Notebook: Inside the game
Head Coach Brent Guy won his first game as head coach of the Aggies in a home opener that was also the 100th all-time victory in Romney Stadium in the Aggie football program.
For the second-straight year, the Aggies beat the Rebels, despite being outgained. Last year in Las Vegas, the Aggies triumphed 31-21, despite being outgained 550-291 thanks to five UNLV turnovers.
This year the Aggies overcame a 387-283 yardage disparity and a 26-17 first down disadvantage for the win. The Rebs turned it over two times to the Aggies’ one and converted on only two of their four red-zone opportunities.
Junior wide receiver Tony Pennyman had a monster game after being suspended for the Utah game. He posted a career-high 10 catches for 97 yards and a touchdown. Before USU quarterback Leon Jackson III ever attempted a pass, though, Pennyman had already returned a kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown – which would provide the eventual margin of victory.
The Rebels defense held the Aggies to 61 net yards rushing at 1.7 yards per carry, but couldn’t stop Jackson from completing 76 percent of his passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns.
Penalties marred an otherwise storybook home opener for Coach Guy. Twelve penalties for 136 yards included several agonizing drive killers and a couple of wasted defensive stands.
On the first play of the game, a 15-yard personal foul penalty cost safety Antonio Taylor an interception off UNLV’s Shane Steichen.
Saturday’s game was Taylor’s second since he suffered serious internal injuries in a car accident 11 months ago. Taylor finished the game with five tackles.
A new tradition began before Saturday’s victory: The Aggie Walk. Two hours prior to kickoff, Coach Guy led a procession of blue-jumpsuited Aggies down from the Champ Room in the Smith Spectrum past the “Meet The Challenge” bull and into their locker room. The inaugural Aggie Walk was an impressive spectacle, but as Brandon Goldsburg, a senior majoring in exercise science, remarked, sparsely attended.
“They should have promoted this a lot more with advertising on KVNU and on campus and hopefully next home game we can have a roaring mob out here,” he said.
By the numbers:
* Tony Pennyman, WR, had 97 receiving yards and a touchdown plus a kickoff return for a touchdown.
* Kevin Robinson, WR, had one touchdown receiving and one rushing. He was the leading rusher for the game with 29 yards on three attempts.
* Leon Jackson III, QB, completed 76 percent of his throws for 212 yards and two touchdowns – and no interceptions.
* Jarret Bush, CB, had one interception in the endzone to deny UNLV a score after they marched down the field in their no-huddle offense just prior to the half.
Looking head to next Saturday, the Aggies go looking for Coach Guy’s first road victory against the University of Idaho.
Last year, the Vandals held USU to 12 first downs and 58 rush yards, but lost 14-7 when they were intercepted deep in USU territory. The Vandals are 0-4 this year and coming off a 24-0 home loss to Hawaii. Their record also includes a close loss to UNLV.
-graham@cc.usu.edu
Aggie Kevin Robinson takes the ball in for a touchdown while Donald Penn blocks UNLV defensive back Ernest Gordon.