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LOGAN, Utah - A search for a better running game is high on the list of priorities as Utah State football will open its 15-day spring practice sessions on Wednesday with three straight days of non-padded workouts. This will be the second spring for Aggie head coach Brent Guy, who led USU to a 3-8 record in his first season this past fall.
The Aggies will hit the field with 34 returning letterwinners, including 14 starters from a year ago. Among the top returnees offensively are leading rusher Ryan Bohm, leading passer Leon Jackson III and 2005's top two wide receivers Tony Pennyman and Kevin Robinson. Defensive returnees include two players who earned freshman All-America honors last year in tackle Brian Soi and linebacker Jake Hutton.
While the Aggies return Bohm, who rushed for a team-best 340 yards, USU ranked 92nd in the country in rushing at 117.0 yards per game.
"We need to find a running back that we can give the ball to 25 times and can get us 100 yards a game," Guy said. "We have got to get that done to run our offense."
Bohm will enter the spring atop the depth chart, but he will be pushed by junior college transfer Marcus Cross and freshman Marcus Davis. They will be joined in the fall by freshmen Jacob Atkinson and Derrvin Speight.
"Offensively, we are going to work on our zone play in particular, so that means developing the running game," Guy said.
Guy also expects a spirited battle at quarterback where Jackson started the first nine games of last year before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury. Then-freshman Jerod Walker finished the year, which included guiding the Aggies to a win against New Mexico State in the season finale.
"We have two experienced returning quarterbacks, so that should be a good battle because both of those guys have started and won a game now," Guy said. "We didn't have that last year when we started spring ball. We had to go with a guy who had not even started, much less won a game."
Guy said his other concerns on offense include the offensive line, eliminating sacks and seeing guys improve individually.
"We need to eliminate sacks so we will be working on protection and the quarterback with the football," Guy said. "We are still thin on the offensive line. That is going to be the toughest area to get through spring, because we have so many guys hurt that won't be able to participate."
Among the linemen that will not practice during this month due to injuries are Malik Cin, Ryan Tonnemacher and Justin Schlimgen. Last year Cin started the final five games at right tackle, Tonnemacher started three games and Schlimgen missed all of 2005 with an injury after starting nine games in 2004.
Guy is also looking for improved individual play to benefit the team.
"Offensively, we need to win more on-on-one battles," Guy said. "That means one-on-one blocking, one-on-one battles with the football in your hand - making people miss and getting extra yardage - and having the wide receivers downfield blocking."
Defensively, improved tackling will be a priority.
"Tackling is always a goal," Guy said. "We have to learn how to make the play in space. We have to learn to be a better blitzing team."
USU returns three of its top four tackle leaders from a year ago in Hutton (87), safety Antonio Taylor (65) and safety Terrance Washington (60). The Aggies ranked 81st in the NCAA in total defense, allowing 405.64 yards per game last year.
Justin Hamblin returns as the Aggies' place kicker and punter, but Guy said he is expecting an improvement in both areas this year. Last year as a team, USU made just seven of 17 field goals, including Hamblin's six of 14.
After the opening week's three non-padded workouts, USU will practice each Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday for the next three weeks. USU will hold scrimmages on Friday, April 7 and Friday, April 14, the final day of practice. All practices are scheduled from 4-6 p.m.
"A year ago we practiced every other day and this year we are going to practice two days in a row," Guy said. "We want to learn how to put two practices together back-to-back so it is more like a regular season work week."
"We slowed it down last year for coaches and players so we could get to know each other better and understand what we were trying to get accomplished," Guy said of last year's spring practice. "This year it will be much faster. We will have more back-to-back days. We are trying to simulate what happens in a season as much as we can this spring so that we can improve those things now instead of waiting until August."
Guy is also trying to get the workouts done so the players can focus on finals.
"We are going to get finished a week earlier, which will give the kids two weeks before finals," he said.
