As Utah State's grid office returns to life this week after a season-ending 54-27 loss to Nevada that kept USU in No Bowl competition, it's beginning to sink in that '96 wasn't so bad.
In Year 2 with John L. Smith, USU finished 4-1, Big West co-champ. Its 6-5 record is only the Ags' second winning season in 16 years. Home attendance of 129,106 beats the old school record by nearly 30,000."It would have been a Cinderella year if we'd won seven," says Smith, whose coaches are already recruiting while his stomach still does flips over Saturday's loss. "Being co-champion is like kissing your sister," he says, "but it's better than the other alternative.
"When you have a winning year in the toughest schedule I've ever been around, good things are happening," Smith says.
Objectively, the Ags are where he thought they'd be now. "I don't think we exceded expectations, but it wasn't like we underachieved," he says. "Now we have to build on it so that every year is a winning year, and that comes down to recruiting."
Smith says his 25 alotted scholarships will go for probably 10 junior-college grads two each on the offensive and defensive lines, two linebackers, two defensive backs and possibly a quarterback and a receiver. The 15 scholarships left for freshmen will go to the best athletes available, though the Aggies wouldn't sign, say, three quarterbacks just because they're athletic.
Fifteen starters should return, including QB Matt Sauk (2,489 yards), who may have an exploratory knee scope done to determine damage received in the final game; top WR Nakia Jenkins (1,397 yards, 3 short of USU record), speedy WR Steve Smith (555) and RB Demario Brown (717 yards as a freshman), who became the starter with four games left. Departing Abu Wilson (882 yards, 16 TDs in '96; career marks of 3,391 yards, 41 scores) has been invited to play in the Hula Bowl. Injuries kept him somewhat sidelined late in the season.
Also back are the tight ends, four of five starting offensive linemen and three of four starters in the defensive line, several DBs and a starting LB..
Big needs are at DB, where USU loses Spencer Waggoner (116 tackles in '96, 250 career), Mike Hudson and Dwayne Nelson , a linebacker to plug the huge hole left by David Gill and toes to fill the shoes of PK Micah Knorr (USU records for field goals, 39, and attempts, 62) and P Nate Morreale (40.6 ave.). Smith has a redshirt freshman kicker but will shop around, too.
Gill holds the Aggie record for tackles in a season (168 in '95) and just completed the third-best USU mark (150) despite missing 1 1/2 games with a broken thumb. He is second in school career tackles (425).
While assistants chase talent, Smith stumps for funds and attends staff briefings on the proposed but yet-unconfirmed covered practice facility. It is foremost on his mind because it will improve recruiting. It's rumored Smith will leave if a practice structure isn't built. He says his plans are to stay and that he wouldn't take any old job just to get away from not having such a facility, but, "We've gotta get it. In my mind, it's vital," he says.