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	<title>Matt Harris, Author at The Utah Statesman</title>
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	<title>Matt Harris, Author at The Utah Statesman</title>
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	<item>
		<title>AGGIES IN THE NFL: WEEK 6</title>
		<link>https://usustatesman.com/aggies-in-the-nfl-week-6/</link>
					<comments>https://usustatesman.com/aggies-in-the-nfl-week-6/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Matt Harris]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 15 Oct 2019 16:38:07 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Football]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Baltimore Ravens]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bobby Wagner]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Carolina Panthers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cincinnati Bengals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cleveland Browns]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Detroit Lions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Donald Penn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Green Bay Packers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kyler Fackrell]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Miami Dolphins]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nick Vigil]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Seattle Seahawks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tyler Larsen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Washington Redskins]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://usustatesman.com/?p=22105197</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>We are done with one-third of the NFL regular season. That is it; that is the lead. There has been&#8230;</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/aggies-in-the-nfl-week-6/">AGGIES IN THE NFL: WEEK 6</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We are done with one-third of the NFL regular season. That is it; that is the lead.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There has been enough action in the league that fans and analysts can start getting an honest look at what 2019 really is for most teams. And, boy, is it weird.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And in the weirdness of it all there are the Aggies, many of them, in starting jobs. Lord save us.</span></p>
<h4><b><a href="http://www.nfl.com/player/kylerfackrell/2555340/profile">Kyler Fackrell</a>, Linebacker</b></h4>
<p><b>Green Bay Packers</b></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fackrell had a solid night on primetime TV in the Packers’ <a href="https://twitter.com/packers/status/1184109403710087168">dramatic 23-22 win</a> over the Detroit Lions on Monday Night Football. The backup linebacker contributed three tackles and split a third-down sack with another defender. The first tackle for Fackrell was a second-down stop just outside the end zone, although Detroit scored on the next play. On Detroit’s first possession of the second half, Fackrell broke through the defense and combined on a nine-yard sack on third-down.</span></p>
<h4><b><a href="http://www.nfl.com/player/tylerlarsen/2550493/profile">Tyler Larsen</a>, Center</b></h4>
<p><b>Carolina Panthers</b></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Larsen and the Carolina offensive line did not have to facilitate much to ensure a 37-26 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Playing on short, interception-facilitated possessions, the offensive line rushed for only 59 yards and allowed two sacks.</span></p>
<h4><b><a href="http://www.nfl.com/player/donaldpenn/2506706/profile">Donald Penn</a>, Left Tackle</b></h4>
<p><b>Washington Redskins</b></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Penn and his teammates won their outing against the Miami Dolphins, 17-16. The offensive line facilitated an impressive 145 rushing yards, including a 118-yard performance by Adrian Peterson.</span></p>
<h4><b><a href="http://www.nfl.com/player/nickvigil/2555528/profile">Nick Vigil</a>, Linebacker</b></h4>
<p><b>Cincinnati Bengals</b></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://twitter.com/USUpros/status/1183889240599318528">Vigil</a> cannot be blamed for the Bengals being 0-6 right now. The starting linebacker was all over the field in Cincy’s 23-17 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Vigil finished with a team-high 13 tackles, 10 of them solo. Vigil also recovered a fumble last in the first half and returned it for seven yards.</span></p>
<h4><b><a href="http://www.nfl.com/player/bobbywagner/2532966/profile">Bobby Wagner</a>, Linebacker</b></h4>
<p><b>Seattle Seahawks</b></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Seahawks/status/1183488959306817537">Wagner</a> had himself a day against the Cleveland Browns in a 32-28 win. Despite not getting involved in the flurry of turnovers the Hawks generated, he led the team in tackles for another consecutive week, notching seven total, including a tackle for a two-yard loss.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Wagner made a big play in the fourth quarter when the Browns threatened at the one-yard line to take the lead back. The veteran linebacker stuffed receiver Jarvis Landry short of the goal line on fourth down and forced a fumble. The fumble was recovered by Cleveland, and a flag flew, signaling a defensive penalty and allowing the Browns to repeat fourth down. They still did not score.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Watch out for our Week 7 “Aggies in the NFL” analysis next week in <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</span></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/aggies-in-the-nfl-week-6/">AGGIES IN THE NFL: WEEK 6</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
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		<title>Aggies in the NFL: Week 4</title>
		<link>https://usustatesman.com/aggies-in-the-nfl-week-4/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Matt Harris]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 03 Oct 2019 22:06:10 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Football]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Aggie football]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bobby Wagner]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Buffalo Bills]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Carolina Panthers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chicago Bears]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cincinnati Bengals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dallin Leavitt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Donald Penn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kyler Fackrell]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Maurice Alexander]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nick Vigil]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Oakland Raiders]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Patrick Scales]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tyler Larsen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Utah State University]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Washington Redskins]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://usustatesman.com/?p=22104998</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Have you ever seen a tumbleweed roll past in a desert town? They do not make much noise. I am&#8230;</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/aggies-in-the-nfl-week-4/">Aggies in the NFL: Week 4</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Have you ever seen a tumbleweed roll past in a desert town? They do not make much noise.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I am certain you might be able to hear one of them over the sound of our Utah State University Aggie alumni making plays in the National Football League. As we wrap up the fourth week of pro football, the crop from Bridgerland have yet to make any waves in 2019. Multiple former USU players are suiting up yet going silent on the stat sheet.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bobby Wagner continues to tackle all things, and Nick Vigil might be earning his name in the papers again, but it was a quiet weekend for the rest.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We hope it changes soon (reminder that Nevin Lawson is active starting next week), but in the meantime, here is how some of our pro-level Aggies performed in Week 4 of the NFL season.</span></p>
<h4><b><a href="http://www.nfl.com/player/mauricealexander/2550145/profile">Maurice Alexander:</a> Linebacker, </b><b>Buffalo Bills</b></h4>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Alexander did not show up on the stat sheet for the Bills, as they lost to the New England Patriots, 16-10, but he played at backup linebacker.</span></p>
<h4><b><a href="http://www.nfl.com/player/kylerfackrell/2555340/profile">Kyler Fackrell:</a> Linebacker, </b><b>Green Bay Packers</b></h4>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fackrell played backup at the middle linebacker spot for the Packers in their 34-27 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Uncharacteristically, he did not record any tackles or stats.</span></p>
<h4><b><a href="http://www.nfl.com/player/tylerlarsen/2550493/profile">Tyler Larsen: </a>Center, </b><b>Carolina Panthers</b></h4>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Larsen backed up at center for the Panthers in a win over the Houston Texans, 16-10. Despite winning, the overall performance of the offensive line left much to be desired as the rush offense averaged 3.4 yards per carry, and backup quarterback Kyle Allen was sacked three times.</span></p>
<h4><b><a href="http://www.nfl.com/player/dallinleavitt/2561585/profile">Dallin Leavitt:</a> Safety, </b><b>Oakland Raiders</b></h4>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Leavitt suited up on special teams for the Raiders as they beat the Indianapolis Colts, 31-24. The rookie defender tackled the Colts’ kick returner behind the 25-yard line to start the second half.</span></p>
<h4><b><a href="http://www.nfl.com/player/donaldpenn/2506706/profile">Donald Penn:</a> Offensive Tackle, </b><b>Washington Redskins</b></h4>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s 2017 again! Penn filled in at starting left tackle for the Washington Redskins as Trent Williams was listed as out. It was Penn’s first start since his time as a Raider. He and the rest of the offensive line, however, were owned by the Giants’ defense as the ‘Skins lost 24-3. On offense, Washington only netted 176 total yards, allowed three sacks, and threw four interceptions.</span></p>
<h4><b><a href="http://www.nfl.com/player/patrickscales/2530600/profile">Patrick Scales:</a> Long Snapper, </b><b>Chicago Bears</b></h4>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Scales snapped five punts for the Bears in their win over the Minnesota Vikings, 16-6.</span></p>
<h4><b><a href="http://www.nfl.com/player/nickvigil/2555528/profile">Nick Vigil:</a> Linebacker, </b><b>Cincinnati Bengals</b></h4>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr"><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/1f6a8.png" alt="🚨" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> FUMBLE</p>
<p>Nick Vigil punches it out! <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/1f44a.png" alt="👊" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CINvsPIT?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CINvsPIT</a></p>
<p>(via <a href="https://twitter.com/NFL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NFL</a>) </p>
<p> <a href="https://t.co/jUmZDMqQSI">pic.twitter.com/jUmZDMqQSI</a></p>
<p>&mdash; PFF (@PFF) <a href="https://twitter.com/PFF/status/1178829627948699649?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2019</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite the Bengals looking like a hot mess in their loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 27-3, Vigil had an impressive showing. The starting linebacker led the defense in tackles with 11 total, eight of them solo tackles, and had two tackles for a loss. Vigil burst through on a third-down play when the Steelers were inside the Bengals’ 10-yard line and dragged down the ball carrier for a loss of five yards, forcing a short field goal in the second quarter.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the fourth quarter on the Steelers’ final scoring drive, Vigil netted another stop for a loss of two early in the drive. He then delivered again with a stop on third down for a loss of four yards, forcing another field goal.</span></p>
<h4><b><a href="http://www.nfl.com/player/bobbywagner/2532966/profile">Bobby Wagner:</a> Linebacker, </b><b>Seattle Seahawks</b></h4>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For the second consecutive week, Wagner led the Seattle defense in total tackles with 11 as they easily beat the Arizona Cardinals, 27-10. The veteran linebacker made a third-down stop on consecutive offensive possessions by Arizona, the first of which was a combined tackle alongside Ezekiel Ansah. Let that be one of as few times as possible that Wagner teams up with a former BYU Cougar for anything.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Wagner also nearly forced a fumble late in the second half on the Cards’ lone touchdown drive, but the officials ruled the runner down and upheld the ruling after review.</span></p>
<p>Come back next week and see how all your favorite former-Aggie players fared in the big leagues!</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/aggies-in-the-nfl-week-4/">Aggies in the NFL: Week 4</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
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		<title>Aggies in the NFL: Week 3</title>
		<link>https://usustatesman.com/aggies-in-the-nfl-week-3/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Matt Harris]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Sep 2019 01:23:50 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Football]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bobby Wagner]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dallin Leavitt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Darwin Thompson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Devante Mays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Donald Penn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kyler Fackrell]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Maurice Alexander]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nick Vigil]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Patrick Scales]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tyler Larsen]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://usustatesman.com/?p=22104738</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Maurice Alexander: Linebacker, Buffalo Bills Alexander suited up for the Bills in their win over the Cincinnati Bengals, 21-17. The&#8230;</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/aggies-in-the-nfl-week-3/">Aggies in the NFL: Week 3</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><b>Maurice Alexander: Linebacker, </b><b>Buffalo Bills</b></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Alexander suited up for the Bills in their win over the Cincinnati Bengals, 21-17. The fifth-year pro logged a single tackle. He was also penalized for holding on a punt return.</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><b>Kyler Fackrell: Linebacker, </b><b>Green Bay Packers</b></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fackrell played backup at linebacker in the Packers’ win over the Denver Broncos, 27-16, and logged a solo tackle in the first quarter on Denver’s running back.</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><b>Tyler Larsen: Center, </b><b>Carolina Panthers</b></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Larsen played backup at center for the Panthers in their win over the Arizona Cardinals, 38-20. The line performed well in protection of a rookie quarterback getting his first start. They allowed two sacks but facilitated 173 rushing yards.</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><b>Dallin Leavitt: Safety, </b><b>Oakland Raiders</b></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Leavitt did not record stats but suited up in the Raiders’ loss to the Minnesota Vikings, 34-14.</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><b>Devante Mays: Running Back, </b><b>Jacksonville Jaguars</b></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mays did not play last week and hasn’t played this season. His status change, however, as he cleared waivers and entered the injured reserve for an ankle injury.</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><b>Donald Penn: Offensive Tackle, </b><b>Washington Redskins</b></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Penn played backup at offensive tackle in the Redskins Monday Night Football loss to the Chicago Bears, 31-15. The line performed poorly, allowing four sacks and facilitating only 69 rushing yards.</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><b>Patrick Scales: Long Snapper, </b><b>Chicago Bears</b></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Scales started at long snapper for the Bear in their win over Washington. The Bears punted three times, averaging just over 46 yards per punt.</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><b>Darwin Thompson: Running Back, </b><b>Kansas City Chiefs</b></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Thompson got the lead role for a drive in the fourth quarter of the Chiefs’ win over the Baltimore Ravens, 33-26. The rookie running back carried the ball on four consecutive plays. The first was an eight-yard carry for a first down. Thompson then carried for no gain, then a two-yard gain, and ended with a two-yard loss.</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><b>Nick Vigil: Linebacker, </b><b>Cincinnati Bengals</b></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite the inability of the Bengals offense to show up, Vigil had a solid day on defense. The fourth-year linebacker notched five total tackles, four of them solo, and delivered two hits on Buffalo’s quarterback.</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><b>Bobby Wagner: Linebacker, </b><b>Seattle Seahawks</b></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Wagner was all over the field in the Seahawks loss to the New Orleans Saints, 33-27. The veteran linebacker recorded 18 tackles, four solo, and 0.5 tackles for a loss. It unfortunately wasn’t enough as multiple mistakes on offense turned into easy points for the Saints.</span></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/aggies-in-the-nfl-week-3/">Aggies in the NFL: Week 3</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
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		<title>Aggies in the NFL: Week 1</title>
		<link>https://usustatesman.com/aggies-in-the-nfl-week-1/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Matt Harris]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 Sep 2019 21:30:14 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Football]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[aggies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bobby Wagner]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Buffalo Bills]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Carolina Panthers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chicago Bears]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cincinnati Bengals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Darwin Thompson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Donald Penn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Green Bay Packers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kansas City Chiefs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kyler Fackrall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Maurice Alexander]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nick Vigil]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Patrick Scales]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Seattle Seahawks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tyler Larsen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Utah State University football]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Washington Redskins]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://usustatesman.com/?p=22104570</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>I&#8217;ve watched college football over the past two weeks, basking in the brilliance of football’s glorious return, and wondered why&#8230;</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/aggies-in-the-nfl-week-1/">Aggies in the NFL: Week 1</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I&#8217;ve watched college football over the past two weeks, basking in the brilliance of football’s glorious return, and wondered why anyone was really missing NFL football. Surely, we had everything we needed?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Then, I watched my Raiders, beholding the nation’s greatest showcase of athleticism that I had forgotten the human body was capable of. I then remembered why the NFL is great.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For Aggie fans, the thrills of week one hopefully did enough to mask the lack of highlights from Logan’s loyal. Plenty of excitement to come in the future, of that, we can certainly hope.</span></p>
<p><b>Maurice Alexander:  Linebacker, </b><b>Buffalo Bills</b></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Alexander played on special teams in the Bills’ comeback win over the New York Jets, 17-16, and had a tackle on the returner to begin the Jets’ first and only touchdown drive.</span></p>
<p><b>Kyler Fackrell: Linebacker, </b><b>Green Bay Packers</b></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Packers beat the Chicago Bears, 10-3, in an opening game that was about as entertaining as watching paint dry in black and white to the accompaniment of a Gregorian chant. Fackrell saw some field time and notched two tackles.</span></p>
<p><b>Tyler Larsen: Center, </b><b>Carolina Panthers</b></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Larsen played backup center in the Panthers’ 30-27 loss to the Los Angeles Rams and the Panthers’ line allowed three sacks. If you were expecting a punt return here, expect disappointment.</span></p>
<p><b>Donald Penn: Offensive Tackle, </b><b>Washington Redskins</b></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Penn, the veteran Aggie of our group, played backup on the offensive line in the Redskins’ 32-27 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.</span></p>
<p><b>Patrick Scales: Long Snapper, </b><b>Chicago Bears</b></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Scales did his job as usual for the Bears in its loss to the Packers. With the Bears offense never getting off the ground, Scales had plenty of work, snapping eight punts. As long as you do not hear about any footballs flying over Chicago’s punter’s head, you can assume that Scales had a good day.</span></p>
<p><b>Darwin Thompson: Running Back, </b><b>Kansas City Chiefs</b></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Thompson, despite all the preseason hype the Chiefs’ media put on him during the preseason, barely saw the light in the Chiefs’ first game of the regular season. He did not get any rushing attempts from his third-string spot, but caught one pass on first down for three yards in Kansas City’s win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, 40-26.</span></p>
<p><b>Nick Vigil: Linebacker, </b><b>Cincinnati Bengals</b></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Vigil had a nice day on defense against the Seattle Seahawks, despite losing 21-20. Finishing with seven tackles, 1.5 tackles for a loss, Vigil primarily took care of containing Seattle’s Chris Carson. He had an impressive series coming out of the half and combined on a tackle for a six-yard loss and subsequently took Carson down for a one-yard loss on the next play.</span></p>
<p><b>Bobby Wagner: Linebacker, </b><b>Seattle Seahawks</b></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Wagner started at linebacker and collected nine total tackles, two for a loss, in the win over Cincinnati. One of Wagner’s tackles was a tackle for a loss that resulted in a third-down stop on the Bengals’ first drive.</span></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/aggies-in-the-nfl-week-1/">Aggies in the NFL: Week 1</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
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		<title>Aggies in the NFL: Preseason edition</title>
		<link>https://usustatesman.com/aggies-in-the-nfl-preseason-edition/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Matt Harris]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Sep 2019 16:15:01 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[All]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Football]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Aggies Football]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Arizona Cardinals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Buffalo Bills]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Carolina Panthers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chicago Bears]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cincinnati Bengals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Green Bay Packers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kansas City Chiefs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[NFL]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Oakland Raiders]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Seattle Seahawks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Utah State University]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[<p>    You get playing time! You get playing time! Everybody gets playing time!     Oprah cliches aside, the NFL preseason&#8230;</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/aggies-in-the-nfl-preseason-edition/">Aggies in the NFL: Preseason edition</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">    </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">You get playing time! You get playing time! Everybody gets playing time!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">    </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Oprah cliches aside, the NFL preseason allows football fans to get an early shot at feeding their gridiron addiction, while hundreds of league hopefuls don pads and helmets and take their shot on the field.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">     These last four weeks of exhibition play allowed for 14 of Utah State’s own to see the field, whether it be to earn a spot, secure one, or get in a few warmups.</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><b>Maurice Alexander, Linebacker</b></p>
<p><b>Buffalo Bills</b></p>
<p><b>    </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">Alexander secured a roster spot with the Bills as the second-string strongside linebacker behind Matt Milano. He recorded a stat in all four preseason games with eight total tackles, two solo tackles and two pass defenses.</span></p>
<p><b>Jalen Davis, Cornerback</b></p>
<p><b>Arizona Cardinals</b></p>
<p><b>    </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">After leading the BYU Cougars in touchdown catches in 2017 (we will never let this go), Davis recorded stats in each preseason game for the Miami Dolphins with six total tackles, three solo tackles and one pass defense. The Dolphins, however, did not hold on to the second-year cornerback, instead waiving him at the deadline. Davis has announced on Twitter that he is headed to the Arizona Cardinals and his agency’s marketing director, Dane Reese, confirmed Davis signed a contract for the Cards’ practice squad.</span></p>
<p><b>Marwin Evans, Safety</b></p>
<p><b>Free Agent</b></p>
<p><b>    </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">Evans saw some action in the preseason with the Seattle Seahawks. He recorded two tackles, both of them solo tackles. The Seahawks waived Evans last week before the deadline.</span></p>
<p><b>Kyler Fackrell, Linebacker</b></p>
<p><b>Green Bay Packers</b></p>
<p><b>    </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fackrell secured his spot once again as the second-string middle linebacker for the Packers. Having been somewhat established with the Green Bay roster, Fackrell played limited time and recorded a single tackle and a hit on the quarterback. He fills the depth chart just behind the newly-signed Preston Smith.</span></p>
<p><b>Tyler Larsen, Center</b></p>
<p><b>Carolina Panthers</b></p>
<p><b>    </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">Larsen was, at one point, slated to be the starting center for quarterback Cam Newton and the Panthers following the retirement of veteran Ryan Kalil. Instead, head coach Ron Rivera kept Larsen at the backup spot on the depth chart and brought in Matt Paradis. Rivera had praise for Larsen after he started 15 games last season, saying he did “very, very well.”</span></p>
<p><b>Nevin Lawson, Cornerback</b></p>
<p><b>Oakland Raiders</b></p>
<p><b>    </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lawson inked a deal with the Raiders over the spring and, soon after, was suspended four games after testing positive for PED’s. Leaving aside that my Raiders simply cannot have nice things, Lawson’s suspension still allowed him to play in the preseason, and he stood out with 14 total tackles, 11 solo tackles, one tackle for loss and one pass defense. He currently holds the third-string spot at right-side cornerback, but it remains to be seen if he will move up once he is eligible to play.</span></p>
<p><b>Dallin Leavitt, Safety</b></p>
<p><b>Oakland Raiders</b></p>
<p><b>    </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">Leavitt’s stats jumped off the page for Oakland thanks to a good chunk of field time. The former practice squad player recorded 12 total tackles, 10 solo tackles and two pass defenses. Leavitt earned a sport on the Raiders’ roster as the fourth-string strong-side linebacker.</span></p>
<p><b>Donald Penn, Offensive Tackle</b></p>
<p><b>Washington Redskins</b></p>
<p><b>    </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">It pains me to see a different team name next to Penn’s name after he played tough for Oakland for the last few years, but the veteran left tackle left town and is listed as the backup left tackle for the Redskins. It is expected, however, that Penn will start the beginning of the season as the incumbent, Trent Williams, is listed as out on the depth chart and is reported to be in disputes with the front office.</span></p>
<p><b>Dax Raymond, Tight End</b></p>
<p><b>Chicago Bears</b></p>
<p><b>    </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of the Aggie’s rookie representatives this year, Raymond’s fate was unkind. Raymond left the field in the fourth preseason game and is reported to have a head injury. The Bears have placed him on injured reserve, but he still managed to keep a spot on the final roster at fourth-string tight end. Raymond had three catches for 22 yards on five targets during the preseason.</span></p>
<p><b>Patrick Scales, Long Snapper</b></p>
<p><b>Chicago Bears</b></p>
<p><b>    </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">Patrick Scales is securely on the Bears’ roster as the lone long snapper. Obviously, there are not really any stats to report on this, but rest assured our friend Scales will continue to rocket-launch footballs to expectant punters out of his backside for more money than most college professors make. Football is great.</span></p>
<p><b>Hunter Sharp, Wide Receiver</b></p>
<p><b>Free Agent</b></p>
<p><b>    </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sharp had a decent preseason for a journeyman receiver. He recorded four catches for 42 yards on seven targets, but was injured during the preseason and did not make the Cincinnati Bengals final roster. He reached an injury settlement with Cincinnati before being waived.</span></p>
<p><b>Darwin Thompson, Running Back</b></p>
<p><b>Kansas City Chiefs</b></p>
<p><b>    </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">Thompson, a promising late-rounder in the recent draft, made several highlights during this preseason and has Chiefs’ fans’ attention as a potential young star. Thompson recorded stats in three contests and rushed 12 times for 60 yards. He also caught three passes for 38 yards, including a 29-yard touchdown. Almost as much coverage as his touchdown catch was a nine-yard run that saw him break at least four tackles against the Bengals. Chiefs correspondents believe Thompson may be a secret weapon in head coach Andy Reid’s speed-reliant offense.</span></p>
<p><b>Nick Vigil, Linebacker</b></p>
<p><b>Cincinnati Bengals</b></p>
<p><b>    </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">Vigil already established himself on the depth chart for the Bengals, but had a few showings this preseason. He recorded two total tackles, both solo, in limited time and is slotted at the starting position at strong-side linebacker.</span></p>
<p><b>Bobby Wagner, Linebacker</b></p>
<p><b>Seattle Seahawks</b></p>
<p><b>    </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">As if the future Hall of Famer really needs the practice, Wagner has a secure hold on the starting middle linebacker position on the Seattle defense. He showed up a few times in the preseason and recorded two total tackles, both of them solo.</span></p>
<p><b>Kerwynn Williams, Running Back</b></p>
<p><b>Free Agent</b></p>
<p><b>    </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">Williams had a decent preseason with the New Orleans Saints. He rushed eight times for 25 yards and caught three passes for eight yards. It was not enough for the Saints, however, and he was waived at the deadline.</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><b>Did we miss anyone? Comment on our story or on twitter @UtahStatesman</b></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/aggies-in-the-nfl-preseason-edition/">Aggies in the NFL: Preseason edition</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
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		<title>Predicting the Outcome of the 2018 USU Football Season</title>
		<link>https://usustatesman.com/predicting-the-outcome-of-the-2018-usu-football-season/</link>
					<comments>https://usustatesman.com/predicting-the-outcome-of-the-2018-usu-football-season/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Matt Harris]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 28 Jun 2018 22:09:10 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Football]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2018 Football Season]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dominik Eberle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jordan Love]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Matt Wells]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[USU Football]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://usustatesman.com/?p=22092118</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Utah State head coach Matt Wells has the chance this upcoming season to throw a bucket of cold water over&#8230;</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/predicting-the-outcome-of-the-2018-usu-football-season/">Predicting the Outcome of the 2018 USU Football Season</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>Utah State head coach Matt Wells has the chance this upcoming season to throw a bucket of cold water over the hot coals under his seat from the last few seasons.</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Going 3-9 in the 2016 season, those coals were blazing, and Wells faced enormous pressure going into last season with a tough schedule featuring two powerful FBS teams in non-conference play and a tougher-than-usual conference slate. Despite the struggle, Wells coached like a man desperate and did exactly what he needed to do to keep his job. Nothing more, nothing less.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Aggies finished 6-6 in regular season play last year and got back into the postseason after a year away, but lost the Arizona Bowl to New Mexico State in overtime.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This coming season, Wells fields a team that has over 66 percent returning production (RP), according to SBNation’s Bill Connelly, including redshirt sophomore quarterback Jordan Love. The Aggies return 18 starters, tied for the most in school history, and 51 letterwinners, a school record. Wells will have more experience than ever. The only major losses from last year come from the secondary, as defensive co-stars Jalen Davis and Dallin Leavitt now play in the NFL.  More good news? A simpler non-conference slate gives the Aggies the chance at a hot start, rather than being a Power-5 guinea pig.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The challenge? The Mountain West, per Connelly again, has more RP than any other conference in the nation in 2018 (66.5 percent). Moreover, USU’s otherwise opportunistic schedule gets bookended by a season opener against Michigan State, a powerhouse with a plethora of returning starters, and the ever-conquering Boise State.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Here, let’s take a gander at what could happen for the Aggies in 2018.</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Week 1: August 31 at Michigan State</strong></p>
<div class="mceMediaCreditOuterTemp alignnone" style="width: 300px;"><img decoding="async" class="wp-image-22092127 aligncenter" src="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/michigan-state-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="200" srcset="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/michigan-state-300x300.jpg 300w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/michigan-state-150x150.jpg 150w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/michigan-state-1000x1000.jpg 1000w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/michigan-state-335x335.jpg 335w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/michigan-state-1050x1050.jpg 1050w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/michigan-state-1472x1472.jpg 1472w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/michigan-state-1104x1104.jpg 1104w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/michigan-state-912x912.jpg 912w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/michigan-state-550x550.jpg 550w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/michigan-state-470x470.jpg 470w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/michigan-state.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px" /></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Anyone that thinks that the Aggies have a good chance to win this game are overthinking the Spartans’ 2016 season debacle way too much. Ranked No. 9 in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Power Rankings, the Spartans return 19 starters from a 10-3 2017 campaign, lead the country in RP and look to present a formidable challenge to Ohio State’s reign atop the Big Ten.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If the Aggies won their season opener versus the Spartans, it would be doomsday for MSU’s team.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Utah State is no doormat in the FBS, however, and MSU should know it. As MSU FanSided reporter Stephen Robb wrote, “This matchup is not good for the Aggies, however, if the Spartans do not take them seriously then it could end up being a close game.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As good as the Aggies can hope to be this season, they will just be practice for Michigan State at home. Score a touchdown in the first half, keep them under 45 points, and make the Spartans question themselves a bit, and USU will have themselves a moral victory.</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Winner: Michigan State (0-1)</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Week 2: September 8 vs New Mexico State</strong></p>
<div class="mceMediaCreditOuterTemp alignnone" style="width: 300px;"><img decoding="async" class="wp-image-22092129 aligncenter" src="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/new-mexico-state-300x264.png" alt="" width="200" height="176" srcset="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/new-mexico-state-300x264.png 300w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/new-mexico-state-335x295.png 335w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/new-mexico-state.png 720w" sizes="(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px" /></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Imagine getting into the fight of the decade with your wife. You end up saying something super hurtful to her, but you win the argument. Trouble is, she went and talked to her parents after the fight, and now you’re having dinner with them tomorrow.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That feeling of dread is exactly what the “other” Aggies should be experiencing leading up to this matchup.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">New Mexico State’s coach ought to have written a letter of gratitude to USU kicker Dominik Eberle, whose horrid kicking performance (2-6 on field goals) essentially gifted NM State an overtime bowl victory. After the 26-20 win, NMSU fans flooded the field of the Arizona Bowl.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">You read that right. The Aggies in red stormed the field in celebration of a low-tier bowl win, capping off a 7-6 season. That is the standard of success at New Mexico State.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Now that the “party” is over, NMSU has to retool its team, which lost its quarterback, top rusher, and top reciever, the three of which were some of the best players the red Aggies have ever had in their history. They will be going up against a Utah State team returning nearly everyone from that bowl game, revenge on their minds, playing in their home opener.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I once read how the colonial British Army wore red coats to disguise if they were ever bleeding. The visiting Aggies may want to bring their home uniforms.</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Winner: Utah State (1-1)</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Week 3: September 13 vs Tennessee Tech</strong></p>
<div class="mceMediaCreditOuterTemp alignnone" style="width: 300px;"><img decoding="async" class="wp-image-22092131 aligncenter" src="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/tennesee-tech-logo-300x228.png" alt="" width="200" height="152" srcset="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/tennesee-tech-logo-300x228.png 300w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/tennesee-tech-logo-1000x761.png 1000w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/tennesee-tech-logo-335x255.png 335w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/tennesee-tech-logo-72x54.png 72w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/tennesee-tech-logo-1050x799.png 1050w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/tennesee-tech-logo.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px" /></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tennessee Tech is essentially a bye week scrimmage for the Aggies.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Golden Eagles were at the bottom of the heap in 2017 with a 1-10 record, and they fired their head coach, Marcus Satterfield, for it. A positive note for the Eagles is they are getting back a coach already familiar with the system in Dewayne Alexander (on his third time coaching at Tech). It’s not going to matter when they come to Logan.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If the Aggies lose this game, Coach Wells will be fired immediately, banned from Maverik Stadium, sent to prison, and shanked within the day.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Utah State is Michigan State in the eyes of Tennessee Tech. Expect such a result.</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Winner: Utah State (2-1)</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Week 4: September 22 vs Air Force</strong></p>
<div class="mceMediaCreditOuterTemp alignnone" style="width: 278px;"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-22092119 aligncenter" src="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/air-force-278x300.png" alt="" width="185" height="200" srcset="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/air-force-278x300.png 278w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/air-force-928x1000.png 928w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/air-force-335x361.png 335w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/air-force-1050x1132.png 1050w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/air-force.png 2000w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 185px) 100vw, 185px" /></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Don’t be fooled by their 2017 season, an uncharacteristic 5-7 letdown. Air Force is a perennially good team, and still managed to upset the Aggies last year.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Falcons’ offense is as stalwart and unchanging as the actual U.S. military, sporting a backfield that seems like an army of running backs, they never throw the ball because they don’t have to. It was the same last year, but the AFA defense couldn’t stop a slug in its tracks, and it cost the Falcons their season.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">By the standards of RP, 2018 could be even more polarizing for Air Force, who lose almost half their RP on defense but return three quarters of it on offense, including both of their run-happy quarterbacks. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Utah State hasn’t had much luck against the Falcons lately, losing their last three in the series. It would be expected that the Falcons will get at least somewhat back to their winning ways and become a real test for the Aggies. On the final match of a three-game homestand and with another chance to erase last year’s sins, Utah State has a good chance to break the streak.</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Winner: Utah State (3-1)</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Week 5: Bye Week</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Week 6: October 5 at BYU</strong></p>
<div class="mceMediaCreditOuterTemp alignnone" style="width: 300px;"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-22092121 aligncenter" src="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/byu-logo-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="196" height="196" srcset="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/byu-logo-300x300.jpg 300w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/byu-logo-150x150.jpg 150w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/byu-logo-1000x1000.jpg 1000w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/byu-logo-335x335.jpg 335w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/byu-logo-1050x1050.jpg 1050w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/byu-logo-1104x1104.jpg 1104w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/byu-logo-912x912.jpg 912w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/byu-logo-550x550.jpg 550w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/byu-logo-470x470.jpg 470w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/byu-logo.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 196px) 100vw, 196px" /></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For so many reasons, this game is the toughest on the Aggies’ schedule to predict as of right now.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Utah State embarrassed the hapless Cougars last season in Logan, 40-24, in a game that saw USU cornerback Jalen Davis with more catches (three interceptions) off BYU quarterbacks than any of BYU’s receivers. BYU went on to have its worst season in a very, very long time and a bottom-5 offense. Subsequently, BYU fired offensive coordinator Ty Detmer and has to pick up the pieces in an attempt to make something of next season.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So why is it unclear if the Aggies, who are on the upswing, can beat the rebuilding Cougars?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Firstly, the plain truth is that any given year, BYU will always be the more talented team. The program is just plain better. Better recruits, higher-profile coaching, and we can only assume they have </span><b>way</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> more money. Proud as Utah State can be about recent victories, most of the time the Aggies win, it says more about BYU’s struggles than USU’s strengths. If the Cougars have their heads on straight, they usually have the upper hand.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Second, last year, BYU had an offense that was about as watchable as Stefan Fangmeier’s film adaptation of </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Eragon</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and they still managed to hang 24 points on USU. Had the Aggies not knocked the Cougars backup quarterback Beau Hoge out of the game in the second quarter, forcing a wholly unprepared Koy Detmer Jr. onto the field in his place, BYU may not have gift-wrapped so many picks to Davis, and the Cougars may still have gotten the victory. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If BYU maintains a healthy starter at quarterback, whoever it is, then they have an advantage. On that subject, it’d be quite nice to see both starting quarterbacks make it out of this game on their own feet. It tends not to happen.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If the Aggies can win it, they send a very clear message to the BYU program that it’s time to stop treating Utah State like the little brother. Utah State hasn’t posted consecutive wins against BYU since 1974. The Cougars will be playing for their dignity, and I don’t see lightning striking twice.</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Winner: BYU (3-2)</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Week 7: October 13 vs UNLV</strong></p>
<div class="mceMediaCreditOuterTemp alignnone" style="width: 300px;"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-22092132 aligncenter" src="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/unlv_rebels_logo.svg-300x288.png" alt="" width="201" height="193" srcset="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/unlv_rebels_logo.svg-300x288.png 300w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/unlv_rebels_logo.svg-1000x959.png 1000w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/unlv_rebels_logo.svg-335x321.png 335w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/unlv_rebels_logo.svg-1050x1007.png 1050w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/unlv_rebels_logo.svg.png 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 201px) 100vw, 201px" /></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">UNLV is one of a few Mountain West teams that rely heavily on a few key strengths to desperately mask their glaring weaknesses. For the Rebels, it can never be said that they can’t move.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Only San Diego State managed to shut down UNLV’s run game, holding them to 104 total rushing yards and slaughtering them, 41-10. BYU kept them to a mere 123, but allowed backup quarterback Johnny Stanton to have a 300+ yard field day in the passing game.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That’s often about all the Rebels can do: eat up yardage. In the Aggies matchup against the last year, UNLV covered ground quickly in the first half en route to a 28-14 lead, but crippled under the Aggies’ defensive stand after halftime. Love, on the other hand, went to work, and had his best game of the season at the expense of the Rebels’ secondary.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It shouldn’t be all fun and games this week for USU. After all, the Rebels temporarily had them last year. This has the makings of a trap game for the Aggies, and the Utah State front seven had better come ready.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Now that Love is a year older, and has the keys to the offense firmly placed in his hand, it’s expected that he will air raid the porous UNLV offense another year in a row, giving the Aggies some gas to steamroll the easier schedule ahead.</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Winner: Utah State (4-2)</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Week 8: October 20 at Wyoming</strong></p>
<div class="mceMediaCreditOuterTemp alignnone" style="width: 173px;"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class=" wp-image-22092133" src="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/wyoming-logo-173x300.png" alt="" width="132" height="229" srcset="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/wyoming-logo-173x300.png 173w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/wyoming-logo-577x1000.png 577w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/wyoming-logo-335x581.png 335w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/wyoming-logo-1050x1821.png 1050w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/wyoming-logo.png 2000w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 132px) 100vw, 132px" /></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The casual and foolish observer may assume that Wyoming is doomed this year.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Cowboys face the departure of quarterback Josh Allen, who was selected 7th overall in the NFL Draft, and turn to junior quarterback Nick Smith, who didn’t turn any heads in relief when Allen was sidelined with an injury for two games. In fact, the Pokes lost both of those games.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Those casual and foolish observers are missing the real story. Allen was straight up awful at times last season, but Craig Bohl’s Cowboys’ success was never predicated on Allen, or the offense for that matter. The Cowboys win with a terrifyingly efficient defense.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">By the numbers, Wyoming was the fifth-best pass defense in the nation last year, allowing only 160.7 yards per game, and the 13th-best scoring defense, allowing 17 points per game. They thrived on creating turnovers, grabbing 16 interceptions and 14 recovered fumbles.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It was no different against the Aggies last year. A dud performance by Kent Myers forced Wells’ hand, inserting Love into the fray with limited experience, and the Wyoming secondary feasted on him, picking him off three times enroute to spoiling USU’s homecoming, 28-23.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Love did a great deal of maturing over the course of last season, so don’t expect it to be business as usual for the Pokes. This one will likely be a low-scoring affair and a close one at that. Give me the Aggies by less than five.</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Winner: Utah State (5-2)</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Week 9: October 27 vs New Mexico</strong></p>
<div class="mceMediaCreditOuterTemp alignnone" style="width: 300px;"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-22092128 aligncenter" src="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/new-mexico-logo-300x258.png" alt="" width="200" height="172" /></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In recent history, it would be fair to say that the Lobos’ elevation from the bottom of the MWC has been more about the inclusion of worse teams than anything else.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Back in 2012, head coach Bob Davie had a stinking mess to clean up at UNM in the wake of former head coach Mike Locksley, who compiled a 2-26 record in two and a half years and had multiple off-field issues. Davie managed to make the program something to be taken seriously again with a bowl win over UT-San Antonio in 2016 but took a step back last year with a 3-9 season.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To make it even harder in 2018, quarterback Lamar Jordan left for the pros, leaving a sophomore with less than a 50% completion percentage to replace. Davie’s also in hot water after he was suspended for 30 days by the university in the wake of numerous assault allegations towards his players. Investigation is ongoing, and certainly administrators at Utah State can attest that these don’t end prettily.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Lobos look primed to continue their tailspin in 2018. Don’t expect the Aggies to accompany them. Bowl eligibility comes earlier than usual this year for Utah State.</span></p>
<p><strong>Winner: Utah State (6-2)</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Week 10: November 3 at Hawai’i</strong></p>
<div class="mceMediaCreditOuterTemp alignnone" style="width: 300px;"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-22092124 aligncenter" src="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/hawaii-logo-300x226.png" alt="" width="200" height="151" srcset="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/hawaii-logo-300x226.png 300w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/hawaii-logo-1000x754.png 1000w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/hawaii-logo-72x54.png 72w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/hawaii-logo-335x253.png 335w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/hawaii-logo-1050x792.png 1050w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/hawaii-logo-1044x783.png 1044w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/hawaii-logo-632x474.png 632w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/hawaii-logo-536x402.png 536w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/hawaii-logo.png 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px" /></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s been a while since Hawai’i was proper good at football. The days of the Warriors wrecking the old BCS are a distant memory.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since the U of H joined the Mountain West in 2012, they’ve only averaged 3.6 wins per season and have only nine conference wins, having gone winless in MWC twice in that span. After last year’s 3-9 campaign, quarterback Dru Brown left for Oklahoma State as a grad transfer, and running back Diocemy Saint Juste graduated. Just like that, Hawai’i lost 4,295 yards of offense from a team that was underperforming already.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The only thing that would play into the Warriors hands in this matchup is home-field advantage, which is a much bigger deal for Hawai’i than any other team in the NCAA. The Warriors have a .305 winning percentage overall since 2012, but that percentage jumps over 10 percent at home.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Expect the Aggies to take care of business and fill Snapchat with beach selfies.</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Winner: Utah State (7-2)</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Week 11: November 10 vs San Jose State</strong></p>
<div class="mceMediaCreditOuterTemp alignnone" style="width: 292px;"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-22092130 aligncenter" src="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/san-jose-state-logo-292x300.png" alt="" width="200" height="205" srcset="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/san-jose-state-logo-292x300.png 292w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/san-jose-state-logo-335x344.png 335w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/san-jose-state-logo.png 387w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px" /></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Does anyone really think that the Aggies are going to blow Senior Night against arguably the worst team in the country?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Due to its front-heavy home slate, Utah State’s final home game of the season comes two weeks for the end of the regular season. Athletic Director John Hartwell and the scheduling committee made up for it with a fine treat for the departing seniors: the second-worst team in the country, per SportsNation’s S+P rankings.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">San Jose State has struggled epically in the past few seasons, but could be on its way up. After a 2-10 debacle in 2017, core pieces of the offense return to give the Spartans a hopeful boost. The Spartans 90 percent returning production on offense is fifth in the country.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s going to take a good few seasons to get SJSU going anywhere. The Spartans looked lost in last year’s 61-10 rout against the Aggies in San Jose, and that was before the change was made at quarterback for Utah State.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">USU should expect a hair more competition from the Spartans this time around, but the story won’t change. Love won’t have to play all four quarters of this one.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">THIS. IS. NOT. SPARTA.</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Winner: Utah State (8-2)</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Week 12: November 17 at Colorado State</strong></p>
<div class="mceMediaCreditOuterTemp alignnone" style="width: 300px;"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-22092123 aligncenter" src="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/colorado-state-logo-300x300.png" alt="" width="200" height="200" srcset="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/colorado-state-logo-300x300.png 300w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/colorado-state-logo-150x150.png 150w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/colorado-state-logo-1000x1000.png 1000w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/colorado-state-logo-335x335.png 335w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/colorado-state-logo-1050x1050.png 1050w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/colorado-state-logo-1104x1104.png 1104w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/colorado-state-logo-912x912.png 912w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/colorado-state-logo-550x550.png 550w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/colorado-state-logo-470x470.png 470w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/colorado-state-logo.png 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px" /></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Colorado State has had some great years in the Mountain West in the last five years. This doesn’t look like it will be one of them.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Rams had the best of the Aggies last year, handing them a 27-14 loss in arguably the lowest point of the year for Utah State’s offensive identity. Colorado State went on to post a (deceptive?) 7-5 record and make it to a bowl game, losing to Marshall, 31-28. That year, the Rams depth chart skated on thin ice.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This season, the Rams look doomed to fall through that ice. Per Connelly, no team in the entire FBS has less RP than Colorado State, who are ranked 129th in offensive RP and 122nd in defensive RP. They lose quarterback Nick Stevens, who threw 27 touchdowns and nearly 3,500 yards, and running back Dalyn Dawkins, a 1,300-yard rusher. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Rams’ defense was already showing its chin in the latter part of last season, giving up 45 and 59 points to Air Force and Boise State, respectively, which led to the hiring of a new defensive coordinator that looks to switch the defense from a 3-4 to a 4-3. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Colorado State will likely be in rebuilding mode in 2018, and they will get trucked by a Utah State team that’s ready to win now.</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Winner: Utah State (9-2)</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Week 13: November 24 at Boise State</strong></p>
<div class="mceMediaCreditOuterTemp alignnone" style="width: 300px;"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-22092120 aligncenter" src="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/boise-state-logo-300x249.png" alt="" width="200" height="166" srcset="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/boise-state-logo-300x249.png 300w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/boise-state-logo-335x278.png 335w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/boise-state-logo.png 535w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px" /></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Let’s be optimistic for a moment and look at the good of this game in 2018 between the Aggies and the rival Boise State Broncos.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If everything goes right for Utah State leading up to this matchup, plus some extra help in the top tiers of the West region, this game could have a Mountain West Conference title at stake between two teams undefeated in conference play. (Utah State’s schedule is THAT good.) If that were to be the case, expect some real fire in the eyes of Utah State, who not only get the chance at a championship, but also a chance to steal it right out of the hands of the biggest bully in the conference.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Aggies aren’t always getting trounced by the Broncos. Their most recent victory, a 52-26 spectacle that USU fans will never forget, was only three years ago.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Now, back to being honest, this is when Utah State will get shot out of the sky.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Broncos are the frontrunner candidates, as usual, to bust into the New Year’s Six bowl category, supported by a talented and experienced quarterback in Brett Rypien and a better-than-usual defense. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Across the board, Boise State is considered a top-25 team or on the fringes thereof. ESPN’s Football Power Index favors the Broncos by over 70 percent in every matchup they have this season except for Oklahoma State.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Boise State’s grip on the Mountain Region is tighter than ever. Add in that this game is on the “blue football field from hell”, and it’s likely that the Aggies experience a humbling end to the regular season.</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Winner: Boise State (9-3)</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Final Result: 9-3, 6-1 in MWC</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Aggies end their regular schedule with an 8-3 mark and bowl eligibility, and Wells gains some serious job security with the best season of his head coaching career.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Aggies well-practiced offense will pose a serious challenge to any bowl opponent, while the defense will get plenty of time to figure out its identity.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Restoration will be the theme for fans of Utah State this year, and the Aggies have their best chance yet to look like the Utah State teams of the Gary Anderson era. Just by winning the games that they are supposed to win, the Aggies would take a big step forward.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">By doing a little bit more than the norm, USU can accomplish something special.</span></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/predicting-the-outcome-of-the-2018-usu-football-season/">Predicting the Outcome of the 2018 USU Football Season</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
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		<title>Coach Craig Smith Sticks to His Guns by Hiring Old Assistant Coaches</title>
		<link>https://usustatesman.com/coach-craig-smith-sticks-to-his-guns-by-hiring-old-assistant-coaches/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Matt Harris]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 22 Apr 2018 02:20:24 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Men's Basketball]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[aggies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[basketball]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[coach]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Craig Smith]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Maggie basketball]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mountain West]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[south Dakota]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[USU]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[usufans]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://usustatesman.com/?p=22024512</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>USU Head Men’s Basketball Coach Craig Smith introduced two new faces to the USU program earlier today, but they weren’t&#8230;</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/coach-craig-smith-sticks-to-his-guns-by-hiring-old-assistant-coaches/">Coach Craig Smith Sticks to His Guns by Hiring Old Assistant Coaches</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">USU Head Men’s Basketball Coach Craig Smith introduced two new faces to the USU program earlier today, but they weren’t new to him at all.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Utah State Athletics announced this afternoon that Eric Peterson and Austin Hansen will join the men’s basketball team as assistant coaches to Smith after both of them previously coached with him at South Dakota prior to his hiring by the Aggies at the end of last season. Peterson and Hansen coached with Smith throughout his four-year tenure at USD.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">At South Dakota, Hansen worked with the guard position while Peterson worked with the frontcourt, Smith said, and are cited by Smith as “a major reason” for the Coyotes’ unprecedented level of success in those four years. “</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Austin and Eric are the total package,” Smith said. “They are great coaches, recruiters, and mentors for the men in our program.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hansen coached the guards at USD to rank second for two consecutive years in turnovers per game while being one of the top teams in the Summit League in creating turnovers. In addition, South Dakota led the Summit League in field goal percentage last season, shooting over 47 percent from the field.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Prior to coaching at USD, Hansen coached at South Dakota State, mentoring SDSU’s all-time leading scorer and 2013 NBA draft pick, Nate Wolters.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Peterson coached the bigs at South Dakota, mentoring a first-team All-Summit League forward in Tyler Flack, who averaged over 15 points per game last year. Peterson also took the charge of scheduling for the Coyotes, and last year alone, South Dakota played contests against UCLA, TCU, and even Duke.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Together with Smith, the coaching trio revamped the South Dakota program into a contender in the Summit League, achieving a 48-21 record in the last two years, and took the team to the National Invitational Tournament. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“My family and I could not be more excited to be at Utah State. The tradition and fan support that has been associated with the men’s basketball program is second to none,” Peterson said. “The opportunity to continue to work for coach Smith and be part of the Aggie community is a privilege. I look forward to helping build this program into a contender in the Mountain West.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’m excited and extremely grateful to be joining coach Smith and his staff at Utah State,” Hansen said. “He’s a proven winner at every level and always does it the right way. The history, tradition and support of USU basketball makes this a great opportunity for me. Our family is really looking forward to being a part of the Aggie family.”</span></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/coach-craig-smith-sticks-to-his-guns-by-hiring-old-assistant-coaches/">Coach Craig Smith Sticks to His Guns by Hiring Old Assistant Coaches</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
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		<title>Alexander back in NFL alongside former Aggie teammate</title>
		<link>https://usustatesman.com/alexander-back-nfl-alongside-former-aggie-teammate/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Matt Harris]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 18 Mar 2018 07:55:06 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Football]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Aggies in the NFL]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Maurice Alexander]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Seattle Seahawks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[USU Football]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Utah State Football]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://usustatesman.com/?p=22022636</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>NFL free safety and former Utah State Aggie Maurice Alexander inked a deal with the Seattle Seahawks on Friday evening,&#8230;</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/alexander-back-nfl-alongside-former-aggie-teammate/">Alexander back in NFL alongside former Aggie teammate</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">NFL free safety and former Utah State Aggie Maurice Alexander inked a deal with the Seattle Seahawks on Friday evening, as tweeted out by Alexander himself with an accompanying.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Thankful!” Alexander tweeted. “Can’t wait to get started up with 12! #HawkLyfe #Blessed”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Expected by analysts to come in and add depth to a secondary that shed several stars including All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman, Alexander can also look forward to playing alongside a familiar face: former teammate Bobby Wagner.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Details of the contract have not been divulged.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Alexander started at safety last season for the Los Angeles Rams but was waived by the team in Week 5 and did not find employment for the rest of the season. In four weeks of action, Alexander logged 50 tackles, two interceptions (including the first of his career), and four passes defended.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For Seattle, Alexander’s talent can contribute to their once-glorious defense in the midst of uncertainty surrounding star safety Kam Chancellor, who has missed 18 games since Seattle’s 2013 Super Bowl win. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Wagner and Alexander played at USU together in 2011 before Wagner was drafted. Robert Turbin, a former Seahawk himself, was also on that USU team. Three years later, Alexander was drafted in the fourth round by the then-St. Louis Rams.</span></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/alexander-back-nfl-alongside-former-aggie-teammate/">Alexander back in NFL alongside former Aggie teammate</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
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		<title>Unseen and UnHURD: Student attendance hit new lows in 2017-18</title>
		<link>https://usustatesman.com/unseen-unhurd-student-attendance-hit-new-lows-2017-18/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Matt Harris]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 18 Mar 2018 07:49:22 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[All]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Basketball]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Men's Basketball]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[USU basketball]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[USU Hurd]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Utah State Basketball]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Utah State University]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://usustatesman.com/?p=22022631</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Sparse moments of exhilaration dotted the Aggie men’s basketball team’s 2017-18 campaign like the occasional lightning bolt in a dull&#8230;</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/unseen-unhurd-student-attendance-hit-new-lows-2017-18/">Unseen and UnHURD: Student attendance hit new lows in 2017-18</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sparse moments of exhilaration dotted the Aggie men’s basketball team’s 2017-18 campaign like the occasional lightning bolt in a dull thunderstorm.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of those bolts was Koby McEwen’s performance against New Mexico in Logan on the last day of January when he scored a career-high with 31 points on 75 percent shooting, and grabbing 13 rebounds en route to an 89-80 victory.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It was the first real high point for the Aggies during the season, yet so few were there to see it. During and after the game, pictures began surfacing on Twitter that exposed an overabundance of bare seats in the student section and all over the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The USU HURD, a nationally-recognized student section, drew the ire of plenty of Twitter fans because of those photos, and it wasn’t the first time the student section stretched just a few rows deep. The HURD is not just having a bad year, it’s having its worst year in recent memory.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Data gathered from the USU Card Office — which is able to measure student attendance at the games unofficially through a count of student ID cards scanned for entry at the doors — shows the average student attendance during conference home games is at its lowest of the decade, and it’s not close.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For the first time since the early Stew Morrill era, student average conference attendance dropped below 1,000 per home game. Not once during conference play did the proud HURD fill even half of their Spectrum seats, the data shows, with their best turnout being 1,913 against Colorado State, an 84-75 USU loss.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Spectrum, notorious for its raucous crowds and in-your-face courtside hecklers, seats 10,270 fans at full capacity, with plenty of standing room for when a certain group of Cougars come to town. In that January contest against the Lobos, when the Aggies pulled off an unlikely upset in thrilling fashion, less than 6,500 seats were filled. Even worse, of the 4,000 seats allotted to USU students, free of charge no less, the data showed the number of students at the game to be 865, less than a quarter full.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Even some of the higher ups of the HURD were fairly unaware of how dire the situation had become. USU HURD President Josh Segobia got a look at the numbers, and it was a game-changer for him.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“That is really interesting to see,” Segobia said. “I had no idea honestly&#8230;this changes a lot and I definitely have a lot more to think about now and try and figure out what the possibilities are for those numbers.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When Duryea was “relieved” last week of his coaching duties, the number of season ticket holders and regular season ticket purchases, which is down approximately 35 percent over the last four years alone, “was a factor,” Athletic Director John Hartwell said. So was the dearth of the HURD. To Hartwell, the student attendance brings just as much to the fanbase despite not being a source of revenue.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The [factor] everybody drills down on is wins and losses, which is obviously important, and that is a bottom line judge,” Hartwell said. “Both the student and our season ticket holders&#8230;is down. That’s significant.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For Segobia, one of the reasons he thinks student attendance is down is because other events have diverted would-be game-goers to seek different entertainment.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I think it’s just that every school has their good and bad games,” Segobia said. “We’re not gonna have a great attendance to every single game, y’know, it’s just one of those things that happens, but I think it’s just that the students just want a good time.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Aggies’ home battle royale against BYU in December was the ultimate “good time.” Fans packed the arena (the only Spectrum sellout of the year), blackout was the theme, and the tumult of the Cougars’ own program set the stage for a nutritious helping of HURD-style terrorism. There was one problem: USU lost that game 75-66 thanks to a free-throw shooting effort that could have been bested by Mount Logan Middle School.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the HURD’s top three most attended games of the overall season, the Aggies went 1-2, a problem not commonly seen in the teams of the old Western Athletic Conference days, when Utah State boasted 30-win seasons and the fans were always there. Always.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The trouble is that the lack of enthusiasm from current Aggies doesn’t boil down to any one thing. Many avid USU fans have assumed it to be to tied to the downtrend in overall wins per year. Yet the HURD actually was on a downtrend that started even before, and continued during, the days of players like All-Americans Gary Wilkinson and Tai Wesley. The trend has gone on for years, albeit there was a short bump in attendance the year that USU was a flashy new addition to the MWC.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s certainly not the excitement of opponents. The Aggies have undeniably faced better competition, fiercer competition, since joining the MWC. Most of USU’s WAC slate from year to year consisted of games that were foregone conclusions.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bad weather? Welcome to Logan.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One correlation exists: Duryea.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The former head coach saw a average drop of 200 HURD members per game upon taking the reins from the former Utah State basketball deity Morrill.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Stew was a great part of this program, and meant a lot to everyone,” Segobia said. “The community, the school, y’know, everything. He left his mark for sure, and that’s a huge footstep to follow in.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Duryea was no Stew, and the fans let him know game after game after game, but he had weapons on his teams just like his predecessor did.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I think we get caught in this pattern of comparing ourselves to everything,” Segobia said. “We could make all the comparisons we want in the world to ‘back in the day.’ That was a great time, and we had that time; we had Stew, we had some all-stars on that team. We’ve got some all-stars now. It’s just a matter of utilizing it and making people be able to see that.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some hope could shine through in the wake of events in Aggie hoops. For one, the morale of the fanbase in the midst of repetitive mediocrity could certainly see a break in the clouds when Hartwell inevitably brings in a new coach, a new face to sell tickets and hype up the faithful.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As well, the average overall attendance at the Spectrum, which correlates positively with the HURD’s for the most part, made a small bump from 6,720 in the 2016-17 season to 6,857 this past go-around. It isn’t much, but it could make a ripple.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Until then, the Aggie faithful sit by and swallow reality. The Spectrum isn’t quite as “magic” as we all remember.</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">@snowmatt1417</span></p>
<p><a href="mailto:matthewrh1214@gmail.com"><span style="font-weight: 400;">matthewrh1214@gmail.com</span></a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/unseen-unhurd-student-attendance-hit-new-lows-2017-18/">Unseen and UnHURD: Student attendance hit new lows in 2017-18</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
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		<title>Lawson Gets a New Deal with Lions</title>
		<link>https://usustatesman.com/lawson-gets-new-deal-lions/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Matt Harris]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 17 Mar 2018 06:43:34 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nevin Lawson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[USU Football]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Utah State Football]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://usustatesman.com/?p=22022607</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>NFL cornerback Nevin Lawson’s free agency ended in less than a day as the Detroit Lions have resigned him to&#8230;</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/lawson-gets-new-deal-lions/">Lawson Gets a New Deal with Lions</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">NFL cornerback Nevin Lawson’s free agency ended in less than a day as the Detroit Lions have resigned him to a new two-year deal on Tuesday.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lawson’s deal is reported to be worth $10.3 million over the two years and will keep him in Detroit for his fifth and sixth seasons in the league. The former Utah State Aggie is expected to compete for his job in the starting role opposite cornerback Darius Slay with rookies Teez Tabor and Jamal Agnew, as well as new free-agent signing Tavon Wilson.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“[Lawson] is comfortable playing next to Detroit’s safeties,” ESPN’s Michael Rothstein reports, “and came in at a much more reasonable price for a player who is going to compete to be a starter &#8212; not a sure-fire one &#8212; as the Lions work with younger players to get them ready for the future.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lawson’s signing came after the Lions were one of many teams that struck out on their attempt to sign the former Super Bowl MVP and All-Pro corner Malcolm Butler. Lawson saw most of the starting time between the above-mentioned cornerbacks (except Slay) during last season, and he made the SportsCenter Top 10 Plays in a game against the Cleveland Browns when he single-handedly forced a fumble, recovered it, and ran it back for a 44-yard touchdown.</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">@snowmatt1417</span></p>
<p><a href="mailto:matthewrh1214@gmail.com"><span style="font-weight: 400;">matthewrh1214@gmail.com</span></a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/lawson-gets-new-deal-lions/">Lawson Gets a New Deal with Lions</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p>
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