Estimated read time: 5-6 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 Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information.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.
LOGAN, Utah - When the Utah State football team takes to the practice field on Saturday at 10 a.m., there will be an added spring in the Aggies' step as they enter the fall full of optimism about the upcoming season.
USU is opening fall camp fresh off a two-game win streak to conclude the previous season after winning the final two games of the 2007 season, both of which came on the road. This marks the first time since the 2000 preseason that the Aggies enter with this much success behind them as 1999 was the last time that USU won its final two games of a season.
"We're entering this preseason knowing that we finished strong last year," said USU head coach Brent Guy, who will be opening his fourth season at the helm of the Aggies. "The two games we won at the end of the year at Idaho and New Mexico State were identical to the first two games of the season with UNLV and Wyoming, but we did the things necessary to win those last two. Had we won the first two instead of the last two, I think you have a different season last year because of the confidence that we would have had with some success."
Boosting and carrying that optimism is the fact that Guy has 17 starters returning among 39 lettermen. Of those lettermen, 12 are seniors, which matches last season for the most in Guy's tenure.
"The biggest thing is that we think we know how to win. We've known each other for years. We have more depth, we have more experience this year than we've ever had," said linebacker Jake Hutton one of those 12 seniors.
Hutton is also one of nine USU defensive starters returning, the most among the nine Western Athletic Conference teams. He is one 12 Aggies who are three-year lettermen.
"We have built some good relationships," Hutton said. "Now that I'm a senior, I've played with these guys for the past three years. We have a lot of team chemistry. We can rely on each other more."
Another area with a great deal of chemistry as well as strength in numbers is the offensive line, where the Aggies have 15 legitimate linemen compared to nine entering Guy's first fall of 2005.
"Depth is huge, and I think you will see that this year. Nobody's job is safe. Nobody is a starter for sure. We just have so much more depth that we haven't had in the past. We know we can't take plays off or you will be replaced," said Derek Hoke, a senior offensive lineman and another three-year lettermen.
Hoke, Hutton and the Aggies were picked ninth in the WAC preseason poll despite finishing seventh in last season's standings with a 2-10 overall record and 2-6 in WAC action.
"We only won two games last year, so I guess that shouldn't be surprising, but that is not what we are expecting to do this year," Hutton said. "We need to go prove ourselves. I take it as disrespectful, but you have got to go win some games and earn respect."
Earning respect is echoed throughout the team and coaching staff.
"I don't really put much attention to polls," Hoke said. "We want respect, so we are going to have to go out and earn it. Like coach has said, it's the poll at the end that counts. It's what people remember at the end."
"I have told everyone it is an opinion poll, and everybody has a right to their opinion," Guy said. "It's a motivational tool. Until you win, until you upset some teams at the top of this league, that's where you deserve to be."
Guy and the Aggies open the 2008 season on Saturday, Aug. 30 at UNLV.
"I think that it is critical for us to have success early and build on the confidence that our football team has," Guy said. "I think that is the whole key for where we are at Utah State because we don't necessarily have a winning tradition and we're trying to overcome that and we're in a very good conference battling that."
Guy and his staff will have 105 players in action Saturday. Of the 105, 39 are returning lettermen, consisting of 23 on defense, 13 on offense and three on special teams.
"Our numbers are better than they've ever been and I've got more returning veterans with experience than I've ever had," Guy said. "Even though we don't have one guy in particular at quarterback with a lot of experience, but the overall team, including special teams, has more experience than we've had. So we're confident that we can compete better than we did a year ago, but we have to win those games in the fourth quarter."
Last season USU had a fourth-quarter lead in six games but only won two of them, so that is one of the major keys to this year's preseason drills.
The Aggies will take to the field on Saturday at 10 a.m. to open their five-day acclimation period in helmets, practice jerseys and shorts for the first two practices before donning pads for the next two practices and moving up to Wednesday's full pads practice. The first two-a-day is Thursday, Aug. 7.
The first major scrimmage is slated for Saturday, Aug. 16 as part of Aggie Football Family Fun Night, sponsored by Macey's Foods with free admission. The scrimmage starts at 4 p.m., while games and activities for fans getting underway on the South Concourse of Romney Stadium at 4 p.m. as well. Following the scrimmage, from 6-7 p.m. fans can get their favorite Aggies' autographs and play catch with an Aggie on the field. Fans can also pick up their season tickets or purchase tickets at the Romney Stadium Box Office.
Utah State opens the 2008 season on Saturday, Aug. 30 at UNLV at 8 p.m. (MT). After playing at Oregon on Sept. 6 at 1:30 p.m. (MT), the Aggies host in-state rival Utah in their home-opener on Sept. 13 at 6 p.m. (MT). USU continues its three-game homestand by opening WAC action against Idaho on Saturday, Sept. 20 for USU Ag Day. The Aggies then host another in-state rival in BYU on Friday, Oct. 3. After road games at San Jose State and Nevada on Oct. 11 and 18, respectively, USU hosts Fresno State in its annual Homecoming game on Oct. 25. The Aggies remain at home to take on Hawai'i on Nov. 1 on USU Military Appreciation Day. USU plays at Boise State on Nov. 8 and Louisiana Tech on Nov. 15 before concluding regular-season action on Nov. 29 against New Mexico State on Aggie Appreciation Day.
