domingo, 10 de noviembre de 2019

Ailing and inexperienced Utah State Aggies defense must improve with division and conference titles still in play

Utah State linebacker Kevin Meitzenheimer tries to grab Fresno State running back Ronnie Rivers during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Fresno, Calif., Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019. | Gary Kazanjian, AP

LOGAN — Utah State’s defense was not good Saturday night.

While the Aggies’ dynamic offense re-emerged after a month’s hiatus in USU’s thrilling 37-35 win over Fresno State, and special teams proved as impactful as ever, thanks to a trio of field goals made by Dominik Eberle, among them the 30-yard game-winner, the Utah State defense slipped further into a realm of futility.

USU surrendered 419 total yards of offense to the Bulldogs, who gained an average of 7.5 yards per play.

Fresno State quarterback Jorge Reyna completed 16 of 20 passes for 263 yards and his quarterback rating of 190.5 bested even that of Jordan Love (177.4), and Love threw for 388 yards and two touchdowns.

Bulldogs running back Ronnie Rivers averaged six yards a carry en route to a 100-yard rushing performance — he finished with a game-high 102 — to go along with three rushing touchdowns.

Fresno State rushed for five touchdowns in the game and no score came on a run longer than 10 yards.

No Bulldog receiver had a reception go for fewer than 12 yards, with seven different players hauling in at least one catch.

“It was a struggle all night long,” Utah State coach Gary Andersen said. “(Fresno State) was up and down the field many times.”

The Aggies’ defense did come through in the clutch, forcing a pair of three-and-outs with 12:31 remaining in the fourth quarter and then again with 5:19 remaining.

The latter paved the way for Eberle’s game-winning kick.

“Couple of great three-and-outs,” said Andersen. “The defense stepped up when they had to.”

Still, defense on the whole was a struggle.

“They got punched in the mouth,” Andersen said.

If Utah State is to remain in the race for both the Mountain Division and a Mountain West Conference championship — at 4-1 in conference, USU has a legitimate shot at both — the defense must improve and they’ll have to do so without some big names.

Stud junior linebacker David Woodward is out for the year with an undisclosed injury, and even after missing back-to-back games he is still tied for eighth in the country in solo tackles recorded this season, with 53, and 14th in total tackles, with 93.

Not to be forgotten is senior defensive tackle Fua Leilua, who has been out since going down in the season opener.

Also missing against Fresno State was senior defensive end Tipa Galeai, due to an undisclosed injury, and Andersen was noncommittal as to if or when he might return.

“I don’t know, we’ll see,” he said. “Obviously he (Tipa) wasn’t in a spot to compete today. Hopefully we can get him back.”

With the absences, Andersen and defensive coordinator Justin Ena were forced to turn to some inexperienced players against Fresno State.

Junior defensive end Jaylin Bannerman got his first career start in place Galeai, while freshman AJ Vongphachanh filled in for Woodward.

Elijah Shelton also saw time at linebacker, as did Eric Munoz.

“There are young kids who grew up tonight,” Andersen said. “Munoz had to go in there and play inside linebacker. Woody was down and then another guy went down and then another guy went down and then Eric came in did some good things for us. It is nerve wracking when freshmen jump out there, but it is going to be a great learning experience for them, good and bad.”

The Aggies were so desperate for help at linebacker that safety Cash Gilliam, who was out the previous three weeks with a knee injury, played the position almost exclusively in his return.

“Cash came back, but he played outside linebacker all game today, almost,” said Andersen. “Just a credit to that kid for coming in and adjusting.”

With injuries piling up and crucial games against Wyoming and Boise State on the horizon, adjustments like that will be key if the Aggies are to improve defensively and they must improve to remain competitive.

“We’ll challenge those kids to get better and those kids around them,” Andersen said. “We didn’t play great on defense, but we played good enough to win. The defense just kept battling and they fought. They did what they had to do at the end of the day. They kept fighting. They’ll have to learn from it and keep fighting.”



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