Pep rally fuels fans for football season
Enthusiasm for Utah State football was on full display during the Hurd’s football pep rally Wednesday night.
“Beat SUU” shirts were provided to excite students for the upcoming season. Speeches from coach Matt Wells and athletic director John Hartwell provided added energy for the Aggie fans in attendance.
“I’ve watched football practice and I can tell that our players are tired of hitting each other,” said Hartwell. “I’m hyped for the game and I feel sorry for those SUU players.”
Coach Wells amped up the crowd by bringing Chuckie Keeton, Kyler Fackrell and Nick Vigil on stage with him.
“The crowd is going to be way bigger this year compared to last year,” said Wells. “The students make a difference on game day for our players.”
With the football season only one day away, the pep rally happened just in time to please the hardcore Aggie fans in the student body. Big Blue and Athletics Vice President Thomas Rogers, along with the Aggie cheerleaders, led the group in the “Scotsman” to fire up the crowd.
“The pep rally had a nice turn-out, and it was nice to see the coaches and some of my favorite players,” said junior Sam Merrill. “I love football season at Utah State because of our student section. We’re loud and clever, and we do things in unison.”
Student tickets for Utah State’s home opener against Southern Utah were nearly sold out by the end of the pep-rally, with only 80 tickets remaining. Excitement for Aggie football is at an all-time high and the pep rally helped extend the excitement for fans and students.
“I loved the feeling of togetherness at the pep rally. It felt like everyone was connected,” said senior Ashley Brown. “Coach Wells and John Hartwell are so personable with the students, and it seems like they genuinely care about us and what we contribute to the atmosphere at games.”
The Hurd has not announced future pep rallies for football games later in the season, but tailgating and other pre-game events are expected to be just as significant for student excitement.
“The pep rally was a really good time, but it’s unfair to expect one for every single game,” added Brown. “Utah State students are creative and inventive, we can definitely find other ways to build excitement for football games. We know how to have a good time.”
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