2012 WAC Football Preview: Utah State

By: Zack Ponce

2011: 7-6 (5-2 WAC, 2nd)

The new-look Utah State Aggies have a re-designed image, jerseys and all, entering the 2012 season in preparation for a move to the Mountain West Conference in 2013. 

The Aggies hope to use the improvement seen in 2011 as a foundation to compete for a 2012 WAC championship.

Last year head coach Gary Andersen led Utah State to its first bowl appearance in 15 years, finishing with a 7-5 regular season record.  The Aggies received a birth to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl where they fell 24-23 to the Ohio Bobcats.

This year, Utah State will seek its first back-to-back bowl appearances since 1960-61.

However the loss of two key players from last year’s team will place a burden on the Aggies.

Running back Robert Turbin, the WAC Offensive Player of the Year and a two-time all-WAC honoree, was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft.  Three-time all-WAC linebacker Bobby Wagner, who led the team in tackles, graduated.

But all hope is not lost in Logan, Utah.

Utah State’s speedy running back Kerwynn Williams returns for his senior season.  He played in all 13 games last year and received 81 touches as the third-string running back.  Williams also started on special teams as the number one kick returner.

Matt Austin and Chuck Jacobs, two of the Aggie’s three top receivers in 2011, also return for a final year in Logan.  The two combined to catch 54 balls for 683 yards and eight touchdowns.

Senior defensive stars safety McKade Brady and linebacker Bojay Filimoeatu will anchor that side of the ball for Utah State.

Brady, the team’s leading returning tackler, finished with 86 tackles and a forced fumble last season.  Filimoeatu compiled 41 tackles and three sacks while playing both linebacker and defensive end positions.

Utah State will begin the year without a clear number one quarterback.  Senior Adam Kennedy and sophomore Chuckie Keeton return after both starting games for the Aggies in 2011. 

Keeton began the year as the starting quarterback as a freshman but lost the job by midseason.  Kennedy solidified his role as the starter by the San Jose State game in mid-November and never relinquished the job. 

Kennedy showed the ability to elude pressure in the pocket and rush the ball in his game at New Mexico State.  Kennedy ran for 95 yards on 15 attempts against the crimson Aggies and led Utah State to a close 24-21 victory in Las Cruces.

Keeton should receive another chance to re-claim the starting role, but the coaches will give the job to Kennedy if he gives the team the best shot to win.

Utah State has a strong team and will challenge for a WAC championship in their final year in the conference regardless of who earns the starting quarterback position.

Please return tomorrow for our final team preview featuring the 2011 WAC champion Louisiana Tech Bulldogs.

2012 WAC Football Preview: UT-San Antonio

By: Zack Ponce

2011 Record: 4-6 (FCS Independent)

The UTSA Roadrunners are one of two all-sports Western Athletic Conference newcomers in 2012. 

Last year saw the birth of UTSA football.  The Roadrunners set NCAA start-up program records for their opening game (56,743) and average season (35,521) attendance last fall, showing the community of San Antonio is ready to embrace an FBS football program of its own.

According to NCAA start-up rules, UTSA will not count as a FBS opponent until the 2013 season and will not be eligible to play in a bowl game until 2014. 

The Roadrunners selected Larry Coker to be the program’s inaugural head coach last year.  That name may sound familiar because Coker led the Miami Hurricanes to a BCS National Championship in 2001 with a victory over Nebraska. 

Coker became only the second rookie head coach in NCAA history to do so, and the first in 53 years.  Coker followed-up his historic season in 2002 by leading the ‘Canes back to the BCS National Championship Game were they infamously fell to Ohio State in double overtime.

UTSA finished 2011 with an overall record of 4-6 and were not affiliated with a conference.  They defeated Northeastern State, Bacone, Georgia State, and Minot State.

The Roadrunners are a young, inexperienced team.  They return 11 offensive and 10 defensive starters from last year’s squad, a majority of whom are rising sophomores.

Look for junior quarterback Eric Soza and sophomore wide receiver Kam Jones to lead the UTSA offense. 

Soza started all 10 games for the Roadrunners in 2011, completing 56 percent of his passes for 2,148 yards and 14 touchdowns.  He transferred from Texas State, the other WAC football newcomer, and sat out the 2009 season.

 Jones led the team last year in receptions (39) and reception yards (578), and was the team’s number two kick returner.  Also keep an eye on senior guard Patrick Hoog who is a gigantic body on the line and listed at 6’ 4”, 300 pounds.

Junior linebacker Steven Kurfehs and sophomore defensive tackle Richard Burge will anchor the Roadrunners’ defense. 

Kurfehs missed the last three games of the 2011 season due to injury but was still able to finish third on the team with 61 tackles.  Burge finished with 31 tackles and 0.5 sacks.  He recorded a career-high seven tackles and blocked a field goal against UC Davis.  Defensive end Marlon Smith and linebacker Brandon Reeves are the lone seniors on the UTSA defense.

UTSA will look to continue to build upon a successful inaugural season and build a competitive football program in 2012.

*Please return tomorrow for a preview of the San Jose State Spartans.*

2012 WAC Football Preview: Idaho

By: Zack Ponce

Over the next six days truSports will be releasing one WAC team preview per day to get you ready for the upcoming college football season.  After you learn about the upcoming WAC foes, we will conclude with an in-depth breakdown of the New Mexico State Aggies.

We begin our series with the Idaho Vandals.

2011 Record: 2-10 (1-6 WAC, 8th)

Head coach Robb Akey enters the 2012 season in his fifth year at the helm of Idaho’s football program and two years removed from a 2009 Humanitarian Bowl victory over Bowling Green, the school’s second in program history.  The Vandals return five offensive starters and four defensive starters from their 2011 team.

Senior quarterback Bobby Cowan and senior receiver Justin Veltung will be the key components of the Vandal offense this season. Cowan, who has started all three years he’s been on campus, earned FWAA All-America honors in 2011. 

Veltung battled a foot injury all season long but only sat out two games for the Vandals.  He was the team’s star punt and kick returner and will look to continue his special teams success in 2012.  Cowan will also target senior receiver Mike Scott who led the Vandals last year in receptions (55) and receiving yards (691).

Idaho’s defense may take a step back in 2012 with the loss of three seniors who were named to the 2011 All-WAC second team, including linebackers Korey Toomer and Tre’Shawn Robinson, and defensive back Matthew Harvey. 

The Vandals will rely on corner back Aaron Grymes, safety Gary Walker, and linebacker Conrad Scheidt to provide senior leadership on an otherwise young defense this season.  Walker is the leading returning tackler for Idaho.  Last season he compiled 109 tackles, 67 of which were solo takedowns, tying him for 20th nationally.

Idaho boasts one of, if not the best kicking games in the WAC. 

The multi-talented Cowan also acts as the Vandals punter and was a 2011 Ray Guy semifinalist.  He led the conference last year in punting with an average of 46.4 yards per punt.  

Senior kicker Trey Farquhar finished 2011 on the Lou Groza watch list.  Farquhar has more 50-plus yard field goals (6) than any kicker in Idaho school history.  He is also the Vandals’ all-time field-goal percentage leader and holds the school record for most field goals in a season with 18 in 2010.

*Check back tomorrow for a preview of the UT-San Antonio Roadrunners.*