Aggies practice to open spring football season
The Utah State football team opened up spring practices Tuesday, and head coach Gary Andersen said he is excited to be back at the job.
“The kids are excited to be out here,” Andersen said. “You get through the winter conditioning and get to walk into a new setting, it was fun and exciting for a lot of kids.”
Among key returners from the 2011 season are quarterbacks Adam Kennedy and Chuckie Keeton.
The pair split snaps under center during the scrimmage portion of the opening practice.
Joining in the quarterback battle is former Logan High School star quarterback Jeff Manning.
“(During) spring ball they are going to compete like crazy, just like every position in spring ball,” Andersen said. “It’s every day, we fight together as a team to get better and fight as individuals to get better… To be honest with you, they are the ones who have the most opportunity.”
Among those not returning are linebacker Bobby Wagner and running back Michael Smith who graduated and running back Robert Turbin, who declared for the NFL draft after the end of last season.
“There (are) a number of those guys not here anymore,” Andersen said. “You walk out here and Kyle Gallagher is not here. It is a different year. They’re all here with us still, which is fun to see them walk around and training and doing the things that they are doing to prepare for the next level.”
Linebacker Maurice Alexander has also left the team, taking more talent away from the linebacker corps.
“Maurice is just home with his family where he needs to be right now,” Anderson said. “That is all I am really going to say about that.”
Though the presence of those four and other playmakers from last season will be missed, Andersen said, there are plenty of younger guys stepping up to fill those shoes.
“The key for us is to make sure to develop the youth,” Andersen said. “This is a big, big spring. To say it counts is really an understatement. Especially for the amount of youthful, young, talented kids that are in this program.”
Senior linebacker Bojay Filimoeatu said there are plenty of players – new and experienced – on the team who will fill holes left by departing seniors.
“Bobby was a great player and we are going to miss him a lot, but every year you have to step up your game – other players will step into that role,” Filimoeatu said. “I think we have enough players for that position as well. I think we are coming together more. I think we are understanding the defense better now than we were last year.”
Among those Filimoeatu mentioned could step up are sophomore Tavaris McMillian, junior Jake Doughty, freshman Kyler Fackrell and senior Terrell Thompson.
Running back Kerwynn Williams is another who will be counted on to fill big shoes. The senior is expected to start as the top running back this fall and said the first spring practice went well.
“I thought we executed well as an offense, getting the new system down,” Williams said. “I think everybody did really good. I didn’t see very many drops out of the receivers, which is good, (and) not a lot of balls on the ground, which is good at the running back position.”
Williams also said it is nice to have wide receiver Matt Austin back on the team after being granted an extra year of eligibility.
“He is probably the most physical receiver that we have,” Williams said. “It is always a good thing, because you know his corner is going to be on the ground or he is doing something to keep busy. He is also a very good possession receiver. Whenever we have needed a big play in the past, he has always come up big.”
Andersen said he was pleased with the way things went during the first day of practice.
“After day one, it was positive,” Andersen said. “Overall, the execution with the offense with the pace that they are trying to play at which is fast sometimes, slow down sometimes and everything in between. We did a nice job defensively. I thought that the kids ran to the football well and played with a lot of energy, and the communication on both sides of the ball was pretty clean.”
– tavin.stucki@aggiemail.usu.edu