LOGAN — At the close of the early signing period for recruiting back in December, there were questions as to whether the Utah State Aggies had done enough on the recruiting trail.
With only eight players signed in the 2020 class, USU appeared to be in real danger of not restocking the proverbial cupboard.
Throw in some major changes in the coaching staff, including a new offensive coordinator in Bodie Reeder and, as was announced Wednesday morning, a new running backs coach in Dave Schramm, and it was fair to question how Utah State’s 2020 class would look when all was said and done.
Those questions, it turns out, were largely unwarranted.
Utah State head coach Gary Andersen officially reeled in his second recruiting class at USU on Wednesday and it did not disappoint. The Aggies added 24 players, including 19 high school athletes, three junior college transfers and two four-year transfers.
“All these kids, minus the ones leaving on their missions, are going to compete to play. There will be a lot of competition from these kids to get on the field, whether it is special teams, offense or defense.” — Utah State coach Gary Andersen
Five of the high school signees are expected to serve missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints before joining the Aggies, including, but not limited to kicker/punter Ryan Marks, athlete Otto Tia and defensive lineman Poukesi Vakauta. Four signees, meanwhile, are returning missionaries themselves, namely linebacker Mata Hola, defensive end Josh Sterzer, linebacker Ismael Vaifo’ou and athlete Crew Wakley.
In total, the state of Utah produced the most signees with eight, followed by six players from California, three from Texas, and one player each from Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Virginia and Australia.
USU’s class includes 12 recruits on defense, six on offense, and four specialists, along with two athletes.
“We stayed within our recruiting model,” Andersen said. “If you sit back and look at it, there are eight young men, signees from the state of Utah, which is always big for us. There are nine missionaries, five that will be going on missions and four that are returning. That is a big part of our program. And there is a strong Polynesian presence in this class, which is what we expect. Twenty-four additions and 19 new faces, six who are already in the program, with possibly one more. We will have 12 or 13 new faces in summer conditioning, which is a low number, but just as we thought it would be. All these kids, minus the ones leaving on their missions, are going to compete to play. There will be a lot of competition from these kids to get on the field, whether it is special teams, offense or defense.”
The headliners of the class include players from all three avenues of recruiting; high school, JUCO and transfers.
Chief among them is running back John Gentry out of Houston, Texas, a one-time Arkansas commit and the second-highest rated recruit in program history, per 247Sports.
“That was a battle to the very end,” Andersen said of Gentry’s recruitment.
JUCO wide receiver Justin McGriff is another, as the fourth-highest rated recruit ever to come to Logan.
“Watch his tape,” said Andersen of the 6-foot-6 pass-catcher. “He is a giant wide receiver.”
McGriff and the other JUCO transfers, defensive tackle James Hansen and cornerback Xavion Steele, are expected to contribute immediately.
“They have to help us,” said Andersen. “If they don’t. I’ve failed, the recruiting guys have failed and the players have failed. That is why we recruited them and I expect them to do that.”
As for the four-year transfers, both defensive end Marcus Moore, via UCLA, and linebacker Keegan Duncan, via Boise State, rate among the seven highest-rated recruits in program history.
“Just watch the tape on Marcus,” Andersen said. “And Keegan, he is a young player but I expect him to come in and compete for a starting job.”
The group Andersen was arguably the most excited about was the quartet of returning missionaries, though.
“I love that crew. I love that crew,” he said. “That is a crew that is long, athletic and compete like crazy. Their film jumps out at you and they love Utah State. Those will be four different makers as we move forward.”
For all the signees, the Aggies are not done yet. Andersen made a point of noting that USU is still looking to add an experienced running back and linebacker, ideally as graduate transfers.
“That’d be key for us,” he said. “We would like to find those players who we deem are difference makers who can affect our team next year to make us better.”
Holes aside, Andersen and USU had a successful signing day.
“We wanted to recruit length and we got that done,” Andersen said. “We wanted to recruit speed and we got that done. We wanted to recruit football intelligence and I believe we got that done. Most importantly, we wanted to recruit kids who love the game of football. I believe we have met those. This is a great group of kids.”
Utah State’s 2020 recruiting class
Enrollees
James Hansen
DE, 6-4, 275, Fullerton, California (Riverside CC)
Stephen Kotsanlee
P, 6-1, 203, Melbourne, Australia (Prokick Australia)
Elelyon Noa
RB, 5-8, 190, La Mesa, California (Helix Charter HS)
Xavion Steele
CB, 5-10, 181, Orange, California (Fullerton College)
Signed letter of intent
Justice Ena
OL, 6-3, 280, Smithfield, Utah (Western Albemarle HS)
Bowen Fjord
S, 6-2, 190, Boerne, Texas (Boerne-Champion HS)
Jacob Garcia
LS, 6-1, 230, Anaheim, California (Servite HS)
John Gentry
RB, 5-10, 186, Houston, Texas (Galena Park North Shore HS)
Broc Lane
TE, 6-4, 225, Gilbert, Arizona (Perry HS)
Luke Marion
S, 6-0, 185, Tualatin, Oregon (Tualatin HS)
Ryan Marks
K/P, 6-0, 200, Farmington, Utah (Farmington HS)
Breaker Mendenhall
S, 6-3, 180, Crozet, Virginia (Western Albemarle HS)
Dahlin Mesake
OLB, 6-3, 230, Las Vegas, Nevada (Bishop Gorman HS)
Justin McGriff
WR, 6-6, 220, Tampa, Florida (ASA College)
Jakob Robinson
CB, 5-10, 160, Orem, Utah (Orem HS)
Joey Rouly
PK, 6-0, 190, Anaheim, California (Canyon HS)
Otto Tia
Athlete, 6-3, 205, Layton, Utah (Northridge HS)
Poukesi Vakauta
DT, 5-11, 258, Euless, Texas (Trinity HS)
Transfers
Keegan Duncan
LB, 6-3, 220, Declo, Idaho (Boise State)
Marcus Moore
DE, 6-2, 255, Pasadena, California (UCLA)
Returning missionaries
Mata Hola
OLB, 6-3, 230, Sandy, Utah (Alta HS)
Josh Sterzer
DE, 6-4, 225, Salt Lake City, Utah (Taylorsville HS)
Ismael “Izzy” Vaifo’ou
OLB, 6-3, 200, Salt Lake City, Utah (Highland HS)
Crew Wakley
Athlete, 6-2, 190, Sandy, Utah (Alta HS)