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 and us taking them
with our college
football picks but if everything
comes together, five wins are not out of the question.
Returning Starters on Offense – 7Keep 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.
