COLUMN: 10 reasons you should attend Saturday’s Blue & White game
Still mulling your potential plans for Saturday? Why not check out Utah State’s spring football game. Beginning at 2 p.m. on Merlin Olsen Field at Romney Stadium, USU’s spring game will feature one last afternoon of college football before the Aggies return to practice in August. As if that fact alone shouldn’t be enough to get you out to the field, here are my top 10 reasons to attend the Blue and White Game on Saturday.
10) Diondre Borel: He’s the best dual-threat quarterback in the WAC, simple as that. OK, so maybe it is a toss-up with Nevada signal caller Colin Kaepernick, but, in all fairness, Borel was playing in a new-and-difficult-to-learn offense last year, while Kaepernick had the benefit of some outstanding running backs in the backfield with him. Borel – who enters his senior year as USU’s single-season record holder for total offense – was decidedly efficient with 17 passing and six rushing touchdowns last year and should be even better now that he and his teammates have had a full year in coach Baldwin’s dynamic spread offense.
9) Dudes getting trucked: Don’t get me wrong, I love baseball and soccer as much as the next red-blooded American male, but the oasis which is the spring game is the only thing that can satisfy that carnal sports fan’s desire to see some serious hitting. And don’t lie ladies, we know you like to see the helmets popping and mouthpieces flying, too.
8) Defensive improvement: Maybe you’re a skeptic, the kind of person who says they love college football, but just not Utah State football. The Aggies just aren’t good enough to watch, you say, as you sit in your nerfy beanbag chair, gazing at a group of “student athletes” (emphasis on the quotation marks) in SEC country. Well, I have news for you. Yes, USU may have struggled defensively last season, but Saturday’s action will give all of us a chance to see just how far the Aggie defense has come under coach Andersen.
7) Because Brindley will be there: This might be your last time to say “what’s up?” to the former USU safety before he makes it big in the NFL. Be sure to bring the kid for a picture and an autograph. Just don’t let me find it on eBay this time next year (the autograph, that is, not your kid.)
6) Speed, speed and more speed: Is this the fastest USU team on record? With running backs Michael Smith and Kerwynn Williams clocking in at 4.3 second or lower in the 40-yard dash, the Aggies have high hopes to run past opposing WAC defenses next season.
5) It’s free: Life costs money, and unless you want to take your date to a charming evening of church followed by a romantic meal from the McDonald’s Dollar Menu, you have to admit there are few things to do around here that won’t put at least a small dent in your pocketbook. I mean really, how often do you get to see some of the top athletes in the West perform free of charge? And for the record, I’m an active singer at my Catholic church and a frequent partaker of the McChicken, so hold off on the angry e-mails.
4) Support your school: Before coming to USU, I attended a small Division III school in Washington, D.C., in which there was more pride for the philosophy program than the football team. Thing is, having a big-time college football program at our school is a privilege, not a right. There are hundreds of thousands of students at schools around the country who would love to have the chance to spend a Saturday afternoon at a game. Do them a favor by taking advantage of the opportunity you’ve been given.
3) The gun show: Hey guys, looking for an opportunity to show off those bazookas you’ve been working on all semester over at the Fieldhouse? The weather should be great come Saturday, and word on the street is that plenty of coeds will be in attendance. Just be sure to use the sunblock – there’s a reason you’ve probably seen me walking around in long sleeves all week.
2) Studying for finals: No, not that you have to do it or that you have to finish that 20-page research paper due in a week. Rather, treat yourself to a break and enjoy the day. Studies show that a little distraction helps your studying in the long run.
1) Because I said so: Hey, it worked for your parents when you were a little kid, and as The Statesman’s “college football guru,” I think I have just as much authority on matters like this as they did on setting your bedtime.
Adam Nettina is a junior history major from West Friendship, Maryland. A member of the Football Writer’s Association of America, he would like to point out the extreme irony in this article in that he’ll be missing the spring game in order to attend a wedding in Salt Lake City. You can leave your comments at www.aggietownsquare.com