Utah State football interim head coach Nate Dreiling smiles during an interview on the Mountain West Network during conference media days. | Utah State Athletics
Nate Dreiling stood out at Mountain West Conference football media days.
In his blue suit with an accompanying blue tie — he was the only one of the conference’s 12 coaches who elected to wear a full suit to the proceedings — it was apparent that the 33-year old interim head coach of Utah State football wanted to be taken seriously.
And though he is the youngest head football coach in all the FBS and inheritor of a situation few would be envious of after USU fired Blake Anderson as the program’s leader, Dreiling should be taken seriously.
The moment he opened his mouth Thursday while being interviewed on the Mountain West Network, it became clear that Dreiling knows football.
He fielded questions about the Aggies’ offense with ease, despite having little to do with that side of the ball as the team’s defensive coordinator with just six months spent on the job. He praised quarterback Spencer Petras and talked up an offensive line that will be vital to Utah State’s success. He spoke glowingly about wide receiver Jalen Royals, going so far as to call him a “first or second round” NFL draft pick.
Dreiling talked about running backs Robert Briggs and Rahsul Faison as though he’d known them all his life, and the same thing happened when he talked about wide receiver Micah Davis.
When the conversation turned to defense, he was as football coach as they come.
“Offensively we are very excited,” he said. “They have the chance to be special. Let’s get the defense caught up and let’s go win some games.”
Unfortunately for Dreiling, and the games part, football itself has taken a back seat right now at Utah State.
Anderson’s firing, along with…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/utah-state-interim-head-coach-020702946.html
Author : Deseret News
Publish date : 2024-07-12 02:07:02
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