Every time those guys do something great it reflects back on the program. – USU defensive coordinator Kevin Clune

PHOENIX — In a lot of ways, the NFL success of middle linebacker Bobby Wagner and running back Robert Turbin is a microcosm of the overall elevation of the Utah State football program in the past few years.

It’s appropriate, since the duo was instrumental in building a program that has finished with double-digit victories in two of the past three seasons and has played in four straight bowl games.

On Sunday, Wagner and Turbin will head back to the Super Bowl with Seattle when the Seahawks face the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX. The fact it’s the second straight appearance in the title game for the third-year pros is a benefit to their alma mater.

"Every time those guys do something great it reflects back on the program," Utah State defensive coordinator Kevin Clune said.

The fact they've played significant roles on a championship-caliber team is no fluke, and their success beyond Utah State is having a residual effect on the Logan school.

Wagner has started all but one game he's played since he was selected by the Seahawks in the 2012 NFL draft. Each season, he's finished in triple-digit tackles, and this year he was named a first-team NFL All-Pro selection.

Turbin, also a 2012 Seahawks draftee, has steadily been a contributor for the offense while backing up leading carrier Marshawn Lynch. His versatility is a welcomed addition to the offensive arsenal, and Turbin scored his first two regular-season touchdowns of his pro career in 2014.

Impact on the current program

Utah State head coach Matt Wells sees three ways that Wagner and Turbin have positively influenced Utah State after they left for the NFL.

First, their success has an impact on Utah State's current players, giving them an example of hard work, determination and perseverance.

"It’s a tremendous example for our guys because they know those guys, and it’s real to them," Wells said.

Clune, who coached the Aggies linebackers from 2009-13, remembers the hunger he saw in Wagner to make plays, and it's carried over to the pros.

"When he was with us, it didn’t matter what the play was he was going to find his way to the football and make a tackle," Clune said of the heady linebacker. "Every play was going to be a play he had to find a way to make."

Turbin credited the people at Utah State for the reason he and Wagner will take the field at University of Phoenix Stadium and play for another championship.

"All the things we went through — the lessons we learned, the improvements we made while we were there — they’re part of the reason why we’re here today," he said during Super Bowl Media Day Tuesday. "It’s just a testament to the people around Utah State."

Impact on recruiting

The type of players Utah State is able to bring to Cache Valley, and the belief coaches can instill in them about the Aggie program has also benefited greatly from Wagner and Turbin's pro success, Wells said.

"It serves for great recognition for our football program in a recruiting sense," Wells said. "People know where they’re from and the kind of kids we continue to put out as far as character and talent."

With National Letter of Intent day less than a week away, the Aggies' coaching staff — like those all around the country — is busily making final contacts in order to land a solid recruiting class. Utah State can point to its recent achievements as proof that Logan is a place where players can be molded into recognizable stars.

"There’s a lot of times when a recruit might be trying to choose where they want to go and sometimes they’ll get into the belief that you need to go to a big-time school to get looked at for the NFL, and that’s not the case," Clune said.

The evidence, at least on a local scale? In the past four seasons, Utah State has had eight players selected in the NFL draft. That is more than Utah (seven) or BYU (two) during that span. Seven of the Aggies' draftees from that stretch are still in the league, and ones like Arizona's Kerwynn Williams, who rushed for 100 yards in his first NFL action this year, are also making noise like Wagner and Turbin.

Wagner said the impact of his success in college and the pros, as well as that from other former Aggies who've recently entered the NFL, can have an effect on the future.

"Our school’s definitely been put on the map since I left. To continue to represent them in a positive way is a good thing," he said. "If you see somebody from Utah State and he’s doing a good job, it makes you want to go to Utah State."

Of the 13 Aggies currently on NFL rosters, nine have entered the league in the past three seasons.

"It’s very reflective of where our program is right now as far as producing draft picks and graduates," Wells said. "We’re also proud of where we’re at as a program to put guys at the next level, but more importantly graduate every kid for the last six years on time."

Impact on the school overall

Outside of the playing field, Utah State as an institution is reaping the rewards of Wagner and Turbin carrying the flag for the school, Wells said.

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"I think it just continues to shed a positive light on the kind of young men and women that Utah State is producing out there," he said. "Those are both graduates, they both graduated on time and they’re being very productive football players."

Turbin sees a bright future for his alma mater.

"The sky’s the limit for Utah State," said Turbin, who turned down the chance to go elsewhere because he sensed something inviting at the Logan school. "There was something about Utah State, and I felt the school could be special. I wanted to go there and do everything I could to make it a special school and they’re doing that."

Email: bjudd@deseretnews.com; Twitter: @brandonljudd

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