USU football looking to silence its critics

With a new head coach, new conference and new quarterback coming into the 2005 season, the Utah State football team has a lot more questions than it has answers.

Here is an in-depth look at some of the big ones.

Is head coach Brent Guy the real deal?

Aggie fans everywhere are waiting in anticipation to see if their team will look any better than last season with its new head coach. The players, however, have already made up their minds that Guy will help them win games.

“Coach Guy isn’t going to let us do anything but that,” offensive lineman Donald Penn said. “We’re going to compete and battle.”

Wide receiver Kevin Robinson said this season’s practices have been much more up-tempo than last year.

“[Guy] brings a lot of energy and intensity and anything else you can think of,” he said.

Guy said the team’s attitude is just as important as its talent.

“Our motto is ‘tough teams win,'” he said. “Everyone thinks that’s just the physical part, but it’s the mental part of the game too. We have to know how to win and know what it takes to win.”

Guy said last Saturday’s game between No. 6 Oklahoma and unranked Texas Christian, which TCU won 17-10, was a perfect example of what a team like USU is capable of.

“There was not an upset in Norman [Oklahoma],” he said. “TCU was the best football team that day and the best teams always win. In the end, there are no upsets in college football.”

Guy said that along with his players, he will feel much better once the season actually starts.

“The hardest part is leading up,” he said. “I wake up every morning at 3:30 wondering if I forgot something.”

Guy said he is more comfortable coaching his players than he is talking about them off the field.

“I like the practices and being on the field,” he said. “That’s the easy part because I know exactly what I want to do.”

How will the team react to a new scheme on defense and inexperience on offense?

Guy said the defense will change its setup from three down-lineman to four in hope to slow down the opponents running game.

“The defense will be attacking more which will put more pressure on the corners,” cornerback Cornelius Lamb said. “That’s how it should be.”

Lamb is part of an experienced defensive back corps. Lamb, Jarrett Bush and Andre Bala, all seniors, will start in the defensive backfield for the Aggies with sophomore Antonio Taylor.

Meanwhile, starting quarterback Leon Jackson and Robinson are both sophomores and tailback Ryan Bohm and fullback Lynwood Johnson are both freshman. In fact, the only seniors on offense are linemen Penn, Nick George and Ryan DeQuillettes, but George and DeQuillettes played defense last season.

Guy said he does not see inexperience on offense, but potential.

“I hired [offensive coordinator] Mike Santiago because I wanted this style of offense,” he said. “We’re very multiple which is being able to run and to pass.”

Guy said Jackson and Bohm rose to the top of the depth charts for a reason.

“Leon has done the best [at quarterback],” he said. “Ryan Bohm did a great job all during camp. He’s consistent and he knows what to do.”

How will the players react to such low expectations for them?

SportsIllustrated ranked USU No. 114 out of 119 Division 1-A teams in its preseason poll. The only team the Western Athletic Conference coaches picked to finish lower than the Aggies in the league was Idaho.

Instead of complaining, the USU players have used the low expectations for motivation.

“That’s good when people have you down,” Lamb said. “They don’t expect anything out of you.”

Penn said he can’t wait to turn the heads of the Aggies’ critics.

“I love a challenge,” he said with a smile. “I love to be doubted. I love to surprise people.”

Robinson said it’s not just a dream – USU will finish much better than anyone is anticipating.

“We’re going to surprise a lot of people,” he said. “Everyone’s going to sleep on us.”

How will USU fare playing in a better conference?

The Aggies will actually play against conference opponents their fans have heard of this season. No more Louisiana-Lafayettes, no more Middle Tennessee States – USU is now in the WAC.

“I’m so excited about the WAC,” Penn said. “We get to play closer teams and against higher caliber players.”

The new conference started the season with two of its teams, Boise State and Fresno State, in the top 25.

“There’s a lot of good teams [in the WAC],” Robinson said. “We have to treat them all the same.”

-bhhinton@cc.usu.edu