Aggies’ offense needs to start sharp after lengthy layoff
TUCSON, Ariz. — Utah State is a four-point favorite over New Mexico State in Friday’s Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl, which in case you haven’t heard, is a rematch of the 1960 Sun Bowl, NMSU’s last postseason appearance.
But aside from the historical significance of reaching a bowl game, the Arizona Bowl is an intriguing match up between two 6-6 teams that don’t have any big wins, but neither has suffered what you would consider a bad loss.
“They couldn’t have picked a better matchup for us,” Aggies senior running back Larry Rose III said. “They have things they do really good and we have things we do really well. The record says the same. We are both 6-6 so it can’t get much more even than that.”
Knock the rust off early
New Mexico State throws the football — a lot. The Aggies’ 587 pass attempts are the second most this season and NMSU ranks fourth in country in passing offense with 352.6 yards per game. But the Aggies haven’t played a game since Dec. 2 against South Alabama.
Aggies senior quarterback Tyler Rogers is second in the country with 347.7 passing yards per game this season and has improved throughout the second half of the season. Since a six-interception loss to Appalachian State, Rogers has completed
64.3 percent of his passes (62.3 percent for the season) for 1,712 yards with 10 touchdowns and five interceptions.
Rogers said he expected his right shoulder, which he injured against Louisiana, keeping him out of the game against Idaho, to be 100 percent by kickoff.
“You did see the drop off from the first couple of practices when our timing was off, but I think we have gotten it back and I think we will be fine by the bowl game,” Rogers said prior to the Christmas holiday.
Aggies head coach Doug Martin said NMSU’s practice sessions have been productive.
“That’s the concern is our timing for a passing team like us,” Martin said. “I was encouraged when we gave them the week of finals off and when they came back out, I have never been around a group who enjoyed practice as much as this group for the bowl game and it’s been intense practices. I would like to think our guys are going to be ready for this.”
The Aggies practiced twice in Tucson and once in Las Cruces the day after Christmas.
Utah State finished the season fourth in the Mountain West Conference, allowing 181.8 yards per game. Utah State has 23 quarterback sacks out of a 3-4 defensive front that moves around to create match ups and a secondary that features All-American cornerback Jalen Davis.
“I think we have done a pretty good job [against pressure defenses],” said Rogers, who has been sacked 28 times this season. “I think having this long of time to kind of see and anticipate some of the pressures they will be bringing, I think [senior center Jamin Smith] will do a good job seeing it.
“A lot of it comes on me too is knowing when I will be hot and getting the ball out fast.”
Although Utah State mixes its coverage well, NMSU senior receiver Jaleel Scott against Davis one of a handful of interesting individual match ups on Friday that could help determine who will win.
Scott was the first NMSU receiver to top 1,000 yards since Austin Franklin in 2012. At 6-foot-6, Scott has a 7-inch height advantage over Davis, who is listed at 5-foot-10. But Davis was an Associated Press secondteam All-American for Utah State with five interceptions with three of those returned for touchdowns.
“He plays all over the field and lines up against the other team’s best personnel,” Scott said. “He’s quick and he’s smart. He’s a senior so I just have to stay with my fundamentals and beating him to the spots.”
The Aggies have established themselves as a passing team this season, but senior running back Larry Rose III has still had a productive season with 807 yards with nine touchdowns this season on 4.7 yards per carry.
“We have been a passing team and every team that plays us starts by getting pressure on the quarterback and trying to eliminate the passing game,” Martin said. “We feel that we are very capable of running the football and it’s important that we run the ball effectively.”
Rose could slow down Utah State’s pressure if the Aggies get the run going early. Utah State
“They have a really good front three so it’s going to be a test for the O-Line,” Rose said. “That is what keeps the defense going for them. They are not big on edge rushing, but just big strong physical guys who can fill holes and cause problems.”
While the Aggies are a pass heavy offense, Utah State is about as balanced offensively as teams come.
Utah State has size along the offensive line, and wider splits make it hard to get to either quarterback Jordan Love (1,377 passing yards with eight touchdowns and six interceptions) or Kent Myers (1,278 passing yards with eight touchdowns and seven interceptions).
“They throw the ball well and they run it well enough to be balanced,” Aggies defensive coordinator Frank Spaziani said. “Their featured running back is pretty good and their quarterbacks run the ball well and they have a good tight end. They are up tempo but it’s been some games more than others.”
Utah State will take shots down the field, but slowing the running game and identifying tight end Dax Raymond on third down will be vital.