USU football week 2 preview: San Diego State
On December 2, 2014, just three days after losing 42 to 28 against heated rival Ohio State, Michigan head football coach Brady Hoke was fired.
One week later, on the 10th, Gary Andersen left his position as head coach of Wisconsin to take the same job at Oregon State. This came just days after Wisconsin lost 59- 0 in the Big Ten championship game to the same Buckeye team that took out Hoke.
Six years and several coaching gigs later, the two former Big ten counterparts have found themselves back in each other’s conference, as Hoke accepted a job to start a second stint at San Diego State in January of this year.
“Brady and I over the years have gotten pretty close through the Big Ten and what we’ve been able to accomplish,” said Andersen during Monday’s press conference. “We have a lot of the same beliefs, quite frankly, which makes it very easy for us to be able to have a relationship.”
One of those similar beliefs is the value of running the football and being physically dominant in the trenches.
“To really be in a spot to win the conference championship we are going to have to be physical in running the football and have an extremely tough football team on both sides of the ball,” said Andersen. “Because of their physicality, toughness, and athleticism their right in there every year.”
The Aztec’s ability to run the football was on full display last Saturday, as they dismantled UNLV 34-6 while racking up 287 total rushing yards.
“Tremendous running backs,” said Andersen. “They can really run…they’re all fast, a couple of them are blazing fast and they’ll put it on ya.”
There are five different Aztecs in the backfield that can run the ball effectively. Two to look out for are Greg Bell — a senior running back that transferred from Nebraska — who led the field with 119 rushing yards on 19 carries on Saturday against UNLV, and junior Kaegun Williams, a speedy junior who rushed for 84 yards on ten carries last week.
Paving their way is an offensive line Andersen called “extremely physical.” The line boasts three starting five-year seniors: left tackle Kyle Spalding, left guard Jacob Capra, and right tackle Zachary Thomas.
Someone who knows how to stop this powerful run offense is USU linebacker Kevin Metzeinheimer. The Aggies surrendered just 91 rushing yards in last year’s 23-17 victory over SDSU.
“Instead of letting them run the ball on you, you put your face in their face,” said Metzeinheimer. “There has to be a want to, we have to bring a physicality that we brought last year.”
Metzeinheimer acknowledged tackling and execution concerns from last week’s dismal performance at Boise State, and said, “we’re not going to have any letdowns against San Diego State like we did last week.”
Also looking to improve from last week is the Utah State offense, who mustered just 13 points and 92 passing yards against the Broncos.
“We just gotta work,” said USU wide receiver Deven Thompkins. “We gotta focus on us and execute better as an offense.”
The Aggies offense will need to bring it’s ‘A’ game against a San Diego State defense that is arguably the best in the conference.
“I think it’s an extremely physical (defense),” said Andersen. “Experienced front with those linebackers that are in there. They’re really good players and talented young men and so they play the game the way it’s supposed to be and they can hang in there with anybody.”
One extremely physical player is Caden Mcdonald, who totaled eight tackles and 2.5 sacks against the Rebels last week. Last year’s all-mountain west defensive tackle Cameron Thomas is another player that could have a big impact, the Sophomore is an excellent pass rusher that has NFL potential.
Complementing the fierce front seven for the Aztecs is an aggressive secondary, which is led by senior safety and Jim Thorpe Award Watch List nominee Tariq Thompson.
“He plays the game the way it’s supposed to be played from an effort standpoint,” said Andersen. “If you’re an offensive coach for the Aggies you better know where that guy is every snap.”
SDSU is so strong top to bottom defensively, it makes you question what USU quarterback Jason Shelley and the Aggies will be able to do against them. Andersen knows it will take a collective effort to win what he expects to be a “street fight” on Halloween night.
— sports@usustatesman.com
@jacobnielson12