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LAS VEGAS — Utah State was picked to finish second in the Mountain Division behind defending conference champion Boise State at Mountain West Conference Media Days Tuesday.
Utah State received two of the possible 30 first-place votes and earned a total of 150 points. Boise State collected the other 28 first-place votes earning them a total of 177 points. Colorado State (108), Air Force (90), Wyoming (64) and New Mexico (41) rounded out the rest of the Mountain Division.
San Diego State dominated the vote in the West Division finishing with 27 first-place votes and 174 points. Fresno State, winners of the West Division the past two seasons, claimed three first-place votes and 141 points to place second behind the Aztecs, followed by Nevada (113), San Jos State (91), Hawai'i (70) and UNLV (38).
Utah State returns nine starters on an offense that used four quarterbacks to limp to an injury-riddled 10-4 campaign. The Aggies struggled offensively finishing 78th in the nation with 26.9 points per game.
The running game was surprisingly effective in 2014 as the Aggies ended the season ranked 31st nationally with 4.9 yards a carry. The Aggies struggled mightily through the air where they averaged just 199 yards a game, enough for 94th nationally. The dismissal of dynamic play-maker JoJo Natson earlier this offseason will only hurt USU as it tries to rebound under a new coordinator.
Defensively, Utah State returns six starters to a team that finished the 2014 campaign ranked first in the MWC and 12th in the nation in scoring defense at 19.7 ppg. The Aggies also ranked among the top-30 defenses in the nation in nine other categories, including sacks, tackles for loss, interceptions, opponents' third-down conversion percentage and total defense.
The Aggies will have to replace three huge pieces from last year in linebacker Zach Vigil, safety Frankie Sutera and safety Brian Suite. The return of a healthy Kyler Fackrell will ease the burden on the linebackers. The secondary will not be so lucky. There will be a lot of young players in this Aggie secondary that has a lot of responsibility in such an aggressive 3-4 defensive scheme.
The Aggie hopes to dethrone Boise State rest on a young secondary and an offense the needs to improve under a new coordinator.
Consistency has become one of the Aggies' strong suits. Over the last three years, Utah State is one of just four Football Bowl Subdivision schools to win at least 30 games and three bowl games along with Michigan State, Oregon and Clemson. Additionally, The Aggies have played in four straight bowl games, winning three in a row, both of which are school records.
Utah State looks to continue these record-breaking streaks when it opens the 2015 season Thursday, Sept. 3, at home against Southern Utah. The Aggies begin Mountain West play Saturday, Oct. 3, at home against Colorado State.
Parker Robertson is an alum of Utah State University, a freelance contributor, and an avid sports fan. Follow him on Twitter @ParkerRob78 Email: ParkerRobertson18@gmail.com
