2004 FOOTBALL SEASON PREVIEW

Utah State’s Aggies will play a tough schedule as they wean themselves from their two-year experiment in the Sun Belt Conference in 2004, looking forward to the onset of play in the Western Athletic Conference in 2005.

Coach Mick Dennehy, who has a 16-29 record in four seasons at USU (65-54 overall record) returns a team which will travel an incredible 23,338 miles this season. The Aggies will be stingy on defense, returning six full-time starters as well as a number of players who got significant game time last year.

Meantime, while the always potent offense returns only four starters, it was bolstered with an influx of juco transfers at the skill and line positions. The Aggies are coming off a 3-9 season in 2003 with wins over University of Louisiana-Monroe, Arkansas State, and Middle Tennessee State. Last year the Aggies lost to Utah, Nebraska, Arizona State, New Mexico, Wyoming, North Texas, New Mexico State, Troy State, and Idaho, and three of those losses were games Aggie fans felt the team gave away late in each instance, coming by an average of just a touchdown.

While last year’s team averaged 350 yards per game (4th in Sun Belt, 80th nationally), there are only four returning starters and the health and safety of one of those is considered key to the success of this years team. Quarterback Travis Cox started all 12 games last year and was named second-team All-Sun Belt Conference, leading the league in passing (232.6 yards per game) and total offense (237 ypg.) while throwing for 2,791 yards and 18 touchdowns with only seven interceptions in his first year at the helm. Cox connected on at least one touchdown pass in 11 of 12 games and had seven games without an intercepted pass. He only threw more than one interception in one game last year, proving he could avoid making the bad mistakes. While Cox won’t wow you with arm strength, he still threw for 300 yards or more three times, including a career-high 322 in the season finale at Idaho. An excellent field general he reads defenses well and makes full use of USU’s receiver crops, throwing passes to an average of nine different receivers per game last year. Cox will be backed up by senior Matt Crivello and redshirt freshman Leon Jackson, an exciting player with an ability to both pass and run the ball, who will push Crivello for the top back-up spot this fall. Utah State’s rushing game is a big question mark. Last year’s leading rusher David Fiefia has graduated, and his almost 1,000 yards on the ground must be made up by one of last years backs, or one of five new backs being brought into the program. Candidates to tote the rock include JC-transfers Marc Crawford (6-1, 208) and Sione Tavake (5-11, 270), holdovers Ryan Kemp and Curtis McKinney, while incoming freshman Chris Forbes (5-11, 185, Miami, FL.), Utah 100 and 200 meters champ Beau Herbert (6-2, 215, Brigham City, UT) and Phil Poloa (6-0, 185, Sandy, Utah) will play key roles in the revival of the Aggie running game. Sophomore speedster Travis Davis (6-0, 185), who looked impressive in limited play last year, may also figure into the mix if he can overcome the personal issues that caused him to miss all of spring practice.

While answers are being sought at running back, plenty of new faces abound at the wideout spots, as well, where only three players, who combined for only 23 total catches in 2003, return. Two of the most experienced returnees are speedy duo of senior Raymond Hicks (13-183-1) and Tony Pennyman (10-88), who played significantly in USU’s revolving door receiver rotation and will start at the X and Z spots. Joining that pair will be University of Oregon transfer Tarrell Richards at the Y, and JC transfers Lawrence Lovelace (Chaffey JC), Tushambi Evans (City College of San Francisco) holding forth at the H spot, backed up by 2-year letterman Jason Thomas. All of these receivers enjoyed outstanding spring practices and are expected to make major contributions for the Aggie offense. Incoming freshman speedster Rod McNeal (Lakeland, FL) will also be counted on to add quickness to the wideout line-up., and could be the surprise of the team if he can work his way into the playing rotation.

While USU lost all-American tight end Chris Cooley, who was the nation’s leading receiving tight end with 6.2 catches per game, two experienced TE’s are back and should fill in for Cooley very nicely. Handling the chores as the featured receiving TE will be 6-4, 245 Jason Stephens, a big, fast target whom Dennehy believes, like Cooley, has a great future ahead of him playing TE in the NFL. Meanwhile, 6-6, 250 Patrick McNutt will enter the game when extra blockers are needed for the Aggie running game.

The offensive line is being retooled as USU lost three starters from the last season. But ample strength returns to provide protection for Cox and the runners. Manning the left and right tackle positions are junior two-year starter Donald Penn (6-3, 313) and freshman man-child Pace Jorgensen (6-5, 325, Grantsville, Utah). Moving inside to left guard after a year outside is senior Elliott Tupea (6-2, 311), who is joined by mountainous Victor Eti (6-3, 330) at the right guard position. The center spot will most likely wind up in the hands of junior Malik Cin (6-2, 311) or JC transfer sophomore Brent DeLadurantey (6-3, 314, Cerritos JC), backed up by junior letterman holdover David Rawlins (6-1, 280). Cin and JC-transfer Justin Schlimgen (6-3, 305, Moorpark JC) are the swing linemen, who can back up at both guard and tackle positions, and Schlimgen could challenge for starting role at guard with a strong fall camp. If that happens, it would push Tupea back outside and Jorgensen to the bench. While the line depth is relatively young overall, Dennehy says it is deep at every position with young linemen of 300 pounds or better who show the kind of “mean and ornery streak,” that he believes USU lines have lacked in recent years.

Meanwhile, USU’s defense has continued to improve in its second year under defensive coordinator David Kotulski. One of Kotulski first moves upon arriving at USU was to install the 3-4 defense last year, which was key in USU’s improvement from 111th in total defense in 2002 to 45th last year. Six players return from a unit that gave up a stingy 360 yards per game in 2003 (3rd in the Sun Belt Conference).

Senior Defensive Tackle Ronald Tupea, brother of offensive guard Elliot, leads an experienced line though he will move to a tackle spot this year. A second-team All-Sun Belt performer last year at nose tackle with 30 career starts to his credit, Tupea racked up 35 tackles, including six sacks, which tied for the most in the Sun Belt Conference. Manning the nose tackle position this year will be either junior Ryan DeQuillettes (6-3, 281) or senior Brent Pollock (6-1, 309), while Michael Gates (6-4, 245) will start at the right tackle spot after an impressive spring. There is plenty of depth on the line this year, too, as eight players have lettered in the past giving the Aggies a luxury they haven’t enjoyed there since Dennehy became coach.

The big change is at linebacker, where former defensive end John Chick, who anchored the line at tackle last year, will move to the Stud position as a combination linebacker/stand-up defensive end. Chick missed the first three games of 2003 with a broken thumb, but returned with a furry to register a sack in each of his first four games back. On the year, Chick made 33 tackles in just nine games, returned a fumble 37 yards for a touchdown and averaged just over 5 tackles for loss, including four sacks. With excellent speed and a nose for the ball, Chick should be a force at the STUD linebacker position.

At the middle or MAC linebacker, steady and talented Robert Watts was second-team All-Sun Belt last year and was the second-leading tackler in the league with 118 tackles. Though a little undersized for the MAC position, the speedy Watts has a knack for flying all over the field and creating turnovers with his jarring hitting. He also got 2 QB sacks last season, as well. Nate Fredrick and Jared Johnstun will start at the SAM and WILL linebacker spots, but will be backed up by speedy playmaker and two-time letter winner Jake Stewart. Depth, speed and playmaking ability make the Aggie linebacker corps the strength of the defense.

In the defensive backfield, sophomore safety Terrance Washington anchors the secondary after being named College Football News Freshman All-American (2nd team) in 2003. Third on the team with 93 tackles and team leader with five interceptions, the first year player was ranked among the top 10 freshmen in the country in tackles per game and was second among freshmen in interceptions (29th overall in the NCAA). Washington will be counted on to continue his development in 2004, and will be backed up by junior Andre Bala and sophomore Vaughan Mansfield. The other safety spot will be manned by sophomore Joe Lindsay, who moves into the strong safety spot after a solid freshman season as a backup. Lindsay will receive his back-up from senior Ross Luna and speedy RS freshman Antonio Taylor.

At cornerback, the Aggies welcome back speedster Jerome Dennis, who returns after sitting out the last nine games of the season due to a blood clot in his shoulder. Dennis the other starting corner, Cornelius Lamb, are both tall QB’s who have the speed to match up with larger receivers, particularly Lamb who stands 6-3. This unit is a group of solid playmakers that will be a challenge to throw on consistently. Backing up Dennis will be dependable Reggie Wilson, while Bryan Jackson, who sat out last season with a broken leg, and JC transfer Leslie Mongo (Santa Rosa JC) will back-up Lamb.

Special teams also look to be a strong point for the 2004 Aggies. Punter/place-kicker Ben Chaet averaged 40.3 yards per punt and kicked 11 punts 50 or more yards during the season and hit three of four field goals. However, Justin Hamblin, who struggled early last season as field goal kicker, is expected to hold down the placement job this season. Hamblin drilled 20 of 21 PATs, while Chaet was eight of nine on extra points. LB Matt Wiser handles the long-snapping duties for both punts and placements.

Kick-off duties will most likely be handled by the bigger and stronger Chaet. Kick-off return duties will most likely be handled by Dennis, who was a national statistical leader before his injury, and Pennyman, although freshman speedsters Herbert, Forbes and McNeal could rate a look. Pennyman should be the go-to guy on punt returns.

The biggest question facing the Aggies in 2004 is can they survive the schedule they have with the depth on hand? The Aggies have a brutal schedule, to say the least. They open with Alabama in Tuscaloosa, and then face conference foe Idaho and instate rival Utah in Logan, before going on the road again at UNLV and then begin the conference with a game at Troy State. The Aggies could be anywhere from 1-4 to 4-1 by the time they return home again on October 9 for a homecoming match-up with North Texas. Then it’s on to Death Valley for an intersectional non-conference game against Clemson, before three straight conference roadies versus Middle Tennessee State, Louisiana-Monroe and Arkansas State. Then the Aggies return home for their final game of the season against the southern Aggies of New Mexico State.

While it is true that the Aggie offense appears inexperienced, strength at the QB position makes up for many weaknesses. The offensive line is solid if not spectacular, and the running back position should be adequate with the influx of JC players in the fall. Defense will be a strong point for the Aggies this year, and while Alabama, Utah and Clemson provide stiff tests, the rest of the schedule is more manageable.

Most pundits and national publications don’t give Mick Dennehy’s Aggies much hope of anything better than a 4-7 record. But this writer has seen some improvement in the past year, and picks the Aggies to be stronger than many experts project. With home wins over Idaho, conference champ North Texas, and New Mexico State, and road wins at UNLV, Middle Tennessee, Arkansas State, and Louisiana-Monroe, I’m picking the Aggies to go 7-4 with an outstanding change to go bowling come December.

Am I nuts? Only time and travel will tell.