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Show Monday, Aug. 26, 2009 Page 17 MondaySports Utah State University • Logan, Utah • www.aggietownsquare.com Time to get offensive Part of that growing process for Borel has really been focusing on his ability as a pocket passer. By his own admission, Borel said he was quick to run last season, and this season he knows the success of the offense rests on an improved pocket presence. “Being a bigger pocket passer, in spring that was one of the things I wanted to work on,” said the junior. “Last year I was kind of just taking off, and I was still learning the offense at the same time. This year I just need to try and stay focused and stay in the pocket and run when I need to.” While being the focal point, Borel is not the only weapon the Aggies possess on the offensive side of the ball. USU returns a surplus of talented running backs, including Robert Turbin, Marquis Butler, Derrvin Speight, Ronald Scott and, speedy JC transfer, Michael Smith just to name a few. By TIM OLSEN sports editor It’s been an offseason of change for the USU football team, but on the offensive side of the ball Utah State will showcase a bevy of familiar faces. The Aggies return an astounding 10 starters and 21 lettermen, highlighted by explosive quarterback Diondre Borel. The quiet junior burst onto the scene last year with his big play ability, overtaking the starting duties just three games into the season. Despite starting only nine games and never having a full grasp of the playbook, Borel led the Aggies in both passing and rushing yards – one of only seven quarterbacks in the nation to accomplish that feat. Borel looks to be even more dangerous heading into 2009 with a full offseason as the starter under his belt, 10 pounds of added muscle and a new, dynamic offensive system – the spread. Utilizing a predominantly shotgun formation, the spread offense uses multiple receiver sets and will give the already dangerous Borel more options both in the running and passing game. “On the offensive side of the football we’ve got some weapons, and the main weapon is our quarterback Diondre,” said USU head coach Gary Andersen. He is a very, very talented young man and a great athlete.” In fact, the former Utah assistant favorably compared Borel to former Ute quarterback Brian Johnson. “Brian may hear it or not, but Diondre’s a little bit better athlete than Brian ever was,” Andersen said. “But I know how talented Brian ended up being at the end of the day, and hopefully Diondre can come close to those strides as he continues through his junior year and senior year.” - See OFFENSE, page 18 This year’s USU volleyball team presents fourth-year head coach Grayson DuBose with a paradox: lots of experience, but not one single senior. “We don’t have any seniors, but we have a lot of guys who have won some big games together,” DuBose, the 2007 WAC coach of the year, said after practice Tuesday. The core of this team will be junior returning starters Chelsea Fowles, Christine Morrill and Katie Astle. All three were second-team WAC selections last year as USU went 11-17 and 9-7 in the WAC. Morrill, who had 409 digs as a sophomore last year, good for fourth best in a single season all-time at USU, will anchor the defense from her libero position. Fowles, who is already sixth on the all-time list at USU with 2,158 assists, said she is ready to assume a leadership position on this young yet experienced team. “I’m excited,” she said. “Setters have that responsibil- Baseball club tryouts announced Utah State’s club baseball team has announced that it will hold team tryouts from Sept. 2-5. The tryouts will be held at the Providence City Field and will run from 68 p.m. on evenings of the Wednesday and Friday. On Sept. 5, the tryouts will run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Aggies will kick off their season Sept. 11-12. Bowling Club practice set for Friday The USU Bowling Club has announced that practice will begin Friday, Aug. 28. Practice will be held at Logan Lanes, located at 1161 N. Main, beginning at 3:30 p.m. Questions can be directed to clofty@comcast.net. Ags sign 7-ft big man BY USU MEDIA RELATIONS Lack of seniors no problem for experience laden Aggies By G. CHRISTOPHER TERRY assistant sports editor TouchBase ity anyway and I think I’m a natural leader. Last year we were in a rebuilding situation, but this year we have a ton of talent even though we have a lot of young girls.” Other players, who will be making an impact for DuBose’s team this fall, are Emily Kortsen, who was an All-Freshman selection in the WAC last year and Danielle Taylor, who sat out last year with an injury after being second team all-WAC in 2007. Lori Wilson-Beckstrom, Shantell Durant and Liz McArthur are also returning letter-winners. The team will be running what DuBose says he feels is the fastest offense in the WAC. “It’s a high-risk, highreward offense,” DuBose said. With that offense and the returning experience - USU returns 94 percent of its assists from last season - the Aggies have been picked to finish third in the conference by the coaches. Fowles said the team’s goals are loftier than that. - See EXPERIENCE, page 19 JUNIOR KATIE ASTLE, 7, battles with her teammates in Saturday’s scrimmage. TYLER LARSON photo Utah State men’s basketball coach Stew Morrill announced Monday that Anthony DiLoreto has enrolled at USU for the 2009 fall semester and will compete for the Aggies beginning this year as a freshman. DiLoreto (pronounced De-low-ret-o), a 7-foot-1inch, 230-pound center from Minnetonka, Minn., averaged 8.2 points and 8.0 rebounds per game as a prep senior at Hopkins High School as he helped lead the Royals to a 27-2 record. During his senior year, he scored in doublefigures nine times and had a season-high 16 points versus Edina High School. Hopkins won the Class AAAA (biggest schools) title during DiLoreto’s freshman (2005) and sophomore (2006) seasons, and went 26-2 during his junior year (2007) under head coach Ken Novak. “Anthony comes from an unbelievable high school program,” said Morrill. “I have known Ken Novak for many years and it is widely known that he has one of the best high school basketball programs in the country. Ken’s recommendation of Anthony as a player and a person was very important in our decision to pursue him.” DiLoreto recently entered a plea of no contest to a year-old robbery charge. With no same or similar offenses, the plea will be vacated and the charges dismissed in one year. “Anthony’s situation is well known,” added Morrill. “He made a mistake. He is anxious to move forward in his life and prove himself on and off the court.” Former Aggie assistant and current Santa Clara assistant coach James Ware also recommended DiLoreto to Morrill. Ware had coached DiLoreto as a youngster and has known Anthony and his family for a long time. |