Estimated read time: 5-6 minutes
LOGAN — Utah State football is trying to avoid its third consecutive mediocre season, and will be doing so amid a huge change.
Blake Anderson is likely out as coach after the university said it plans to fire him for violating both his contract and university policy by not promptly reporting issues related to sexual assault and domestic violence.
Defensive coordinator Nate Dreiling will serve as interim coach for the 2024 season. Before arriving at Utah State, Dreiling spent two seasons with New Mexico State in the same position. The 2023 team won 10 games for just the second time in school history.
The immediate question becomes what will happen to the several transfers Anderson recruited to join the Aggies — particularly former Utah Utes quarterback Bryson Barnes, former BYU QB Jacob Conover, and former Iowa QB Spencer Petras. Anderson had named Petras the starting quarterback after the conclusion of spring camp.
The three quarterbacks and others are eligible to transfer due to a coaching change, per NCAA rules.
Presuming Dreiling coaches for the entirety of the 2024 season, he'll lead an Utah State team with many questions surrounding it. They endured a ton of turnover in the transfer portal, particularly at the quarterback position — both Cooper Legas and McCae Hillstead left the program in the offseason.
In 2022 and 2023, the Aggies finished with bowl game losses and overall records of 6-7. While they didn't having losing records in the Mountain West Conference, those years were still departures from a stellar 2021, when they won a conference title and the Jimmy Kimmel L.A. Bowl in Anderson's first season as coach.
Returning for the Aggies are running back Rahsul Faison, and wide receivers Jalen Royals and Micah Davis. Royals ranked 21st in the country last year in receiving yards with 1,080.
The Aggies have questions to answer on defense, as well. In 2023, they allowed an average of 433.1 yards per game, which ranked 117th in the country. Dreiling was brought in to turn that around, but will have more responsibility now that he's in the top job an interim basis.
So what opportunities and challenges does Utah State face outside its own program when it comes to the schedule? This is the first part in a series that will analyze two Utah State opponents each week leading up to the start of the season.
Robert Morris Colonials
Date: Saturday, Aug. 31 (Time TBD)
Location: Maverik Stadium, Logan, UT
2023 record: 4-7 (2-4 Big South-OVC Football Association)
Last meeting: N/A
Utah State's first opponent of the season is a team with which it has no history. In fact, the matchup feels much more like an opportunity for a payout for Robert Morris than it does a barometer for either team.
Robert Morris is entering a new conference in 2024 — the Northeastern Conference — and will also want to start its season off on the right foot. And sometimes, an FCS team has a good night and upsets an arguably superior FBS team.
The Colonials are led by coach Bernard Clark, Jr., who is entering his seventh season at the helm. Quarterback Anthony Chiccitt is back after throwing 16 touchdown passes and amassing 1,651 passing yards. The team's top rusher and receiver last year — DJ Moyer and Noah Robinson, respectively — are also returning.
The Aggies will most likely use the game as a means to ease into the season after a tumultuous summer of roster upheaval. By late August, Utah State will theoretically have settled on a starting quarterback, and it's as good a chance as any to see how he'll fare in a new system with new teammates in a game that matters.
USC Trojans
Date: Saturday, Sept. 7 (9 p.m. MDT, BTN)
Location: L.A. Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA
2023 record: 8-5 (5-4 Pac-12)
Last meeting: Sept. 10, 2016; Aggies lost 45-7
The game against the Trojans marks the first real test of the season for the Aggies, at least on paper.
USC is transitioning from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten, a massive shift that is just one example of conference musical chairs happing all over college sports right now. But the team has plenty to build on after a solid season that ended with a victory in the Holiday Bowl.
Before the bowl win, the Trojans lost three straight games; however, they started the season on a six-game winning streak. That's how brutal the Pac-12 could be at times.
Quarterback Caleb Williams went to the NFL, but Miller Moss appears to be the favorite to win the staring job in 2024. He appeared in five games in 2023 and threw for 681 yards and seven touchdowns. Jayden Maiava and Jake Jensen both saw time during the team's spring game a few months ago and performed well.
The Trojans lost their two best running backs to the transfer portal in MarShawn Lloyd and Austin Jones. Among those returning are Quinten Joyner and A'Marion Peterson, but they were freshmen last season and didn't play much. That is a position group that will need to be solidified by the time they play the Aggies.
USC got Jo'Quavious Marks from Mississippi State at running back. He'll be the featured back, but depth could be a question in the early portions of the season.
USC was No. 10 in the country in total offense last season, but just 116th in total defense — one spot above Utah State. It's possible that the Sept. 7 game could be a high-scoring affair if that trend continues into this year.
A win for Utah State here would be enormous considering its track record against USC. While fans may not expect much from this game, Utah State will certainly try to win — and could turn some head if it's competitive.
