Football readies for season finale
From an outsider’s perspective, the football matchup on Dec. 4 pitting No. 11 Boise State against Utah State might seem like a fight between David and Goliath, but USU defensive coordinator Bill Busch said he doesn’t see it that way.
“We don’t peg it that way. We don’t peg it as a one-in-a-million chance,” Busch said. “It’s just football. You can never play with wide eyes.”
Until last week’s upset to then-No.19 Nevada, the Broncos were ranked fourth in the country.
“Boise State is a tremendous team. Obviously they had a tough game last week,” USU head coach Gary Anderson said. “We expect to come out and play at a very high level and compete at a high level.”
Although Busch said respect is due to a football program of Boise’s caliber, his Aggie defense will have to play extremely well to stop an offense that averages 46 points per game.
“What stirs them is their quarterback,” Busch said. “(Kellen Moore) is almost flawless.
BSU junior Moore is a finalist for this year’s Manning Award, which is given to the best college quarterback in the nation. He currently has a passing efficiency rating of 188.0, which is two points higher than the NCAA record.
USU junior linebacker and team tackles leader Bobby Wagner said if the Aggie defense can put pressure on Moore they will have a chance.
“I want to make sure they know who we are, who I am,” Wagner said. “We’ll scheme from the inside out. They can be stopped. We need to play sound football.”
Busch said there is more to the Bronco offense than just the quarterback
“They have every weapon you want,” Busch said. “Very multiple.”
The plethora of potent offensive weapons Boise State has include a tandem of wide receivers in Titus Young and Austin Pettis. The pair has combined for 1,860 yards on the season and 17 touchdowns.
USU senior cornerback Curtis Marsh said he has faced receivers on other teams with the same or better ability than Young and Pettis.
“Just have to be aggressive and challenge their receivers,” Marsh said. “With Boise, always expect their best game.”
The Broncos have capable rushing ability, junior Doug Martin and senior Jeremy Avery being the premier backs. Martin has over 1,000 yards on the season and the backfield duo has combined for 21 touchdowns.
USU defensive end Levi Koskan said the game will be a chance for the Aggies to show themselves.
“The energy in the locker room is to prove ourselves and our potential to be greater than our record shows,” Koskan said. “We’ll have to raise our effort and energy to their degree or higher.
“We’ll have to match their meticulous execution; they don’t mess up,” Koskan said.
Facing Boise State for the second time as Aggie head coach, Anderson will look to bring defensive pressure on the Broncos. Boise State has only allowed seven sacks all year, two of those coming at the hands of Nevada last week.
“It is going to be huge. Another reason he doesn’t get sacked is because they have a good offensive line and they protect him,” Anderson said. “You are not going to get to Kellen Moore very often, and he is going to make good decisions and get rid of the football, which is one reason he doesn’t get sacked … it is always important to get good pressure with your defensive ends.”
Anderson also said Boise State has a tremendous team with a stadium that is a difficult place to play.
“I don’t think anyone has won there for the last 35 years. I don’t know the exact date but it has been a while,” Anderson said. “We are excited about the opportunity. It is the last time we will be together as a team. There is nothing after next Saturday for this football team, and we understand that.”
The game will begin at 1 p.m. on Dec. 4 and televised on CW30.
– tavin.stucki@aggiemail.usu.edu