7 things Aggie fans should know after MWC media days

(Deseret News)


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LAS VEGAS — Mountain West media days are over, and with fall camp just around the corner the excitement for the upcoming season has never been higher. Here are seven things all Aggie fans need to know coming out of media days:

1. Even after major injuries, Keeton and Fackrell still respected

Both Kyler Fackrell and Chuckie Keeton are coming off seasons cut short by knee injuries, yet both were picked for the preseason All Mountain West team. Fackrell additionally was named the preseason Defensive Player of the Year. The amount of talent these two have is still immensely respected by media and opponents alike.

2. June's accident victims getting better, slowly

Head coach Matt Wells spoke a little about the four players injured in June's car accident, revealing that there was a car full of players behind the first car. They were the ones first on the scene. "I had EMT guys, fire marshals, and chiefs that said they actually may have saved their lives," Wells said in an interview on 1280 The Zone.

John Taylor, senior defensive end, is ready to play and will be a full go at the start of fall camp. Edmund Fiamalo and Adawale Adeoye are progressing but have no timeline put on them. Doctors and medical personal are very optimistic that they will return to the field "soon."

Senior nose guard Travis Seefeldt's injuries might keep him out for the entire 2015 season. "Travis Seefeldt right now from everything our team doctors, our trainers and our medical staff tell me, it's going to be a tough road for him to get back this year," Wells said. He added that Utah State would push for a medical redshirt for Seefeldt if he misses the entire season. "We'll do everything we can as an athletic department and as a university to get that sixth year for him."

3. Fackrell's knee is completely healed

Fackrell explained the status of his knee in an interview with Rod Zundel. "It's 100 percent — I will wear a brace through the first little bit," Fackrell said. "But I can run around. We've been doing 7-on-7 stuff as a team, and it felt really good to run around and play football again." Fackrell was cleared after the end of spring football and has fully gone through summer workouts without any setbacks.

4. Aggies have a new offensive assistant

Utah State announced the hiring of a new coach during media days. Kelly Bills spent the last two seasons as Division III Willamette's offensive coordinator. During the 2014 season, Willamette averaged nearly 32 ppg.

Bills will be an offensive assistant for the Aggies who got some praise from Wells Wednesday. "I think Kelly is a really up and coming young coach. I like his mindset. He understands the state and how we recruit."

5. Keeton prepared both physically and mentally

Keeton, who missed 10 games last year, said, "I feel a lot better about this time around because I've prepared a lot more. I'm able to do a lot more than I did last year. I feel like I am better mentally."

The fifth-year senior has been practicing since spring football without a brace on his right knee and plans to just wear a knee sleeve during the season.

6. Replace Natson or change the system

With the dismissal of speedy wide receiver JoJo Natson, the Aggies are willing to change the system if they can't find a replacement. "If we don't have that person in that one spot then we need to tweak yards, explosives, points another way," Wells said.

Unproven young receivers will be getting looks in fall camp to prove they can fill the role left by Natson. Andrew Rodriguez, a transfer from Houston who sat out the 2014 season, and Gerold Bright, a freshman option quarterback from Florida, will get looked at heavily for the open spot.

7. Mountain West revenue spikes

The new era of the College Football Playoff has already given the Mountain West huge financial benefits. Revenue distribution from the Mountain West jumped from $27 million in 2013 to $49 million in 2014. Boise State gains the largest chunk of the distribution due to playing in — and winning — the Vizio Fiesta Bowl, but all teams will get a large bump in distributions.


Parker Robertson is a graduate of Utah State University, a freelance contributor, and an avid fan of sports. Follow him on Twitter @ParkerRob78 Email: ParkerRobertson18@gmail.com

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