Win a bowl game, beat BYU, tie for the Big West title. Success breeds success, and the Las Vegas Bowl-champion Aggies, who won their last six football games, look poised to continue that tradition with today's recruit class.
Utah State coach Charlie Weatherbie said 1993's successes opened doors of recruits who were also considering Pac-10 and WAC schools, doors that in the past have been closed to USU. "No doubt that had an impact on how well we recruited," Weatherbie said.USU snatched a prize safety (K.J. Agu, South Bay Lutheran HS, Inglewood, Calif.) from Nebraska. "He's really rangy and can really run," Weatherbie says. They signed a cornerback (Spencer Waggoner, Mesa Community College) who was also mulling Illinois and Wisconsin. They got a defensive lineman (Todd Wright, Pasadena City College) who was talking to Texas A&M, Pitt and California and WAC schools.
All in all, "a good job," said Weatherbie, who must replace his whole offensive line and recruited for size there and speedy size in other areas. USU concentrated on signing offensive linemen, wide receivers, linebackers, defensive backs and defensive linemen. It also signed a big running back for short-yardage situations (Melvin Blue, Banning, Calif.), and a junior-college QB (Jorge Munoz, Southwestern College).
USU picked up some huge linemen, especially blue-chipper Joe German, a 6-foot-10, 305-pound prep out of San Bernardino, Calif., and defensive lineman Curtis Radford (6-9, 295, from Rigby, Idaho).
*****
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Utah State recruits
Players signed late Wednesday by Utah State:
- Eddie Davis, DL, 6-4, 235, New Orleans, La., Merced (Calif.) College.
- Joe German, OL, 6-10, 305, San Bernardino (Calif.) San Gorgonio HS, blue-chip all-region tackle as a senior.
- Gehrin Ortiz, OL, 6-4, 260, Hemet (Calif.) HS, two-year starter and all-league as junior.
- Curtis Radford, DL, 6-9, 295, Rigby (Idaho) Gooding HS, coming off church mission in July. Attended Idaho School for the Deaf and Blind (but played for Gooding), named to Deaf All-America team.
- Marcus Scott, 6-1, 210, Oakland (Calif.) St. Elizabeth HS, Bay Football League defensive player of year.
- Shane Stevenson, OL, 6-5, 285, Los Angeles, Santa Monica College.
- Spencer Waggoner, CB, 5-11, 190, Phoenix (Ariz.) Mesa Community College.
- Ken Watts, OL, 6-4, 255, La Mirada (Calif.) HS, named first-team Best of the West (California-Oregon- Washington).
- Todd Wright, DL, 6-7, 275, Baldwin Park (Calif.) Pasadena City College.