USU won this game by a LOT. Tech's Magnum Rolle went out in the first half and didn't return. Awfully reminiscent of the Fresno-USU game when USU was on the road back in January.
With this win, we've clinched a berth to the big dance. What more must USU do? Seventeen in a row, and a berth to the title game of the WAC tournament, with both tournament victories by more than 24 points. This team deserves to dance.
Showing posts with label USU. Show all posts
Showing posts with label USU. Show all posts
Friday, March 12, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
USU Hockey Home-and-Home with BYU
Brendan MacDonald's hat trick helped USU obliterate BYU, 10-3, in the second game of a home-to-home series on Saturday night at the Eccles Ice Center.
MacDonald's first goal was also the first of the game, and it came at the 13:50 mark in the first period. Matt Hamilton controlled the puck on the left side of the BYU zone in the power play and passed it low to Kyle Soder. Soder drew the BYU defense to him, which effectively left MacDonald wide open in front of the goal. Soder split the puck between two defenders, and MacDonald one-timed it home through the legs of both the BYU defender and the BYU goaltender.
MacDonald's second goal was the goal that busted the game wide open for the Aggies. Once again on the power play, MacDonald took the pass from his linemate, Hamilton, and buried it. The goal was the first of three in a two-minute stretch in the second period that gave USU a hefty 7-1 lead and the win. Head coach Jon Eccles said he was pleased with MacDonald and USU's overall effectiveness on the power play.
"Our power play was clicking all night long," Eccles said. "They couldn't really stop us. For the most part, I was happy with the way they played. We got a couple stupid penalties again, but for the most part we cleared things up."
MacDonald's hat trick goal was icing on the cake for the Aggies. With 13:24 remaining in the game, MacDonald scored his only goal not scored on the power play. MacDonald took a pass from Kent Arsenault and went on a fast forecheck. BYU's defense couldn't recover, and MacDonald left no doubt. USU led at that point 9-1 and was able to tack on one more before time expired.
Saturday's game came in the wake of part one of the home-to-home. Friday night's game was a 9-5 Aggie beatdown of BYU at the Peaks Arena in Provo. Brendan MacDonald managed to get a hat trick in that game as well. Also notable from the Friday night game were Billy Gouthro's three assists and an unassisted Tyler Mistelbacher goal in the second period. With that goal, Mistelbacher's 40th of the season, he continued his campaign for offensive player of the year in the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) western region. Mistelbacher, a freshman, only trails UNLV's Michael Zenzola by three goals but has played three fewer games than Zenzola.
With the pair of wins, USU improves to 25-6 on the season and extends its season-long home undefeated streak to 12 in a row. USU's last home loss was against the University of Denver in last year's regional tournament. During the second game, USU clinched the season sweep against BYU, winning all six games against the rival Cougars from Provo. Eccles said he would prefer to schedule more talented teams to effectively prepare USU for the regional tournament.
"As far as being a strong match," Eccles said, "there's not a whole lot there. It was just a game for us and for the fans. We would have much rather played a stronger team to prepare us. We play Denver next weekend, and regionals are the week after DU. We want to be playing strong teams, because that's what we're going to be playing at regionals. We're not going to be playing teams like BYU."
Despite the lopsided results USU-BYU hockey has provided this year, Eccles said the series is still a rivalry as far as the teams and the fans are concerned.
"I love that intensity out there," Eccles said. "The fans love it. When the U of U, Weber or BYU comes in, it's a big rivalry. You can see the fans and how they help out, especially when they start saying, 'Hey goalie, goalie. You suck.' It's just fun to hear that stuff."
The degree to which BYU and USU hockey dislike each other was in full display in both Friday and Saturday's games. On Saturday, the Aggies were booked for 22 penalties – by far the most this season for USU. Likewise, BYU was booked for 18. The climax came near the end of the first period on Saturday when Jeff Sanders and a BYU Cougar started tussling, wrestling and pushing each other around, after a USU shot was saved by BYU's goaltender, Brent Taylor. While Sanders was venting his frustration and drawing all the attention of the officiating crew, USU's Matt Ferris took the opportunity to lightly crosscheck BYU's Tanner Billingsley, while Billingsley was off-guard. BYU's Todd Jaramillo, who was standing just behind Billingsley and had full view of Ferris's crosscheck, reacted in defense of his teammate by putting Ferris in a headlock and dragging him to the ice. The situation, obviously, did not improve from there. When all was said and done, 10 players were booked into the box at the same time for the altercation – five for BYU and five for USU.
Matt Hamilton, USU's starting center, was disqualified and ejected for facemasking in the third period of the second game. Hamilton, according to the ACHA rules, must sit out the game against the University of Denver for his actions. Also, Billy Gouthro, one of USU's three assistant captains, was given a 10-minute penalty and effectively ejected, for slashing and misconduct at the 9:31 mark in the third period.
While Eccles said he recognized the need for his team to maintain its composure, he also said much of the 22 penalties may not have been as necessary as the referees insisted.
"The ref," Eccles said, "there's probably been a bit of bad blood in the past and so he's not going to put up with any type of harassment or any type of abuse. He told us right up front, 'If you guys start doing that, we're going to start giving 2's and 10's and start kicking them out of the game. Bottom line, some of the guys couldn't quite adjust to that, so that's why they were sent off the ice early."
On a further note, I would like to take a shot at BYU Hockey fans.
With just under 10 minutes remaining in the game on Friday in Provo (Yes, I was present), a group of BYU fans began heckling an Aggie who had been sent to the penalty box. I responded on behalf of the player by yelling out, "Scoreboard!!!" So, naturally, the fans started heckling me.
First, they asserted that USU cheated. I ignored that one because of the stupidity of the argument and continued to repeat the score (9 to 4 at that point) until one BYU fan asked me if I wanted to fight him. At that point, I saw that the situation was getting a bit out of hand, so I waved him off and shut up. The BYU fan continued by asking me if USU had any other sport besides Hockey. I had great pleasure in informing him of the success our Men's Basketball team had against BYU this year. I again began to ignore him, and eventually I heard someone mutter, "You've got to have some class, man. You've got to have some class."
I bit my tongue. I was so tempted to make a strong reference to a certain former BYU quarterback who epitomizes class, but I restrained myself and bit my tongue.
Bottom line, I lost a lot of respect for BYU last weekend. A lot of respect.
I'll link my article to this post as soon as it is placed on the web.
Landon
MacDonald's first goal was also the first of the game, and it came at the 13:50 mark in the first period. Matt Hamilton controlled the puck on the left side of the BYU zone in the power play and passed it low to Kyle Soder. Soder drew the BYU defense to him, which effectively left MacDonald wide open in front of the goal. Soder split the puck between two defenders, and MacDonald one-timed it home through the legs of both the BYU defender and the BYU goaltender.
MacDonald's second goal was the goal that busted the game wide open for the Aggies. Once again on the power play, MacDonald took the pass from his linemate, Hamilton, and buried it. The goal was the first of three in a two-minute stretch in the second period that gave USU a hefty 7-1 lead and the win. Head coach Jon Eccles said he was pleased with MacDonald and USU's overall effectiveness on the power play.
"Our power play was clicking all night long," Eccles said. "They couldn't really stop us. For the most part, I was happy with the way they played. We got a couple stupid penalties again, but for the most part we cleared things up."
MacDonald's hat trick goal was icing on the cake for the Aggies. With 13:24 remaining in the game, MacDonald scored his only goal not scored on the power play. MacDonald took a pass from Kent Arsenault and went on a fast forecheck. BYU's defense couldn't recover, and MacDonald left no doubt. USU led at that point 9-1 and was able to tack on one more before time expired.
Saturday's game came in the wake of part one of the home-to-home. Friday night's game was a 9-5 Aggie beatdown of BYU at the Peaks Arena in Provo. Brendan MacDonald managed to get a hat trick in that game as well. Also notable from the Friday night game were Billy Gouthro's three assists and an unassisted Tyler Mistelbacher goal in the second period. With that goal, Mistelbacher's 40th of the season, he continued his campaign for offensive player of the year in the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) western region. Mistelbacher, a freshman, only trails UNLV's Michael Zenzola by three goals but has played three fewer games than Zenzola.
With the pair of wins, USU improves to 25-6 on the season and extends its season-long home undefeated streak to 12 in a row. USU's last home loss was against the University of Denver in last year's regional tournament. During the second game, USU clinched the season sweep against BYU, winning all six games against the rival Cougars from Provo. Eccles said he would prefer to schedule more talented teams to effectively prepare USU for the regional tournament.
"As far as being a strong match," Eccles said, "there's not a whole lot there. It was just a game for us and for the fans. We would have much rather played a stronger team to prepare us. We play Denver next weekend, and regionals are the week after DU. We want to be playing strong teams, because that's what we're going to be playing at regionals. We're not going to be playing teams like BYU."
Despite the lopsided results USU-BYU hockey has provided this year, Eccles said the series is still a rivalry as far as the teams and the fans are concerned.
"I love that intensity out there," Eccles said. "The fans love it. When the U of U, Weber or BYU comes in, it's a big rivalry. You can see the fans and how they help out, especially when they start saying, 'Hey goalie, goalie. You suck.' It's just fun to hear that stuff."
The degree to which BYU and USU hockey dislike each other was in full display in both Friday and Saturday's games. On Saturday, the Aggies were booked for 22 penalties – by far the most this season for USU. Likewise, BYU was booked for 18. The climax came near the end of the first period on Saturday when Jeff Sanders and a BYU Cougar started tussling, wrestling and pushing each other around, after a USU shot was saved by BYU's goaltender, Brent Taylor. While Sanders was venting his frustration and drawing all the attention of the officiating crew, USU's Matt Ferris took the opportunity to lightly crosscheck BYU's Tanner Billingsley, while Billingsley was off-guard. BYU's Todd Jaramillo, who was standing just behind Billingsley and had full view of Ferris's crosscheck, reacted in defense of his teammate by putting Ferris in a headlock and dragging him to the ice. The situation, obviously, did not improve from there. When all was said and done, 10 players were booked into the box at the same time for the altercation – five for BYU and five for USU.
Matt Hamilton, USU's starting center, was disqualified and ejected for facemasking in the third period of the second game. Hamilton, according to the ACHA rules, must sit out the game against the University of Denver for his actions. Also, Billy Gouthro, one of USU's three assistant captains, was given a 10-minute penalty and effectively ejected, for slashing and misconduct at the 9:31 mark in the third period.
While Eccles said he recognized the need for his team to maintain its composure, he also said much of the 22 penalties may not have been as necessary as the referees insisted.
"The ref," Eccles said, "there's probably been a bit of bad blood in the past and so he's not going to put up with any type of harassment or any type of abuse. He told us right up front, 'If you guys start doing that, we're going to start giving 2's and 10's and start kicking them out of the game. Bottom line, some of the guys couldn't quite adjust to that, so that's why they were sent off the ice early."
On a further note, I would like to take a shot at BYU Hockey fans.
With just under 10 minutes remaining in the game on Friday in Provo (Yes, I was present), a group of BYU fans began heckling an Aggie who had been sent to the penalty box. I responded on behalf of the player by yelling out, "Scoreboard!!!" So, naturally, the fans started heckling me.
First, they asserted that USU cheated. I ignored that one because of the stupidity of the argument and continued to repeat the score (9 to 4 at that point) until one BYU fan asked me if I wanted to fight him. At that point, I saw that the situation was getting a bit out of hand, so I waved him off and shut up. The BYU fan continued by asking me if USU had any other sport besides Hockey. I had great pleasure in informing him of the success our Men's Basketball team had against BYU this year. I again began to ignore him, and eventually I heard someone mutter, "You've got to have some class, man. You've got to have some class."
I bit my tongue. I was so tempted to make a strong reference to a certain former BYU quarterback who epitomizes class, but I restrained myself and bit my tongue.
Bottom line, I lost a lot of respect for BYU last weekend. A lot of respect.
I'll link my article to this post as soon as it is placed on the web.
Landon
Saturday, February 6, 2010
USU-Nevada - 2010 in Stew's Cathedral - The One and Only
Normally I would put together an awesome segment of the highlights from this game, but in all honesty, I could not be in Logan until 8:20 p.m. Saturday, and by that time the doors to the building that houses the Fusion Studios had long since closed. So, fault me for this one. I don't deserve to have the responsibilities I do - my only solace is that our next show is 6 days away and by that time, this game will be very old news.In any case, here's my thoughts from the game.
The crowd in this game was epic. Bill's Mardi Gras getup caused Babbitt to miss his first free throw of the second half, and the roof nearly flew off after Jardine blocked Babbitt early in the second. There were several opportunities in which a 3-pointer would have triggered implosion quality vibrations, but it was not to be. USU didn't even hit a 3-ball in the second half.
If the statistic that USU always wins when shooting five three-pointers were to hold steady, this game was as good as done at halftime. USU shot 6 of 11 from deep in the first half (54.5 percent) in half numero uno. The good news: the stat held. The bad news: USU missed all six of their 2nd half attempts. Credit Nevada's perimeter defense.
USU played to their unchanging game plan just like always. The only Aggie in double figures at halftime, at which point USU led 39-35, was Jared Quayle on two 3-pointers and 50 percent shooting. However, USU had 3 other players in the 6-10 range at halftime (Tai Wesley, Pooh Williams, Tyler Newbold). Compare that to Nevada. Babbitt and Johnson combined for 25 of Nevada's 35 first half points. No other member of the Pack scored more than five in the first.
USU had four players in double figures by the end of the night and one player with eight points.
Utah State continues to dominate on the assist-to-turnover ratio. After 20 minutes, the A-T ratio was 6. Yes, that's correct. At the end of the game, the ratio was 4.5 (18 assists, 4 turnovers). I don't care who you are, when you get that stat, you're going to do well.
Rebounding continued to be a huge advantage for USU. Of USU's 17 first half rebounds, 9 of them were offensive, which resulted in 8 first half 2nd chance points and 20 2nd chance points in this game. The 21 offensive boards were a season high for the Aggies.
USU got loads of points off of Pack turnovers. The POT/TO ratio was 2. I'm pretty sure that stat is not well known, because it's never used. POT/TO stands for (Points off Turnovers) divided by (Turnovers). If a team is able to get that ration to 2, it basically means the team scores on every turnover the opposing team commits - a vitality in a game like the Aggie-Pack game. Nevada gave the ball away 7 times, and USU capitalized for 14 points. Wow.
Tai Wesley came to play in the second half of this one. The Tai-phoon had 10 points in the first 6.5 minutes of the second half, at least four of came as the second-chance variety of points. He struggled in the first, but more than recovered in half number two. Tai's bucket with just over four minutes remaining stifled a Pack run that got Nevada back within single digits. Also, Tai's free throws in the final minutes all but shut the Pack down and put the game out of reach, even though he missed one.
I was sad to see Brian Green disappear during this game. Credit his recent success to make Nevada pay more attention to him during film time. As Stew said afterwards, "It was bound to happen, but we were happy to get a win out of it."
Nevada played excellent defense given the circumstances in this game - they played so well that I have to give them credit. USU's FG percentage fell from 44.1 percent to 39.7 percent in the second half. However, it didn't matter because USU had 10 more free throw attempts and 9 more 2nd-chance points. more free throw attempts.
The moment that Babbitt fouled out of the game was just about as sweet as the Winning Team-Losing Team chant. Both Tai Wesley and Stew Morrill gave Babbitt credit for the type of ball he plays and his strength of character. Still, it was good to see him choke.
And finally, Pooh's dunk at the end of the game when Nevada was in the full-court press was epic.
I'm convinced. This team will not lose another until the NCAA tournament, which is where they're going, by the way.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Aggie Bull Horn #69 - Game 1 - USUvWSU - Ogden Utah - First Half
Gabcast! Aggie Bull Horn #69 - Game 1 - USUvWSU - Ogden Utah - First Half
In the first half, the Fusion HD3 plays of the game can be found at the following times in this file -
16:40
22:40
33:06
35:00
36:00
Keep it here for the second half.
In the first half, the Fusion HD3 plays of the game can be found at the following times in this file -
16:40
22:40
33:06
35:00
36:00
Keep it here for the second half.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
USU Football and Basketball to be Televised Locally Immediately
USU football and basketball will be televised on CW 30 in Utah, starting with this weekend's game against Nevada.
Upping the anty! This is great in terms of exposure. CW30 has a DirecTV deal for those in Utah, as well as Comcast. People in 4 states will now be able to see our Aggies on select Saturdays.
More information here
Upping the anty! This is great in terms of exposure. CW30 has a DirecTV deal for those in Utah, as well as Comcast. People in 4 states will now be able to see our Aggies on select Saturdays.
More information here
Monday, October 12, 2009
Thoughts on the NMSU loss last weekend
USU dropped what I would definitely call a marquee, program-defining loss Saturday night.After watching the game and almost ripping my hair out, I have come down to a couple of key items that anyone who watched that game can identify, I'm certain.
First of all, USU committed too many penalties at all the wrong times. Two 40+ yard runs were negated by holding calls. Game changing plays - excellent runs by Turbin and Borel in the second half - were called back because some idiot on the offensive line pulled a man to the ground. The offensive line continues to be a black hole that sucks big plays away. This team, any team, can go nowhere forward when they go backwards like USU did Saturday. Bottom line, winning teams are disciplined enough to not commit 12 penalties for 130 yards.
Secondly, what on earth is wrong with USU special teams and why don't they ever improve? The punting game was absolutely wretched! On the second punt return of that game, USU coughed up the ball and then NMSU drove for the score. On the game-winning drive, USU gave up roughly (I don't have the stats) a 60-yard return to put NMSU in field goal range. Bottom line, winning teams make stops on special teams because they know that special teams are just as crucial as the offense and defense.
Thirdly, this team needs to change it's attitude. It's clear to me now that the loss the team suffered at Utah, A&M and BYU has got them on the same mental track they've been on for the last 15 years - losing is OK. This team will say up and down that they believe they can win, but after losing against NMSU, I'm not sure I believe they can win anymore. It's almost like they feel out the opponent, figure out just what they need to do in order to win, and then purposefully underachieve.
Anyway, having seen the Aggie team through 6 weeks of the season, I'm revising my picks for the remainder of the year. Here they are:
USU-Nevada: Loss
USU-LaTech: Win
USU-Fresno: Loss
USU-Hawai'i: Win
USU-SJSU: Win
USU-BSU: Loss
USU-Idaho: Loss
Idaho is for real, Hawai'i stinks, and unless USU can learn to stuff the run and get pressure on a QB, there's no way they'll beat Nevada. USU may have wanted a bowl berth, but there's no way it'll get it.
Here's the USU athletic department's recap.
Monday, September 21, 2009
President Albrecht Interview
This is the interview that Fusion HD3 did with President Albrecht last Friday at 2:30 PM on Fusion HD3 - He was on my show, so he goes on my blog.
You will probably see this soon on the radio site as well - until then (and if they let me keep it after) it's here.
USU President Stan Albrecht on Fusion HD3 talking about the State of the University
You will probably see this soon on the radio site as well - until then (and if they let me keep it after) it's here.
USU President Stan Albrecht on Fusion HD3 talking about the State of the University
Monday, September 7, 2009
Football Postgame Interviews
These are Interviews from Gary Andersen, Robert Turbin, and James Brindley after the USU loss to Utah.
I will talk about these and have things ready for you to hear on Friday at 2. Be listening!
Fusion HD3 Website
Gary Andersen
on air #4 - Gary Andersen Postgame Vs Utah
James Brindley
on air #6 - James Brindley Interview
Robert Turbin
on air #5 - Robert Turbin v Utah
I will talk about these and have things ready for you to hear on Friday at 2. Be listening!
Fusion HD3 Website
Gary Andersen
on air #4 - Gary Andersen Postgame Vs Utah
James Brindley
on air #6 - James Brindley Interview
Robert Turbin
on air #5 - Robert Turbin v Utah
Saturday, September 5, 2009
BYU upsets Oklahoma
At the risk of being lynched by those who read this, I am going to make a quick comment about the BYU upset that went down in the inaugural edition of the Cowboy Classic in Arlington, Texas.What a game.
This, if anything, helps USU because it now increases their strength of schedule. The biggest upset of week one makes the showdown that's going to be played in a month in Provo that much more of a big deal for USU. A win against what could possibly be a top-10 team at that point would not only be huge for USU, but for the entire WAC. It would validate the entire program and make the Aggies a true talking point for contention in the WAC, especially because Boise State is going to be playing USU in Romney Stadium in November. This is a big deal not only for BYU and everyone that will play them for the rest of the year, but also for the entire state of Utah. No one can deny that there are definite flaws in the BCS system now. Two Mtn West teams have struck gold against legitimate, powerful, historic programs within a two-game stretch. Both were games that were on ESPN, on national TV. BYU not only just validated the MTN west, but also the WAC, the state of Utah, and every non-BCS conference team in the country.
It's a big deal.
View the ESPN recap here
View what SI has to say about it.
I would also like to give a wag of my finger to ESPN's coverage of the game. They are discounting this win because Bradford was injured at the end of the 1st half and didn't return. I would imagine as well that most of the nation's media and coaches, not having watched this game, will also discount this win because of the Bradford injury. That will hurt their ranking. I think it's very important to give credit where credit is due.
Now, USU and Oklahoma do not play the same type of game. USU does not have the weight of Oklahoma, but they also do not play the same type of defense that USU plays. USU plays a man, speed-intensive defense. I certainly still think that USU can stand a chance against BYU, especially if they work harder than BYU leading into that game. BYU is not faster than USU.
That being said, all the questions about BYU's O-line and defense were answered tonight. That spells problems for any opponent barring any injury to BYU, and I don't think in a rebuilding year USU will be able to get the penetration that USU will need to rush Max Hall.
That's about the only bright spot for a USU fan that I can see coming out of this game - if USU somehow manages to pressure Hall, they can make him err. When he was pressured by Oklahoma's line, he threw riskier passes, was sacked aplenty, and threw two interceptions. That really is the key to beating BYU, pressuring Hall into making mistakes.
Also, I would like to eat my words. I went down on the record as saying the USU was more likely to cover the spread than BYU was. Now, both covered the 21-point spread, but I did not think that BYU was going to be within three touchdowns of Oklahoma. I thought their defense would be slower, the injuries in camp would weaken them too much, and the offensive line would give away too much only because of their inexperience.
Bottom line, BYU beat Oklahoma. Western football just got that much better. The nation should recognize
Monday, August 31, 2009
Lauren Hansen voted WAC Offensive player of the week
Lauren Hansen was voted the WAC Soccer Offensive player of the week. She totally deserves it. This girl scored three goals of the six that were scored by USU over the weekend against two quality opponents. I would be afraid to play against her, that's for sure.
You can learn more about this selection here.
USU Soccer is going to face Oklahoma State, the 21st ranked team in the nation on Friday. You will be considered super cool in my book if you come.
By the way, I bought my tickets to the USU-Utah showdown this Thursday. You can expect me to provide an in-depth analysis of this game by Sunday. I'm so excited to get this covered.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Part 4 of 4 - The Stretch - USU football
And so it comes to this...
USU football's fourth quarter of action in the 2009 season. To this point we stand with 3 wins and 6 losses. Close losses, but still... losses. If USU wants to get to a bowl game, they must win the final three games of the season. Likely? No... You'll see why in a moment.
But anything is possible - even miracles.
If USU manages to get a two touchdown lead in this game at anytime in the second half, put it in your book as a win for the Aggies.
That, however, I don't believe will happen. USU by this point could be overlooking SJSU and have their eyes on a somewhat bigger prize, Boise State. They will play Boise the week after in the first nationally televised game in Romney Stadium in years (if at all). But I digress...
SJSU is a team that did very very well in 2006. They had a bowl game win and won nine games in the second year of their head coach's tenure. Since then, they've wallowed in mediocrity. If USU is able to come in to this game with four wins on their sheet, they have a very good chance of winning this one, especially since it's in Logan.
Watch the lines in this game. If USU can penetrate and run the ball well on offense, they'll do well. USU's defense needs to focus on the run as SJSU doesn't have a solid quarterback and finds itself embroiled in the middle of a in-house competition for QB. We all know what that means - both suck.
Even Gary Andersen knows that we're way, way behind the broncos - this quote pretty much sums it all up.
"We're probably not even nipping at their heels. We're a puppy running 10 yards behind them."
Coach Andersen said the preceding at the WAC media day in SLC about the Broncos.
The question here is this: How do you stop a team which has only two conference losses in the last seven years, one of them to a BCS team, in your own house on national television?
When we find the answer to that question, I drive to Boise and burn a big block A into the smurf-turf! Who's with me?!
Shoot. I hate Boise State almost as much as I hate the University of Utah.
This game should be a cake walk for the Aggies. They beat Idaho in each of the last two seasons, last year by about 30 points. They can't pass, they can't run, their lines stink, their defense is worse, and their return teams are much less than worthy. USU should be able to run their socks off with the dual-threat quarterback Borel, unless (Heaven Forbid) Borel and Turin get injured... But let's not worry about such things until they happen.
USU is going to have a record year this year! 5 wins! Something to celebrate?! Absolutely! Especially after having the abysmal years of 1- and 2-win seasons behind us.
I have spoken with several sources around the football team. There's a new energy here that hasn't been seen in the program for a long time and a new sense of optimism that will stay. This team understands that the winning process takes time, and the team's goals are clearly outlined in stone. This team wants to hunt down Boise State and eventually win a WAC title. I believe that Gary Andersen has the stuff to do it in five years. He can be the man to bring this team out from the doldrums and back into the national spotlight that it was in 50 years ago. It is very difficult, but it is possible.
I think, when all is said and done, we must try to retain, always retain, a positive vibe about the possibilities of this season. Remember, only a fool would hope for more than six wins, but six is possible, even if it is unlikely.
By the way, if we do get six wins this year, I vote we rename 1000 North in Logan, Andersen Avenue. That's just me, though.
Post your feedback below.
USU football's fourth quarter of action in the 2009 season. To this point we stand with 3 wins and 6 losses. Close losses, but still... losses. If USU wants to get to a bowl game, they must win the final three games of the season. Likely? No... You'll see why in a moment.
But anything is possible - even miracles.
Opponent #10: San Jose State University Spartans
Prediction: USU 14-10 SJSU
This game, more than anything, will be a defensive battle. SJSU's defense is pretty efficient against the pass. Last season, they were a top-10 defense against the pass and 21st overall in total defense. USU will bring a new, revamped defense coached by the defensive wizard, Gary Andersen, to bear against a mediocre passing game with an offensive line that allowed 2 sacks a game on average last year and had a hard time coming back.If USU manages to get a two touchdown lead in this game at anytime in the second half, put it in your book as a win for the Aggies.
That, however, I don't believe will happen. USU by this point could be overlooking SJSU and have their eyes on a somewhat bigger prize, Boise State. They will play Boise the week after in the first nationally televised game in Romney Stadium in years (if at all). But I digress...
SJSU is a team that did very very well in 2006. They had a bowl game win and won nine games in the second year of their head coach's tenure. Since then, they've wallowed in mediocrity. If USU is able to come in to this game with four wins on their sheet, they have a very good chance of winning this one, especially since it's in Logan.
Watch the lines in this game. If USU can penetrate and run the ball well on offense, they'll do well. USU's defense needs to focus on the run as SJSU doesn't have a solid quarterback and finds itself embroiled in the middle of a in-house competition for QB. We all know what that means - both suck.
Opponent #11: The Boise State Broncos.... uggghhh...
Prediction: USU 10-49 BSU
Given my deep-seeded hatred for Bull **** University (BSU, people, come on. I think Idaho houses more cows than people, anyway. I've been there before.) it is awfully painful to have to say that the enemy from up north is going to come in to our house and humiliate us once again, but I have to.Even Gary Andersen knows that we're way, way behind the broncos - this quote pretty much sums it all up.
"We're probably not even nipping at their heels. We're a puppy running 10 yards behind them."
Coach Andersen said the preceding at the WAC media day in SLC about the Broncos.
The question here is this: How do you stop a team which has only two conference losses in the last seven years, one of them to a BCS team, in your own house on national television?
When we find the answer to that question, I drive to Boise and burn a big block A into the smurf-turf! Who's with me?!
Shoot. I hate Boise State almost as much as I hate the University of Utah.
Opponent #12: The Vandals of the University of Idaho
Prediction: USU 49-10 Idaho
After getting beat up by one Idaho team, it will be a fresh relief to pound on the red-headed step child of the Idaho System of Higher Education. I mean, they play their basketball games at the same place they play their football games, and the stadium is indoors! Hilarious, much? Yes. Yes, it is.This game should be a cake walk for the Aggies. They beat Idaho in each of the last two seasons, last year by about 30 points. They can't pass, they can't run, their lines stink, their defense is worse, and their return teams are much less than worthy. USU should be able to run their socks off with the dual-threat quarterback Borel, unless (Heaven Forbid) Borel and Turin get injured... But let's not worry about such things until they happen.
Epilogue
So, what have we learned here?USU is going to have a record year this year! 5 wins! Something to celebrate?! Absolutely! Especially after having the abysmal years of 1- and 2-win seasons behind us.
I have spoken with several sources around the football team. There's a new energy here that hasn't been seen in the program for a long time and a new sense of optimism that will stay. This team understands that the winning process takes time, and the team's goals are clearly outlined in stone. This team wants to hunt down Boise State and eventually win a WAC title. I believe that Gary Andersen has the stuff to do it in five years. He can be the man to bring this team out from the doldrums and back into the national spotlight that it was in 50 years ago. It is very difficult, but it is possible.
I think, when all is said and done, we must try to retain, always retain, a positive vibe about the possibilities of this season. Remember, only a fool would hope for more than six wins, but six is possible, even if it is unlikely.
By the way, if we do get six wins this year, I vote we rename 1000 North in Logan, Andersen Avenue. That's just me, though.
Post your feedback below.
Koa Misi goes down
UPDATE on Utah Football - Koa Misi, a Utah defensive lineman, is out with injury! This greatly weakens Utah's defense and forces Utah to rely on it's depth.
You can check out Koa Misi's profile and some statistics here and can also check out the article detailing what went down at practice here and here. Personally, I prefer the first of the two - the Salt Lake Tribune pays a lot more attention to Utah Football than the Deseret News does... I think it has to do with the fact that the Deseret News loves BYU and the SL Tribune loves Utah.
Regardless, 1320 KFAN in SLC has some good sound bytes from Kyle Whittingham on Koa Misi. You can hear them here.
So, the question: How does this affect USU and game one of the season.
This is one more in a long line of injuries that is coming out of Salt Lake City and Provo during training camp. I, for one, am somewhat stunned to hear that all this is going down. All it does is help USU and give our boys a better chance of winning.
Taking a closer look at Koa Misi, it's obvious to see that he is a pretty valuable player on that Ute Defensive line. He's a 6'3", 263 pound senior on the end of that line. Over the last two years at Utah after transferring from a California Junior College, Misi has amassed 135 tackles, 60 of which have been unassisted, and 65 of which have been tackles for a loss. In other words, almost half of every time this guy gets to your ball carrier, he's going to get to him behind your line of scrimmage. Over the course of the last two years, he's got 28 sacks. That's an average of more than one per game.
You can see where I'm getting at.
Sure, Utah has a formidable line, but it is extremely difficult to replace that kind of talent. Utah is now forced to play with untested underclassmen who, according to Whittingham, will be rotating in and out of that position every few plays. It is plainly obvious that this loss is really a loss, despite Utah's depth.
Look for USU's offense to shine that much more, especially if the O-line has a good game. The likelihood of USU winning just went up.
You can check out Koa Misi's profile and some statistics here and can also check out the article detailing what went down at practice here and here. Personally, I prefer the first of the two - the Salt Lake Tribune pays a lot more attention to Utah Football than the Deseret News does... I think it has to do with the fact that the Deseret News loves BYU and the SL Tribune loves Utah.
Regardless, 1320 KFAN in SLC has some good sound bytes from Kyle Whittingham on Koa Misi. You can hear them here.
So, the question: How does this affect USU and game one of the season.
This is one more in a long line of injuries that is coming out of Salt Lake City and Provo during training camp. I, for one, am somewhat stunned to hear that all this is going down. All it does is help USU and give our boys a better chance of winning.
Taking a closer look at Koa Misi, it's obvious to see that he is a pretty valuable player on that Ute Defensive line. He's a 6'3", 263 pound senior on the end of that line. Over the last two years at Utah after transferring from a California Junior College, Misi has amassed 135 tackles, 60 of which have been unassisted, and 65 of which have been tackles for a loss. In other words, almost half of every time this guy gets to your ball carrier, he's going to get to him behind your line of scrimmage. Over the course of the last two years, he's got 28 sacks. That's an average of more than one per game.
You can see where I'm getting at.
Sure, Utah has a formidable line, but it is extremely difficult to replace that kind of talent. Utah is now forced to play with untested underclassmen who, according to Whittingham, will be rotating in and out of that position every few plays. It is plainly obvious that this loss is really a loss, despite Utah's depth.
Look for USU's offense to shine that much more, especially if the O-line has a good game. The likelihood of USU winning just went up.
Monday, August 17, 2009
BYU injuries - Does this affect the Aggies?
Click here for a cougar injury report for the year
BYU is suffering and taking hard, hard hits...in fall camp.
You would normally expect the amount of injuries that have occured in Cougar-land to happen halfway through the season. But preseason? Really?
The latest, although it doesn't appear on the above list, is one that had cougar central shaking in its booties. BYU QB Max Hall, entering his senior season, dislocated a finger today in camp. Despite the injury, Hall continued to play and did well. He threw a touchdown pass after he got hurt, and continued to play hard, just like any cougar fan would expect him to.
Enough accolades for Max Hall's toughness. The real question is, "How is this going to affect the BYU-USU game in week 4?"
It could.
I only say that because I don't know how this will affect the first few games of the season, but I will say that if the Offensive Line is seriously affected by all of these injuries, it most definitely will affect the BYU-USU game in Provo.
The injuries in Provo are now getting to be such an issue that BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall has slowed the practices down, as you can tell by reading this article. 1320 KFAN in SLC reported earlier today that there are a total of 24 injuries in BYU's fall camp, and it is clear that in all of the WAC and MWC teams, BYU is suffering the most at the hands of...itself.
Matt Reynolds, the only senior on the line, is out for the showdown with Oklahoma because of his hand. Another starter on the Offensive line, Jason Speredon, is now out for the entire season after tearing a rotator cuff in his shoulder. Clearly, Depth and Strength are now becoming a factor for the BYU O-line.
With Gary Andersen's defensive prowess, if the Aggie D-line can outrun and outfox the Cougars, this game is going to take on a whole new dimension. Without an offensive line to stop any sort of pass rush, Max Hall is going to have to play on an NFL level to progress offensively on the field. We all know what happened last time Max Hall suffered under real pressure... Five interceptions and one lost fumble later, the Utes had stamped their ticket to the BCS. Who was the coach of the defense that provided the unreal pressure that clearly affected Hall? USU's head coach, Gary Anderson.
Anyway, will USU beat BYU? I still am thinking that they won't. They are still a much deeper team than USU. But if the trend continues like it has, the likelihood that BYU meets up with USU with a 1-2 record increases and also increases the likelihood that USU can win.
You can post feedback and comments to this below, or check out my facebook page. I want to hear your opinion.
BYU is suffering and taking hard, hard hits...in fall camp.
You would normally expect the amount of injuries that have occured in Cougar-land to happen halfway through the season. But preseason? Really?
The latest, although it doesn't appear on the above list, is one that had cougar central shaking in its booties. BYU QB Max Hall, entering his senior season, dislocated a finger today in camp. Despite the injury, Hall continued to play and did well. He threw a touchdown pass after he got hurt, and continued to play hard, just like any cougar fan would expect him to.
Enough accolades for Max Hall's toughness. The real question is, "How is this going to affect the BYU-USU game in week 4?"
It could.
I only say that because I don't know how this will affect the first few games of the season, but I will say that if the Offensive Line is seriously affected by all of these injuries, it most definitely will affect the BYU-USU game in Provo.
The injuries in Provo are now getting to be such an issue that BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall has slowed the practices down, as you can tell by reading this article. 1320 KFAN in SLC reported earlier today that there are a total of 24 injuries in BYU's fall camp, and it is clear that in all of the WAC and MWC teams, BYU is suffering the most at the hands of...itself.
Matt Reynolds, the only senior on the line, is out for the showdown with Oklahoma because of his hand. Another starter on the Offensive line, Jason Speredon, is now out for the entire season after tearing a rotator cuff in his shoulder. Clearly, Depth and Strength are now becoming a factor for the BYU O-line.
With Gary Andersen's defensive prowess, if the Aggie D-line can outrun and outfox the Cougars, this game is going to take on a whole new dimension. Without an offensive line to stop any sort of pass rush, Max Hall is going to have to play on an NFL level to progress offensively on the field. We all know what happened last time Max Hall suffered under real pressure... Five interceptions and one lost fumble later, the Utes had stamped their ticket to the BCS. Who was the coach of the defense that provided the unreal pressure that clearly affected Hall? USU's head coach, Gary Anderson.
Anyway, will USU beat BYU? I still am thinking that they won't. They are still a much deeper team than USU. But if the trend continues like it has, the likelihood that BYU meets up with USU with a 1-2 record increases and also increases the likelihood that USU can win.
You can post feedback and comments to this below, or check out my facebook page. I want to hear your opinion.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
USU coaching, schedule and predictions
A Movement II Moment
Part 1 of 4
USU Football is Upon Us
Utah State is about to start again this year looking to exceed expectations both in Logan and around the WAC.
They were picked to start seventh in the conference in the preseason media polls, one ahead of New Mexico State and two ahead of cupcake Idaho. Everything coming out of the aggie training camp is saying the team is thirsty for more.
For example, take this article by the Deseret News. Is it reasonable to assume that not in the last ten years has there been so much expected from the UtAgs?
Every year for the past 15 years, more or less, the question behind the Utah State football program has been, "How many games will the Ags lose this year?" or "Is it possible that USU could win a few for the home crowd, even if they fold on every away game?" or "Is it worth paying the $50+ to take my family to one of these games?" It certainly can be said that Aggie football has been about seeing the best programs come into Logan (if we could get them here) to roll all over the Aggies. My question here is the following - are these questions that belong to the past?
It certainly is normal for hype surrounding a program to increase after a coaching change. We saw similar things with Guy and his predecessors. Those coaches all gave reason to hope for a turnaround in the red-headed stepchild team in the state of Utah. (It's what USU football has been people - get over it.) HOWEVER, none of those coaches had strong Utah roots, had the recruiting credentials that Mr. Andersen has, nor the strong showing of a coaching presence on a national stage like Mr. Andersen has.
I don't care who you are - you cannot deny that the Ute Defense was everything including unstoppable last season. That defense was practically impenatrable. The mastermind behind that defense is now up north in Aggie blue.
Read carefully - ONLY AN IDIOT WOULD HOPE FOR MORE THAN SIX WINS FOR USU FOOTBALL THIS SEASON
So what can we in blue hope for? Let's break this year's schedule down game by game, starting with Utah this time and continuing through homecoming.
Opponent #1: The University of Utah Utes
Prediction: USU 9-28 Utah
Utah is coming off a Sugar Bowl win and a long and confusing off season. Utah lost only a couple offensive players, but those losses were really costly. Case in point, one Brian Johnson. Since then, Utah has been in limbo at the quarterback position. During spring ball, it was last year's backup, Corbin Louks who appears to have lost the confidence of the coaches. It was his job to lose - that much is clear. Now moving towards the start of the season, Louks has been battling Terrance Cain, a JuCo transfer for the job ever since. The battle has appeared so fierce that the Ute Coaching staff has not named a starter heading into training camp. Offensively, if Utah can't solidify a starter for this team before they face USU, the Aggies stand that much more of a chance of winning this football game. Keeping the Utes from scoring will be crucial, and if Anderson is able to whip a defensive unit trying to learn an entirely new scheme into shape, USU stands a reasonable chance of keeping the Ute offense in check.
That having been said, this game is a longshot - even with the defensive experience and brilliance of Anderson at the helm. I have to call the Aggies losing this game.
Let's be honest. Utah's defense may not have the same mind behind it, but it does have vastly superior talent to Utah State's offense. Last year, the only score that USU managed to get against the Utes was a 10-yard pass play Borel threw into the end zone after a fumbled punt return. It happened early, it happened fast, and then the Ute defense locked down and didn't let up for another grueling 56 minutes. That was that.
Look for more of the same from Utah this year. Especially since this game will be in Salt Lake City, the Ute Defense will not allow USU to score much, if at all. Everything in this game will depend on Borel's aptitude at reading and executing his offense, and how well the Aggie defense has been able to mold to Anderson's schemes. A good Aggie defense is the key to this one. The lower the score, the better.
Opponent #2: Aggies of Texas A&M
Prediction: USU 28-24 A&M
What? Dost I hear scoffing? Ok, so I am really going out on a limb here with this pick, and yes, my pick may be more influenced by hope than reality... BUT no one can deny that this win is possible. Why? Read on.
A&M is in the Big XII, yes. Yes, their schedule is much more difficult than Utah State. They play Oklahoma and Texas every year. Yes, the aspirations of A&M are much higher than USU's every year because of the mere possibility of a BCS game if they can win over 10 games. But, I do not believe that one will earn a victory this early in the season simply because of conference. By this game, A&M will probably have lost their first game against New Mexico and will be looking for an easy win in College Station. A fired up Utah State team will not allow it.
A&M went 4-8 last year, with their wins coming against illustrious teams like Colorado, who went 2-6 in conference, and Iowa State, who didn't win a single conference game last year. Their other wins came in a very close one against New Mexico and Army. This is not Oklahoma. This is not Texas. This is A&M. This is a team that has been going the way of the northern aggie for the last few seasons. They have had no direction.
Also, let it be said that I am no fan at all of the belief that conference entitles a team to a victory. May I cite the following games as examples: Wyoming-Tennessee 08; Hawaii-Washington 06; Utah-Pitt 05 (Fiesta Bowl); Utah-Alabama 09 (Sugar Bowl); BYU-Kansas State 96 (Cotton Bowl); BYU-Miami 90; and finally my best case in point, Boise St-Oklahoma 06 (Fiesta Bowl). There are just as many cases that a quality mid-major team can beat one of the BCS conference teams on the right day with the right matchup. Sure, USU is just going to be fighting for a winning season and a bowl berth, certainly not a BCS bowl berth, but this A&M team is beatable.
For USU, it will be a tall order, but a fillable one. I'm putting out the upset watch sign on this game.
Victim #1: errr...... Opponent #3: The Southern Utah Thunderbirds
Prediction: USU 42-6 SUU
Where to start with this game? This is the home opener for Utah State and the Aggie Homecoming game. Utah State will have every reason to win this game and should let loose on the small Division II opponent from Cedar City.Not only is SUU a DII team, but they are a bottom dwelling DII team. Last year they went 4-7 in the Great West conference. The only D-1 FBS team that SUU faced last year was Air Force, and they were trounced 41-7. These guys are cupcakes, even more than Idaho and New Mexico State.
Much more than what I've just said is just statistic stacking. One sidenote that I think should be mentioned is the fact that Coach Andersen is a former head coach of SUU. In the first three games of the season, Gary will face the two teams he used to coach.
More to come... check in later.
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