Utah State travels to Air Force to open Mountain West play – Cache Valley Daily

LOGAN — After a week one loss at Iowa, Utah State bounced back in the biggest way possible last Saturday walloping Idaho State 78-28. But now the Aggies turn their attention to their Mountain West opener at Air Force. It’ll be a shorter week with a Friday evening kickoff so there’s less time to prepare for the novel Air Force offense.

Game Details

Kickoff (Friday): 6 p.m. Mountain Time

Location: Falcon Stadium (USAF Academy, CO)

KVNU Aggie GameDay with Al Lewis: 4:10 – 5:45 p.m.

KVNU Aggie Call with Al Lewis: immediately after Coach Anderson’s post-game comments

TV Broadcast: CBS Sports Network

Radio Broadcast: KVNU (102.1 FM, 610 AM) in Logan; KVNU (98.3) in Tremonton; KVNU (93.5) in Garden City; KZNS (97.5 FM, 1280 AM) in Salt Lake City; KRPX (102.7 FM) in Green River, Utah; KRPX (100.3 FM) in Moab; KRPX (95.9 FM) in Orangeville; KRPX (95.3 FM) in Price; KVSI (1450 AM/104.5 FM) in Montpelier, Idaho.

Injury Updates

Two key players made their return to the field against Idaho State — tight end Broc Lane and defensive tackle Hale Motu’apuaka. Both were limited to just first-half snaps, but essentially played their normal roles in the first half and should be considered healthy going forward. A couple of Aggies jump onto the injury report with bumps and bruises-type injuries. William Testa received an unfavorable hit on a PAT on Saturday and Briggs came away from the game a little worse for wear. Both could still play but are on watch to sit out if they don’t heal up quick enough on the short week. Otto Tia should also be a question mark. He did not play in the game against Idaho State. USU head coach Blake Anderson didn’t mention Tia when discussing injuries on his team which is at least a good sign that he won’t be out long term.

Air Force defense a force in the conference

Since 2021 the Falcons’ defense is averaging 15.8 points allowed per game to all opponents and rank third in FBS in that same time in total points allowed behind only Georgia and Minnesota. And it isn’t just an “Air Force’s triple option offense means shorter games and fewer points allowed.” The Falcons rank 17th since 2021 in yards allowed per play.

“They know exactly what they want to do. They don’t get out of position very often and they are extremally physical,” Anderson said. “They tackle well. They shed blocks. They make it extremally difficult for you to gain any yard that you get. You’re gonna have to earn everything you get. We’re gonna have to try and find some areas where we can create either some mismatches or some grass and then we’re going to have to execute extremely well.

“They don’t beat themselves. A lot of people do. They don’t. They’re where they’re supposed to be every down. They don’t make a lot of mistakes. They don’t give you careless penalties. So matchups and winning in matchups are gonna be huge for us this week.”

Air Force’s defense is full of top-level talent, led by defensive lineman Peyton Zdroik and defensive back Trey Taylor. Linebacker Alec Mock is also a highly reliable tackling machine who leads the Falcons in tackles so far.  

Utah State’s curiously effective offense against good AFA defense

Though the Falcons’ defense has allowed an average point total in the teens against all opponents, their effectiveness against the Aggies has been quite different. In 2021 USU lit up Air Force for 49 points, the most scoring AFA has allowed since 2020. Then in 2022 the Aggies put up 34 points which wound up being the most the Falcons allowed in a single game that year. Add up the numbers and it comes out to Air Force allowing 13.7 points per game to teams that aren’t Utah State, and 41.5 points to the Aggies. And the Falcons’ most and third-most points allowed in a game since 2021 both came by way of Utah State (the second-most, interestingly enough, came against Nevada, 39 points, and Jay Norvell’s Air Raid offense).

“I think the way we play is just so different from what they do every day, what they see every day. A good bit different from what the league looks like,” Anderson said. “I would like to think we can make them uncomfortable, but that’s all assuming that we can execute well. We get them in space, we do play fast. We spread out speed. And I think if there is an advantage that would be our advantage. That we do play fast and we spread people in grass and we play with speed on the field.”

Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun attributed USU’s success against his defense to the overall success the Aggie offense has had under Anderson.

“The number of games where they’ve (had) 450 yards and 25, 27 first downs and scored 35-plus points, they’ve had a bunch of them. And they’re going to have a number of them this year, too,” Calhoun said. “So, by no means at all do we think that we’re going to be something that’s different that way. Now, do we need to work in that direction? Absolutely.”

Falcons finding their way offensively

Air Force lost two great offensive players from last year’s team: quarterback Haaziq Daniels and fullback Brad Roberts, the latter of whom led the nation in rushing yards last year. The pair spent three seasons at the forefront of the Falcons’ offense and between 2021 and 2022 amassed a combined 4,513 rushing yards and 49 rushing touchdowns to help Air Force not only lead the NCAA in total rushing yards across those two seasons by a hilariously wide margin (nearly 1,400 more than the next closest team, which also runs an option offense) but also rank ninth in that same span in yards per rush attempt.

All of that is now in the process of being replaced.

So far the top rushers have been quarterback Zac Larrier (164 yards, 2 TDs, 5.0 yards per carry) and running back Owen Burk (112 yards, 2 TDs, 4.7 yards per carry). Last year’s backup running back and presumed heir of Roberts, John Lee Eldridge III, hasn’t received too many carries, toting the ball just 10 times in two games (though gaining 94 total yards for a solid 9.4 yards per carry).

In the first two games of the season things haven’t been particularly great for Air Force. The season opener against Robert Morris went well enough, running for 374 yards (and 6.7 per attempt) and scoring 42 points. Against Sam Houston, a team that ranks 111th in ESPN’s SP+ and 116th by The Athletic, the Falcons scored just 13 points. In the words of tight end Caleb Rillos, the team is looking for its identity.

“Really, what we just need to focus on is finding our identity and who we are to get the offense rolling,” Rillos said. “The defense is carrying us right now and we need to score more than 13 points to win the game.”

Vaughn leading the NCAA in receptions

Utah State senior wide receiver Terrell Vaughn currently leads all players in FBS with 23 receptions on the season. He’s also the only player in FBS to play just two games and have at least 20 catches. Vaughn caught 12 passes in the Aggies’ season opener against Iowa and then had 11 against Idaho State — 10 of those by the six-minute mark of the second quarter. These back-to-back 10-plus reception performances made him the first Aggie since Kevin Curtis in 2001 to have two consecutive games with at least 10 catches.

“Honestly, it just comes from (Kyle) Cefalo up in the box and Anderson making great play calls for everybody out there on the field to make plays,” Vaughn explained. “Just blessed to be in that position that I’m in right now.”

Vaughn’s current per-game averages stretched over a 12-game season would put him at 138 receptions for 996 yards and 18 touchdowns (the current single-season receptions record in the Mountain West is 131 by Davante Adams in 2013 which was also the year he set the receiving touchdowns record of 24).

Davis facing his old team

One of Utah State’s other wide receivers, Micah Davis, spent two seasons playing for Air Force, 2020 and 2021. He tallied 581 scrimmage yards and six total touchdowns in 2021. In the 2021 Air Force/Utah State game, Davis actually had a career night, gaining 142 yards from scrimmage and two total touchdowns (32 rush yards, one rush TD, 110 receiving yards, one receiving TD).

“He’s excited about the game,” Anderson said of Davis. “Any time you go back against an old team you want to play your best. I still remember Calvin Tyler when we played Oregon State, the guy didn’t sleep all week. I’ve been through it myself as a player, as a coach. Micah is no different. He wants to perform well.”

Davis downplayed the story of him going up against his former team.

“To me it’s just another game,” Davis said. “Go out there, make some plays, coming home with the W.”

Two key players made their return to the field against Idaho State — tight end Broc Lane and defensive tackle Hale Motu’apuaka. Both were limited to just first-half snaps, but essentially played their normal roles in the first half and should be considered healthy going forward. A couple of Aggies jump onto the injury report with bumps and bruises-type injuries. William Testa received an unfavorable hit on a PAT on Saturday and Briggs came away from the game a little worse for wear. Both could still play but are on watch to sit out if they don’t heal up quick enough on the short week. Otto Tia should also be a question mark. He did not play in the game against Idaho State. USU head coach Blake Anderson didn’t mention Tia when discussing injuries on his team which is at least a good sign that he won’t be out long term.

Air Force defense a force in the conference

Since 2021 the Falcons’ defense is averaging 15.8 points allowed per game to all opponents and rank third in FBS in that same time in total points allowed behind only Georgia and Minnesota. And it isn’t just an “Air Force’s triple option offense means shorter games and fewer points allowed.” The Falcons rank 17th since 2021 in yards allowed per play.

“They know exactly what they want to do. They don’t get out of position very often and they are extremally physical,” Anderson said. “They tackle well. They shed blocks. They make it extremally difficult for you to gain any yard that you get. You’re gonna have to earn everything you get. We’re gonna have to try and find some areas where we can create either some mismatches or some grass and then we’re going to have to execute extremely well.

“They don’t beat themselves. A lot of people do. They don’t. They’re where they’re supposed to be every down. They don’t make a lot of mistakes. They don’t give you careless penalties. So matchups and winning in matchups are gonna be huge for us this week.”

Air Force’s defense is full of top-level talent, led by defensive lineman Peyton Zdroik and defensive back Trey Taylor. Linebacker Alec Mock is also a highly reliable tackling machine who leads the Falcons in tackles so far.  

Utah State’s curiously effective offense against good AFA defense

Though the Falcons’ defense has allowed an average point total in the teens against all opponents, their effectiveness against the Aggies has been quite different. In 2021 USU lit up Air Force for 49 points, the most scoring AFA has allowed since 2020. Then in 2022 the Aggies put up 34 points which wound up being the most the Falcons allowed in a single game that year. Add up the numbers and it comes out to Air Force allowing 13.7 points per game to teams that aren’t Utah State, and 41.5 points to the Aggies. And the Falcons’ most and third-most points allowed in a game since 2021 both came by way of Utah State (the second-most, interestingly enough, came against Nevada, 39 points, and Jay Norvell’s Air Raid offense).

“I think the way we play is just so different from what they do every day, what they see every day. A good bit different from what the league looks like,” Anderson said. “I would like to think we can make them uncomfortable, but that’s all assuming that we can execute well. We get them in space, we do play fast. We spread out speed. And I think if there is an advantage that would be our advantage. That we do play fast and we spread people in grass and we play with speed on the field.”

Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun attributed USU’s success against his defense to the overall success the Aggie offense has had under Anderson.

“The number of games where they’ve (had) 450 yards and 25, 27 first downs and scored 35-plus points, they’ve had a bunch of them. And they’re going to have a number of them this year, too,” Calhoun said. “So, by no means at all do we think that we’re going to be something that’s different that way. Now, do we need to work in that direction? Absolutely.”

Falcons finding their way offensively

Air Force lost two great offensive players from last year’s team: quarterback Haaziq Daniels and fullback Brad Roberts, the latter of whom led the nation in rushing yards last year. The pair spent three seasons at the forefront of the Falcons’ offense and between 2021 and 2022 amassed a combined 4,513 rushing yards and 49 rushing touchdowns to help Air Force not only lead the NCAA in total rushing yards across those two seasons by a hilariously wide margin (nearly 1,400 more than the next closest team, which also runs an option offense) but also rank ninth in that same span in yards per rush attempt.

All of that is now in the process of being replaced.

So far the top rushers have been quarterback Zac Larrier (164 yards, 2 TDs, 5.0 yards per carry) and running back Owen Burk (112 yards, 2 TDs, 4.7 yards per carry). Last year’s backup running back and presumed heir of Roberts, John Lee Eldridge III, hasn’t received too many carries, toting the ball just 10 times in two games (though gaining 94 total yards for a solid 9.4 yards per carry).

In the first two games of the season things haven’t been particularly great for Air Force. The season opener against Robert Morris went well enough, running for 374 yards (and 6.7 per attempt) and scoring 42 points. Against Sam Houston, a team that ranks 111th in ESPN’s SP+ and 116th by The Athletic, the Falcons scored just 13 points. In the words of tight end Caleb Rillos, the team is looking for its identity.

“Really, what we just need to focus on is finding our identity and who we are to get the offense rolling,” Rillos said. “The defense is carrying us right now and we need to score more than 13 points to win the game.”

Vaughn leading the NCAA in receptions

Utah State senior wide receiver Terrell Vaughn currently leads all players in FBS with 23 receptions on the season. He’s also the only player in FBS to play just two games and have at least 20 catches. Vaughn caught 12 passes in the Aggies’ season opener against Iowa and then had 11 against Idaho State — 10 of those by the six-minute mark of the second quarter. These back-to-back 10-plus reception performances made him the first Aggie since Kevin Curtis in 2001 to have two consecutive games with at least 10 catches.

“Honestly, it just comes from (Kyle) Cefalo up in the box and Anderson making great play calls for everybody out there on the field to make plays,” Vaughn explained. “Just blessed to be in that position that I’m in right now.”

Vaughn’s current per-game averages stretched over a 12-game season would put him at 138 receptions for 996 yards and 18 touchdowns (the current single-season receptions record in the Mountain West is 131 by Davante Adams in 2013 which was also the year he set the receiving touchdowns record of 24).

Davis facing his old team

One of Utah State’s other wide receivers, Micah Davis, spent two seasons playing for Air Force, 2020 and 2021. He tallied 581 scrimmage yards and six total touchdowns in 2021. In the 2021 Air Force/Utah State game, Davis actually had a career night, gaining 142 yards from scrimmage and two total touchdowns (32 rush yards, one rush TD, 110 receiving yards, one receiving TD).

“He’s excited about the game,” Anderson said of Davis. “Any time you go back against an old team you want to play your best. I still remember Calvin Tyler when we played Oregon State, the guy didn’t sleep all week. I’ve been through it myself as a player, as a coach. Micah is no different. He wants to perform well.”

Davis downplayed the story of him going up against his former team.

“To me it’s just another game,” Davis said. “Go out there, make some plays, coming home with the W.”