USU football looks to dethrone Knights
Following a close 28-27 Homecoming victory over Idaho State University, the Utah State University football team will welcome the University of Central Florida Knights to Romney Stadium Saturday at 3:05 p.m.
“I think for the first time all year long we played well together,” USU head coach Mick Dennehy said. “Our defense came to play. They knew what they needed to do in the second half. Our offense did what they had to in the second half as well.”
Now that Idaho State is out of the way, some are left wondering who is Central Florida.
“I would categorize them as a team probably as more athletic than any team that we have played,” Dennehy said. “They have great speed, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.”
A colder climate may slow the Knights down, though.
“I have finally convinced myself that there is nothing I can do about the weather,” UCF head coach Mike Kruczek said. “We have been monitoring the temperature and the forecast predicts mild conditions.”
Saturday will be the first time the Knights will have played in temperatures below 50 degrees since a game last season at Northern Illinois.
Kruczek feels the team will not be in Logan long enough for the altitude to affect them.
On the other hand, USU wide receiver Gary Coleman who is from Miami, Fla., feels the Knights will have a hard time breathing.
“Playing them here is to our benefit because of the altitude,” Coleman said. “My first time here I ran about two pass routes and couldn’t breathe. I was dying. It is so much easier to breathe down there.”
Although the temperature and altitude will not be a factor for the Aggies, injuries will be.
“We lost a couple of guys [following the game against Idaho],” Dennehy said.
Junior linebacker Ryan Solomona saw his career end last Saturday as he sustained a spinal cord injury.
“He is fine, but for all practical purposes he has a condition called spinal stinosis that will not allow him to play again,” Dennehy said.
Dennehy said it would be too big of a risk and danger to allow Solomona to play.
“We are really saddened by that,” he said.
Senior fullback John Roberts also saw the end of his Aggie career as he suffered a broken humerus.
Senior linebacker Tony Newson and senior defensive end Ryan Duncan will at least be out for the game against Central Florida, both players suffering from knee injuries.