Football Preview: Ags looking for change
Change.
Not only is it the slogan of the Barack Obama presidential campaign, it’s what USU head football coach Brent Guy said the Aggies need to get a road win at Nevada Saturday.
“We are going to focus on what we can do to change to make ourselves better,” Guy said. “That is how we will start the week and prepare to play on the road again.”
Aggie junior tight end Zac Zimmerman was more specific. He said the Aggies need to do what they are supposed to do, and then they can win.
“We just need to work on execution and assignment, doing what we need to do,” Zimmerman said. “Our offense works when all 11 guys are in the right spot and doing what they are supposed to do. We need to do that better.”
It won’t be easy for an Aggie program that is 3-21 in road games under Guy. The Aggies are coming off a rough 30-7 road loss to the San Jose Spartans. USU collected 190 yards of total offense, while allowing the Spartans to gain 401 yards (314 passing, 87 rushing).
The Aggie defense will be tested again Saturday. The Wolf Pack leads the Western Athletic Conference in rushing (308.8 yards per game) and is fourth in passing (210 yards).
The Pack sophomore quarterback Colin Kaepernick is leading the UNR show with 218 yards of total offense per game, which ranks second in the league.
“We have to make sure that Kaepernick can’t get started in the run game,” Guy said. “He is still out of the pistol offense, but they are adding blockers where they can get him out in the open field where secondary or back side pursuit players have to show up and make a play. So, they are doing some creative things to get him the ball.”
Vai Taua, a sophomore running back for the Pack, is also putting up noticeable numbers.
Taua leads the WAC with 102.3 rushing yards each game (also good enough for 22nd in the nation). He is also first in the WAC in scoring (10 points per game).
“He is adding a lot of things to that offense,” Guy said of Taua.
Nevada will be hungry for a win. Last week the Wolf Pack (1-3 in WAC, 3-3 overall) lost 48-45 shootout at home to the New Mexico State Aggies. Furthermore, this Saturday is the Pack’s Homecoming game.
Guy doesn’t want shootout
Guy said the Aggies could win Saturday if they have the same kind of game they had last year against Nevada.
Though the Aggies lost, 31-28, they did hold a 28-24 fourth-quarter lead.
“We have to be in the same style of game we were in with them last year,” Guy said. “We have to keep the score down and make them kick field goals and not allow touchdowns. That is the style of game we are going to have to play with them. I don’t think with the way we played against San Jose State we can expect to get into a shootout and win the football game.”
–samuel.hislop@aggiemail.usu.edu