2010 Utah State Football Preview

2010 Utah State Football Preview
Schedule
Idaho State
BYU
New Mexico State
Idaho
Hawaii
Fresno State
At Oklahoma
At San Diego State
At Boise State
At Nevada
At Louisiana Tech
At San Jose State

Recruiting needs
2 Safeties- 1 Junior College Transfer, 1 High School
2 Defensive Tackles- 2 High School
2 Defensive Ends- 2 High School
2 Linebackers- 1 Junior College Transfer, 1 High School
2 Cornerbacks- 2 High School
1 Quarterback- 1 High School
2 Wide Receivers- 1 Junior College Transfer, 1 High School
3 Offensive Linemen- 2 Junior College Transfers, 1 High School
1 Tight End- 1 High School
1 Running Back- 1 High School
1 Kicker- High School

1 Athlete- High School

Current Verbals
Taani Fisilau OG 6’2” 303lb. Cottonwood HS, Ut.
Bryce Walker OT 6’7” 300lb. Pleasant Grove HS, Ut.
Jordunn Mattinson TE 6’5” 230lb. Spanish Fork HS, Ut.
Jason Fanaika DE 6’4” 240lb. Pleasant Grove HS, Ut.
Nevin Lawson CB 6’0” 180lb. Piper HS, Fl.
Alex Hart QB 6'3" 185lb. Jordan HS, Ut.

Parker Hausknecht LB 6'0" 210lb. Alta HS, Ut.

Gavin Jones CB/S 6'3" 185lb. Snow College JC, Ut.

Nate Needham LB 6'2" 220lb. Pine View HS, Ut.

Keegan Andersen WR/S/LS 6'2" 191lb. Juan Diego HS, Ut.

Jeremy Higgins QB 6'1" 195lb. St. Louis HS, Hi.

Assuming All Of The Above Sign, What’s Left?
2 Defensive Tackles- 2 HS
1 Defensive End- 1 HS
1 LB- 1 JC arriving in January
1 CB- 1 HS
2 WR- 1 JC arriving in January, 1 HS
2 OL- 2 JC arriving in January
1 RB- 1 HS
1 K- 1 HS
1 Ath- 1 HS

Notes:
Keep in mind that Coach Andersen stated that he’d only sign 4-5 JC kids at a recent coach’s luncheon.

Key Recruiting Dates:
Dec. 5, 2009 St. Mary’s home basketball game with football recruits in attendance including junior college transfers who would arrive in January
Dec. 12, 2009 UVU home basketball game with football recruits in attendance including junior college transfers who would arrive in January

Shout to Aggie fans attending those two games
Making a strong impression to these junior college and high school kids is critical to the future success of USU football. Make your presence felt at these games. And make it known that you want these kids at Utah State.
Way Too Early Projected Depth Chart
Defense:
S- Jamaine Olson Jr, Rajric Coleman Jr, Walter McClenton Jr, Gavin Jones Jr
CB- Chris Randal Sr, Curtis Marsh Sr, Quinton Byrd So, Chris Harris Jr
OLB- Connor Williams RsFr, Quinn Garner Jr
MLB- Bobby Wagner Jr, JC transfer
OLB- Kyle Gallagher Jr, Reuben Willis Sr
DE- Junior Keiaho Jr, Robert Tidwell So
DT- Casey Davis Sr, Nathan Royster Sr
DT- Sean Enesi Sr, DJ Tialavea RsFr
DE- Devin Johnson Sr, Levi Koskan Jr
Offense:
WR- Matt Austin Jr, Eric Moats Sr
WR- Stanley Morrison Jr, Cameron Sanders RsFr
WR- Mikhail Morgan So, JC transfer
RB- Robert Turbin Jr, Michael Smith Sr
QB- Diondre Borel Sr, Kane Wilson RsFr
TE- Kellen Bartlett Jr, Tarren Lloyd Jr
OT- Spencer Johnson Sr, Christian Brown-Frazier RsSo
OG- Oscar Molina So, Funaki Asisi Jr
C- David Disman Jr, JC Transfer
OG- Phillip Gapelu Jr, Tyler Larsen So
OT- Ty Rogers Jr, Tariq Polley Sr
Thus, I believe that at least 4 out of 5 JC transfers have a chance to play immediately. Of course, there’s always a chance that a true freshman stands out and finds a way to play in his first year.

-Utah State Insider-

2009 NCAA football coaches contracts
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/2009-coaches-contracts-database.htm

Patterson's defensive nature rooted in Utah State football

Kragthorpe: Patterson's defensive nature rooted in Utah State football

The Salt Lake Tribune

Updated: 11/09/2009 07:48:39 PM MST

TCU head coach Gary Patterson, center, smiles as safety Tejay Johnson (3),... (The Associated Press)
They're what Israel Byrd remembers about playing defensive back for Gary Patterson. Those eyes that seemingly glowed with energy and intensity, that captured everything happening on the field, even before the film was processed.
"He didn't miss anything," Byrd said. "He had a lot of passion, a lot of enthusiasm. It was intimidating for young guys at first, but he inspired me a lot."
Patterson was 32 years old, breaking into Division I coaching at Utah State in 1992 after being hired by new coach Charlie Weatherbie just in time for spring practice.
Everything that Patterson is doing as Texas Christian's head coach, while personally calling the game-day schemes for the country's No. 3-ranked defense, was in evidence during those three seasons in Logan. The results were not quite the same, certainly. Even in USU's most recent victory over BYU, the Aggies allowed 619 passing yards to John Walsh in a 58-56 adventure.
Yet there still was every sign that Patterson was on his way.
"I knew this guy was going to be something very special," said Byrd, a senior cornerback when Patterson arrived. "He didn't let anything slide. He was on point. He never let one play or one bad practice get through. That's how he is now. That's why he wins. You want to play for guys like that."
Back then, he just "was looking for a job," Patterson recalled.
After a series of brief stays at small schools, Patterson joined the Oregon Lightning Bolts of the Professional Spring Football League -- remember the Utah Pioneers? -- only to have the league fold without playing any games. USU had a late vacancy, and Patterson had once worked with Dick Bumpas, the Aggies' defensive coordinator.
Bumpas now coaches under Patterson at TCU. "Those guys work so good together schematically, with great game planning," Weatherbie said.
So the defensive approach that quarterback Jordan Wynn and the Utah Utes will encounter Saturday night in Fort Worth, Texas, took hold in Logan, even if there was no USU equivalent of Jerry Hughes or Daryl Washington. The Aggie defense still performed adequately enough to help Weatherbie revive the program with a Big West Conference championship and Las Vegas Bowl victory.
Byrd, who played in the NFL and now coaches the secondary at Washington University in St. Louis, once attended Patterson's clinic presentation. The material was nothing new to him.
"The exact same philosophy, the exact same techniques we were learning in 1992," Byrd said. "This stuff works."
Brent Guy, another member of USU's defensive staff, once described Patterson as "a mad scientist ... a very brilliant defensive mind, very innovative."
After handling the entire secondary for one season, Patterson focused on the safeties after Weatherbie hired DeWayne Walker to coach the cornerbacks. "Really, we've done our secondary that way ever since," Patterson said.
Having come from a junior college, Walker was struck by Patterson's knowledge. "He showed me right away that I had a lot of work to do to be a quality coach," said Walker, now New Mexico State's coach. "He's very smart. He tries to hide that, because he's a blue-collar guy, but he's a very intelligent person."
Even now, Byrd refers to notes he took as an Aggie player. Beyond the X's and O's, he recorded Patterson's mantras including "how to seize the opportunity now," Byrd said. "I've never forgotten that. You can't afford to miss that opportunity."
Last century, it was the Big West title. These days, for Patterson, it is the Bowl Championship Series.
Different stakes, same defensive approach. Funny, how the whole thing seems to work better now, with TCU's athletes.

Can Utah State Slow Down Hawaii Pass Attack?

Utah State arrives in Honolulu today coming off a loss to Fresno State where USU gave up another lead in the 4th quarter. Standing on the Bulldog Stadium sideline was 1st Team All-WAC candidate, James Brindley and starting cornerback, Kejon Murphy. Murphy was hit in the head again by a teammate in the 1st quarter. Luckily for Utah State, Fresno State didn't want the passing game to be its first and only option.
Hawaii isn't the same powerhouse team that WAC teams are accustomed to. Hawaii is on a 6 game skid. Unfortunately for Utah State, Hawaii likes to pass and pass on nearly every down with sometimes five wide outs on the field. Which begs the question, how will Utah State slow down Hawaii's passing attack, especially with 2 key players from their defensive backfield questionable for Saturday's 8PM MST kickoff?
Gary Andersen entered his position needing to fill holes left buy previous coach, Brent Guy, in the defensive backfield. Coach Andersen moved, then tailback, Curtis Marsh to cornerback to help fill a void left by Roy Hurst. But that still wasn't enough, especially after both James Brindley and Kejon Murphy were injured against Louisiana Tech. Fortunately for USU, Walter McClenton was ready to fill Brindley's large shoes and accumulated 10.5 tackles against Louisiana Tech and 6 tackles against the other Bulldogs in Fresno. Teammate, Rajric Coleman, also stepped up his game by leading the Aggies in tackles, including one interception, against Fresno State. Returning to the field after recovering from injury to help fill the void left by Kejon Murphy is Quinton Byrd, a true freshman who turned heads in fall camp before the season began. The Aggies will need all the help they can get as they face some of the better receivers in the country in Greg Salas and Kealoha Pilares. Salas averages 122 yards receiving per game to go along with 5 touchdown catches. Both have a combined 108 receptions. There's no question that Hawaii will be looking to exploit a mismatch on a wide reciever. Utah State will need every DB they can get.
So who will Utah State put on the field? Here's my best guess.
CB Jr. Curtis Marsh, CB Jr. Chris Randall, Nickel Fr. Quinton Byrd, Safety So. Walter Mclenton, Safety Jr. Rajric Coleman
Utah State will be very happy to see Kejon Murphy and James Brindley suit up for action, because they'll need all the help they can get. Hawaii will want to run a track meet on the islands after Utah State depended on commercial airliners to get to Honolulu stopping for an airport practice in Phoenix on the way after leaving from Logan on Thursday. Will it be enough to slow down the Warriors? Your guess is as good as mine. Utah State will need its own offense to keep the Warrior offense off the field and out of the game. One thing is for sure. Utah State fans will be anxious to see how esteemed defensive coach, Gary Andersen, can slow down Hawaii's passing attack and keep them off the field.

Current Recruits

Player Position Height Weight HS/JC
Taani Fisilau OG 6'2" 303 Cottonwood HS, Utah
Bryce Walker OG 6'7" 300 Pleasant Grove HS, Utah
Jordunn Mattinson TE 6'5" 230 Spanish Fork HS, Utah
Jason Fanaika DE 6'4" 240 Pleasant Grove HS, Utah
Nevin Lawson CB 6'0" 180 Piper HS, FL
Alex Hart QB 6'3" 185 Jordan HS, Utah
Parker Hausknecht LB 6'0" 210 Alta HS, Utah
Gavin Jones CB/S 6'3" 185 Snow College JC, Utah
Nate Needham LB 6'2" 220 Pine View HS, Utah
Keegan Andersen WR/S/LS 6'2" 191 Juan Diego HS, Utah
Jeremy Higgins QB 6'1" 195 St. Louis HS, HI

TURBO METER

Introducing the TURBO METER measuring Robert Turbin's rushing yards in his latest performance.