Aggies face short week as they prepare for Tennessee Tech
Thursday evening will present a unique challenge for the Utah State football team, as it is the first time under head coach Matt Wells’ tenure that the team will be playing on just a five-day turnaround.
Fortunately for the Aggies, the short week probably couldn’t have come at a better time.
After earning a 60-13 victory over New Mexico State on Saturday night, a game which many of the USU starters watched the second half of from the bench, the Aggies will now play host to Kennesaw State, an FCS-division opponent which has won just one of its past 13 games.
After a 1-10 campaign in the 2017 season, the Golden Eagles of the Ohio Valley Conference fired head coach Marcus Satterfield less than 24 hours following the conclusion of the season. Though the hire of Tennessee Tech alum Dewayne Allen to fill the position provided a spark of excitement amongst Golden Eagle fans, expectations have been tempered as the team was outscored by a combined 83-20 by FCS opponents Chattanooga and Kennesaw State.
Despite both teams coming into Thursday’s game fresh off being on the opposite ends of blowouts last week, USU junior running back Gerold Bright said the Aggies are expecting a test.
“You can’t go in there thinking that we’re going to smash them,” he said. “You have to respect your opponent, but you don’t have to fear them. You have to understand that anybody is beatable. What we did last week does not matter. It’s all about who goes out and plays that day, and who plays their best game.”
Bright, who tallied up 134 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries against New Mexico State, will now face a Tennessee Tech defense which allowed 507 net rushing yards last week to Kennesaw State. The Golden Eagles have allowed an average of 503.5 offensive yards to their two opponents this season, while earning 337.5 of their own.
The Tennessee Tech defense is anchored by junior safety Shannon Fayne, who has had a breakout season after recording just 10 tackles in 2017. This year, Fayne leads the team in total tackles with 19. Junior linebacker Josh Poplar has also made an impact early on, earning 15 tackles including one for a loss, and making the team’s lone interception of the season.
Offensively, the Golden Eagles are led by true freshman quarterback Bailey Fisher. Fisher, a Clayton, Ga. native, has thrown for 148.0 yards per game, along with a touchdown and three interceptions while completing 52% of his passes. He is also second on the team in rushing yards with 116 yards on 19 attempts.
“As I look at them, I like their freshman quarterback (Fisher). He has a little moxie to him,” Wells said. “To me, he’s a tough, durable guy that throws a very catchable football. The running back (junior Andrew Goldsmith) has done some nice stuff running the ball.”
Wells was complimentary of the Tennessee Tech defense as well.
“On defense, they’re strong up the middle,” he said. “They have some big, good-looking bodies. The two defensive tackles, the two linebackers, the two safeties, you look at them up the middle and they’re physical, well put together guys, and run to the ball well.”
While, according to Wells, the short week and quick turnaround from Saturday’s game alters the team’s preparation schedule as they get ready for the Golden Eagles, he doesn’t expect it to affect the mentality of his team.
“This will end up being a lot about us and our preparation, how our players handle it, how our coaches handle it, how we prepare our guys and our guys really buying into the next game and the next opportunity, and a chance to be 1-0 this week,” Wells said. “That is all our guys are worried about – get to Thursday night and find a way to be 1-0.”
Bright echoed a similar sentiment.
“Personally, it doesn’t change anything to the mindset,” he said. “It’s always to win and it doesn’t change anything, it just comes quick. The game just comes quick to us.”
Thursday will be the first all-time meeting between Utah State and Tennessee Tech. The game is set to kick-off at 6 p.m.
Utah State football can be heard locally on Aggie Radio 92.3 FM, as well as streamed on aggieradio.com
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