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Utah State wide receiver Otto Tia (5) slides to make the catch during an NCAA football game on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024 in Logan, Utah. | Tyler Tate
When news broke ahead of the Wyoming game that Jalen Royals wasn’t going to play another snap in a Utah State uniform, a foot injury knocking him out for the season and ending his career in Logan, questions arose immediately.
Namely, how would Utah State football replace the future pro? Would USU’s prolific offense change? Could anyone on the roster come close to approximating Royals’ production?
With two games in the books following the loss of Royals, those answers have been answered.
How has Utah State replaced Jalen Royals?
Next man up. It is a sports cliche for a reason. It is a real thing, even if it isn’t the most exciting answer.
That is how Utah State has replaced Royals. Or tried to at least.
“It has kind of been the motto this year,” interim head coach Nate Dreiling said. “Next man up mentality.”
Thus far, next man up has been a combination of wide receivers — namely Otto Tia, Kyrese White, Jack Hestera and Grant Page.
Throw in running backs Rahsul Faison and Herschel Turner as well.
It has been a committee approach, with each of those aforementioned players either hitting their season high in receptions in the last two games, or coming close to it with their second-most receptions in a game this year.
Tia has a combined 11 receptions over the last two games, the most prolific catching stretch of his USU career.
White has a combined 10 receptions over the same stretch.
Against Washington State, Page set a new career high in receptions with seven.
No player has come close to the 10-plus receptions per game that Royals was regularly posting before going down with an injury, but many have seen their workload grow.
Has Utah State’s offense changed without…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/utah-state-football-getting-glimpse-023027668.html
Author : Deseret News
Publish date : 2024-11-14 02:30:27
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