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Austin, the junior wideout, had surgery on Monday to repair his torn up knee. The rehab process will begin immediately, and it's not just a physical process either. The process will be a mental one as well. This is a difficult injury for Austin to take. After all, he was out all of last season with a broken foot. He matured, he got better, and he was clearly Diondre Borel's go-to guy after Stanley Morrison went down with a broken foot late in the summer.

"The first thing we have to do is go hug him up," Utah State head coach Gary Andersen said. "We're going to have to make sure he's ok."

Andersen said that Austin should be a "slam dunk" sixth year candidate, as should Robert Turbin. The paperwork process will begin immediately, while the official application can't be submitted to the NCAA until after the two complete their natural senior seasons, which will be after next year.

The good news for Utah State is that the wide receiver position is stocked to the brim. Dontel Watkins and Mikhail Morgan look to become the first two receivers, with Eric Moats, Travis Reynolds and Xavier Martin all contrbuting. Timpview high product Travis Van Leeuwen will receive extra reps and snaps as well. That's still a strong core, and Diondre Borel is good enough to make that group better with his scrambling ability and ability to put the ball on the money.

But you have to wonder. Just how good will this offense be if Morrison, Turbin and Austin are all a part of it? That will be answered next season when all, presumably, come back.

Tony Jones