Aggie football takes on UTSA Roadrunners
Being in first place isn’t something the USU football team is particularly known for, but this season the Aggies are getting a little more used to having the target on their back.
Utah State currently sits with a 6-2 record and will put its top spot in the Western Athletic Conference on the line when the Aggies head to San Antonio, Texas, to take on the UTSA Roadrunners Saturday.
Utah State quarterback Chuckie Keeton said he has dreamed of playing in the Alamodome since his high school days because it is where the Texas High School 5A State Championship is played.
“My mom’s entire half of her family is out there, they are in Galveston and they told me that they are going to make the trip up to San Antonio,” said the Cypress Creek, Texas, native. “It is going to be a lot of fun to see all of them and I know that they are going to bring a lot of energy.”
As for his competition, Keeton has a healthy respect for the Roadrunners.
“They have one of the top defenses in our conference right now, and so it is definitely going to be challenge,” Keeton said. “At the same time we have to worry about ourselves and get ourselves prepared to play our type of football.”
Utah State head coach Gary Andersen said UTSA is very well taught by Roadrunner head coach Larry Coker.
“What I see is an offense that does a great job of using the whole field with their wide receivers, with their running backs, with their quarterbacks, with their scheme,” Andersen said. “They do a very nice job. They’ve won a lot of football games. It’s obvious they know how to win.
Junior running back Evans Okotcha leads the Roadrunners with six rushing scores to go along with a pair of receiving touchdowns. Quarterback Eric Soza has 1,077 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and one interception this season.
USU junior cornerback Nevin Lawson said the Roadrunner wide receivers are probably the best group on the team.
“They like to run a lot of option, sideways football and get the ball outside,” Lawson said. “They are going to be a good opponent for us to play against.”
Utah State ranks No. 7 in the nation in scoring defense, giving up fewer than 14 points per game. Andersen said consistency has been the key to his staunch defense.
“The last couple of weeks
we need to play better in zone coverages,” Andersen said. “I think we’ve been great a lot this year. You sit back and look at our numbers, the numbers I tag on great defense is very difficult to attain and they are right there. They are almost 3 yards per rush, 6 yards a play, our pass defense efficiency is very good.”
Lawson credits the success to the unity he and his teammates have.
“This defense is basically like a brotherhood,” the Lauderhill, Fla., native said. “We play hard for each other and it is definitely a pride thing because we know that defense is a big part of our team and what we do. We definitely have to play with each other and play for each other. In the red zone, we always have to bow up. You can drive it down the field but that doesn’t mean that you are going to score.”
Offensively, Utah State’s duo of Keeton and senior running back Kerwynn Williams has picked opposing defenses apart.
Williams has 1,220 yards rushing and receiving for 10 total touchdowns. Keeton has 2,015 yards and 16 passing touchdowns to go along with his three rushing touchdowns.
“A lot of it had to do with our offensive line, they were out there kind of like elephants on skates,” Keeton said. “Whenever they get in the way and take out some defensive backs, it’s a beautiful thing.”
– tavin.stucki@aggiemail.usu.edu
Twitter: @StuckiAggies