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LOGAN — After being completely dismantled by Boise State Saturday night, Utah State head coach Blake Anderson was candid about how his team was not physical enough and how the team had a lot of work to do in the offseason.
But first, let's be clear, the season isn't over yet; the Aggies still have a chance at making a bowl game. The Aggies need to beat New Mexico Friday to clinch that mark, though that task suddenly appears much more difficult after the Lobos beat Fresno State 25-17 at Bulldog Stadium Saturday (New Mexico was a 22.5-point underdog).
Should the Aggies beat New Mexico, a 6-6 record, a middle-of-the-pack Mountain West finish, and a bowl game appearance would be a positive result for the type of season Utah State had.
That being said, the landscape of college football continues to change. With the evolution of the transfer portal, especially after Utah State got hit hard last season with a slew of departing players, talking about offseason work and the transfer portal before the season is over is becoming more and more standard.
After being bullied in a physical 35-point loss (Boise State was a 5.5-point favorite), Anderson opened up to his team about what needs to happen in the next few months.
"Remember what it feels like right now," Anderson said, recalling what he told his team. "To come out of a game where you feel like it doesn't matter what we call right now, we're not having success; we're getting manhandled. Remember what it feels like, because you close the gap in the offseason.
"You close the gap by the weight room, by nutrition, by doing exactly what's asked of you, by really understanding just how physical and hard and how much work we have to have in spring and summer. It's easy when you get to June to forget what it felt like to get your (expletive) kicked."
Of course, offseason work is just one part of building a winning team — the Aggies' problem has been keeping players they've begun to develop.
One of the biggest storylines this season for Utah State football (and men's basketball, for that matter) has been how they respond to the immense transition they are facing with so many new faces in the program.
"We've got to retain this roster," Anderson said. "We can't lose nine starters again in the offseason. … We've got to retain this roster. I think we've taken good steps towards that. Again, I've had phenomenal conversations with a lot of guys that indicate they're staying put, and I'm hoping that as we get closer towards Dec. 4 you'll hear more and more of the guys talking about staying."
That being said, it is almost inevitable that players will transfer from a program in college football each year. So it is on the coaches of each program to seize their opportunity when the portal opens and bring new talent to their team.
"When the portal does open, you attack it," Anderson said.
One thing is clear, however, the Aggies did not match up well to the physical Broncos on either front, allowing 352 total rushing yards on defense and allowing nine sacks on offense. According to Anderson, something has to change.
"Our O-line got manhandled and our defensive front got manhandled, that's the nature of the night," he said. "We've got to close the gap somehow, we've got to recruit, we've got to develop, and we've got to get better in those areas, because we keep having the same conversation. In a game like tonight, with a team that's built the way (Boise State is), it's even more visible, unfortunately."
Anderson said the biggest issue is the "physicality gap," where he needs to "see guys continue to work."
"This is not a one week or one day fix," Anderson added. "This is a grind of fixing it in the offseason through recruiting, through nutrition, through development, through buy-in, and I just need to continue to see that. … We've got to bridge that physicality gap."
Though the Aggies have struggled to match up physically with their opponents this season, Anderson said there are other factors that have helped his guys to win.
"The attitudes and the culture in the locker room is what's giving us a chance right now," he said. "That's the best thing we've got going on: a bunch of great dudes that work their tails off."
Perhaps those intangibles can help the Aggies win one more time in order to reach six wins and a bowl game.
