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Show WednesdaySports Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009 Page 8 Page 15 Pearls Before Swine • Pastis Monday, Sept. 15, 2008 TimeOut Utah State University • Logan, Utah • www.aggietownsquare.com Turbin Power A collection of student-produced & syndicated comics, puzzles, fun stuff ... and more FREE classified ads!. Brevity Reallity check best running back to suit up for By G. CHRISTOPHER TERRY assistant sports editor On one hand, Aggie running back Robert Turbin is decidedly new-school. He plays in a cutting edge offense, attacking defenses from multiple angles alongside dual-threat quarterback Diondre Borel. Ask him who his favorite running backs to watch are, and he answers Reggie Bush and Adrian Peterson. “Those are two good runnings backs,” Turbin said. “They were great in college Scootah Steve Weller stephen-weller@hotmail.com and they’re Steve doing great • things in the NFL. I look at what they do special that I may be missing or something that I can get from them to make me a better running back.” Whatever he’s doing, it must be working, because Turbin is USU’s second-leading receiver, averaging a Bush-esque 17.3 yards per the catch so far this season. But then again, watching the bruising sophomore gouge opposing defenses for seven yards a carry through USU’s Shop First! first four games thisHere year, one can’t help but think how the way he smashes over and through defenders is decidedly old-school. The contents of his iPod back that up: USU’s classified ad and online garage Turbin’s favorite tunes include Earth, sale site! Buy • Sell • Swap • Save Wind and Fire, Luther Vandross, Marvin Gaye and Al Green. Call him Soul Train. It’s a train USU head coach Gary Andersen and offensive coordinator Dave Baldwin have been riding for 105 rushing yards and 47.5 receiving yards per game. Turbin is undoubtedly the A-baY &REE #LASSIFIED ADS FOR 535 3TUDENTS #HECK OUT WHAT S THERE AT WWW AGGIETOWNSQUARE 0LACE YOUR OWN AD )T S EASY "E A PART OF THE !GGIE4OWN3QUARE COMMUNITY Loose Parts • Blazek Aggies since Emmett White, and USU’s best chance to revive a once-proud tradition of quality at the running back position. F-Minus Names•likeCarillo Abu Wilson, DeMario Brown and White are only recognizable to Turbin from the brand new Dilbert • Adams really grasp the meaning of a true leader and an unbelievable worker.” Turbin acknowledges that what football fans are now watching him do on the field is a direct result of work he put in earlier this year on the practice field. “I’ve learned a lot about playing the running back position, more than I have in my entire life,” Turbin said. “It’s really helped me do the things that I’ve been able to do this season. With the help obviously of the O-line.” Another old school aspect of Turbin’s game is his well-roundedness. There is no part of playing football that he does not excel in, even the punishing task of picking up free-running blitzers as a blocker. When USU goes to a shotgun set with no tight ends, Turbin is often Borel’s personal protector, a task he applies himself to relentlessly. “I just try to take advantage of every opportunity that I’m given and do everything in my power to help this team win football games,” Turbin said. “If that includes blocking for a dozen or so snaps a game, well, hopefully the opposing team has a good supply of chinstraps on their sideline.” McFadden said being on the field with an explosive player like Turbin makes the Aggie offensive line look good. “When he’s coming into our view running downfield that means we did what Murphy we’re supposed to do,” McFadden said. “Even if we didn’t do what we’re supposed to do usually Turb will make two guys miss and make us look good.” So, is Turbin new-school or old-school? Perhaps Andersen can provide a hint. “He’s very mature for a sophomore in everything he does in his life,” he said. “The key for Robert is the way he prepares himself every week for a football game, prepares himself for school and prepares himself to be a leader. He is an unbelievably fantastic young man.” – graham.terry@aggiemail.usu.edu Aggie Hall of Honor which is found in the Spetman Athletic Complex in the north end zone of Romney Stadium. “What you don’t know about Turb is what he does on the field he deserves,” said senior pre-season All-WAC O-lineman Brennan McFadden of Turbin. “He’s probably one of the hardest workers we have off the field. In the weight room, studying film, as a team leader, he’s just a very hard worker. He deserves his success All About You • on theIt’s field because of what he’s done off the field. When summertime started, Robert didn’t go home at all, he stayed here and he had his mind focused on getting in the weight room twice a day, running, getting in shape, watching film early in the summer, and he came into camp and he was in the best shape of his life. It’s paid dividends because you can see he is the top running back and he’s carrying the load.” Andersen was also swift to praise Turbin’s work ethic, saying he sets an example for the entire team. “On July 15, no one is out there working harder than Robert Turbin,” Andersen home credit said. “That’s where our kids can look and 10 Unpaid card bills, e.g. Crossword Puzzler • Who’sHot? Who’sHot? Chelsea Fowles VOLLEYBALL •Recorded 13 tackles against BYU •Intercepted Max Hall •Nine kills and seasonhigh 56 assists vs. Boise State Brian McKenna X-COUNTRY •Finished 24th at the Notre Dame Invitational Answers are found at a-bay-usu.com Rajric Coleman FOOTBALL Ryan Doyle BASEBALL •Pitched a complete game shutout and threw 15 K’s Friday Go to www.aggietownsquare.com to place your vote. Look for the poll. Be heard. Last week’s winner: Running back Robert Turbin 14 __ of the tongue 15 Celebrity chef Bobby 16 Provo’s state 17 Trailblazer Daniel 18 Bad thing to yell in a crowded theater 19 Hosiery hue 20 Borax haulers, in classic ads 23 Best kind of situation 24 Annual period 25 Getting the job done, briefly 26 Pig __ poke 27 Santa staffer 29 Eager lip sounds 31 Cowboy’s topper 35 “... __ saw Elba” 36 Sport __: Samuel A. Donaldson vehicle of By he nonconference schedule is inversatile plenty reason for optimism. With the 37 LAPD alerts 2 Big name in Saturday’s Puzzle So the books. The results: two road of Boise State, every game 41 Poker exception game gloves one might losses at Top 25 teams, a narrowwhere from this point on appears to be a win3 It’s to the far right stand pat on 46 Sam’snable Club defeat against one of the nation’s top one4 Sal forfreeways Utah State. Hell, maybe of “Exodus” competitor 5 Where pirates offenses and a mildly unsatisfactory even the Aggies can shock the world 49 Confucian “path” prey 50 That, in Tijuana blowout of an FCS team at home. The on ESPN2 and take down the 6 Far fromactually certain 51 Sculptures, oils, with idea, but far from a Aggies’ record currently stands at 1-3,etc. Broncos. 7ACovered lovely thick, icky liquid 52 Sock-in-the-gut which at this point in the year is exactly likely honesty. Lashall of old responses, in one8 in comics First up oaters where everybody expected them to be. in conference play is USU’s 9 Place for 55 Words of mascarafrom the WAC, New Now things really get interesting.understanding fellow Aggies 10 Sonny and Cher sitcom Looking at the remaining schedule 57 forCBS State. The red Aggies are in song, e.g. since Mexico 2003 11 “Yada, yada, 60 Darkroom Utah State. It’s safe to say that three ofimages, a forsomewhat similar situation to USU yada ...” short 12 President 61 Radioer’s the Aggies’ four toughest games this in “Back that they are in their first year with Obama to you” (c)2009are Tribune Media Services, Inc. season are in the rearview – Boise State a new coach trying to 13 Hitchhikers’ digitsand 62 New Wave band head 21 Be a rat fink __ Boingo 40 Whack, as a fly 53 Qua being the remaining one of those four. shed the reputation of a perennial 64 Settled on a 22 Witty Bombeck 42 Clickable PC as a birdcellar-dweller. There also will be no more of this onebranch,WAC opened up with 23 TV’s Nick at __ They image TD p 65 Twistable cookie 28 Chimney duct 43 Some West loss to 54 Cha game at home per three road business the season with home 66 Actress Mary30 Not much a 21-6 Indian religious 57-A Kate or Ashley WAC 32 Party invitee’s cultists 56 Etiqu like there was to start the year. It’s four fellow cellar-dwellar Idaho, who, 67 __ bargain: court buy 44 Racetrack Post home and four away from this pointdeal believe it33 or not, is 4-1 border so far on the Non-Rx 58 “The 68 E-mail button 34 Without ice 45 Alpo or Pedigree dog on. Considering the Aggies have played then pulled off a narrow 69 Salonyear. colorists NMSU 38 False 46 Forty winks 59 Yank appearance arguably the toughest nonconference DOWN victory at home against47 FCS “Animalopponent Farm” base 39 Kim of “L.A. author George fami 1 ChewPrairie the fat schedule of any WAC team this season, View A&M, as 48 well ascigar another Confidential” Inferior 63 Swit SectionF A different point of view T !NSWERS FO ELSEWHERE THIS ISSUE OF 3TATESMA 'OOD ,UCK 1-3 isn’t looking too shabby. From here on out, it’s just the WAC schedule for USU. Last year the Aggies went 3-5 in WAC play, with two of those losses being narrow, while all three victories were by an average margin of more than 28 points. Couple last year’s relative success with the fact that USU might very well be the most improved team in the WAC this year, and there’s close victory on the road versus in-state rival New Mexico. The Southern Aggies though, were also beaten handily by both San Diego State and UTEP. At 2-3, New Mexico State appears to be on its way to a decently respectable season this year. Appearances can be deceiving, however, especially considering - See SECTION F, page 9 |