Freshmen lead the way for USU

In his first-ever collegiate start, fourth-string, true-freshman quarterback Kent Myers managed Utah State (6-3, 3-1 MWC) to a 35-14 win over Hawaii (2-7, 1-3 MWC) late Saturday night. Utah State had two starting players, junior wide receiver JoJo Natson and junior cornerback Daniel Gray, suspended for the game and eight other starters out with injury.

“What a win,” said head coach Matt Wells after his first road Mountain West Conference win this season. “They say they’re all the same, but some of them are ones that you’re going to look back on, I’m going to call it right now and say that was a special win.”

Myers totaled 186 yards and three touchdowns completing 14-15 pass attempts. Utah State is now the only team in the nation to win a game under four different starting quarterbacks. Fellow freshman LaJuan Hunt added to the offensive production with 33 carries for 150 yards.

Hunt became the first Utah State running back to eclipse 100 yards in a game this season. His 150 rushing yards are the most by a USU freshman since 1992 and the most by any Aggie running back since 2012.

“LaJuan Hunt was able to get a lot of carries and get into a rhythm,” said Kevin McGiven, Utah State’s offensive coordinator. “Joe Hill was running really, really well early on, and then LaJuan really carried us the rest of the way. Probably the biggest component in that game was being able to establish the run.”

Junior wide receiver Hunter Sharp continued to build on his record-setting season with three receptions for 77 yards and two touchdowns. He is the only player in the nation to have four receptions over 70 yards this season.

Ronald Butler had 79 yards receiving and one touchdown. Butler also threw a 44-yard touchdown pass to LaJuan Hunt. It was Butler’s second passing touchdown of the season making USU the only school to have five different players that have thrown for at least two touchdowns.

Defensively USU was led by Zach Vigil. The senior linebacker had a team-high 12 tackles, a career-best three sacks and a forced fumble that was returned 10 yards by Devin Centers for a touchdown. Safety Frankie Sutra added to the defensive effort with two interceptions and four tackles.

“I thought we settled down pretty well and started making some plays,” said Todd Orlando, in his second season as defensive coordinator at Utah State. At the end of the day, it’s 14 points. If you can get away from what everybody probably thinks in terms of a yardage standpoint, and just go to what the game is won and lost by, points, you hold a team on the road to 14 points, you’re doing a decent job.”

Although Hawaii passed for 356 yards they rushed for only 98. Utah State defense gives up an average of 90 yards per game on the ground which is fifth best in the nation. With 25 forced turnovers to this point in the season, USU is tied for second in the nation behind TCU who has 26.

“We’re going to look back on it and know that it was a really, really special win because of all the circumstances,” Wells said. “It’s just a testament to our culture in the locker room right now and how they rally around each other. It’s a tremendous team effort.”