2024 Utah State Football Predictions

well a lot can change in the sports world very very quickly and no one knows that better right now than fans players and coaches of the Utah State agies because they no longer have what they presume to be their head coach going into the 2024 season Blake Anderson for various different reasons is now no longer with this program a guy that came into this program in January to step in as the defensive coordinator in Nate dring now has to take over as the interim head coach there are a ton of other changes with this program on the roster but can Utah State overcome all of that be able to make it to a bowl game and be a solid team in the mount West here in 2024 well you're about to find out what I think here in this video what's up Tailgators you're in the booth with tailgate Nate today I want to welcome you to my channel and welcome you back to prediction season we have under 30 of these left I believe this is video number 105 please continue to show your support for the channel uh by subscribing ringing the bell especially if you're as big of a college football nerd as I am you're going to want to have to keep here what I'm going to say during the season as well thank you so much for watching this video help support my channel in more ways than you can even imagine continue to support the channel really just by interacting with it in any way you can whether that's subscribing as I said earlier going back and liking uh commenting sharing going back and watching my other videos I mean do anything else you can help support the channel does mean a lot to me the intro was kind of all over the place so I apologize but let's go ahead and dive on in to the Utah day agies here in 2024 hey how do we do predictions this season well I'm glad you asked we'll take a deep dive into the team's offense into the defense and at the end of the video we'll go through the agie football schedule and give it a game by game preview and prediction again no more Blake Anderson for this program it is Nate drilling that takes over couple more things I do want to talk to you about first though because right over here will be the stats a team put up either offensively or defensively last season and of course your viewing pleasure right below the team's logo I have put the team's coaching staff this is an offense that was pretty darn good for the aies last season but it's going to be drastically different here in 2024 because it loses a lot of very key contributors off of last year's team and most notably you see that in the quarterback position they top three quarterbacks the quarterbacks last season that had at least two pass attempts because there were a couple guys and especially in the wide receiver room that ended up throwing a pass last season but all three of the quarterbacks you see here on that left-and side of your screen all through at least I'll say 60 passes so we'll up that number there for you for the a last season and the lead one amongst those was Cooper Legas he had 1,815 yards 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions last season put up a pretty good stat line for himself McKay hillstead is also gone 1,62 yards with 11 touchdowns and eight picks and then Levi Williams has decided to forego his remaining season of Eligibility to enter Navy SEAL training but I do think he's already graduated from uh the university so in a way he's graduated and that's what I have list him as here but now you know the reason he's off to Navy SEAL training which good for Levi Williams he had 425 yards five touchdowns and two interceptions and we thank him for his service but again Legas hillstead gone through the portal so this is the quarterback room that looks pretty darn different now you do get Zeke Payne coming back didn't throw a pass for you last year so there's a there was a lot of unknown in this quarterback room based off of what you had without any additions from the portal they went and got some additions from the portal the last time Spencer pet threw a Collegiate pass was for the Iowa Hwy in 2022 you go back to what he did throughout his collegiate career and well the stats kind of speak for themselves and he famously had a super low qbr he just overall was not that great now I expect him to put up better stats here with the Utah State team I just think it was a bad offensive system at Iowa and I don't think a lot of quarterbacks were going to be able to succeed but with that being said I think spenzer petris in ways is not a bad quarterback but he definitely is going to need hit to up his play here if he is to be that starter for the aies but you're also looking at another guy a Utah transfer by the name of Bryson Barnes last season 1,572 yards 12 touchdowns and 11 interceptions which again was not a great statline he was definitely no cam Rising for the UT last season so you're going to need improved quarterback play whether that's from petris whether that's from Barnes or if you decide to go with the unknown there in Zeke Payne you're definitely going to be looking uh at a lot of unknown in this quarterback room and yes you maybe know what Peter are and know what Barnes are but how do they play here in 2024 that is the big thing no matter who it is you have to see increased production and Improvement based on what those two guys have done in Seasons prior if I were to pick now probably go with the guy on the thumbnail there in Spencer petris I'd probably pick him to be that starting quarterback He's listed first on the ourlads depth chart but I don't know to me it's pretty close if it was me personally I'd go with Bryson Barnes but I do think they will roll with with Spencer here in 2024 let's dive through the skill position room real quick we'll tell you everything they lose out of the running back wide receiver and tight end room no notable losses out of the tight end room so great let's just move right on to the running back room uh where while you do lose a couple solid players from last season uh Devon boo was your leading rusher at 85 yards six touchdowns on only 120 carries that's 6.7 yards per carry for all you math nerds out there and Jaden Bailey is gone as well didn't have a a carry last season but is a notable loss in that running back room to me nonetheless and out of the wide receiver room you do lose your second leading receiver but ultimately probably you could consider your most talented wide receiver from last season he did lead the team in catches it is Terrell vau 89 catches for 933 yards and posted 11 touchdowns last season I'll tell you right now though that was not the team High let's tell you what they do have in the running back room coming back as Rachel fison will be back here in this room and apologies if I'm saying that name wrong but he was the second leading rusher on the team last year in 118 carries so kind of split split carries with Booth last year 736 yards and five touchdowns for him Robert Briggs Jr also does come back and Corbin coddle will return here as well so there's your one two three and a really solid one two uh in that running back room Jonathan bar uh bar is a transfer coming in and Samuel Gamino is a freshman coming in both those guys could see some pretty big roles uh there on or I should say in the running back room here in 2024 wide receiver room yes you lose to rvon and that's a huge loss but a big get back back is the likes of Jaylen Royals 1,80 yards 15 touchdowns on 71 catches that's 15.2 yards per reception last year and look if you get solid quarterback play out of any of those guys he's going to have another thousand yard season and he may get there regardless of how the quarterback situation figures out for the aies this season you also do get Micah Davis Colby Bowman and Kyrie white all back while you also get Jack haera over from the transfer portal and you could put a couple other names in that WI receiver list there as well but I got to tell you what they return at tight end as well Brock Lane is back 208 yards and 21 catches in the touchdown last season leading tight ends for the agies last year Josh sturer and will uh money Mony however you say that last name again I apologize but all those tight ends had at least one pass catch yes Lane led the way but sturer and money each had at least one catch last season off the offensive line gone Ralph Fus Calvin knp and Wade mechum all had solid playing time in the off defensive line all were pretty good in their own ways and all have graduated so you do return I apologize for mispronunciations here Cole Moes Wyatt BS tavu Motu apaka Teague Anderson FAL pulle Alo and aloa lei Maui and I apologize for any mispronunciations I probably butchered at least two two of those names but we'll move on and tell you what they got from the transfer portal as well to help cushion the blow of some of those guys graduating Trey Anderson and George melee are both coming in through the portal it's hard to mean to not see this offense overall take a step back because I got to be honest with all you agie fans I just don't love this quarterback room looking at what Spencer Peters and Bryson Barnes have done in Seasons prior I mean look maybe they blow me away and shock me and they improve drastically and they have some pretty darn solid Seasons whether that's one of them the other or both of them this season for the aies and I think it's hard to imagine both of them not playing uh and not getting at least one start for the aies this season I do think they'll go with petris out of the gate in game one but again this is an offense that look you got a lot of good skill position players but quarterback play I think could definitely drag this offensive unit down here in 2024 if it does not improve and if those two guys in petus and Barnes do not improve from where we have seen them in Seasons prior we'll move on to the defensive side of the ball for the agies and Nate dring was originally coming in to try to fix this defense that was not very good last season and especially was not good in the Run defensive unit they allowed over 210 rushing yards s per game last year the third down defense was not there they gave up almost 35 points per game now Nate drilling is going to have to command a football team and try to fix this defense as well now he'll have help there's a lot of new defensive uh coaches that come into the system and you do lose a lot of talent off of last or I should say however you do lose a lot of talent off of last year's team most notably though on the defensive line because a ton of guys have left through the transfer portal uh and Paul Fitzgerald is one of them 46 tackles led the team with eight sacks last season you throw a pass defended in there as well he was one of if not your most impactful defensive lineman last year and he'll be playing for a different program in 20124 sir mels Clifton Mosley Jr and uh uh pessie vakal and I probably butcher that name as well but all those guys are gone through the portal as well you also do Lose a Guy due to graduation that is H Motu apaka uh he is gone due to graduation he had 33 tackles and three sacks second leading tackler among defensive linemen last season okay so who comes back to this defensive line room well you do get seon Sloan back he did have 28 tackles two sacks off the edge last season BL spires also off the edge second on the team with five sacks so you get some nice production returning there seni tuii and Anoka migal and I probably again butchered those names as well but all of those guys will be coming back to the defensive line but depth was a big question mark so you add a ton of pieces from the transfer portal Macio Williams is a transfer I believe coming over from Kent State I'll fact check that right now but but nonetheless yes it is the Kent State golden flash is where he comes from where he was a very good defensive player for Golden Flash's team that wasn't that great last season but Mesa Williams had a really good season he should see starting minutes on the defensive line Marlon Dean is coming in Miguel Jackson Ricky lohia as well as some other transfers that you could list will play Big minutes for the aagi defensive front here in 2024 linebacker room MJ tafisi your leading tackler from last season no more from him he is gone 142 tackles didn't didn't post a sack but was very impactful on the defensive end anytime you have a triple digit tackler you know they're going to be one of your better defensive players he had a pass defended last season as well you also do lose another guy of the linebacker room 18 tackles one sack one pass defended from Gavin barthal last season out of the no I should say I should tell you what's coming back in in the linebacker room first Logan peely is coming back and that's a big get back 31 tackles in the sack for him last year Cole Joyce Bronson oo Jr and Max Alford all will be returning to this linebacker room while you get Jadon Pearson who is coming in through the transfer portal I'll try to find out where he's coming from here in a minute I just did he's coming over from the Rival in the Utah Utes all right defensive back room let's talk about what they lose here now out of the the cornerback room probably will butcher this name as well Michael anano he is going to be gone out of that defensive back room 41 tackles five pass defended for him last season and out of the safety room I mean you just lose two phenomenal players two top five tacklers and Anthony Switzer and Deon are both gone through the transfer portal 85 tackles for Switzer to couple with three sacks four pass defended and a pick and for die 81 tackles seven pass defended two interceptions for the defensive back last season so your defensive back room who does come back well JD Drew and nante Dickerson will be back in this cornerback room uh Drew had six pass defended to couple with 27 tackles last season you also do get EJ Fisk and Mason Edwards in through the transfer portal and in your safety room well you do still return a ton of really good talent even though you lose probably your best two safeties from last year you you get one back in Ike Larson that look I definitely just misspoke a second to go Switzer and D look very good safeties for the team last year you could argue though that Ike Larsson and this is where I was meaning to go with this you could argue that Ike Larson was the best safety on this team last season 102 tackles six pass defended four interceptions again another triple digit tackler big impact player could be the leading tackler here for the AI defense in 2024 Simeon Harris J fris Omari oek and Chase Davis all return while Jordan Vincent's in from the portal and we can't forget about our kickers because they're people too Steven konley is back to do the pting duties as well as Ryan marks and you do get Elliot Nimrod back to do the kicking duties here for this team in 2024 so overall I take a look at this agie defensive side and I do see it improving in some ways but Nate drilling I think it's going to be a pretty good defensive coordinator for this team and if Blake Anderson was still the head coach I'd maybe have a little more confidence that this defense is going to improve more than I think they're going to here in 2024 but when I just take a look at this team I mean look you got a lot of good defensive Talent getting Larson back getting some of those defensive pieces in the front back like seon Sloan bla spes and Logan peely are huge get backs for this defense and they got a lot of really good talents they had that last year and the scheming wasn't there I think the scheming will be better for this version of the agie defense but when Nate drilling also asked a couple trying to fix this defense along with coaching a football team uh I think definitely it's going to hold this defense back from improving as much as it could here in 2024 but that being said I do see Improvement for this defensive unit this upcoming season hey let's talk about this schedule any game at home is going to be underline will any game on the road is in italics or that slant the text any game me see in green is a game that I think the agies are going to win fairly easily any game in yellow will be a close competitive one but I still see the agies being able to win in any game in red is a loss you won't start out with a loss here you'll beat the Robert Morris Colonials a chance to maybe play petris and Barnes see what quarterback is going to give you the best shot to win form chemistry with these wide receivers get the defensive scheming there and then boom you hit the ground off and running because you have two former Pack 12 teams here on this schedule you have to go on the road to play the USC Trojans who are now members of the Big 10 conference and you get the home game against your instate rival uh Utah vers Utah State again it's the Utah Utes now part of the Big 12 and I got to be honest with you I fans out there I know you probably think you have a pretty decent shot there to beat the the Utah Utes but that's a team personally that I really love and I don't see you winning either of these games let's start with the game against the USC Trojans you still have Miller Moss running things at the quarterback position and if he's anything like we saw in his bowl game well USC's offense is going to be just fine the wide receiver room is loaded and you do bring in deanton Lynn over from UCLA a guy who had the Bruins defense as one of the best in the nation last year the try to fix that Trojan defense and I do think they see Improvement on that side of the ball how much we will have to wait and see but Utah State I don't think going to go on the road and win that one USC is just more supremely talented compared to Utah State and I think Utah is as well cam Rising is coming back for another season hey if Bryson Barnes is going to get the start he gets to play as former team so maybe a little motivation there but I think Utah's just going to be too good cam rising's back the running back room is still going to be good he might have his best group of pass catchers that uh well cam Rising has ever had as the quarterback of the Utah Utes that couples with Brant keithy the tight end coming back here to this program and a ton of Talent on defense coupled with well we all know the defensive scheming that Kyle Whittingham likes to play they'll punch you in the mouth before you even step on that football field and the Utah Utes will be beating Utah State here in 2024 okay this was a really tough one for me because look with there's a lot of solid Talent here on this Utah State team I think there are a couple things that are going to hold them back one Nate drilling not only being a new face to this program as a defensive coordinator but now having to step into a role as a head coach in this sort of the scenario with Blake Anderson gone you're stepping in in July when you're trying to get the roster figured out and you're trying to figure out the depth chart you have a pretty good idea of who is on your team I don't think Temple is going to be good this season the the ows do lose EJ Warner through the transfer portal a lot of other really good players are leaving now there are a ton of transfers coming in on the defense and I do think that that's where Temple has the slight Advantage here in this game I mean they have it at home again I don't think the quarterback play for Utah state is going to impress a ton of people this season and while I think both of those guys and Barnes and petus do improve from the way they've played in Seasons prior here in 2024 guys I just got Utah State being able to struggle through this one and they get a road loss against the temple ow no more of an explanation then I just kind of have a feeling that this is going to be a struggling season for the Utah State agies and I do think they'll lose that road game to the temple owl before their first road game here in I should say before their first conference game after their first by week and you start out conference play with a couple doozies you're not going to be beating in the Boise State Broncos Ashton Genty and a ton of other weapons are back Malakai Nelson is coming in to play quarterback here for that team the Broncos defense is loaded with Talent this season and they're going to be one of if not the best team in the group of five round Boise State beats Utah State and un LV will do the same thing now look even though you LV does lose some good talent off of last year's team most notably in quarterback Jaden Maya look you still get Matthew sluka coming in I I think he's going to fit in really well with this offensive system Ricky White is back some really good defensive players are back they loaded up on defensive backs through the transfer portal UNLV will be one of the better teams in the mount West Conference and that is a win for the rebels which means it's a loss for the aies so you start out the season 1 and five now you very well could be starting out the season two and four and I think no other way your season uh starts here I do think Utah state has way more Talent than what New Mexico has this season you got a really good uh skill position room here with Utah State some really good defensive pieces in each level and New Mexico even though this is a program that I feel like is starting to Trend in that right direction they're getting a a couple pieces in you lose a couple pieces through through the transfer portal but they got some good pieces there they're going to be competitive but I don't see them beating the Utah State agies especially on the road so agies get win number two of 2024 right there but again your next two games are going to be toughy you got to go on the road to play Wyoming and even though Craig B is gone and even though some really good pieces on offense are gone I think the offense is going to be solid enough to keep them in games and kind of what look kind of like what Wyoming did last year be able to manage games don't turn the football over just play smart football and the offense will do what it needs to do the defense returns pretty much everybody from last season it is still loaded and I don't think the yies will be beating the Cowboys off defensive things alone especially if hey I'm sitting here saying I don't really like anyone in this quarterback room a whole lot yeah this Cowboys defense is going to take over and the aies will go down on the road second bye coming up right here before a game against the Washington State Cougars which I also do have you losing look Washington State and Jake dicker's Club got ram ram sack through the transfer portal cam Ward is gone a couple really good pieces that wide receiver are gone some phenomenal defensive players from a year ago are also gone but Washington State still got a lot of really good talent on it I like the Cougars here again trying to find a home they were left with that one after the sort of almost near collapse of the Pack 12 Conference and you could argue it has collapsed already but again obviously the Pack 12 is still an entity Washington State I do think is going uh to pick up the win against the Utah State agies however I do think Utah State's going to be able to win this game right here against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors a team in 2024 that I think is going to be fairly competitive but I don't have a lot of confidence in yes they made a bowl game last year I think they're going to regress from where they were last season and that's a win to me for the Utah State agies I do think Utah State's going to pick up at least one big win this year and look I think San Diego State is going to be a really good football team this season in the Mountain West Conference you you have some really talented pieces coming in through the transfer portal I love sha Lewis as a head coach but when you move from an offensive or when you move from a defensive minded head coach to an offensive-minded head coach you're going to get some stumbles and I think this is one of them for the aies or not not for the aies for the Aztec the aies beat the Aztec there but then lose the final game of the season against Colorado State as Jay norvell's Club is expected to make a jump in Mountain West play this season I think that'll happen as well Utah State goes 4 and eight here in 2024 I'd be a lot more optimistic if Blake Anderson was still the head coach and I know some Seasons when he was the head coach haven't been great I mean you go back and take a look at last season overall just wasn't great but Blake Anderson still a better U still a pretty solid head coach he took you to a Mountain West Title I just think it's going to be really tough from this year with Nate drilling at to step in as both the def defensive coordinator and new head coach I mean the things I think are going to be Rocky for the yaggies this year you could still make a bowl game there are lots more winnable games on the schedule for the talent you have but I think they'll fall short let me know what you think in the comments section down below remember to play her Batel gate harder and I'll see you in my next video it's the Eastern Michigan Eagles goodbye