Broke without Pennyman?
The Utah State Aggies head into their home opener against the rival Utah Utes 0-2 and without the services of explosive wide receiver Tony Pennyman.
Head Coach Brent Guy kicked Pennyman off the team on Tuesday for violating team rules after the receiver was arrested for domestic violence earlier in the week.
Pennyman, last year’s leading receiver, will be missed, but Guy said someone will step into the lineup to replace him.
“We’re counting on our young receivers and some guys you haven’t seen yet to step up and make plays,” Guy said Thursday evening during his weekly radio show with Al Lewis. “That’s what happens in a team sport. I tell the guys all the time ‘you’re one snap away from being a starter.’ Xavier Bowman has had a great week and I’m going to be shocked if he doesn’t step up and surprise people.”
Guy said he always gives his players a second chance. “I tell them to turn their blinker on and don’t make the same wrong turn again.”
In Pennyman’s case it was simply one infraction too many. The talented but enigmatic receiver served a suspension last year as well.
As for the Utes (1-1), it’s hard to gauge how good they are right now as they are coming off an impressive win against a Northern Arizona team that didn’t have the athletes to compete. They opened their season with a loss to UCLA in which Bruins QB and onetime BYU commit Ben Olson threw the ball all over their secondary to the tune of 318 yards and three TDs.
Guy called the Utes’ QB Brett Ratliff “an operator” who is effective running the option, throwing the football, or carrying it himself. Ratliff had to fight off challenges from Tommy Grady and Brian Johnson in the Utes camp earlier this fall and Grady was inserted for one series against the Bruins but threw an interception, seemingly entrenching Ratliff even deeper as the starter. But Utes coach Kyle Whittingham has seemingly done everything in his power to create controversy at the QB position this fall and the Aggies can’t rule out seeing some of Grady on Saturday. Johnson redshirted and won’t be a factor unless Utah is beset by injuries.
Guy said the Utes veteran defensive line has got his attention.
“The strength of their defense has to be their defensive line. It’s going to be a battle for our offensive line not to allow penetration in the run game and to protect Leon in the passing game,” Guy said. The Utes start three seniors, Soli Lefiti, Kelly Talavou and Paul Soliai, and one junior, Martail Burnett, on their defensive line. Guy singled out 300-pound tackles Talavou and Soliai as especially disruptive.
The other big factor for the Utes defense is safety/cornerback Eric Weddle. Guy said his staff will be watching to see if Weddle follows USU gamebreaker Kevin Robinson all over the field or if the Utes use Weddle in a more traditional cornerback role.
The Arkansas game confirmed what most fans have suspected since last spring’s scrimmage, that Marcus Cross is the best runner to suit up in the Blue and White since Emmett White. The juco transfer rushed for 103 yards against a talented SEC defense and it’s likely his tough running will again fuel the USU attack.
The Aggies will be looking to take the next step and score some touchdowns against the Utes after looking like a much-improved football team against Arkansas. It’s the first game in a two-game road trip for the U and Utah State might catch their rivals looking ahead to their Mountain West opener at San Diego State on Sept. 23. Utah leads the nation’s twelfth-most-played series 72-29-4 and have won eight straight. Fans unable to get tickets can watch USU try and snap the streak live on KJZZ television station.