LOGAN, Utah – To be a good football team, you must be experienced and talented in the trenches, and that is exactly what Utah State has with its offensive line heading into the 2024 season.
Overall, Utah State returns four starters to go along with three more letterwinners from last season. The Aggies also return three more players that redshirted a year ago and two others that were members of the team. Overall, eight players from this group have in-game experience and have combined to play in 161 career games with 69 starts.
"Fall camp has been awesome. It's great being in the same place for the second-straight year and I really have all my starters back," said co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Cooper Bassett. "I'm really excited about the continuity of the group. I would argue we are the tightest room on the team and the most cohesive unit. We have as much love in the room as anyone else. We're not the biggest or the strongest in the Mountain West, physically, but I do think we have tremendous athleticism and conditioning."
The Returners
Utah State's four returning starters here are graduate senior
Wyatt Bowles, senior
Falepule Alo, senior
Cole Motes and junior
Aloali'i Maui. Motes is the most experienced player here as he has 22 starts among his 31 games played, while Bowles has played in 40 games with eight starts. Alo has 15 starts among his 32 career games and Maui started nine of the 13 game he played in last season in his first year with the program.
Utah State has three more returners here with starting experience in sophomores
Teague Andersen,
Tavo Motu'apuaka and
Bryce Radford. Andersen played in 12 games with seven starts a year ago, Motu'apuaka started all seven games he played in last season and Radford played in 13 games with one start a year ago.
Furthermore, Utah State welcomes back two more offensive lineman in junior
Elia Migao, who has 13 career games played, and sophomore
Adam Pond. USU also welcomes back four redshirt freshmen in
Jarvis Griffiths, K'Leyone Iosua,
Cole Keele and
Jr Sia.
The Newcomers
In addition to the 13 returners listed above, Utah State added four newcomers to the offensive line, including a pair of four-year transfers and two high school players. Highlighting this group is junior
Trey Andersen (Eagle Mountain, Utah/Lehi HS/Pittsburgh), who spent three seasons at Pittsburgh (2021-23) and appeared in 21 games, while sophomore
George Maile (West Valley City, Utah/Bingham HS/Baylor) spent two seasons at Baylor (2022-23), appearing in 13 games.
The two freshmen joining the group are
Camden Jury (Gilbert, Ariz./Casteel HS) and
Caysen Whittaker (Highland, Utah/Skyridge HS).
Offensive Production in 2023
Utah State finished the 2023 season second in the Mountain West and 26th in the nation in scoring offense (33.2 ppg), first in the MW and 25th in the nation in total offense (438.6 ypg), second in the MW and 44th in the nation in passing efficiency (143.2), fourth in the MW and 30th in the nation in rushing offense (184.4 ypg), and fourth in the MW and 43rd in the nation in passing offense (254.2 ypg).
Utah State was also third in the MW and 39th in the nation in first downs with 284 (21.8 pg), fourth in the MW and 39th in the nation in fumbles lost with six (0.46 pg), sixth in the MW and 50th in the nation in red zone offense (.867), sixth in the MW and 52nd in the nation in passing yards per completion (12.29), and seventh in the MW and 53rd in the nation in fourth down conversions (.562).
Fall Schedule
Utah State opens the 2024 season on Saturday, Aug. 31, as it hosts Robert Morris and begins Mountain West play at Boise State on Saturday, Oct. 5.
Ticket Information
Season tickets and mini-plans for the 2024 season are on sale now. Purchase your tickets today to guarantee your seat for the return of the 'Battle of the Brothers' on Saturday, September 14th. To purchase visit utahstateaggies.com or call the ticket office at 435-797-0305.
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