Aggies host Aggies
By: Brad Cox
Issue date: 9/18/09 Section: Sports
The Texas A&M football team could get caught in an identity crisis Saturday.
The Texas Aggies will play against another team of Aggies for the first time since the 1950s when Oklahoma State was known as the Oklahoma A&M Aggies.
Utah State, one of three remaining Football Bowl Subdivision schools to use the Aggie nickname, will travel to Kyle Field in search of its first win of the 2009 season. New Mexico State is the third school to share the moniker.
The Utah State Aggies opened their season against rival University of Utah, losing 35-17. But most of the damage was done in the first half as the Aggies were outscored 26-17 compared to 9-0 in the second half.
"They played a very good Utah team extremely well," said A&M Head Coach Mike Sherman. "They really contained Utah in the third and fourth quarters. They got off to a rough start, fell behind a little bit, and battled their way back, and I thought their kids played hard the entire ballgame."
Utah State's biggest threat, said A&M Defensive Coordinator Joe Kines, is its offense.
Backing up Kines' claim is sophomore running back Robert Turbin, who had a 96-yard touchdown rush against Utah. The 5-foot-10-inch California native totaled 148 yards and a touchdown against the Utes.
"The first thing that pops in your mind when you think about Utah State's offense is their imagination, and how they do some good things with their formations and personnel groups," Kines said. "In one series, they went from wishbone, to empty, to one back, to two backs in the backfield. How they move their formations around to how they use their personnel is really a classic thing."
Taking the snaps for Utah State is junior quarterback Diondre Borel. He was 10-for-26 passing, had 121 yards through the air and 48 yards and a touchdown on the ground against Utah.
"The first thing that comes to mind when you say Utah State is speed," said senior safety Jordan Pugh. "The difference between them and New Mexico is the speed of their perimeter guys. The quarterback, running back, and the receivers they have are all talented."
The Texas Aggies will play against another team of Aggies for the first time since the 1950s when Oklahoma State was known as the Oklahoma A&M Aggies.
Utah State, one of three remaining Football Bowl Subdivision schools to use the Aggie nickname, will travel to Kyle Field in search of its first win of the 2009 season. New Mexico State is the third school to share the moniker.
The Utah State Aggies opened their season against rival University of Utah, losing 35-17. But most of the damage was done in the first half as the Aggies were outscored 26-17 compared to 9-0 in the second half.
"They played a very good Utah team extremely well," said A&M Head Coach Mike Sherman. "They really contained Utah in the third and fourth quarters. They got off to a rough start, fell behind a little bit, and battled their way back, and I thought their kids played hard the entire ballgame."
Utah State's biggest threat, said A&M Defensive Coordinator Joe Kines, is its offense.
Backing up Kines' claim is sophomore running back Robert Turbin, who had a 96-yard touchdown rush against Utah. The 5-foot-10-inch California native totaled 148 yards and a touchdown against the Utes.
"The first thing that pops in your mind when you think about Utah State's offense is their imagination, and how they do some good things with their formations and personnel groups," Kines said. "In one series, they went from wishbone, to empty, to one back, to two backs in the backfield. How they move their formations around to how they use their personnel is really a classic thing."
Taking the snaps for Utah State is junior quarterback Diondre Borel. He was 10-for-26 passing, had 121 yards through the air and 48 yards and a touchdown on the ground against Utah.
"The first thing that comes to mind when you say Utah State is speed," said senior safety Jordan Pugh. "The difference between them and New Mexico is the speed of their perimeter guys. The quarterback, running back, and the receivers they have are all talented."
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