Borel’s huge night isn’t enough to tame Wolf Pack
A late game offensive explosion and second half defensive adjustments were not enough for the Aggies Saturday night, as a disastrous first half ultimately proved to be the difference in Nevada’s 56-42 win in Reno.
Wolf Pack quarterback Colin Kaepernick totaled 292 yards on the ground and through the air to lead Nevada (7-1, 2-1 WAC) past Utah State (2-6, 0-4 WAC) in a game that was not as close as the final score indicated. Behind Kaepernick’s dual threat ability, Nevada’s offense marched up and down the field on Utah State during the first half, taking a 35-0 lead into the break.
“We played a horrendous first half,” said Utah State head coach Gary Andersen. “The second half, the kids came out and fought. I’m proud of them for that, but at the end of the day we lost.”
From the opening kickoff, it seemed as though nothing could go right for Utah State. Kaepernick bounced back from a disappointing outing in the team’s loss to Hawaii two weeks ago, beginning the game by leading the Wolf Pack offense on a 12-play, 77-yard drive capped off by an 8-yard touchdown pass to running back Mike Ball.
The offensive explosion was only just beginning for Nevada, however, as the Wolf Pack offense scored on a nine-play, 70-yard drive with a 13-yard touchdown run by backup quarterback Tyler Lantrip later in the first quarter. The ensuing Utah State possession saw the Aggies fail to move the ball down the field, and on their third drive of the game, the Navada offense struck again, this time when running back Landford Mark took a five yard run to the endzone to put the Wolf Pack up 21-0.
Utah State didn’t go without chances to stop the Nevada offense during the first half of the game. Nevada was a perfect two-for-two on third down conversations during the game’s initial drive, while two Aggie pass-interference calls on Nevada’s second scoring drive allowed the Wolf Pack offense to stay in business.
“That was a very good football team we played, without question,” Andersen said. “They took advantage of opportunities when they presented themselves.”
While Nevada’s offense was clicking on all cylinders in the first half, Utah State’s offense found itself struggling to move the ball or sustain any momentum. The Aggies went three and out on the first drive of the game, and punted on their first five possessions of the night. The offense’s most promising drive of the first half ended after six plays, when Aggie running back Derrvin Speight fumbled at the Nevada 46-yard line. Utah State managed just 14 rushing yards by halftime, compared to 206 Nevada rushing yards.
“I just feel like at the beginning of the game we didn’t start off fast,” said USU quarterback Diondre Borel. “Offensively we didn’t start off fast and put the defense in bad situations by keeping them on the field. Nevada was taking advantage of that.”
That the Wolf Pack were able to capitalize offensively without the services of the team’s leading rusher – starting running back Vai Taua – makes the performance all the more impressive. Taua had come into the game with 928 yards and 11 touchdowns on the year, but a sprained ankle forced Nevada coach Chris Ault to use a combination of running backs in his place. Courtney Randall, Mike Ball and Mark Lanford didn’t miss a beat for Nevada, combining for four rushing touchdowns to help lead the Wolf Pack offense to a 596-yard offensive night.
To Utah State’s credit, the Aggie players never quit. On the opening possession of the second half, Borel led USU on a 11-play, 84-yard drive that ended with an 18-yard Kellen Bartlett touchdown reception. Bartlett, who has had an increased presence in the offense since over the past several weeks, had a career night for USU, finishing the game with 121 yards on just five catches. Along with fellow tight end Tarren Lloyd, Bartlett proved to be the catalyst for the Aggies’ second half comeback attempt.
“They stepped up,” Borel said. “They both had great games blocking and catching.”
With the Aggies finally on the board, the shootout was underway. Nevada answered USU’s opening salvo with a four-play, 60-yard drive which saw running back Mike Ball take a 35-yard run to the house. Not to be outdone, Utah State answered on the very next drive, when a 63 yard, Borel-to-Bartlett hookup set up a one-yard Borel touchdown plunge. The two teams would trade scores again to finish out the third quarter with Nevada in front, 49-21.
“It’s a tough group of kids,” Andersen said. “They’re going to battle day in and day out, week in and week out. They’ll fight to the end.”
“If they came out that way in the first half we might have won,” he said.
Nevada head coach Chris Ault, who watched his defense play so tough in the first half, had a different explanation for USU’ second half comeback, blaming himself and his players for the mental lapse which allowed the Aggies to compile 490 yards of total offense by game’s end.
“Defensively speaking I can’t think of another time in my career here that I’ve seen a group play a worse half of football than our defense did in the second half,” Ault said. “When you look at the first half, when you look at how good we played defensively, that’s inexcusable.”
Despite the final score, the game was out of reach for USU heading into the fourth quarter. USU scored twice in the game’s final three minutes after trailing 49-28, including on a 92-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Kerwynn Williams with just under a minute left to play.
USU’s players and coaches aren’t taking much solace in the team’s second half comeback. Aggie safety McKade Brady, who finished the game with six tackles, may have said it best: “A loss is a loss.”
With undefeated Boise State still looming, the loss puts Utah State’s bowl hopes virtually out of reach for the season. And while the once promising start to 2010 has since faded, Andersen remains defiant approaching the four remaining game’s on the Aggie schedule.
“In my mind right now, it’s a four game season and we have the opportunity to do some things that haven’t been done here in a long time.”
– adam.nettina@aggiemail.usu.edu