This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Asked to give his assessment of the MWC earlier this week and USU coach Matt Wells gave a sly smile before stating he liked how things were. "We control our own destiny," he said. I believe the Aggies will like their place after tonight's game too. Air Force is coming into Logan with a lot of momentum, but I believe that momentum will come to a halt today against the Aggies. Utah State's defense is playing too well for the Falcons to come in and steal a win in my opinion. Still, a win isn't automatic. Here's a look at what the Aggies need to do to win their league opener.1. Play solid defense, and play smart too. The Aggies need to avoid any senseless penalties. Several times earlier in the year opponents kept alive drives thanks to roughing the passer, pass interference and other similar calls against the Aggies. Such mistakes would play right into the hands of the Falcons. The Aggies need to match the Falcons in discipline, both in handling the Falcons' offense and when it comes to playing smart. Play aggressive, but play clean.2. Get that run game going. Whether it's Nick Vigil, JoJo Natson or one of the other backs, the Aggies need to control the tempo as much as possible.3. But don't put too tight a leash on Darell Garretson. Garretson played extremely well at BYU and got the better of the Cougars with his big arm. I'd love to see the Aggies take some shots down field early in the game and see if he is feeling it again and hook up with Hunter Sharp for a few more big plays. If the Aggies can score fast and force the Falcons to play from behind, they'll dictate this game.4. Keep getting those turnovers. The Aggies have forced 62 turnovers in the last 28 games and 15 turnovers in the last four games, giving the offense plenty of opportunities to score. USU took advantage of those opportunities against BYU and would be well served to do so again against the Falcons.