Utah State plays at Fresno State for second Mountain West game
The Aggies are 1-0 in Mountain West play for football, which is what head coach Matt Wells wanted.
“That’s a good Colorado State team that we just beat,” Wells said after the game. “Those guys are going to win some games, I have no doubt about that. We wanted to be 1-0 at the end of the week, and we are. That’s round one, here we go on the next one.”
Utah State next plays Fresno State on Saturday in California. The Bulldogs are 1-4 and 0-2 in the MW on the season and haven’t won a game since week one against Abilene Christian. They are coming off a two-game road trip, which included losses to San Jose State and San Diego State.
“They will be ready to play and I know there will be rallying cries in Fresno and we will get their very best shot,” Wells said. “They’re coming off of two road games going into playing at home at Bulldog Stadium, where it’s a tough place to play … We will get their very best shot schematically, as well as emotionally and physically. They will be ready to play.”
To help add to the atmosphere, it’s homecoming week for the Bulldogs. Fresno has won its last eight homecoming games and is 11-1 in MW play at home.
The strength of FSU’s team is its defensive pressure. They have recorded 15 sacks in the first five games and nine in the last two.
“They give you multiple pressures, safety pressures, outside linebacker, inside linebackers,” Wells said. “You name it, they’re coming down that ramp blitzing and pressuring – man pressures and zone pressures. They do a lot of stuff on defense and that scheme is a challenge and those guys do a good job, and they always have.”
Utah State sophomore quarterback Kent Myers will face that pressure in his second start of the season.
“I’m ready for anything they throw at me,” Myers said. “They like to blitz a lot, so I’m just going to be ready for it and know who I’m supposed to throw to when those guys come, and know who’s blocked and know that I still have time. The offensive line will be ready for anything that comes at them.”
The Bulldogs have a young offensive team, led by sophomore quarterback Zack Greenlee. At quarterback Fresno State has played three different players so far this season, however Greenlee has been the most effective. He’s thrown for seven touchdowns and just one interception so far.
“As I look at them on offense,” Wells said. “Zack Greenlee does some really good stuff out on the perimeter. It’s a veteran, physical offensive line. They’ve got some talented wideouts on the edge.”
FSU’s run game has been inefficient during the 2015 season. The Bulldogs have only scored one rushing touchdown and average just over three yards per carry. Through the air, Fresno has been much better. The team has scored 12 passing touchdowns and six different receivers have caught at least one.
Fresno State has a whole host of wide receivers that are young, big and fast. Redshirt freshman KeeSean Johnson leads the team in receptions. Fellow freshman Jamire Jordan and junior Josiah Blandin lead the team in touchdown catches with three each.
“It’s always going to get me excited when a team has great players who are very quick and fast,” said Jalen Davis, USU’s top cover corner. “I just love playing those kind of players and as a defense, we love trying to stop those guys.”
Last week, Utah State’s pass defense allowed 252 pass yards, one touchdown, and forced one interception on 46 pass attempts. The Aggies held Colorado State to completing under 50 percent of their passes.
“We’ve got our swag back, so we’re playing great defense and forcing turnovers,” Davis said. “When we’re forcing turnovers, that’s when our swag gets up and we start playing great defense throughout the rest of the season. It just gets us more confident and playing good assignment football.”
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