USU vs BYU game recaps

October 3, 2009 | Posted by AggieNoise

The common feeling I have after most of our games is one of reserved enthusiasm. Following the BYU loss my feelings were the same, except maybe a little more reserve and a little less enthusiasm.

BYU was the superior team last night, there is no disputing it. However, the Aggies did look much more competitive this year than they have in years past. It’s natural to point fingers after a loss, and easy to place blame. I think I’ll do neither. Instead, let me give a few pats on the back and give praise to those who earned it yesterday.

Gary Andersen is clearly moving this program in the right direction. We are light years ahead of where we were in years past. As players start to understand his system, get better fundamentally, and get stronger we will soon be competing with the BYU’s, UofU’s, and BSU’s on our schedule. If Andersen sticks around long enough to get his recruits into his system as 5th year seniors, we will challenge for WAC titles and win bowl games.

Diondre Borel showed improvement in his passing. He completed 20 of 28 for 213 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for a TD. He showed leadership and heart on the field for four quarters. He has the capacity to be a great QB for the Aggies. The only thing holding him back right now is his lack of experience in the spread offense and inability to run the option.

Our special teams units took a long stride forward last night. We had two punts downed inside the 5. We contained well on our kickoffs. We held on to the ball on returns. I’d give our special teams the game ball if it was up to me.

Here is the noise we made:

Utah State Athletics website: Aggies Clawed By 20th-Ranked Cougars, 35-17, Friday

Herald Journal: Fast start not enough and Costly mistakes did in Utah St.

CacheValleyDaily.com: Cougars scratch Aggies in final preseason game

Deseret News: USU, BYU football: Getting defensive , Aggies not your neighborhood wimps anymore, Little learned in Cougars’ win over Ags, After botched play, USU coaches scrapped option, First-half turnovers were game-changing, Cougars hit the ground running against Ags and BYU35, Utah State 17: Scoring summary

Salt Lake Tribune: Aggies pleased with progress on defense, Cougs ‘D’ stifles Ags, Aggies’ chances slip from grasp, Runaway win, Ashworth shines in fill-in start, Aggies not overwhelmed in Provo

ksl.com: Hall leads No. 20 BYU past Utah State, 35-17

ESPN.com: No. 20 BYU rides Hall’s arm past mistake-prone Utah State

Categories: Utah State Football | Tags: Aggie, Aggies, Diondre Borel, Gary Andersen, USU, USU vs BYU, Utah State, Utah State Football | No Comments »