LOGAN, Utah – One of the constants with Utah State football under assistant coach Kyle Cefalo has been the play of his wide receivers during his first three years with the program, which has included the development of two All-Americans.
 
With the Aggies returning four letterwinners this fall, including one of the premier wideouts in the nation, the 2024 campaign is shaping up to be another banner season for Utah State's wide receivers.
 
"It's been a really good fall camp," said Cefalo, who is in his first year as USU's offensive coordinator. "I've been very proud of the group. We only have one new face in that room. The majority of the players were here in the spring and even last fall, and a couple of years on top of that."
 
The Returners
Highlighting this group is senior Jalen Royals, who was named a College Football Network Third-Team All-American and first-team all-Mountain West selection last year after catching 71 passes for 1,080 yards and a school-record 15 touchdowns. He also had seven touchdown receptions of at least 50 yards to lead the nation and four 100-yard receiving games to lead the team.
 
"Jalen can do whatever he wants to on a football field," said Cefalo. "He has unlimited potential and his ceiling his gigantic. He is very steady and consistent. He built a lot of confidence last year and understands the things he still wants to work on. He knows there is work to be done and he knows he has to put that work in. I'm excited to find ways to get him the football and let him have an incredible last year for us."
 
Utah State returns three more letterwinners here in graduate seniors Colby Bowman and Kyrese White, and junior Otto Tia. Bowman is the most experienced player in this group as he played in all 13 games with six starts last year in his first year in the program and had 11 receptions for 247 yards (22.5 ypr) and two touchdowns.
 
"Kyrese and Otto have patiently waited behind some very good players," added Cefalo. "They never got discouraged and kept working, and now they have put themselves into positions where they will be out there with the first group, and they've earned those opportunities."
 
In addition to the four letterwinners mentioned above, Utah State welcomes back five more players here in junior Kahanu Davis, and freshmen Cole Christensen and Jackson Olsen, who all redshirted a season ago, along with sophomores Grant Page and Quentin Riley.
 
The Newcomers
Along with the nine players mentioned above, Utah State added three newcomers here with a four-year transfer, a junior college player and a high school player. Junior Jack Hestera (Cedar Park, Texas/Cedar Park HS/Charlotte) highlights this group as he spent the 2023 season at Charlotte and caught 28 passes for 349 yards (12.5 ypr) and three touchdowns. Prior to that, he spent two seasons at Colorado (2021-22) as he played in 11 games in 2022 and finished the year with 14 receptions for 157 yards.
 
The one junior college transfer here is junior Robert Freeman IV (El Cerrito, Calif./El Cerrito HS/American River College) and the high school player is Tate Kjar (Draper, Utah/Corner Canyon HS). Freeman was named an All-American as a wide receiver during his sophomore season and an All-American as a kick returner during his freshman campaign at American River College in California. Overall, he had 90 receptions for 1,329 yards and 14 touchdowns and 3,034 all-purpose yards during his junior college career. Kjar posted 225 receptions for 3,585 yards and 35 touchdowns during his prep career at Corner Canyon High School in Draper, Utah.
 
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.
 
Parking
All Single-Game Parking sales will be cashless, starting this year. Those can be purchased in advance for $10 online, or for $15 on gamedays at the F lot entrances.
 
Follow
Fans can follow the Aggie football program with behind the scenes content and coverage on social media through X, Instagram and Facebook, along with visiting www.utahstateaggies.com.