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LOGAN — For the first time in the 2017 season, the Utah State football team has lost back-to-back games after starting 3-2. The losses to Colorado State and Wyoming at home in Maverik Stadium have caused some frustration among Aggie faithful, especially in regard to the quarterback play.
It is a dilemma that USU head coach Matt Wells knows about and is re-evaluating as the Aggies get ready to travel to Las Vegas for a Mountain West Conference showdown with UNLV on Saturday at Sam Boyd Stadium.
"I wish it was better," Wells said. "I wish we had played at a higher level. I want it to be more efficient. I want it to be better just like they (Kent Myers and Jordan Love) do. And we'll continue to work with them and try to help them get better."
Getting better at the quarterback position is going to be key for the Aggies down the stretch. In the two losses, starter Myers and backup Love completed just 30-of-107 passes for 352 yards.
The only touchdown pass for a quarterback came when Myers found running back LaJuan Hunt Jr. down the sideline from 22 yards out late against Colorado State.
Myers and Love have been sacked a combined 10 times in two games and Love threw three interceptions in the loss against Wyoming.
It may be the competition that USU is facing compared to Idaho State and San Jose State, but since racking up 286 total yards against SJSU and four touchdowns on Sept. 23, Myers has taken a step back, and although Love looked good at times against Wyoming, there is a cloud hanging over the Utah State offense at this point.
Wells is unsure what the quarterback situation will be going into the UNLV game and isn't sure that it will be a 50-50 split like it was against Wyoming.
"I don't know," Wells said. "It's a fair question. I don't know coming right out of the game. I thought Jordan absolutely merited it (playing time) and was playing well and throwing the ball. In fact, the touchdown gets taken away and we have a couple drops right there at the end of the second quarter, kick a really nice field goal. I thought he had some momentum. I thought he had some mojo going. We need to play better in the third quarter, and I thought it merited a switch at that time. We'll evaluate it. Coach Yost and I will make a decision early in the week and then we'll go with it."
A starter has yet to be named for UNLV on Saturday, and Wells isn't sure it will be a two-quarterback system. It is all about what is working and giving his team the best chance to win.
In its two wins prior to the back-to-back losses, the Aggies averaged 50.5 points per game. In its two losses, the USU offense is averaging 18 points per game. In fact, out of the 37 points scored by the Aggies in the two losses, two touchdowns have come on special teams and another touchdown came on a gimmick play in the second quarter against Wyoming.
"I'm for winning a game," Wells said. "I'm for playing the guy who either gives us the best chance or is hot at the time. If sticking with the same guy means you're consistent as a coach and 'it's my philosophy,' and it's not working, then that's insanity … sticking with the same guy the whole time has worked and sometimes it doesn't. It's not the philosophy to me, it's the players. The players will decide who plays." Kyle McDonald is sports fan who loves the Chicago Cubs. Follow him on Twitter at @kylesportsbias
