Utah State Aggies must increase physicality with ‘knock your socks off’ Wyoming coming to town

Wyoming running back Xazavian Valladay, left, runs with the ball as Boise State linebacker Benton Wickersham (25) closes in during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019, in Boise, Idaho. Boise State won 20-17. | Steve Conner, Associated Press

The Cowboys are as physical a team as there is in the Mountain West Conference

LOGAN — Physical. Smash mouth. Tough.

Those are but a few of the words Utah State head coach Gary Andersen used to describe the Wyoming Cowboys, the latest team to take on USU, and for good reason.

This year, Wyoming (6-3, 3-2) is among the best the Mountain West Conference has to offer.

“Wyoming is a very good team,” said Andersen. “They are physical and built exactly how they want to play football. They’re a tough, physical-minded group of guys. That’s who they want to be on the offensive side of the ball. That’s who they want to be on the defensive side of the ball. They’re disruptive, aggressive, jump up in your face and play physical. They’ve been built that way for the last few years and it’s obvious that they’ve had a lot of success. It’s a giant challenge.”

“We have to make sure we give our guys the best opportunity to be physical but also have smart offensive and defensive schemes that allow them to play to their strengths.” — Utah State coach Gary Andersen

How to combat that challenge comes down to two things, according to Andersen.

No. 1 is matching the Cowboys’ physicality, a task easier said than done.

“You match that with being as physical as you can, which is our No. 1 priority,” he said. “I love the way they play defense. I love how physical they are. I love how they want to get up in your face and play man coverage. Again, they’ve built themselves to be that way. I’m all in with it. It’s a great way to play in those settings and those situations.

“We have to make sure we give our guys the best opportunity to be physical but also have smart offensive and defensive schemes that allow them to play to their strengths.”

In addition to matching Wyoming’s physicality, Utah State must use the aggressive nature of the Cowboys’, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, against them.

That will not be easy, though, considering Wyoming boasts the No. 2 scoring defense in the Mountain West, not to mention the No. 3 rushing defense.

“If you can use their physicality to their disadvantage in any way, shape or form, especially with how aggressive they are on the defensive side of the ball, then you try to use that against them,” said Andersen. “Going back to the BYU game, we were more effective moving the football. We had turnovers that absolutely killed us and we weren’t good in the red zone. That’s in the past now, but we can’t forget about it. Then, the staff built on that with the offense as we went into this next week. We looked at the matchups and where we matched up, we looked to be physical and take care of our business and make plays where we had the opportunity. The same thing will have to take place this week.”

On offense, Wyoming has one of the best rushing attacks in the conference, No. 2 behind Air Force, which is notable because of Utah State’s struggles on defense in recent weeks.

“The defensive side of the football will be no different,” said Andersen. “They are going to walk up there and they’re going to want to smash you in the mouth and if you fall on the ground, they’re going to want to kick you in the face as they walk away from you. That’s who they are, and that’s awesome. That’s a tough-minded team. I like that, too. We have to match that as we go through our preparations and understand that’s who they want to be. Football is a physical game, and, again, I’m all in for that kind of physical activity that goes in and the physicalness. We need to play that way, also.”

As difficult an opponent as the Cowboys appear, the Aggies wouldn’t have it any other way. The chance to play in meaningful games in November is what they’ve worked for.

“We talked about it way back when in January, then we talked about it again in spring ball and then we talked about it again in fall camp: get yourself to meaningful games in the month of November,” said Andersen. “That’s exactly what this group of guys has done. They have battled and battled and battled.”

Saturday afternoon at Maverik Stadium, they’ll battle some more.

Aggies on the air

Utah State (5-4, 4-1) vs. Wyoming (6-3, 3-2)

Maverik Stadium, Logan

Saturday, 2 p.m. MST

TV: ESPNU

Radio: KZNS 1280 AM

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