Nov. 4, 2003
HERE TO HELP -- Mike Strauss of the USU athletic media relations office is on hand to provide assistance in your coverage of Utah State tonight. Please do not hesitate to call on him at any time.
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 S Ross Luna (#36).
A Utah State Win Would...
* Give USU three straight wins for the first time this season.
* Improve USU to 4-1 in the Sun Belt Conference behind only North Texas (4-0).
* Give USU a chance at a .500 season if the Aggies can win out, its first since 1997 (6-6)
A Utah State Loss Would...
* Stop a two-game winning streak.
* Be less good than a win.
THINGS TO LOOK FOR -- Here are some things to look for in tonight's game:
* TE Chris Cooley (985 receiving yards) needs 15 for 1,000 in his career.
*TE Chris Cooley has recorded at least two receptions in 14 straight games.
* TB David Fiefia (952 rushing yards) needs 48 for 1,000 in his career.
* QB Travis Cox has not thrown an interception in his last 83 pass attempts.
* CB Mark Estelle (19 PBUs) needs one pass break up for 20 in his career (he had 13 last year and has five this season).
* NG Ronald Tupea should make his team-high 28th consecutive start.
* USU will be looking to attempt its first field goal in seven games (no attempts since the third game of the year).
* USU has thrown at least one touchdown pass in 11 straight games.
* USU has held the opponent to less than 300 yards passing in 12 straight games.
USU Consecutive Games With A Touchdown Pass (since 1990)
1. Jose Fuentes 11 in 2001
2. Travis Cox 9 in 2003-pres.
2. Ron Lopez 8 in 1990
3. Matt Sauk 7 in 1997
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. Emmett White 15 (2000-01)
5. Chris Cooley 14 (2002-pres.)
5. Gary Coleman 14 (2001-02)
6. Aaron Jones 13 (1999-2000)
7. Tracey Jenkins 12 (1990-91)
DID YOU KNOW? -- On the front page of our weekly release I wrote that five different Aggies scored USU's five touchdowns on Saturday against Middle Tennessee, when it should have been six different players scored six touchdowns.
DID YOU KNOW? -- USU defensive coordinator Dave Kotulski played on the 1972 and 1973 New Mexico State teams which lost to Utah State 48-14 and 30-12 respectively.
USU PERFORMANCES VS. NEW MEXICO STATE -- Here is a look at some notable USU performances vs. New Mexico State:
* Emmett White set an NCAA single-game all-purpose yardage record against NMSU on Nov. 4, 2000 with 578 yards.
* White's 322 rushing yards in that game were a school record.
* White also became the first player in school history to produce 100 yards rushing and receiving in the same game in that 2000 contest.
* White also became the first USU running back to record 100 yards receiving in a game as well.
* Four USU Aggies have rushed for at least 200 yards against NMSU in history with White at 322 in 2000, Roger Grant 205 in 1991, Demario Brown 204 in 1998 and Abu Wilson 203 in 1994.
* Dene Garner holds the USU record for longest field goal with a 59-yarder against New Mexico State in 1986.
* Two of USU's eight 600-yard total offense games in history have come against New Mexico State as the Aggies produced 619 yards in 2000 and 605 in 1996.
* USU's 76-0 win against NMSU in 1964 is the fifth largest victory margin in school history.
USU Road Wins In The Dennehy Era
Oct. 14, 2000 W 17-12 at North Texas
Nov. 4, 2000 W 44-37 at New Mexico State
Nov. 10, 2001 W 38-31 at Connecticut
Nov. 16, 2002 W 19-16 at Troy State (OT)
USU MISCELLANEOUS NOTES -- Here is a look at some miscellaneous notes about Utah State:
* USU is 16-19 against non-ranked teams in the Mick Dennehy era as opposed to 0-7 vs. ranked teams.
* Last year USU played five straight games (six on the year) that were decided by one score or less, but this year every game has been decided by at least 10 points. USU was 4-2 in those close games last season.
SUN BELT STAT NOTES -- Here are some notes on USU's statistical rankings in the Sun Belt Conference:
* NMSU leads the Sun Belt Conference in rushing offense (227.7) and USU has allowed that many yards just once this year (Nebraska ran for 273).
* NMSU also leads the SBC in total offense (422.2) and USU has allowed that many yards twice this year (438 by Arizona State and 434 by Wyoming).
* USU leads the league in sacks with 18, while also allowing a league most 29.
* USU has attempted a league-low three field goals (made two), while NMSU has attempted the most in the league at 15 (made eight).
* USU has the league's best Red Zone offense scoring on 21 of 22 trips inside the opponent 20-yard line with 10 touchdowns.
* USU's 145 points scored and 67 points allowed in four conference games are the best marks in league games only.
PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE PLAYERS -- Here is a look at players in this game that were named to the preseason all-Sun Belt Conference team. USU - OG Trevor Hutton, TE Chris Cooley NMSU - RB Eric Higgins, DL Joe Olivo, PK Dario Aguiniga
GONE FROM LAST YEAR -- USU lost its main statistical leaders from last year in QB Jose Fuentes (3,268 passing yards), RB James Samuel (633 rushing yards), WR Kevin Curtis (1,258 receiving yards), P Steve Mullins (39.7 punting average), PK Dane Kidman (14-17 field goals), and LB Jesse Busta (135 tackles).
MONDAY PRESS CONFERENCE -- Utah State will hold its regular weekly press conference at the Copper Mill Restaurant each Monday at 11:30 a.m. Coach Dennehy and two players will be available. Quotes from the head coach will be made available on USU's website at www.UtahStateAggies.com before the end of the day on Monday.
www.UtahStateAggies.com
