Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
RUSTON, La. -- If it seems like all articles about the Utah State Aggies are becoming a broken record, that's just the way the Aggies season is going coming off yet another difficult loss to swallow.
For the fourth time this year the Aggies fell in heartbreaking fashion, this time to in-conference foe Fresno State 31-21. The Aggies now turn to another in-conference Bulldog opponent in Louisiana Tech (2-4, 1-1 WAC). There should be no team head coach Gary Andersen overlooks or takes it easy on for the rest of the season.
OFFENSE
The Bulldogs are coming into this game in Logan off a bye week and with an equally difficult season, having lost their four games by a total of 27 points (including a 44-26 loss to Hawai'i on October 1st). Not only are the Aggies similar to LA Tech in the fact that they both have four very difficult losses on the season, but both teams also are starting true-freshman quarterbacks. To Utah States Chuckie Keeton, the Bulldogs start Nick Isham who has been very effective in his rookie season; throwing for eight touchdowns and 1394 yards with a completion percentage of 62 percent. A negative for the young-man from Hidden Hills, Calif. is that he has been sacked a total of 17 times to Keeton's nine. While Isham has thrown for more yards with a higher completion rate, Keeton has thrown for two more touchdowns and rushed for three more on the ground to Isham's two rushing scores.
While offensive coordinator Dave Baldwin likes Keeton to really spread the ball around to his receivers (which he has done, no USU receiver has caught more then 14 balls), Isham has a favorite receiver and he's not afraid to show it. Junior Quinton Patton has caught 45 passes for 635 yards and five touchdown receptions.
When Keeton is in trouble, he turns to his junior running back Robert Turbin. Isham is no different when he turns to senior running back Lennon Creer. The Bulldog back has run for 528 yards on 126 attempts, for an average of 4.2 yards per carry and six touchdowns.
DEFENSE
As usual, the offense gets the headlines but the Bulldog defense has been solid; creating a total of ten turnovers (seven interceptions and three fumbles). The problem the LA Tech defense has seen is that their offense has turned the ball over 12 times (eight interceptions and four fumbles).
The defense is led by senior linebacker Adrien Cole, who leads the team with 55 tackles. Junior defensive back Quinn Giles leads the Bulldogs with three interceptions while senior linebacker Jay Dudley has the defense's only touchdown on an interception he returned for 53 yards for the score. Another senior, defensive end Christian Lacey, leads the team with three sacks this season.
Louisiana Tech is an experienced and deep team and the Aggies will need to play a compete game for all 60 minutes. Coach Andersen needs to inspire his team to finish the game and pull out a desperately needed win for Utah State.
Email: onlinesports@ksl.com">onlinesports@ksl.com
