Woodward dominates UNLV’s offense: Week 7 takeaways
Another week, another blowout for the Utah State Aggies. And yet, somehow, this team keeps managing to impress everyone just a little bit more. From Jordan Love to David Woodward, lots of players stood out against UNLV on Saturday.
1. Have a day David Woodward
The sophomore linebacker recorded career-highs in solo tackles (8), tackles for loss (3.5) and sacks (3.0). Woodward more than doubled his career total (he had 2.0 before UNLV) and added a significant chunk to his overall tackles for loss (5.0 before Saturday).
Per Daniel Hansen, Woodward is the only player in the FBS this season to record 12 tackles and 3.0 sacks. Woodward is also just the 16th player since 2000 to record eight solo tackles, 12 overall tackles, 3.0 sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss.
2. A little Love goes a long way
Jordan Love had a season-low 23 pass attempts against UNLV, but managed to set a career-high in touchdown passes with five and post his second-best passing yard total at 322. The five TD tosses tied a school record.
Jordan Love throws a pass against UNLV. Photo by Tim Carpenter
Love also came close to another distinction. His 23 attempts were the second-fewest attempts in a 300-yard game in Utah State history. Only Diondre Borel had fewer with his 21 throws to get 316 yards against SUU in 2009.
It should probably also be noted that he had a Total QBR of 98.6 (max is 100)
3. Chunk yards
The Aggies picked up yards in huge chunks against UNLV. In total, the team had 12 plays go for 20 or more yards (seven passes, five runs). Jalen Greene himself was responsible for two big plays with catches of 32 and 80 yards, the latter going for a touchdown. The 80-yard score was the longest play from scrimmage for Utah State since 2014, when Darrell Garretson connected with Hunter Sharp for an 81-yard touchdown against Arkansas State.
4. Roughing the passer
Max Gilliam had a rough night at the office, constantly running away from USU defenders. The Aggies brought Gilliam down seven times throughout the game and was hurried three more times. He was also the unfortunate recipient of repeated hits from Aggies while the Rebels were trying to replicate Air Force’s method of getting yards against the tough Utah State defense.
5. Relax, there’s no pressure
This season Jordan Love has had very little pressure from opposing defenses. Since playing New Mexico State, Love has been sacked one time and has only been hurried four times. UNLV and BYU were barely able to see the sophomore, much less sack him. The offensive line is giving Love enough time to do his taxes before finally passing it down the field.
6. Jalen Greene’s emergence
With the insane amount of depth Utah State had at wide receiver coming into the season it was hard to predict who, outside of Ron’Quavion Tarver and Dax Raymond, might emerge as a go-to target for Love. Greene has become that guy. His 5 catches for 132 yards, highlighted by the 80-yard touchdown, is the highest by an Aggies since Tarver in 2016.
Jalen Greene (21) had a career night against UNLV with five catches for 132 and a touchdown. Photo by Tim Carpenter.
While Tarver leads the team in receptions with 29, Greene isn’t far behind at 22 and Greene leads the team in receiving yards with 312 — almost as many as he had in three years at USC (318).
7. 0-35 in way too fast
Nine minutes and 50 seconds. That how long it took for Utah State to go from down 0-7 to up 35-7. Last Saturday, 76 teams couldn’t reach 35 points in 60 minutes. Utah State did it in less than one-sixth of that time. That’s all that needs to be said.