Can Utah State turn its victory over Wyoming into something more? Can the win over the rival Cowboys spark something for the Aggies?
Those are some of the biggest questions surrounding USU football now, coming off its final bye week of the season with a difficult road trip to No. 20 Washington State on the slate this Saturday.
At 2-6 overall, Utah State has had a challenging season thus far, with games against four teams that have been ranked in the Top 25 at one point (Washington State will make it five).
There was also a run of six straight losses, more than a few of which were fairly uncompetitive. But did the win over Wyoming change anything, other than snapping that losing streak? Does Utah State actually have some momentum now?
Interim head coach Nate Dreiling isn’t a huge believer in momentum. At least not the positive kind.
“Momentum is real if you are mentally weak and it rolls over top of you cause you can’t stand and fight against it,” he said. “You just kind of crumble and that is when the snowball effect happens and everything just gets worse and worse. That is true.”
When it comes to winning games and having success, Dreiling is much more of a believer that hard work gets it done. Mental toughness and execution, rather than something as amorphous as momentum.
“If you have a mentally tough team, they (your opponent) might get a couple of plays, but you know that is totally irrelevant to what is going to happen on the next snap because we’ve reset and are back to zero and back to playing my way and my game,” he said.
That doesn’t mean that the Aggies haven’t been energized by their win, though.
Defensive back DJ Graham noted that now that USU has experienced that taste of victory again, it wants more.
“We like that feeling,” Graham said. “We haven’t felt that feeling since Robert Morris. We want to feel that again.”
Dreiling and Graham, as well as tight end Josh Sterzer, noted Monday that there is a different spirit around USU football right now.
Not in terms of work ethic, but excitement.
“We are in great moods,” Dreiling said. “Great spirits.”
“That win was a huge morale booster,” Graham added. “We had something to prove. We have carried that over into (prep for) Washington State. We want the result that we wish for, and that is a W.”
The Aggies need any kind of boost they can get at this point.
Not just because Washington State stands as yet another difficult opponent — the Cougars are 7-1 on the year, their only loss coming against Boise State — but because the Aggies are bruised and battered right now. In a major way.
Dreiling joked a bit about it, but then noted that pretty much any player injured right now is out for the year for Utah State. Confirmed players no longer available this season for Utah State include:
- Robert Briggs, running back.
- Jalen Royals, wide receiver.
- Broc Lane, tight end.
- Taz Williams, defensive tackle.
- Miguel Jackson, defensive tackle.
- Enoka Migao, defensive end.
- Blaine Spires, defensive end.
- Gabe Peterson, defensive end.
- Clyde Washington, linebacker.
- Jon Ross Maye, linebacker.
- Logan Pili, linebacker.
Of that group, eight were listed as starters Week 1 of the season and all were on the two-deep (ish) roster against Robert Morris.
And the reality is that more players are surely unavailable than Dreiling has publicly confirmed.
The Aggies are young and inexperienced right now, more than at any point this season, with very little depth, especially on defense.
And yet, the win at Wyoming has given them renewed reason to believe.
“We had a great practice yesterday and I feel like we’ve carried over the Wyoming win a little bit,” Graham said. “You can feel that in practice.”
Dreiling contends that they didn’t need it, though.
“When we were 1-5 or 1-6, or now 2-6, it is crazy,” he said. “You walk into work every day and everyone is smiling. They are working their butts off. They know there is a lot left for us this season, as long as we keep getting a little bit better.”
A little bit of momentum in Utah State’s favor can’t hurt, though.
