Long before BYU became known as "Quarterback U.," Utah State was known as "Tackle U."
For 25 years - from Merlin Olsen in 1961 to Mike Hamby in 1986 - the Utah State football team had a string of outstanding defensive linemen march through Logan.Fifteen D-linemen went on to play professional football, and another seven were drafted by the NFL. Olsen, Lionel Aldridge, Clark Miller, Phil Olsen, Rulon Jones, Greg Kragen - they've all been stars in the NFL.
Although there's been a bit of a drought for the past decade of USU teams, that could change with several top prospects on this year's defensive line.
The experienced defensive line is one of the strengths of this year's Aggie team with two seniors, one "ex" senior and a sophomore with a redshirt year behind him.
Three returning starters will line up against Utah Saturday night - end Ben Crosland, nose tackle Walter Fiefia and tackle Adam Jones. They'll be joined by a newcomer, Caleb Smith, who will play the other outside position.
"Most of our depth lies in the defensive line," says defensive coordinator Chris Smeland. "We have some guys with tremendous athletic ability we need to take advantage of. We feel like we've got a guy or two that could be in that same mold (of NFL players) and possibly make it in the pros."
Fiefia (pronounced fee-uh fee-uh) has a special interest in Saturday's game because he was once headed to Utah. He signed with the Utes out of Hyrum's Mountain Crest High School, but after his mission decided to transfer to Utah State because his friends and family are there.
Fiefia believed he was a senior when he started practice but found out a couple of days into it that he was actually a junior.
It turns out Fiefia is one of the first beneficiaries of a new NCAA rule that gives an extra year of eligibility to Prop. 48 athletes who had to sit out as freshmen. The catch is, the athlete has to be on track to graduate to get the year back, which Fiefia is.
Jones was originally recruited to Hawaii where he was an all-American center in junior college. But at Logan he's ended up as a defensive lineman, much to his pleasure. He had been a center at Long Beach City Junior College out of necessity but missed the feeling of playing defense.
"One day I got a call from Utah State, and they said they wanted me to play defense," he recalls. "I thought they were joking." With his athletic ability, Adam Jones is one of the Aggies' best pass-rushers, yet he has the size (275 pounds) to mix it up with offensive linemen.
Crosland came to Utah State out of nearby Kemmerer, Wyo. He played linebacker in high school as well as receiver and caught 21 touchdown passes. He was also a two-time all-state basketball player.
Utah State was the only place that offered him a scholarship out of high school. They wanted him to play defensive line, so he gained 30 pounds.
The fourth starter on the defensive line is Smith, a sophomore from Lancaster, Calif. Smith recorded four sacks in a backup role last year, which was third best on the team. He redshirted the previous year.
So what's the reason for the tradition of talent on the defensive line at Utah State?
Some have speculated that the Aggies are able to recruit better athletes because of the tradition. But Jones who went on to a successful eight-year career with the Denver Broncos and now lives on a large ranch in Liberty, Utah, doesn't agree.
"I was aware of the (tradition of Aggie linemen in the NFL), but I don't believe that influenced me to go there," said Jones. "Just about every player that is recruited to college has aspirations to play professionally." Fiefia said the Olsons, Hambys and Jones don't really influence him. "I'm motivated by myself - I don't need anyone else to motivate me."