Crunch time for Ag football
Saturday afternoons, sugar-coated cereal, defensive linemen scoring touchdowns, all part of this nutritious … football game.
Yeah, you heard right.
Idaho unveiled a play it calls “Captain Crunch” last week, giving two defensive linemen a rare chance to score touchdowns in short-and-goal situations on the offensive side of the ball.
With the new play and a complete game from the rest of the team, the Vandals rolled to a 58-20 drubbing of Louisiana-Monroe.
Utah State will pack its Lucky Charms and get one last chance for a road victory Saturday, taking on the Vandals in Moscow, Idaho.
The Aggies (3-8, 3-3) can tie for second in the Sun Belt with a win. They can also avoid losing all their road games for the first time since 1988.
Makes you wonder if Utah State Head Coach Mick Dennehy has any Trix of his own up his sleeve to help the Aggies come away with a win.
Dennehy said he sees a lot of similarities between the two teams.
“There are two teams that are going to play in Moscow Saturday that are very, very hungry,” he said. “Both teams are good, solid football teams, but have had the same kind of year in terms of a lot of adversity, a lot of close games and a lot of tough losses. It will be a big game for both teams in terms of sending their seniors out the right way.”
The Vandals come into the game ranked first in passing offense with 255 yards per game, while the Aggies are ranked second with 234.
The roles are reversed in passing defense, with Utah State giving up an average 187 yards per game while Idaho gives up 188.
USU came up short last Saturday at home, losing 23-14 to Troy State in a game where junior quarterback Travis Cox was knocked out of the game and into the hospital on the first play of the second half.
After taking a blow to the neck and temporarily losing feeling on his right side, Cox left the game and was taken in for precautionary tests. He has been cleared to play Saturday.
The Aggie offense didn’t score again after Cox’ injury, turning over the ball seven times in the game.
Though Utah State has had a disappointing season as far as wins and losses go, it has had some positive individual performances this year.
Senior tight end Chris Cooley was named a finalist for the John Mackey Award, given annually to the country’s top tight end.
Cooley will become the first non-wide receiver to lead the Aggies in receptions since 1983.
Cox leads the Sun Belt in passing average with 224 yards per game and total offense, averaging 226.
Senior running back David Fiefia will be looking to achieve a milestone Saturday. Fiefia needs 97 yards to break the 1,000-yard mark for the season. Fiefia is second in the Sun Belt in all-purpose yardage, averaging 141 per game.
The Vandals’ win over ULM was just their second of the year, but they got a complete effort from the offense, defense and special teams.
Defensive lineman Kody Kraus was named Sun Belt defensive player of the week for his strong showing. Kraus picked off two passes and scored on a one-yard Captain Crunch play in the second quarter and later returned an interception five yards for another TD.
Idaho Head Coach Tom Cable said Kraus’ performance was incredible.
“He’s Captain Crunch,” Cable said. “He had two interceptions, which is amazing for a defensive lineman, period, then to return one for a touchdown was pretty neat. When he had his opportunity to carry the football offensively, he went in there and scored. It was a pretty neat deal for him.”
Defensive tackle Brian Howard and offensive tackle Jason Cobbs flipped a coin for the Vandal’s next Captain Crunch play. Howard won and followed Cobbs’ block in for another one-yard touchdown rumble.
Kraus wasn’t the only Vandal to get a touchdown in multiple aspects of the game. Running back Cliff Mason blocked a punt in the end zone and picked it up for one touchdown, then added two more rushing touchdowns for good measure.
Zach Gertser rushed for 181 yards, but oddly enough, never made it in to the end zone in a game where defensive linemen got rushing touchdowns and another running back scored on special teams.
Idaho, the Sun Belt’s top-ranked passing attack, uncharacteristically threw the ball only 18 times, but quarterback Brian Lindgren managed 223 yards passing and three TDs.
-royburton@cc.usu.edu