Rivalry in the desert
No defense would ever wish to be run over by a walk-on quarterback.
To avoid a repeat of 2007’s season-opener against UNLV, the USU football team must not allow it to happen Saturday when they take on the Rebels in Las Vegas. Kickoff is set for 8:06 p.m.
Last season the Aggies blew their fourth-quarter lead against UNLV by allowing freshman quarterback Travis Dixon to scorch the defense with his scrambling ability. Dixon ended the game with 129 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown.
This season, Dixon has been beat out by sophomore Omar Clayton—a walk-on—for the starting position. Clayton is the only player in UNLV history to pass for at least 300 yards and rush for at least 100 in the same game, which he did last year in a loss to Colorado State.
“Our d-line is definitely going to have to corral the quarterback and have their eyes open for him at all times,” said USU senior linebacker Jake Hutton. “If it’s a pass play and we have our backs turned, we need the d-line to get some pressure and stay in the rush lane so he can’t get away like Dixon did last year. We can’t let [Clayton] scramble like that.”
Clayton’s start for the opening game will make him the fifth different starting quarterback for a UNLV season-opener in the past five years. Dixon started the first seven games of 2007 and Clayton started the eighth game. Clayton broke his hand after three games, giving the final two starts to Dixon.
The Rebels run a shotgun spread offense. Because of this and Clayton’s abilities, the USU defense will be forced to defend all 11 men on UNLV’s offense, Hutton said.
Because of the number of returners to fall camp this year, the Aggies were able to spend more time preparing for Game 1. Now they’re ready to take on a real opponent.
“We’re all real excited to get out there and go against somebody else other than ourselves,” said senior quarterback Sean Setzer.
The Aggies have not won a season-opener since 1997. In the past 21 years they are 3-18 in such games (and each of those years they made a bowl game).
However, USU head coach Brent Guy isn’t being too careful.
“Everybody wants to win their opener, but you don’t want to put everything on one game,” Guy said. “[The Rebels] won theirs last year, played real well against Wisconsin and then beat Utah and then didn’t finish the year as well as I feel we did.
“So, does it have a residual effect? Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t. I think it still depends on your football team.”
QB play will be unscripted
Senior Sean Setzer will start for USU at quarterback and sophomore Diondre Borel will be inserted at certain points, but Aggie head coach Brent Guy couldn’t say when.
“We’re just going to wait for the situation or the right time,” Guy said. “If we could script these things out, I wouldn’t be in the situation I am now with wins and losses.”
Las Vegas heat
To get his team acclimated to the high temperatures, Aggie head coach Brent Guy had his team practice in Romney Stadium during the final week of fall camp.
Weatherchannel.com has forcasted a kickoff temperature of 103.
“I coached in the desert for four years, and being prepared for the type of heat you feel off of that surface [is important],” Guy said. “We know we’re going to have to deal with some heat.”
–samuel.hislop@aggiemail.usu.edu