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Utah St. Aggies 2006 Preview

Utah St. Football Preview By: Matt Fargo
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college football previews : #109 – Utah St. Aggies Preview

by: Matt Fargo

Spring practices are in the books and fall camps will be here before you know it so that means getting an early jump on the 2006 NCAA football season. Knowing the teams now will save you time in August and Matt Fargo is here to help you get a grasp of what to expect this upcoming year. We go from worst to first in this 2006 College Football Preview.

#109 – Utah St. Aggies 3-8 SU; 6-4-1 ATS

Fargo’s Take - Utah St. could be a surprise team in the WAC this season but several key improvements must take place. The Aggies had no running game last season, finishing 92nd in the country without a true go to guy in the backfield. Also, part of the problem was that the offensive line was inconsistent and things are not looking better this year as graduation and injuries have decimated the linemen. There were not enough linemen to participate in the annual spring game but Utah St. is optimistic that those injuries won’t impede the team come fall. If the running game and line come together, this offense can improve immensely. On the other side, the defense is extremely young but it is a year older and players gained some valuable experience last season. The Aggies started 2-2 last year but limped home with a 1-6 finish and ended up with three wins for a third consecutive season. Head coach Brent Guy is in his second season at Utah St. and he has the team heading in the right direction thanks to an overhaul in his first year. This team is a year away from making a big move in the WAC but if everything comes together, five wins are not out of the question.

Returning Starters on Offense – 7 Keep an ear out for the name Marcus Cross as he can be the difference maker for the Aggies. Cross is a JUCO transfer and is expected to fill the void at tailback but his success will come down to the health of the line he will be running behind. Quarterback Leon Johnson III is back after starting the first nine games last season before sitting out the last two with an injury. He did not put up huge numbers but he is versatile and can be dangerous with his feet. He will have two solid targets in Kevin Robinson and Tony Pennyman who combined for 13 touchdowns last season. Those two are also two of the best returnmen in the conference.

Returning Starters on Defense – 6 The defense was decent against the run last season but it has trouble stopping teams through the air. The Aggies finished 99th in passing defense, allowing 261.6 ypg which was the main cause for them being 103rd in the country in scoring defense. Of the 13 seniors on the roster, only two are part of the defense which includes seven sophomore starters. The only good part of it is that freshmen started 36 games for Utah St. last year so while young, there is experience there. A lot of new faces will be counted on to provide depth at linebacker but it will once again be the secondary that makes or breaks the unit. The 32.7 ppg average allowed last season needs to decrease substantially.

Schedule - The Aggies start the season with four straight non-conference games with three of those being on the road. Games at Wyoming, Arkansas and BYU are not deadly but it will take a minor miracle to pull nay of those out. The lone home game is against Utah, a bitter rival that could be exciting since it is three games into the season which helps a young squad. Home WAC games against Idaho, New Mexico St. and Hawaii are all winnable while a game against Fresno St. is not. The Aggies have a tough stretch in mid-October with a five-game stretch that includes four games on the road. A trip to San Jose St. looks to be the only possible chance of a victory.

You can bet on… Another losing season will occur in Logan but this is a team on the upswing. With only six senior starters across the board, there is reason to believe that the Aggies are still a year away from a winning season. However, if the offensive line gets healthy to accompany in improved running game, Utah St. will be much more competitive. The Aggies were successful against the number last season but the six ATS wins covered by a combined 13 points so they certainly made backers sweat every win out. Based on that, it would not be surprising to see them digress in 2006 but we could definitely see some value early on. Check the injury reports often for the Aggies.