3 takeaways from Utah State’s season opening win against Robert Morris

Utah State defensive end Blaine Spires, left, tackles Robert Morris quarterback Anthony Chiccitt, right, in the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024, in Logan, Utah. | Eli Lucero

Utah State football is 1-0.

The Aggies defeated visiting Robert Morris 36-14 Saturday night, the first win of interim head coach Nate Dreiling’s career.

Twenty seven players made their Utah State debut, with many making an immediate impact, including quarterback Bryson Barnes, linebacker John Ross Maye and safety Jordan Vincent.

It wasn’t a pretty game for a large portion — the Aggies’ trailed 14-10 at halftime — and injuries put a damper on the affair, but the Aggies’ 2024 season is underway.

Here are three takeaways from Utah State’s season opening win.

A defense remade. Mostly

It isn’t a secret that Utah State struggled defensively in 2023. The Aggies finished the year ranked No. 117 in the nation in total defense, and over the final few games of the year USU was considerably worse than that ranking even.

It was those struggles that led to Dreiling coming to Logan — along with the rest of a new defensive staff — plus numerous FBS and lower division transfers, all in an attempt to rebuild what was USU’s Achilles heel.

It was only one game — against on overmatched FCS opponent in Robert Morris — but it looks like the changes have paid off.

USU allowed only two scores in the game, a 40-yard touchdown on a play-action pass that came on a busted coverage and a 31-yard touchdown run that saw an Aggie or two completely miss on their assignment.

Outside of those two major miscues, and a major one or two more, Utah State handled everything the Colonials could throw at them, often with relative ease.

“This is a completely new defense from last year,” Maye — a graduate transfer from Lenior-Rhyne…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/3-takeaways-utah-state-season-051228212.html

Author : Deseret News

Publish date : 2024-09-01 05:12:28

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