USU's Defensive Personnel

USU78 · December 13, 2018

Especially for our flatlander cousins a USU fan's [and one-time player's] thoughts on USU's defensive personnel. USU runs what looks like a 3-4, but one of the 4 is a converted SS who brings a lot of pressure, but is also present in pass defense when not chasing opponent's QBs around. They're a lot of fun to watch, and are pretty stout against the run, notwithstanding so many teams in USU's division of the MWC being so run oriented [i.e., Air Force] pushing the numbers up.

LB

USU's best returning player on defense was injured in pre-season drills, missed almost half the season, and hasn't been able to break into the starting lineup: Suli Tamaivena [38 tackles, 5.0 TFL, 1.0 sacks, 2 QBH](whose twin brother plays LB for UNM). Here are your starters and backups on the inside: David Woodward [124 tackles, 12.5 TFL, 5.5 sacks, 1 INT, 2 FF] and Chase Christiansen [91 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 0.5 sacks, 1 FF] are your starters. Woodward, a Soph, has gotten some national attention. Tipa Galea'i [58 tackles, 11.0 TFL, 8.0 sacks, 1 INT (for TD), 7 QBH] and Dontrell Roquemore [69 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 2.0 sacks, 3 INTs, 4 QBH] are your outside guys. Tipa is a force of nature who transferred in from TCU. Don't know what happened there to cause him to want the change. Roquemore is the converted SS I referred to.

This has been the funnest group to follow this season. Going to miss them after this season.

DL

The biggest producers here are Fua Leilua [37 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 6 QBH], Adewale Adeoye [35 tackles, 4.0 TFL, 1.0 sacks, 2 QBH], Devon Anderson [32 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 3 QBH], Dalton Baker [32 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 1 QBH], and Chris Unga [26 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 0.5 sacks]. Another with not so much by way of gaudy stats, but a steady player that has an occasional standout play is Jacoby Wildman [14 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks, 1 QBH]. A solid, sometimes showy, group. They absorb a lot of blockers, freeing up the LBs to do their derring-do.

DB

USU lost two of its best back end defenders in the last half of the season. Good news for your QB. Bad news for us. Boise really took advantage. Here are the most productive guys: Gaje Ferguson [68 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 1.0 sack, 2 INT, 4 PBU], Aaron Wade [43 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 3 INT, 2 PBU], DJ Williams [34 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 1.0 sack, 2 INT, 11 PBU], Cameron Haney [22 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 7 PBU], and Jamarcus Ingraham [19 tackles, 6 PBU]. Fortenberry and Bond are the missing wounded.

Did I mention we really miss the two DB guys who are out for the season? But for those two injuries, I call this game for a USU defensive tour de force. Now, I only hope we can win a track meet.

Good luck. This is going to be a lot of fun in Albuquerque!

Edited December 14, 2018 by USU78

untcampbell · December 14, 2018

Appreciate you posting the O and D overviews.

I own a lot up at Bear Lake in Fish Haven. Learned about the area from Coach Motta, whose daughter is a neighbor. He was tight with Merlin Olsen. The two of them had a nice BL coffee (maybe decaf?!) clatch with the athlete trifecta rounded out by Jazz assistant coach Phil Johnson.

Love the lake (Juanito Bandito, Bear Cave Drive In, Rockslide, Limber Pine, etc) but I would trade my near three acre lot overlooking the lake for a small place in Logan in a moment. That is a great town, and I really appreciate how it is in an isolated enough media market that gives USU great coverage.

Great people, great views and great outdoors.

Really looking forward to this game and hoping we squeak out a timely slight coaching advantage to squeak out a win.

GMG