Coach’s Corner

Question 1: How do you feel about scheduling two away games for one home game with BYU? Will this continue in the future? – Dustin Evans, Senior, Finance and Economics

Coach Andersen: 2-for-1s with BYU, well not just BYU, ultimately, we don’t want 2-for-1s with anybody.
    There’s a varied dynamic to the 2-for-1s with BYU and the one that we’re currently in going back down there again is a nationally televised game. It’s on ESPN. It’s tremendous exposure for our university. It’s a little give and take.
    But do I like 2-for-1s? No.
    I think we’ve proved ourselves enough as a program the past couple of years. Hopefully we’ll continue to do that this year, that this is a tremendous place to come play. It’s a great environment. I think people will start to become intimidated to come here and play as time goes on, but that’s their problem.
    My point is that we should still play 1-for-1 teams.

Question 2: How have you seen Utah State football evolve as you’ve been head coach here?- Karlie Fitzgerald, Senior, Marketing

Coach Andersen: In so many ways.
    For me, I sit back and try to look at the kids, and when I first came here it’s different. You get to know a whole new group of kids and you don’t have hardly any, if any, relationships with the young men on the team. So that’s a transformation that takes place.
    The place that I’ve seen the most change, the most transformation, to be real honest with you is making school important. As long as we’re going here, I guess the way for me to put it is I’m so proud to have every kid that we’ve had in this program that has finished with us has graduated.
    That’s not because of me, that’s not because of an assistant coach, it’s not because of academic coordinators, it’s because the kids have made it important. We’ve all played a big role in that but at the end of the day, they’re getting it done. That’s great to see.
    Other than that, turning the young men into men is kind of what I’m all about, and I think socially our kids try to make that important.
    We’re not perfect, but we try to make that important.

Want to ask coach Andersen a question? Email your questions, along with your year and major to statesmansports@aggiemail.usu.edu.