Oct. 14, 2004

UTAH STATE AGGIES Game-Day Notes at Clemson, Oct. 16, 2004

HERE TO HELP - Athletic Media Relations Director Mike Strauss is here to assist you in your coverage of Utah State at today's game. Please do not hesitate to call on him assistance.

POSTGAME - The Utah State lockerroom is closed to the media. After a brief cooling off period Coach Mick Dennehy will be available at a designated area. Players will then be made available as well. All player requests should be made to Strauss prior to the five minute mark of the fourth quarter.

SEASON AND GAME CAPTAINS -- The USU football team has selected season captains for the second straight year. QB Travis Cox (#4) will represent the offense, LB Robert Watts (#30) will represent the defense and CB/KOR Jerome Dennis (#20) will represent the special teams.

An USU Win Would... • Give USU its third win of the year, matching last year's season victory total (3-9). • Be its first against a member of one of the big six conferences since beating Kansas State of the then Big Eight in 1992. • Stop a two-game losing streak. • Give USU two road wins this season for its most since posting a 2-4 road record in 2000.

An USU Loss Would... • Give USU three straight losses. • Drop USU to 0-3 against current members of the ACC all-time • As always, be less good than a win.

THINGS TO LOOK FOR IN SATURDAY'S GAME • DL Ronald Tupea should make his team-best 37th consecutive start as well as his team-best 37th career start. • Other Aggies with long current consecutive start streaks include OT Donald Penn (27), LB Robert Watts (23) and QB Travis Cox (18). • QB Travis Cox enters the game with 4,042 career passing yards and needs just 141 yards to pass Ron Lopez (4,182) for seventh on the USU career passing yardage list. • Cox has thrown at least one touchdown pass in seven straight games and in 17 of his 18 career starts. • USU has had at least seven different players record a reception in 11 consecutive games.

FRESHMEN AND NEWCOMERS STANDING OUT -- Here is a look at how much influence USU's freshmen and newcomers are having on the team this season: Rushing - Fr. Chris Forbes leads the team while newcomers Rod McNeal and Peter Shields are second and third respectively.

Receiving - Fr. Kevin Robinson is second in catches and yards. Scoring - Fr. Kevin Robinson leads the team, while Fr. Chris Forbes is tied for second. Of the Eight players with touchdowns, three are freshman (Robinson, Forbes, and Tarrell Richards). Newcomer Blake Garrett's first collegiate reception was for a touchdown.

Interceptions - Fr. Antonio Taylor is tied for the team lead with two pickoffs, wile newcomer Jarrett Bush is tied for third with one.

Punt Returns - Fr. Kevin Robinson leads not only the team, but the NCAA, while newcomers Jarrett Bush and Rod McNeal are second and third on the team.

Kickoff Returns - Newcomer Rod McNeal leads the team while Fr. Kevin Robinson is third.

Starting Lineup - Freshmen who have started include OG Pace Jorgensen (5 games), FS Antonio Taylor (2), TB Chris Forbes (3), TE Jimmy Bohm (2), OT E.J. Reid (2), WR Kevin Robinson (2). Non freshman newcomers who have started include OT Justin Schlimgen (4), WR Rod McNeal (3), CB Jarrett Bush (1), and TB Peter Shields (1).

SOUTHEAST FLAVOR -- While Utah State does not have any players on its roster from the state of South Carolina, several Aggies are from the southeast part of the country in TB Chris Forbes (Miami, Fla.), WR Rod McNeal (Lakeland, Fla.), TB Peter Shields (Seminole, Fla.), FB Gabe London (Lakeland, Fla.), OL Chad Foote (Hattiesburg, Miss.), DT Casey Cooper (Springfield, Va.).

A RECENT SOUTH CAROLINA CONNECTION -- One of USU's recent basketball standouts, Marcus Saxon is from Columbia (A.C. Flora HS), South Carolina. Saxon, former two-time all-state selection in high school, was a two-time first-team all-Big West selection at Utah State and led the Aggies to the 1998 NCAA Tournament.

LONG ROAD TRIP -- Utah State will travel 2,029 miles one way for the Clemson game. Here is a look at the longest road trips in USU history based on one-way mileage (according to Rand McNally):

Opponent Year Miles (one way) Result

1. at Miami        1978    2,667   L 16-172. at South Florida 2001    2,425   L 13-343. at Connecticut   2001    2,354   W 38-314. at Florida State 1975    2,213   L 8-175. at Army      1969    2,183   W 23-76. at Clemson       2004    2,029   --

FIRST TRIP TO SOUTH CAROLINA -- The state of South Carolina will be the 33rd different state that Utah State's football team will have traveled to in its history. It is also the 15th different state the Aggies have traveled to in the five-year Mick Dennehy era (USU will also make its first trip to Arkansas in the Dennehy era when the Aggies play at Arkansas State on Nov. 11).

NATIONAL LEADERS -- Entering this week's game, USU's Kevin Robinson leads the nation in punt return average, while the Aggies lead the country in team punt returns. While it is obviously still early in the season, here is a look at USU's all-time national statistical champions:

Team

Total Offense1963    395.3
Rushing Offense1960    312.0
Scoring Offense1961    38.71963    31.7
Rushing Defense1961    50.8
Punting1957    40.1
Kickoff Returns1978    26.7
Most Improved1942    +5.5

Individual

Rushing Avg.1974    Louie Giammona  153.4
Receptions   Avg.1972    Tom Forzani     7.72001    Kevin Curtis  9.1
Scoring  Pts.1953    Earl Lindley    81
Interceptions    No.1948    Jay Van Noy     81956    Jack Hill   71966    Henry King  11
Punt Returns Avg./Yds1961    Tom Larscheid   23.41962    Darrell Roberts     333
Kickoff Returns  Avg./Yds1957    Overton Curtis  6951967    Altie Taylor    31.9
All-Purpose  Avg.1956    Jack Hill   169.11957    Overton Curtis  160.81974    Louie Giammona  198.41975    Louie Giammona  185.92000    Emmett White  238.9

USU NOTE-ABLE -- USU has had four different players record at least five catches in a game this year and each of those players have accomplished that feat twice (Raymond Hicks, Rod McNeal, Tony Pennyman (three times), and Kevin Robinson)... This will be just the second game this year USU will play on natural grass (Alabama) (USU replaced its natural grass with SprintTurf this season)... USU is 12-12 in day games as opposed to 6-21 in night contests in the Mick Dennehy era... USU has had a different leading rusher in each of its last three games (McNeal vs. UNLV, Cox vs. Troy and Shields vs. North Texas).

MONDAY PRESS CONFERENCE -- Utah State will hold its weekly press conference at the Copper Mill Restaurant on Monday. The press conference will feature Head Coach Mick Dennehy and two players at 11:30 a.m.

MITEY MITE UPDATE - After a perfect 7-0 regular season, the Logan Mitey Mites (8-9-10 year olds) began the playoffs with a 13-0 win against South Ogden last Saturday. The Mitey Mites scored on their opening possession and then added a fourth-quarter score (nine yard run by QB Bradley Strauss, the son of USU media relations director Mike Strauss). The young Strauss then sealed the game with a 42-yard interception return on South Ogden's final possession. The defending Mini Bowl champions meet Farmington in the semifinals this Saturday with the winner playing in the Mini Bowl Championship game at Romney Stadium on the USU campus on Oct. 23. Meanwhile six-year old Cole Strauss's flag football team, the Broncos, have started their season 4-0. The youngest Strauss played the first three games with a cast on his left arm, but it was removed Monday and he played his first game without it on Tuesday. He scored one touchdown, while making approximately five "tackles" according to sources at the game.