(Photo Credit: Young Kwak/Associated Press)
Key Players Returning:
WR Justin McGriff, WR Deven Thompkins, OC Demytrick Ali’ifua, OT Alfred Edwards, OT Jacob South, DE Nick Heninger, DT Marcus Moore, LB Cash Gilliam, LB Kevin Meitzenheimer, LB A.J. Vongphachanh, CB Zahodri Jackson, CB Cam Lampkin, SS Shaq Bond, SS Dominic Tatum, KR Savon Scarver, PR Jordan Nathan, PK Connor Coles, and PT Stephen Kotsanlee.
Key Players Departing:
QB Jason Shelley, RB Jaylen Warren, OG Heneli Bloomfield, OG Karter Shaw, NT Ritisoni Fata, LB Elijah Shelton, and FS Jared Reed.
Top 10 Recruits:
3 Star Recruits: WR Jamie Nance (Nebraska transfer), LB Byron Vaughns (Texas transfer), LB Patrick Joyner (Miami, FL transfer), CB Shawn Gates (Akron, Ohio), RB Calvin Tyler (Oregon State transfer), LB Justin Rice (Arkansas State transfer), CB Kyle Mayberry (Kansas transfer), DE Tupou Maile (South Jordan, Utah), DT Aurion Peoples (Valencia, California), and CB Isaac Larsen (Smithfield, Utah).
2020 Results:
G01 at Boise State L 13-42
G02 SAN DIEGO STATE L 7-38
G03 at Nevada L 9-34
G04 FRESNO STATE L 16-35
G05 NEW MEXICO W 41-27
G06 AIR FORCE L 7-35
Team Info:
2020 Overall: 1-5 (11th in MWC)
Home: 1-4
Away: 0-2
Neutral: 0-0
MWC: 1-5
Non-MWC: 0-0
Head Coach: Blake Anderson
Utah State: 0-0
Career: 51-37
Bowls: 2-4
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Andrew Peasley (37-69, 391 yards, 53.6%, 5.7 avg., 4 TD, 3 INT)
Rushing: Andrew Peasley (22 car., 195 yards, 8.9 avg., 1 TD)
Receiving: Deven Thompkins (20 rec., 214 yards, 10.7 avg., 1 TD)
TD’s Scored: Justin McGriff/Savon Scarver (2)
Sacks: Nick Heninger/A.J. Vongphachanh (3)
Tackles: A.J. Vongphachanh (50)
Interceptions: Shaq Bond/Luke Marion (1)
Pass Deflections: Shaq Bond (3)
Tackles For Loss: Nick Heninger (7)
Forced Fumbles: Nick Heninger (3)
Kick Returns: Savon Scarver (10 ret., 314 yards, 31.4 avg., 1 TD)
Punt Returns: Jordan Nathan (5 ret., 22 yards, 4.4 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: Connor Coles (3-3 fg/fga., 100%, 8-9 xp/xpa., 17 pts.)
Punting: Stephen Kotsanlee (37 punts, 1507 yards, 40.7 avg., 17 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 1 Logan Bonner (RS JR/TR)
RB: 7 Devonta’e Henry-Cole (GR/TR)
WR: 10 Justin McGriff (RS JR/TR)
WR: 11 Savon Scarver (SR)
WR: 13 Deven Thompkins (SR)
TE: 88 Carson Terrell (SR)
LT: 72 Alfred Edwards (RS SR)
LG: 76 Jackson Owens (RS SO)
OC: 58 Demytrick Ali’ifua (RS SR)
RG: 79 Wade Meacham (RS JR)
RT: 78 Jacob South (RS JR)
KR: 11 Savon Scarver (SR)
PK: 59 Connor Coles (RS SR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 11 Byron Vaughns (JR/TR)
DT: 91 James Hansen (JR/TR)
DT: 95 Marcus Moore (GR/TR)
DE: 42 Nick Heninger (GR/TR)
LB: 3 Justin Rice (GR/TR)
LB: 10 A.J. Vongphachanh (JR)
NB: 5 Cash Gilliam (RS SR/TR)
CB: 14 Zahodri Jackson (RS SR)
CB: 6 Cam Lampkin (JR)
FS: 25 Jarrod Green (RS SR)
SS: 4 Shaq Bond (SR/TR)
PR: 00 Jordan Nathan (RS SR)
PT: 63 Stephen Kotsanlee (SO)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: B
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: A
Secondary: B
Special Teams:
Kick Returns: A
Punt Returns: C
Kickers: B
Punters: C
Schedule:
09/04 at Washington State Cougars | Utah State trails the series 1-2. The Aggies won (34-14) the last meeting between schools in 1961.
09/10 NORTH DAKOTA HAWKS | First meeting between schools.
09/18 at Air Force Falcons | Utah State trails the series 3-6. The Aggies are 3-5 since renewing the series in 2013, and their last series win (42-32) was in 2018.
09/25 BOISE STATE BRONCOS | Utah State trails the series 5-20. The Aggies are 1-7 since renewing the series in 2013, and their last series win (52-26) was in 2015.
10/01 BYU COUGARS | Utah State trails the series 37-49-3. The Aggies are 3-6 since 2011, and they lost (14-42) the last meeting between schools in 2019.
10/16 at UNLV Rebels | Utah State leads the series 17-7. The Aggies are 5-0 since renewing the series in 2012, and they won (59-28) the last meeting between schools in 2018.
10/22 COLORADO STATE RAMS | Utah State trails the series 35-39-2. The Aggies are 5-4 since 2011, and they won (34-24) the last meeting between schools in 2019.
10/30 HAWAII RAINBOW WARRIORS | Utah State leads the series 10-6. The Aggies are 5-0 since 2011, and they won (56-17) the last meeting between schools in 2018.
11/06 at New Mexico State Aggies | Utah State leads the series 31-8. The Aggies are 3-1 since 2011, and they won (60-13) the last meeting between schools in 2018.
11/13 at San Jose State Spartans | Utah State trails the series 18-20-1. The Aggies are 6-0 since 2011, and they won (62-24) the last meeting between schools in 2018.
11/20 WYOMING COWBOYS | Utah State leads the series 40-26-4. The Aggies are 6-2 since 2011, and they won (26-21) the last meeting between schools in 2019.
11/26 at New Mexico Lobos | Utah State leads the series 14-13. The Aggies are 6-2 since renewing the series in 2013, and their last series loss (21-24) was in 2016.
Predictions:
Home: 6-0
Away: 4-2
Neutral: 0-1
MWC: 7-1
Non-MWC: 3-2
Overall: 10-3 (1st in MWC Mountain)
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