Tennessee picked up 21 second-quarte- r points, the Utes went into the locker ream at the half down 0 on the strength ef a two yard scaring running by tailback Mel only Fields. Utah could only scare eight mere points the rest ef the way, however, as tailback lewis Walker scooted 21 yards late in the fourth quarter and quarterback Ricky Hardin ran for the two paint conversion. The Ute running game did leek better racking up almost 200 yards an the ground. Walker was the games leading rusher racking up 02 yards an just 10 carries, linebacker, OiN Gempf was the star an defense picking up 12 tackles and one pass interception, which he returned far 1 3 yards. UTE SORE SPOTS: The Utes received only the normal bumps and bruises in the game against Tennessee. Defensive tackle Cane LaRocque who has missed the last two games with sprained ankle is expected back. Steve Folsom, who suffered a pulled hamstring in practice last week and missed the Tennessee game, is doubtful this week. 51-1- 21-1- Only general admission tickets remain for the State game. They can be purchased at the Special Events Center Ticket Office or at Rice Stadium an the day ef the game. CROWD: A capacity crowd is expected for the game. h COACHES: and pasted a 13-- 1 3 In his third year at Utah as a moor callage heed coach. Utah State's year at USU and os a head coach and has Utah's Wayne Howard Is in his eighth year Oruce Snyder is in his fourth 53-26- mark. SERIES RECORD: h 21-0- 23-2- 0 20-1- 7. SCOUTING THE AGGIES: The Aggies are playing wel right new. They are coming off a 244 thrashing ef Colorado State in lagan last weekend. That was their first win ef the season to go along with a strong performance at Nebraska, even though it was in a losing effort end an opening game tie wkh San Jose State (40-4which set a new NCAA record, leading the Utah State offense Is taUback Rick Parras who has carried the ball 51 times this season for 226 yards end a 44 per carry average. Fulfoack Greg Martin is a powerful runner who has 21 carries for 97 yards this year. Utah State Is stll concerned about the condition of quarterback Eric Hippie who didn't play against CSU because ef a nerve problem in his shoulder. Whether he wll play this week wfll be determined Thursday. Replacing him against CSU was Craig Oradshaw who played very well. On the season Oradshaw Is 3 for 132 yards and two touchdowns, leading Aggie teclever Is split end Ken Thompson who has 1 3 catches for 269 yards. On defense, Utah State Is led by tackle Rulen "Tee Tough" Janes who had his best game ef the season against CSU. Abe playing wel fo linebacker Oratt Urn. The Aggies foe turn a strong kicking game with Steve Steinke. He is 54 in field goals this season Including a 52 and 49 yarder against Colorado State last Saturday. UTE GRID NOTES: Talback Lewis Walker provides plenty ef excitment for Ute fans when he gets in ffte game. So far In the two games that "Sweet lew" has played In he has carried the baN just 12 times but for a total ef 151 yards. That b a 1 2.6 per carry average. He has aba scared twice including a 71 yard scamper against Haw ail. -- The Ute offensive Ena is starting to overcome the less ef tackles Rich Ayers and Tim Davis. Sophomore Tackles Wayne Janes and Darryl Hole and junior Randy Holfoday all had goad games against Tennessee as ffte Ute ground game went for 197 yards..Two sophomores are playing wel ffib season an ffte young Ute defense, linebacker Rill Gempf and tackle Steve Clark are shewing why they should be two ef the best sophomore defensive players Jn the conference this season. 0) HOWARD SAYS: ON THE UTES RIGHT NOW: "Ourkleklng game needs to be straightened out and we are try Ing to get better at every ether phase ef the game. "Offenssvely we played the best game ef the year against Tennessee. The Rims shewed that the defense didn't play as bad as I had draught after the game. was ust a case ef Tennessee having a very goad offensive - game." ON UTAH STATE: 7) record since the inception of the Boot series is tops USUs among te the Beehive four BYU (11-collegiate teams: 16-and Weber and Utah follow. State (1-Should the Aggies win Saturday night at Utah it would be their 13th win the past 21 seasons over the Utes it wont be done with mirrors. The past two years the Utes have been a nemesis for the in Aggies, whipping the and two Logan a year ago (23-2seasons ago in Salt Lake City (26-0- ). 7; 7) 0) The Utah-UtaState series is ana ef the eldest The first game grid series in callage football. Utah foods the series between the two teems was played bock In 1002 with Utah State coming out a 12-- winner. The first Utah win came die next time the two teams met in 1000. Utah wen . The Utes have won the last two games in row last year In lagan and knocking them off 20-- 0 dropping the Aggies in Salt lake City In Wayne Howard's first year. The last Aggie win came In 1076in logon .. 3. (6-1- 1) UTE TICKET TALK: Uteh-Uto- LOGAN A Saturday night (7:30) game at the University of Utahs Rice Stadium begins the Utah State football teams quest of one of its 1979 goals: the chamBeehive Boot or pionship. The 76th game ever between the Aggies and Utes is actually the second game in 1979s Boot series; BYU walloped Weber The Ags State this year, 48-the start battle to Saturday night return the Boot to Logan after an absence of four years. Utah State took the instate title each of the first four years it existed (1971, 72, 73 and 1974) and then it was BYU the following three years (1975-7and Utahs Utes won the Boot for the first time last year. "They ate a goad footbal team, espedaly an offensive They hove a goad passing attack and a very solid running game and there is no question that they have a very goad kicking game.'' The fact the Utes are reeling from two decided losses the past two weeks to Washington and Tennessee will not affect the pregame outlook for this one according to Bruce Snyder. I like the team Wayne has this year, I think theyre very good, said Snyder. I dont think you get a very good picture of their club by reading their last two scores, I really dont. They have a group of good runners, theyre deep there. I dont have any idea which quarterback will start against us; theyve used them all. I see the strength of their team as their defense; they pressure you and theyre a bunch of strong athletes. Jeff Griffin is probably the best deep back well see this year. The Aggies take one of everything into this one: a win, a tie, and a loss. But things have been looking up lately, particularly with the 244) Saturday shutout of Colorado State before a record-firgame crowd in never look down my nose at a win, but in retrospect we would have liked to get more points earlier than we did; we had very good field position most of the first half and it didnt result in as much as we had hoped. But, possibly one reason we were slow getting started was my playcalling fra Craig (Bradshaw). Heres a guy who has played maybe 25 plays in two years, and here he is filling in for the nations total offense leader. We didnt know what would transpire. As it turned out, he played better and better as the game went along and things turned out very well. Our goal line stand the first part of the second half (on CSUs only sustained drive of the afternoon) will give us a lot of confidence from here on out as for as the defense goes. Other than the long scoring play of some sort, there is nothing more exciting to me than a great goal line stand. We havent forgotteh last years Utah game; we made sive Player of the Week nominee to the PCAA office, hit passes for 132 yards and two scores, and three of his passes were dropped. Defensively, the Ags turned in their strongest effort of the year and the charge was led by candidate Rulon Jones, defensive USUs 6-- 7, 265-pou- nd tackle. Colorado State had 17 rushing yards the first half against us, said Snyder, and youve got to remember, this is the club that had one guy (Larry Jones) go for 196 yards against Arkansas the week before. But their game plan was to trap block up the middle and Rulon and our interior people shut that right off. He was in on 10 assisted tackles, two assists, and he had a tackle for a loss. USU USUs coaching staff game awards for the CSU game after film study included Bradshaw and tight end Ken Brown as offensive players of the game and reserve guard Rob Smith as the 12th man; Rulon offensive early mistakes and they turned Jones and linebacker Brett Ure them into 16 first half points. shared the defensive award while Then we came back and got on Chris Albrittain was named both top, 20-1before they pulled it the defensive 12th man and the out. This year, they will have to player of the game among USUs slow down our passing game and kicking units. Jones wps named weve got to find iuvay to do the the overall Player of the Game same with their njn These are for his defensive effort, forcing the kind of games I love. It .looks CSU out of their planned trapping like a close one to me. attack into a second half option In addition to Griffin, I think offense which called for plays to the sophomore Clark (Steve) has the outside (to avoid Jones). , played well for than at defensive BRUCE SNYDER: For the tackle and Gompf is a very active CSU game that was the most linebacker in the middle. The rest enthusiastic we have been this of them look all alike to me: year; we were really emotional theres no fat and they run and hit without being overconfident. Ill on defense." UTAH'S BIG FOUR LEAGUE STANDINGS st Romney Stadium (17,960). The most-aske- d question in northern Utah last week: Will Eric Hippie play? will linger for another week. Hippie did not run a play from scrimmage against Colorado State, still in limbo with a shoulder injury incurred loss. against Nebraska in a "The doctors advised us not to use Eric against Colorado State and the latest word is there will be a determination Thursday whether Eric can go against Utah, said Bruce Snyder. In the meantime, the Aggies will continue to prepare Craig Bradshaw who played so well against CSU and freshman John Hill. Bradshaw, USUs Offen 14-3- 5 , LAST WEEK'S RESULTS Portland State 16 Weber St. 13 Tennessee SI Utah IS Utah State 24 Colorado St. 0 BYU-B- y THIS WEEK'S GAMES Utah State at Utah 7:30 UtepatBYU- - 1:30 Weber State at Montana-1:3- 0 |