Hawai’i pounds USU
Hawai’i isn’t known for its snow, but in the second quarter Saturday night, the Utah State football team couldn’t get out from under an avalanche as the Warriors scored 28 points before half to cement what became a 50-23 win.
“We kind of snowballed in the second quarter and we lost the game,” Utah State Head Coach Brent Guy said. “It gets loud and we go in the tank. It’s disappointing that we’ve gone that far back to the Fresno game.”
In the Fresno State game, the Ags allowed 46 straight points before correcting things and scoring twice in the fourth quarter. On Saturday night, Hawai’i scored 28 points in the second quarter when the Ags couldn’t do anything on offense or stop the Warriors on defense.
“We kind of lackadaisically let them have the game in the second quarter,” freshman cornerback Josh Taylor said.
Taylor intercepted Hawai’i quarterback Colt Brennan’s first pass in the second quarter, but the Ags couldn’t do anything after a personal foul set the Ags back and forced them to punt with the score 6-3.
The Warriors gained at least six yards on all but one play in their next series and the Ags would never be closer as the defense wasn’t able to stop the Warrior’s big plays. The offense didn’t help things by not gaining a first down for the rest of the half, which poorly affected field position, allowing the Warriors to score with ease.
Ignoring the second quarter, the Ags would’ve been up 23-22 at the end of the game, which is important because the offense came out in the second half playing the game plan they had flown with across the Pacific instead of throwing the ball all over the field trying to catch up.
“At half, the offense decided to go in like it was 0-0 and play our game,” backup quarterback Jerod Walker said.
After quarterback Leon Jackson III fumbled to give the ball back to Hawai’i on the Aggie 21-yard line in the second quarter, Walker took over the offense.
Walker played the rest of the game as Jackson was banged up enough that he couldn’t play. Before Walker got his legs under him, the Warriors had scored to make it 34-3 and the Ags hadn’t gotten a first down since the first quarter.
The second half was different from the first as Walker led the Aggies on what could have been four scoring drives, but near the end of the third, the Ags went for it on fourth and goal and didn’t make it.
On the other three drives, Utah State scored touchdowns thanks to a five-yard Lynwood Johnson rush, a 46-yard Walker option run and a Kevin Robinson reception in the final minute.
Walker finished the game with 21 carries for 88 yards, including his rushing touchdown, as well as completing 13-17 passes for 188 yards and a touchdown pass to Robinson.
Robinson was shut down for pretty much the first three quarters of the game as Tony Pennyman and Dionte’ Holloway were Walker’s main targets because of the defense the Warriors were playing.
Senior right tackle Donald Penn was thrown out of the game in the fourth quarter for yelling at a referee after he received his second personal foul of the contest.
In the first quarter, kicker Justin Hamblin made a 50-yard field goal to tie the game 3-3. The 50-yarder is 15 yards longer than his previous career long. In the second, Hamblin missed a 35-yard field goal, which would have tied the score at 6-6.
The Aggies will hold Senior Day this Saturday as Utah State plays the Nevada Wolfpack in the final home game at Romney Stadium this season.
-krn@cc.usu.edu
Utah State’s Jason Stephans gets wrestled down by a Boise State player during a game Oct. 22. The Aggies lost to Hawai’i 50-23 last Saturday.