Back in the saddle again: Utah State faces Wyoming’s power-packed rushing attack
Last week it was the nation’s top runner, Donnel Pumphrey, leading the way in San Diego State’s 400 yard rushing outburst.
Utah State was gashed in the 40-13 defeat, left to lick the wounds.
But here it goes again, this time against the third man on the nation’s rushing leaderboard – Wyoming’s Brian Hill.
“Brian is a slasher,” said USU head coach Matt Wells. “He’s a one-cut guy and he’ll run through an arm tackle. He’s got really good speed, too. Our defense has a major challenge Saturday.”
Coming into Saturday’s matchup, Hill is averaging 144.5 yards per game on the ground and already has 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns on the season. The junior Cowboy’s career year has accumulated his statistics on a 5.7 yards per carry average.
Utah State’s defense was holding opponents to just 151 rushing yards before the Aztecs came to town; but after Pumphrey’s 223-yard pummeling, the Aggies dropped to the seventh ranked rushing defense in the Mountain West.
Wells was disappointed with the Aggies’ failure to match up physically with San Diego State on either side of the ball. In that contest, Wells’ defenders were continually caught lining up in the wrong spots, failed to fill the proper gaps and failed to wrap up on first contact.
“It’s just little things, little details against a team like that and a running back like that [who] will gash you if you don’t do exactly what the defense asks you to do,” said USU linebacker Brock Carmen.
Ultimately, the Cowboys have been able to do two things the Aggies seemly cannot – win close games down the stretch, and run the ball effectively. Wyoming is 4-1 this season in games decided by nine or fewer points, while USU is 0-3 when the outcome is decided by 11 or fewer points.
“You’ve got to get to that point of when the game is in the balance and it’s getting decided that we make a few more plays than they do, and until you do that, you’re going to struggle…” Wells said. “That’s where we’re at right now, so the tape says who we are. We’re not hiding from it, but I want that feeling back of winning and making those plays as bad as anybody. Talent only takes you so far.”
Continuing the season storyline, Utah State is also struggling to score offensively, even when the squad has outgained its opponents 374-366. In 24 red zone tries this season, Utah State has only found paydirt 14 times.
“I’m confident we can move it,” Wells said.” “But can we finish it? Can we make plays on third down? Can we finish drives for touchdowns? We didn’t make any plays on third down against San Diego State.”
For what glimmer of hope is left on the season, the 2011 campaign can prove to be benchmark. The then 2-5 Aggies won their final five games to end up with a bid to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
The Aggies haven’t missed out on a bowl ever since, but if they are unable to win three out of the four final games, that streak will end.
Kickoff in Laramie is scheduled for 8:15 p.m., and the game will be televised on ESPN2