Ags planning for Utes’ best game
For the fourth time this season, the USU football team will be matching up with a beatable team, the University of Utah.
The problem for the second week in a row will be trying to figure out which form the opposing team will show up. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. at Rice Eccles Stadium.
The schizophrenic Utes (1-3) rolled over the then 11th-ranked UCLA Bruins, 44-6, two weeks ago before being shut out 27-0 last week by UNLV (a team USU lost to by only a touchdown).
Needless to say, the Aggies (0-4, 0-1 in Western Athletic Conference play) are preparing for the best.
“We’re going to count on the team that beat UCLA,” USU Head Coach Brent Guy said. “San Jose State was the same way because we didn’t know what team was going to show up there. They showed up and played 42 snaps of empty (offense) after they had only played 16 in the first three games. So we’re going to count on it being (Utah’s) best effort and expect anything to happen.”
Against UNLV, the Utes played both Tommy Grady and Brian Johnson (who was sidelined earlier in the season with an injury). Grady was 11-of-21 passing for 117 yards and one interception. Johnson was 12-of-19 for 78.
The Utes as a team also fumbled the ball four times, gave up one sack, punted 11 times and missed a 57-yard field goal.
Aggie senior defensive end Frank Maile knows one bad week doesn’t necessarily mean there will be another for the Utes.
“To me, Utah has always been a good, competitive team,” Maile said. “Unfortunately, they’re sitting in almost the same boat we are. Whether it’s Johnson or Grady or any other quarterback, we have to prepare as if we’re playing the No. 1 team in the nation, because their quarterbacks can all perform. Whoever is playing, there’s a reason why they’re playing, and we need to practice as if this is our last game and he is the best quarterback in the nation.”
The Aggies are looking not only for their first win of 2007, but also to narrow the all-time series record of this rivalry, which the Utes lead 74-28-4 with nine consecutive victories that include last year’s 48-0 de-pantsing of the Aggies at Romney Stadium.
The last time USU triumphed over the Utes was under John L. Smith’s back-to-back wins in 1996 and 1997.
UTES AGAINST THE PASS
One area of interest for Saturday’s game will be the Aggie passing game going against the Ute defense.
USU’s 112.25-yard passing per game ranks 116th nationally, while the Utes’ pass efficiency defense is eighth in the country, allowing only 86.98 yards per game.
If the Aggies can build a solid rushing game comparable to last Saturday’s 18-play, 92-yard drive against the Spartans that ate up 8:23 off the clock in the fourth quarter, getting pass completions will come with much greater ease.
“I don’t know what it was that sparked them (in that drive),” Guy said. “(Offensive coordinator) Darrell (Dickey) and I talked about that yesterday, but I know one thing: That’s the offense I want from now on, and that’s what I told them yesterday. We’ve seen it now and know you can do it, so let’s get out there and don’t wait until the second half to do it.”
MAILE’S UTE CONNECTION
While playing at Alta High School, Maile said he always wanted to go to BYU, verbally committed to play at Utah his senior year, and ended up signing with the Aggies after the Utes stopped writing him and the Aggies offered him a scholarship.
“To me it really wasn’t about the school, but the only way to get an education,” Maile said. “USU offered and I took it.”
His cousin is Ute defensive lineman Aaron Tonga.
Maile also, like many Aggies, grew up with many of the Ute players in the Salt Lake area.
“It’s a game that both teams are always excited to play,” Guy said. “A lot of these kids know each other … So emotionally it won’t be hard to get the guys ready to play this game.”
OTHER AGGIE NATIONAL RANKINGS
USU is seventh in the nation in yards gained on kick returns and eighth on punt returns thanks in large measure to Kevin Robinson.
Leon Jackson III is 37th in net punting with 37.74 yards per punt.
The Aggies are also 117th in total offense (230 yards per game), 115th in scoring offense (14.25 points per game), and 98th in total defense (giving up 456 ypg).
-samuel.hislop@aggiemail.usu.edu