Remember the name Johndale Carty. In 1995 as a true freshman, he was named Aggie special teams player of the year by the coaching staff.
This week the Big West Conference named the free safety its defensive player of the week for that 24-tackle performance (10 solo, 14 assisted) Saturday at Oklahoma State, in which Carty played only three quarters because of a neck injury. It was one off LB David Gill's school-record 25-tackle performance of last year. Carty was hurt trying to block a second-quarter field goal. He was carried off on a stretcher, X-rayed at a hospital and returned late in the third quarter.The youngster from Hialeah, Fla., is now just one tackle behind Gill for the season. Gill, a member of the "watch list" for the Butkus Award and the NCAA's No. 2 tackler (168) last year, has 59 (32-27). Carty has 58 (21-37) in '96. Next is senior DE Danilo Robinson, 38.
NEW DEFENSE: Carty and Gill might not have to make so many tackles if the Aggies could use the new defensive alignment that Georgia tried last week on this week's USU opponent, Texas Tech. "When I saw Georgia line up with 12 defenders (on film)," says Aggie coach John L. Smith, "it looked like a real good scheme to me. I'd like our chances better if the officials would let us play with 12 or 13 guys on defense." Georgia defeated Tech 15-12 at Athens' Sanford Stadium.
Even though Texas Tech is only 1-2, its losses were 21-14 at Kansas State and by three at Georgia, and it beat Oklahoma State 31-3. That's the team that whipped the Ags 31-17 last week. "There's no comparison between Texas Tech and Oklahoma State," says Smith, noting their game "was like men vs. boys. Texas Tech plays the game at a different speed than Oklahoma State."
WHAT A RUSH: Abu Wilson needs 52 yards to become USU's career rushing champ. He has 3,486. He needs 43 yards to become the NCAA active-rusher leader. No. 1 Wasean Tait (3,528) of Toledo had a season-ending knee injury. Wilson fared poorly in last week's matchup with No. 3 NCAA active-rusher David Thompson of Oklahoma State (3,415); Thompson gained 217 yards on 39 carries while Wilson was just 10-16. Texas Tech boasts NCAA 1996 rush leader Byron Hanspard (200.33 ypg).
DON'T DESPAIR: Consecutive losses have the Ags down, but look at the Big West: USU leads at 2-2. Idaho, Nevada and North Texas are 1-2, Boise State 1-3 and New Mexico State 0-4. The Ags lead BWC total defense (329.8 ypg), scoring defense (26.5) and kickoff returns (26.6 - tied for 11th in the NCAA). Wilson leads in rushing (98.3 ypg), scoring (10.5 ppg) and all-purpose yards (140.5). QB Matt Sauk is second in the league, 16th in the NCAA in total offense (241.3) and second BWC/22nd NCAA in pass efficiency rating (140.41).