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Show Friday, Sept. 10, 2010 Page 10 FridayS110 Utah State University • Logan, Utah • www.aggietownsquare.com s Quick Hits Not one step bacic- Idaho State (1-0) vs. Utah State (0-1) 6:00 p.m. MST, Sept. 11, 2010 VS. Aggies will try to avoid letdown against Idaho State in home opener this Saturday What you need to know before Utah State takes on Idaho State in Saturday's home opener. Setting the Stage: The Idaho State Bengals play in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and beat Montana Western 32-3 last weekend. While the score looks impressive, the Bengals were playing inferior competition, and should have trouble matching up against USU's speed and depth. The Aggies are coming off an impressive opening-week loss to an Oklahoma team they weren't supposed to be competitive against, but will have to guard against an upset bid on the part of ISU this week. When ISU has the ball: Look for balance on the part of the ISU offense, which will have to rely more on ball control and execution than on talent against USU's fast and athletic defense. Expect the Bengal offense to lean heavily on running back Corey White and Jahmel Rover, who teamed up for 234 rushing yards last week. With questions on both the offensive line and at the quarterback position (ISU started a redshirt freshman, Kyle Morris, last week) the Bengals' best hope to spring the upset will be to keep USU's dynamic offense off the field. UTAH STATE NEARLY SHOCKED OKLAHOMA last week, but the Aggies will be facing a different test this week against Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) member Idaho State. The Bengals defeated Montana Western in week one, but will be facing a Utah State team which put up more than 400 yards of total offense a week ago. Utah State is a heavy favorite going into the game, but will be without top wide receiver Matt Austin. Photo Courtesy ofThe Oklahoma Daily the ball very well," Andersen said. "They ran the ball effectively. They are pretty big sports editor upfront." Andersen said the Aggie defense — which Utah State is not looking in the rear-view gave up over 400 yards of total offense to mirror. Oklahoma last week — will have to focus Nearly a week after shocking the colon stopping ISU receiver Tavoy Moore this lege football world with a 31-24 loss at No. Saturday. While Moore stands only 5'7", 7 Oklahoma, the Aggies (0-1) are ready to the former junior college receiver displayed move on with the 2010 season, looking to outstanding quickness and vision as both capitalize on their early season momentum a receiver and return man in the Bengals as they prepare to tangle with the Idaho opener, and was even named one of the FCS State Bengals (1-0) Saturday. Performers of the Week for the effort. "The Oklahoma game was a tremendous "(Moore) is a tremendous player," football game number-one," said USU head Andersen said. "He made a bunch of plays coach Gary Andersen. "I thought that both and did a very nice job. He is a very athletic sides fought extremely hard ... We now look young man and he shows up on film." forward to the opportunity to play again Andersen's warning on Idaho State this Saturday against Idaho State." isn't just coach-speak for the media. After Idaho State won their practice on Tuesday, season opener last Saturday, "It has been a very USU's coaches repeatedly defeating Montana Western competitive football warned the Aggie play32-3. The Bengals were ers — sometimes in very game so I am sure they dominant on both offense harsh language — that and defense against the the Benagls are not to be are going to walk in NAIA Bulldogs, who manhere thinking they can overlooked. The message aged just 158 yards of from the coaches to the a win" get total offense against ISU's players was clear: having defense. Gary Andersen, shown how hard they've Despite ISU's win last USU head coach worked all offseason, the weekend, Utah State will very last thing USU playcome into the game as the ers would want to do is to heavy favorite. USU is 76-17come out overconfident 6 all-time against current FCS opponents, against ISU and fall, in an embarrassing and defeated last year's FCS opponent fashion, in week two. — Southern Utah — in Logan 54-34. After While USU hasn't played ISU in football going toe-to-toe with one of the nation's since 2002, the two schools have many conbest teams a week ago, one might think nections. Andersen was the ISU defensive Andersen and his Aggies aren't too worried line coach from 1992-94, while no less than about the Bengals. Think again. eight current Aggie assistants have ties to "The biggest thing about Idaho State, the Pocatello, Idaho university. In addiwhich our kids have been told three times, tion to providing an early proving ground is the last three times USU and ISU have for many of USU's coaches, Pocatello has played, the margin (of victory) has been five also provided former USU linebacker Jake points or less," Andersen said. Idaho State Hutton with a home. Hutton, who was a upset Utah State 27-24 in 2000 and came third-team freshman All-American in 2005 within a point of beating the Aggies in 2001 for the Aggies, had an injury-plagued career in a 28-27 loss. in Logan and left the team following the "It has been a very competitive football 2008 season. He transferred to Idaho State game so I am sure they are going to walk in before this season, and even made a tackle here thinking they can get a win," Andersen for the Bengals in week one. added. This Saturday, the Aggies will be looking Andersen is particularly concerned with to correct several mistakes that cost them the ISU offense, which was led by backup the game against Oklahoma. Among the quarterback Kyle Morris last week. Morris most important themes Andersen has been went an effective 17-26, for 189 yards and stressing is buying into a winning mentalthree scores through the air, while the ity — something that is easier said than done Bengals displayed a one-two punch at runwith a team that hasn't had a winning seaning back with Corey White and Jahmel son since 1997. Rover both eclipsing the 100-yard rushing mark. I See PREVIEW, page 11 "They scored a bunch of points and ran By ADAM NETTINA WR's Martin, Watkins prove experience is no barrier By ADAM NETTINA sports editor Coming out of spring ball, the Aggies thought they had it all figured out at wide receiver. Junior Stanley Morrison, who led the team with 616 yards and three touchdowns in 2009, looked primed to become one of the Western Athletic Conference's most explosive players, while former junior college star Matt Austin seemed to have solidified his role as a go-to pass-catcher. Heading into week two of the season, the prospects for monster years out of Morrison and Austin are a distant memory. But the prospects for a productive year out of the Aggie receivers, however, are not. Matt Austin's second-quarter knee injury against Oklahoma on Saturday couldn't have come at a worse time in the season. After all, it was Austin who was sup- posed to be the replacement for Morrison, who himself suffered a season-ending injury during a swimming accident earlier in the summer. Down 21-0 to Oklahoma and without their top-two wide receivers, hopes of a comeback would have to come on the quick feet and sure hands of a previously untested duo of wide receivers who arrived in Logan only eight months ago. Xavier Martin and Dontel Watkins were up to the challenge. Stepping in for the injured Austin, Watkins and Martin helped spark USU's dramatic second-half comeback, matching up against some of the best defensive backs in the country to combine for 151 yards and two touchdowns through the air. Not a bad way for two junior college transfers to begin their Division I college football careers. I See WIDEOUTS, page 12 UTAH STATE RECEIVER DONTEL WATKINS outraces the Oklahoma defense for a touchdown during last Saturday's game. Watkins had 91 yards receiving in the game. AP Photo When USU has the ball: Expect a heavy dose of running backs Michael Smith, Derrvin Speight and Kerwynn Williams. After struggling at times in rushing the ball last week, USU offensive coordinator Dave Baldwin will be looking to utilize the Aggies' superior depth at running back, and in the process wearing out the Bengal defense and forcing ISU to adjust by bringing eight men into the defensive box. While ISU played well on defense against Montana Western, the Idaho State cornerbacks won't be able to match up with USU receivers Dontel Watkins and Xavier Martin. Once USU establishes the running game, expect Aggie signal caller Diondre Borel to go over the top for the big play to Watkins or Martin. X-factor: USU linebacker Junior Keiaho. The versatile defender was off to a great start against OU last Saturday before getting banged up, and is questionable going into this Saturday's game. While USU has plenty of depth at linebacker, a healthy Keiaho could mean the difference between game-changing defensive scores and hollow tackles on a stat sheet. Crunching Numbers: Romney Stadium hasn't exactly proven to be friendly confines for recent USU home openers. The Aggies are 7-13 in their last 20 homeopeners. The good news? USU is 76-17-6 overall vs. current FCS opponents and has won its last four games against FCS members. Statesman Prediction: USU showed it can compete with the very best teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) last weekend, but this week's game presents a different challenge. While USU should have no problem blowing a less talented Bengal team out at home, the Aggies must remain focused and not get complacent. ISU's players and coaches will have no shortage of incentive to shock the Aggies, and could make this one closer than the experts think if the Aggie offense gets sloppy. In the end though, USU will have too much offensive firepower for the Bengals, and will pick up its first win of the 2010 season. — adamnettina@gmail.com |