Football improvement still yet to show more wins
Another promising start, another disastrous finish.
For the Utah State football team (1-2, 0-1 WAC), Saturday night’s 41-24 loss at the hands of Fresno State (2-0, 1-0 WAC) couldn’t have been anymore indicative of the Gary Andersen era in Logan. Guided by a an initial flurry of exciting offensive plays and defensive stands, the Aggies jumped out to an early lead against the Bulldogs, only to fall flat in the second half as the opposition capitalized on USU’s self-inflicted mistakes and lack of killer instinct.
There were special teams problems. There were defensive breakdowns. There was even dumb luck and “just-missed” opportunities. But above all, what set the Aggies back on Saturday was the same thing which has set back Andersen-coached teams since his arrival in Logan before the start of last season: an inability to come up with the clutch play when it matters most.
“For our football team, we will never be able to turn the corner until we understand that we have to make those plays in critical situations,” said Andersen, whose record as a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) head coach drops to 5-10 with the loss.
“Good teams find a way to make those plays,” he continued. “Right now we consistently find a way to not make those plays, and allow others to make those plays.”
Big plays in clutch situations made all the difference for the Bulldogs in what could end up being their final trip to Logan. Fresno State, which will transition into the Mountain West Conference for either the 2011 or 2012 season (pending an ongoing legal dispute), received several momentum-swinging plays in the game. The first came in the second quarter when Rashad Evans returned a punt 50 yards to the USU seven, setting up a quick Bulldog touchdown which tied the game right before the half. The play swung momentum away from the Aggies, and would foreshadow events to come.
“They came out in the second half and they took control on offense, defense, and special teams in my mind,” Andersen said.
USU initially recaptured momentum in the second half when Aggie quarterback Diondre Borel capped a nine-play, 60-yard drive with a 10-yard touchdown run. Up 24-17, however, the lead quickly melted away and never came back.
Borel was sacked for a 14-yard loss and nearly fumbled with just over two minutes left in the third quarter. A subsequent blocked punt set Fresno State up with a short field, which the Bulldogs capitalized on with a touchdown run. Things continued to get worse for USU, and with the game tied at 24, Fresno State showed that killer instinct the Aggies lack by capitalizing on its new-found momentum. Fresno never looked back, rattling off 17 consecutive points to win the game.
A tale of two halves is a familiar story for Aggie fans, who saw last year’s USU team lose in similar fashion multiple times – including in a Fresno State game. Yet this year’s team was supposed to be better, and supposed to be able to get over the hump. The Aggies talked all offseason about establishing a “winning mentality” and believing in their ability to go toe-to-toe with conference rivals in close games, yet after the first three weeks of the 2010 season, USU hasn’t proven that it can overcome the struggles of 2009.
“We just wanted to win the game. We wanted to show that we came to play every game; but tonight we showed that we still have some problems,” said USU linebacker Bobby Wagner. “We have to learn how to finish games.”
Is this year’s team better than last year’s? It depends on who you talk to. Following the game, Fresno State coach Pat Hill was complimentary of Andersen and the Aggies, saying that he thought USU was “improved” from a year ago.
“I think this is as big a game that has probably been played in Logan in a long time,” Hill said. “I think their team is a lot better and I think they are going to be hard for anybody they play. They cause you a lot of match-up problems.”
“I think they have a heck of a coach with Gary (Andersen),” Hill continued. “I’ve known Gary a long time, and they have a good football team … I think Utah State has a bright future, and I was just glad we performed well.”
Match-up problems or not, and bright future or otherwise, Gary Andersen wasn’t taking any solace in Hill’s opinion of Utah State. Known for being unsatisfied even in Utah State victories, Andersen took full responsibility for his team’s loss on Saturday night, and blamed himself for failing to get the Aggies over the mental hump of learning how to finish games and weather the storm of momentum.
“In the second half we didn’t play well on offense or defense, and that is on me,” he said. “That is my problem. It is not on the kids.”
Where does USU go from here, and how will coach Andersen get his team over the hump? For USU fans who haven’t seen their team in the postseason since 1997, the question continues to fester. For Andersen, there’s only one answer, and it’s one he’ll try to get his team to believe in as they travel to San Diego State (2-1) next Saturday.
“We have a long way to go as a football team, but we will fight back.”
–adamnettina@gmail.com