Fresno State faced No. 5 Boise State last Friday and got dismantled. Now the ‘Dogs move back into Western Athletic Conference play against Utah State this Saturday. The Aggies have had a tough time closing out games so far this season against some of the top teams on their nonconference schedule, which is a similar situation to what Fresno State has dealt with.
Last year the ‘Dogs traveled to Utah State to play the Aggies after a close game between the two teams in 2009. Fresno State came away with the 41-21 victory against an improved Aggies team. The 2011 version of the Aggies will provide the ‘Dogs with another tough task before Fresno State’s upcoming road battle with Nevada next weekend.
Tavin Stucki is the sports editor at Utah State and sports editor Jerry Huerta caught up with him to talk about what the ‘Dogs can expect from the Aggies in the second Western Athleic Conference game for Fresno State this season.
Q: What can Fresno State expect from Utah State’s offense?
A: The Aggie offense has multiple weapons at all the skill positions. The offensive line is doing a very good job of protecting freshman quarterback Chuckie Keeton much more than Utah State offensive lines have done in the past.
Q: What has freshman quarterback Chuckie Keeton meant to the program this season?
A: Keeton is a very talented freshman quarterback who plays beyond his maturity. On a team that just needs a quarterback to get the ball to the playmakers, Keeton has gone beyond that and become one of the playmakers himself.
Q: What kind of impact can running back Robert Turbin have?
A: Turbin will hurt defenses. He can sustain a drive with six or seven consecutive carries or rip off an 80-yard run on the first play. He can also take a screen pass in for a touchdown. He’s a very versatile back who is also an exceptional blocker.
Q: What can Fresno State expect from Utah State’s defense?
A: Expect to not run the ball very well. The Aggies have held opponents to an average of three yards per carry, 111.2 yards per game and eight total rushing touchdowns. At the same time, the pass defense is weaker, with only one interception all season.
Q: Which players are difference makers in the secondary, linebacking corps and defensive line?
A: Cornerback Nevin Lawson plays solid, shutdown defense in the secondary. Seniors Bobby Wagner and Kyle Gallagher anchor the deep linebacker corps. Combined, those two have as many tackles as the next five players on the Aggie defense. Senior defensive end Levi Koskan led the Aggies in sacks last year and can also drop back into a linebacker spot or cover a slot receiver.
Q: Would you consider the punting and kicking games as team strengths?
A: Junior Tyler Bennett is a good punter. Utah State’s punt coverage isn’t the best, and that weakness should play pretty well into the strength of Fresno State’s senior return man Devon Wylie.
Q: Are there any dangerous players in the return game?
A: Junior Kerwynn Williams set an NCAA record last year for kickoff return yards in a single season. He is dangerous, but the way the Utah State special teams have played this season, he won’t have any big returns than normal.
Q: How has head coach Gary Anderson impacted this program?
A: Head coach Gary Andersen has taken a team, who was among the bottom of the entire NCAA, and made it a contender for a Western Athletic Conference championship in three years. If half the team hadn’t been injured last year, it might have happened a year early. He has started to win recruiting battles in the state over the two bigger football programs and beat BYU for the first time in 17 years. Crowds are filling Romney Stadium again and people are getting excited. He never gave up on Turbin, who wasn’t expected to play football again because of injuries. Basically, he’s resurrected the program.
Q: What will it take for Utah State to get back to a bowl game this season?
A: Closing out games; see Auburn’s miracle onside kick, the twice-failed 2-point conversion in double overtime against Colorado State, and the former Utah State quarterback Riley Nelson leading BYU 96 yards to win with 15 seconds left. The Aggies had been leading the game for a fraction of the time. People in Logan are talking about a curse and superstitions about how Romney Stadium was built on an ancient burial ground and other nonsense, but bringing home a WAC championship will be a matter of closing out games and finding a way to hold on to wins.
Q: What will it take for Utah State to beat Fresno State on Saturday?
A: Aggressive play calling. Turbin will score two touchdowns, Keeton will score one or two more, and the defense will make things very difficult for Fresno State to get on the board. I think the key will be just like any other game, to hold on in the final seconds and not make a hero out of quarterback Derek Carr.