Expecting defense, Aggie football fans received a heaping dose of offense in Honolulu.
On Military Appreciation Night in Aloha Stadium, the armed forces were treated to the an array of passing plays as Utah State defeated Hawaii, 35-14.
Both the Aggies’ 18-year-old Kent Myers and Rainbow Warriors’ sophomore quarterback Ikaika Woolsey came out dealing Saturday night in Aloha Stadium. Myers kept it up throughout the contest.
Hawaii’s head coach Norm Chow found a way to move the ball with a balanced passing and rushing attack early. The Aggie defense tightened up after Hawaii’s two first-quarter touchdown drives.
Utah State’s defensive effort seemed to turn when senior linebacker Zach Vigil sacked Hawaii’s Woolsey for a 16-yard loss, causing a fumble. Sophomore safety Devin Centers picked up the football and ran it into the end zone. The Rainbow Warriors never got a sustained drive going after that.
Myers, the Aggies’ fourth-string quarterback, was a question mark coming into the Hawaii contest. He didn’t play like it.
Myers went 14 of 15 for 186 yards. He didn’t show any early game jitters either, going 11 of 11 for 162 yards and three touchdowns into halftime. The Aggies led 28-14
Myers stretched the field with long sideline strikes when Hawaii left Sharp in man-to-man coverage. On his fourth pass, Myers dropped a ball in the outstretched hands of the receiver. The legs of Hunter, a former standout trickster out of Palmdale, California, did the rest.
In the second half, the Aggies put the ball in another freshman’s hands. LaJuan Hunt ran for 150 yards on 33 carries. He kept the chains moving, and the clock ticking down as USU rolled to victory.
It wasn't all pretty for Utah State. Utah State junior receiver JoJo Natson and sophomore cornerback Daniel Gray were suspended Saturday. Neither saw action in Hawaii. Both are expected back next week.
Hawaii also was its own worst enemy. Penalties doomed a Rainbow Warriors comeback.
None were more costly than a roughing-the-passer kicker by the Rainbow Warriors when Scott Harding returned a punt for touchdown. The 28-year-old and former five-year pro for the Brisbane Lions of the Australian rules football might have been the most dynamic player on the field.
But Utah State was the more complete team. Myers wasn’t too bad, either.
“I like his dual threat ability,” Wells said about Myers before the game. “He obviously did some things that I thought were going to be conducive to what we do on offense. He throws the ball on the run very, very well.”
Wells added, “As long as he takes care of the ball, he's stingy with the ball, he's smart with his decisions we will be fine, he doesn't have to win the game. He just has to not lose it.”
Next up for the Aggies is Wyoming in Laramie on Friday.