Utah State football signs new recruits
Utah State football Head Coach Mick Dennehy went looking for players to fill holes in his team. Specifically, players who can find holes in opposing team’s’ defenses.
Offensive players dominated the list of 24 players the Aggies signed to national letters of intent on Feb. 4, the first day players could sign national letters of intent.
Sixteen of the 24 line up on the offensive side of the ball, highlighted by five listed as running backs and five receivers. Others may also compete for the position.
“We had some glaring needs that we needed to address and I think we got them addressed,” Dennehy said.
The coaching staff “went in a different direction” this year with its recruiting strategy, Dennehy said, focusing more on junior college players than the staff has in the past. Twelve of the players signed have JC experience.
Utah State will join the Western Athletic Conference in 2005, one reason Dennehy gave for the change in strategy.
“Thinking two years down the road with some of the places we are going to have to play in the WAC, I felt like I would rather go into those conference games in 2005 with a veteran team,” Dennehy said.
Last year’s team was a couple of players away from being much better than its 3-9 record, Dennehy said, another reason he focused on filling in the gaps with players who “are a little bit older and a little bit more ready to play than true freshmen.”
Dennehy said he felt like the lack of depth at the running back position motivated him to go after several running backs.
“I did not want to go through another season at the running back spot like the last two,” Dennehy said. “Hopefully we got that issue addressed, and I think we are going to be very good there for a while.”
Running back Emmanuel Marc, a transfer from Hudson Valley Junior College, was the National Junior College Athletic Association Offensive Player of the Year.
“We are very excited about him,” Dennehy said. “He brings us a very dynamic running style.”
Marcus Crawford, a 6-foot-1-inch transfer from the College of the Canyons, is a big, physical player with a downhill running style, Dennehy said.
Chris Forbes, recruited from the same Florida high school as current Aggie running back Travis Davis, will also compete at the RB spot, Dennehy said.
Forbes was recruited by several major college programs before injuring his shoulder, Dennehy said, but Utah State got there at “the right place and the right time.”
Beau Herbert from Box Elder High School, Sione Tavake from San Mateo Junior College and Phil Poloa were also signed as running backs.
The wide out position was another area of concern for Dennehy.
James Lewis, a wide out from Venice High School in California who was named Los Angeles City Player of the Year, and Rod McNeal headline the list of receivers signed by Utah State.
“I think [McNeal] probably gives us the fastest player we’ve ever had here,” Dennehy said. “We’ve got to find some ways to get the ball in Rod McNeal’s hands because of his speed.”
Two players who have to be ready to make an immediate impact for the Aggies are offensive linemen Brent Deladurantey and Justin Shlimgen, Dennehy said. Both are JC transfers.
On the defensive side of the ball, Dennehy said defensive backs Leslie Mongo, Jarrett Bush and Kevin Jones will all have the opportunity to get playing time in the fall.
Aggie fans will see a name they recognize among this year’s recruiting class – tight end Tanner Cooley from Sky View High School, brother of graduating honorable mention All-America tight end Chris Cooley.
Linebacker DJ Brookter will return to Utah State. Brookter played last season at Fresno Junior College.
Brian Soi, a highly rated 6-foot-4, 290 lb. defensive tackle who originally signed with BYU out of high school, will join his brother Justin, a tight end, in signing at Utah State this year. Soi spent the 2003 season at Hargrave Military Academy.
-royburton@cc.usu.edu