LOGAN, Utah – Utah State football held its 11th practice of fall camp Tuesday morning and the Aggie running backs are anxious to carry a big load for the offense this fall as it returns one starter to go along with three more letterwinners.
 
"The running backs have been doing well so far this camp, but we still have a long way to go," said second-year running backs coach Chuckie Keeton. "It's definitely good to have Calvin (Tyler Jr.) back as a returning starter and the entire group is just building on getting better every single day. Those reps last year are going to be useful for what they're going to accomplish this year. So, we're continuing to narrow our focus on what we have to improve on."
 
Utah State returns one of the top running backs in the Mountain West this fall in Tyler, who started 11 of the 12 games he played in during his first season with the program. In 2021, Tyler rushed for 884 yards on 196 carries (4.5 ypc/73.7 ypg) and seven touchdowns to lead the team in each category, while adding 11 receptions for 50 yards (4.6 ypr) as he finished the year with 934 all-purpose yards. Tyler also had four 100-yard rushing games during the season, including a career-high 132 yards on 19 carries with a career-high two touchdowns at Air Force, and 120 yards on a career-high 26 carries, including one touchdown, against Oregon State in the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl.
 
"Fall camp has been great for the running backs and we have been executing well with having another year in this offense and more experience," said Tyler. "The expectations are for all of us to take a bigger role and executing when we get in the game. We just want to come in and do the job and make the team better."
 
Other letterwinners returning here include seniors Cooper Jones and Pailate Makakona, and junior John Gentry. Gentry has played in 19 games during his first two seasons at USU and gained 235 yards on 66 attempts (3.6 ypc) last season. Makakona has played in 17 games in his two seasons with the program and rushed for 101 yards on 42 attempts (2.4 ypc) last season.  And, Jones has appeared in nine games during his first two years at USU on special teams, but does not have any offensive statistics.
 
Along with the four players mentioned above, Utah State also added three newcomers to the group with one four-year transfer in Jordan Wilmore (Inglewood, California/Lawndale HS/Fresno State), one junior college transfer in sophomore Bailee Davenport (Spring, Texas/Spring HS/Kilgore JC) and one freshman in Robert Briggs (Bellville, Texas/Bellville HS).
 
"The thing that has impressed me the most so far is the way the offense and defense have been competing. We're more intense than ever and we're very competitive. I love the energy. We don't have to be talked to. We've been coming ready to compete every day," added Tyler.
 
All fall camp practices are closed to the public. Fans are invited to watch Utah State's final scrimmage on Saturday, Aug. 13, at 2 p.m., as part of its annual Family Football Fun Day, held on Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium.
 
Utah State will open the 2022 season on Saturday, Aug. 27, when it hosts Connecticut at 2 p.m., in a game that will be nationally televised on Fox Sports 1. USU then plays at Alabama on Saturday, Sept. 3, and hosts Weber State on Saturday, Sept. 10, before beginning MW play at home against UNLV on Saturday, Sept. 24, in a game that will be nationally televised on CBS Sports Network at 5 p.m.
 
For Aggie football ticket information, fans can contact the USU Athletics Ticket Office over the phone by calling 1-888-USTATE-1 or 435-797-0305 during regular hours of operation. Fans can also buy their tickets in person at the USU Ticket Office inside the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum or online by clicking on the "Buy Tickets" tab at www.UtahStateAggies.com.
 
Fans can follow the Aggie football program at twitter.com/USUFootball or on Facebook at Utah State Football, as well as on Instagram at instagram.com/USUFootball. Aggie fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program at twitter.com/USUAthletics or on Facebook at Utah State University Athletics.