Nov. 20, 2003

LOGAN, Utah - UTAH STATE AGGIES Game-Day Notes at Idaho, Nov. 22, 2003

HERE TO HELP -- Mike Strauss of the USU Athletic Media Relations office is on hand to assist you in your coverage of Utah State today. Please do not hesitate to call on him for assistance.

POSTGAME POLICY -- The Utah State lockerroom is closed to the media. Coach Mick Dennehy will be available for the media at a designated area after a brief cooling off period. When he is finished, requested players will be brought to that area as well. Please inform Mike Strauss which players you would like to interview prior to the five-minute mark of the fourth quarter.

SEASON CAPTAINS -- Utah State selected season captains for the first time in the Mick Dennehy era. TE Chris Cooley (#89) will represent the offense, LB Robert Watts (#30) will represent the defense and CB/KOR Jerome Dennis (#20) will represent the special teams units. Each week the USU coaches will select a game captain to join the regular season captains. This week's game captain is CB Mark Estelle (#2).

A Utah State Win Would... * Give USU four wins to match last season's victory total. * Stop a seven-game road losing streak. * Be its fifth straight win at Moscow. * Improve USU to 4-3 in the Sun Belt and assure a tie for second place in the league.

A Utah State Loss Would... * Drop the Aggies to 3-9, its most losses in a year since a 1-10 record in 1984. * Be its eighth straight road loss, including an 0-7 mark this year. * Be less good than a win.

THINGS TO LOOK FOR -- Here are some things to look for in today's game: * TE Chris Cooley needs two catches to become the USU career leader for receptions by a tight end as Aubrey Thompson had 87 from 1992-93. Cooley enters today's game with 86 catches. * TE Chris Cooley has recorded at least two receptions in 16 consecutive games. * TB David Fiefia needs 97 yards for 1,000 this season (has 903). * QB Travis Cox needs just 26 yards for 10th on the USU season passing list and 241 for ninth (has 2,469). * S Terrance Washington needs just one interception for fifth on the USU season list (has five). * NG Ronald Tupea should make his team-high 30th consecutive start. * WR Kenny Coleman is the only Aggie to record a catch in all 11 games this year. * USU's last three touchdowns have all been on rushing plays.

WHEN UTAH STATE HAS THE BALL (Sun Belt Conference Ranking) * USU 2nd in passing offense (234.7) vs. UI 2nd in passing defense (188.2) * USU 1st in red zone offense (89.7 percent) vs. UI 1st in red zone defense (75.5 percent)

WHEN IDAHO HAS THE BALL (Sun Belt Conference Ranking) * UI 1st in passing offense (256.6) vs. USU 1st in passing defense (187.5) * UI 2nd in total offense (380.4) vs. USU 2nd in total defense (357.1) * USU 1st in sacks (22) * UI 3rd in 3rd-down conversions (39.1 percent) vs. USU 2nd in opponent 3rd-down conversions (37.4 percent)

ALL-STAR AGGIES -- Three Aggies have been invited to play in postseason all-star games. Here is a look: * TE Chris Cooley - Senior Bowl * OG Trevor Hutton - Las Vegas All-Star Game * CB Mark Estelle - Rotary Gridiron Classic

COOLEY SETTING USU TIGHT END RECORDS -- USU TE Chris Cooley established a school record for receptions by a tight end last week as he pulled in his 52nd ball of the season. That total passed Aubrey Thompson, who had 51 catches in 1993. Cooley needs just two receptions against Idaho to pass Thompson's tight end career mark of 87 in 1992 and 1993.

AGGIE PERFORMANCES VS. IDAHO -- Here is a look at some notable Utah State performances against Idaho: * USU's 662 total yards against Idaho in 1997 are the third most in school history. * USU produced 569 yards against the Vandals in 2000 for the 12th most in school history. * Three of the top 10 passing games in school history have come against Idaho with 439 in 2000 (sixth), 416 in 1972 (eighth) and 396 in 1997 (10th). * USU's 501 rushing yards against Idaho in 1960 are the most in school history. * In 1961 USU limited Idaho to 23 total yards, the fewest allowed in USU history. * USU's 69-0 win in 1961 ranks as the sixth-largest victory margin in school history. * Two Aggies have run for at least 200 yards in games against Idaho as Louie Giammona ran for 247 in 1974 and Melvin Blue rushed for 224 in 1997. * Jim Turner holds the school record for the longest fumble return in school history as he ran 100 yards with a dropped ball against the Vandals in 1962. * Jerry Arguello has the school's second-longest punt with a 77-yarder against Idaho in 1998.

USU NOTE-ABLE * S Terrance Washington ranks seventh in the nation among freshmen tacklers at 7.5 per game. * TB David Fiefia is the only player in the Sun Belt Conference with at least 100 yards in each of the four categories that make up all-purpose yardage (rushing, receiving, punt returns and kickoff returns). * If QB Travis Cox plays and does not throw for one yard, he will average 205.75 yards per game passing for the season. Steven Jyles of UL-Monroe is second in the league with a 184.1 average and UI's Brian Lindgren is third at 182.7. Jyles would need to throw for 422 yards to pass Cox, while Lindgren would need 437 yards. * TE Chris Cooley is still ranked as the nation's number one tight end by CBS.Sportsline.com. * The opponents' last six touchdowns have come on rushing plays. * USU's defense allowed just two Troy State touchdowns after the offense turned the ball over seven times last Saturday.

(USU Consecutive Games With At Least Two Receptions (since 1990) 1. Kevin Curtis 22 (2001-02) 1. Nakia Jenkins 22 (1996-97) 3. Aubrey Thompson 18 (1992-93) 4. Chris Cooley 16 (2002-pres.) 4. Emmett White 15 (2000-01) 5. Gary Coleman 14 (2001-02) 6. Aaron Jones 13 (1999-2000) 7. Tracey Jenkins 12 (1990-91)

MONDAY PRESS CONFERENCE -- Utah State will hold its final weekly press conference at the Copper Mill Restaurant Monday at noon. Coach Dennehy will be available to wrap up the season. Aggie basketball coach Stew Morrill will hold a press conference at 11:30 a.m.

www.UtahStateAggies.com