Ags, Borel looking toward Saturday scrimmage
After three weeks of spring drills, USU will take to the field of Romney Stadium on Saturday for the first of two formal intrasquad scrimmages before concluding the spring campaign with the annual Blue and White Game on April 24.
While the exact format of Saturday’s scrimmage is unknown, it is believed that USU’s first team offense will square off against the Aggie second team defense, while coach Gary Andersen’s first team defense takes on coordinator Dave Baldwin’s second team offense. According to Aggie quarterback Diondre Borel, Saturday’s scrimmage will provide USU’s offense with the opportunity to show that they’ve progressed without star running back Robert Turbin in the lineup, and that USU’s dynamic spread attack will be just as potent in 2010 as it was during a record setting 2009.
“This Saturday we’ve just got to step it up a little bit, complete the easy balls and run the ball and block a little better,” said Borel. “We’ve just got to get better in every aspect of the game.”
Borel looked sharp in practice on Thursday, displaying several crisp throws despite breezy conditions. While off limits to defenders, he also executed the offense with efficiency and looked comfortable running out of the zone-read. After practice, he said that both the offense and defense had a good week of practice, with neither side dominating the other.
“Today was pretty good,” he said. “We had some big plays. Like coach Andersen says, there is some ‘give and take’ between the defense and offense making plays, and it should be that way. There shouldn’t be one side dominating the ball. Everybody practiced pretty well.”
Borel’s comments regarding spring ball were echoed by defensive end Nathan Royster, who said that the defensive line – a leading concern for the Aggies coming into the 2010 – has progressed through three weeks of intrasquad competition.
“I thought we played with great intensity,” said Royster, who is currently listed as the starter at the right end position. “There was pretty even play across the defensive line. A lot of guys stepped up. We had a couple guys fall off, but a lot of our young players stepped up and made some plays out there.”
Royster continued, saying that the third week of practice has been, “exponentially better than previous practices this spring. I was really impressed with the overall team intensity, and liked it.”
While Borel led the Aggie offense to record setting heights in 2009 (USU ranked 12th nationally in terms of total offense, averaging 439.33 yards per game) the defense lagged behind. Although Aggie head coach Gary Andersen has a defensive pedigree, USU ranked 113th out of 120 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams in total defense last season, while also allowing more than 200 yards rushing per game. Bolstering the defensive line has been Andersen’s primary defensive goal this spring, with Royster saying that the unit has already made major strides from where it had been at the end of last season.
“It’s not even close,” Royster said. “We’re so much better. You just have to come watch us play. We’re a lot faster and a lot better with our technique – our feat, our hands, overall we’re just a lot more aggressive.”
While Royster and the new look Aggie defensive line will be looking to show just how far they’ve come this spring, they’ll be limited in their ability to take on Borel and the offense. USU’s scrimmage is expected to be conducted under highly controlled circumstances, with the mobile Borel off-limits to oncoming defenders. Royster said that playing against a quarterback who is not ‘live’ can be frustrating, but he nevertheless appreciates the need to guard against injury.
“It is extremely frustrating, especially playing defensive end,” Royster said of being unable to tackle the quarterback during intrasquad play. “That’s kind of what you do, you hit the quarterback. But it’s all good, and I don’t mind standing up Diondre. He’s our guy.”
Royster isn’t the only Aggie to feel limited by the limitations and precautions taken during spring practice. Even Borel, who rushed for 465 and six touchdowns a year ago, said that it’s sometimes frustrating to be whistled “down” during practice when he knows he could have escaped the tackle in an actual game situation.
“It’s a little (frustrating). Sometimes they blow the whistle early when I’m running around,” said the senior quarterback.
Aside from the play of the defensive line, Saturday’s scrimmage promises to give Aggie fans their first real glimpse into some of the more intriguing questions that USU is facing this spring. All eyes will likely be on running backs Michael Smith and Derrvin Speight as they fill in for Robert Turbin, while the play of redshirt freshman center Tyler Larsen will also be under the microscope. Meanwhile, a strong performance by Jeff Fisher could further entrench the senior as USU’s backup heading into the season, a position of concern for USU after last year’s backup Kane Wilson was dismissed from the team.
Saturday’s scrimmage will be open to the public and begins at noon. The Aggies will continue practice next week before holding another intrasquad scrimmage at noon on April 17.
– adam.nettina@aggiemail.usu.edu