Sharp on cusp of 1,000-yard receiving season for Aggies


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ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico — When Hunter Sharp transferred to Utah State after two seasons at Antelope Valley Community College, he made a list of things he wanted to accomplish after the move to Division I football.

He’s accomplished them all, except for one that stands out — and it could be on the horizon.

Sharp, the Aggies’ leading receiver with 918 yards on 63 catches, sits just 82 yards short of a 1,000-yard season — a goal he and head coach Matt Wells hope he can reach when the Aggies face UTEP in the Gildan New Mexico Bowl Saturday at 12:20 p.m. MT on ESPN.

“It would mean so much to me,” Sharp said after practice Thursday. “The first thing I would do is I would thank God for enabling me to be able to do it. It’ll be a great accomplishment for the whole team.”

Aggie wide receiver JoJo Natson is the only player in the NCAA to boast multiple touchdowns in the rushing, receiving and return game, but the emergence of Sharp has given Utah State the ability to stretch the field since the first game of the season.

“He’s been a downfield threat, he’s an explosive threat,” Wells said of Sharp. “He’s one of those guys who can create momentum for you out on the perimeter.”

Utah State Aggies wide receiver Hunter Sharp (4) celebrates his touchdown against Air Force Falcons with Utah State Aggies wide receiver Devonte Robinson (3) in Logan Saturday, Oct. 11, 2014. (Jeffrey D. Allred/Deseret News)
Utah State Aggies wide receiver Hunter Sharp (4) celebrates his touchdown against Air Force Falcons with Utah State Aggies wide receiver Devonte Robinson (3) in Logan Saturday, Oct. 11, 2014. (Jeffrey D. Allred/Deseret News)

Even though Sharp joined the Aggies as a JUCO transfer, Wells doesn’t consider him a young player anymore after starting every game in 2014. The second-year head coach feels the same way about many of his players, even true freshman quarterback Kent Myers, who he said has developed into something of a veteran after going 4-1 as a starter.

“Our young kids are playing as much as our veterans right now,” Wells said. “You look at Kent in his sixth start, and Hunter’s been starting since the beginning of the year. I don’t think they’re young kids anymore, to be honest.

“When you’ve got that many reps and that many games, we expect them to play at a very high level, jus like our vets.”

With all the experience, it’s hard to remember sometimes that players like Sharp and Myers are in their first year of football in the NCAA’s top level. But Sharp is soaking in the new experience of a bowl game in Albuquerque like any newcomer would.

“It’s been pretty eye-opening. I’ve never experienced anything like this,” he said. “It’s like a once-in-a-lifetime thing. I hope it happens again next year, though. I really, really like it. It feels like a vacation while at the same time being business.”

Sharp last saw action more than two weeks ago, when he caught two passes for 20 yards in a 50-19 loss at Boise State Nov. 29. But the layoff has given him time to heal a banged-up knee.

“That time off really helped me get better,” Sharp said. “I was having some trouble with my knee. I feel better now, and I won’t be wearing my brace this weekend. I can’t wait.”

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