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3 Utes on the USA TODAY ALL AMERICAN TEAM

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    • 08/21/2019 at 1:33 PM #99749
      4
      Wilson’s Mustache
      Participant

      DL: Bradlee Anae, Utah (Sr.)
      DL: Leki Fotu, Utah (Sr.)
      CB: Jaylon Johnson, Utah (Jr.)

      Two players from Utah State make the list. Zero from other state teams.

      USA TODAY – ALL AMERICAN TEAM

    • 08/21/2019 at 1:49 PM #99754
      5
      ProudUte
      Participant

      Wow.  That’s amazing to have three players on one team who are preseason AA picks.  You add to that,  many think Penisini is our best Dlineman and we have other great defenders like Blackmon, Guidry, etc. and a very deep line – this defense should be amazing.  The only big issue is depth at linebacker.  If our linebackers stay healthy, this should be the best Ute defense ever.

      If we can survive the early season and get Covey, Moss and Bam on the field and stay generally healthy – who knows what this team can do.  I suspect our defense will need to win game 1 for us.

      • 08/21/2019 at 2:05 PM #99757
        2
        Wilson’s Mustache
        Participant

        The linebacker position worries me a lot more than it seems to worry other people. Our defense is really designed for the linebackers to make plays. LB is a huge reason why our defense was so good last year. Both Hansen and Barton had great LB instincts and the athleticism to make plays.

        I’ll wait and see but it could be a huge detriment if they can’t stay healthy or Llloyd can quickly develop the instincts necessary to play the position at a high level.

        • 08/21/2019 at 2:14 PM #99760
          5 2
          UtMtBiker
          Participant

          Our D-Line made it possible for Barton to have the year he had.  He wasn’t a “NFL guy” until his senior year. He was boarderline aweful at times during his career at Utah.  I don’t think out LB’s will need to be exceptionally talented to have success behind the line we have this year.  I’m not worried about LB.  

          • 08/21/2019 at 2:30 PM #99763
            3
            salty-ute
            Participant

            Contrary to popular opinion, I agree. Cody worked himself into an NFL player. I remember watching him take himself out of so many plays as a young player. He’d make awful reads or have terrible pass coverage. By the time he was a senior, he had become a fantastic backer.

          • 08/21/2019 at 2:42 PM #99766
            1
            Wilson’s Mustache
            Participant

            but that’s the point I’m trying to make. The DL allows the LBs to make great plays, but it took Cody multiple years to develop the instincts to make those plays(he always had the athleticism). Prior to that he was often criticized for taking the wrong angles or for over pursuing. You can’t make the argument that Cody’s performance was primarily due to the play of the line in front of him because he is already excelling on a different team, with a different DL..in the NFL.

            Another thing to take into account is we no longer have Marquise Blair who often came down and played in the box and was very good at it. He essentially was a hybrid LB of sorts.

    • 08/21/2019 at 4:28 PM #99789
      1
      PlainsUte
      Participant

      Pretty good for a G5 team, USU to have two players.  Go Aggies!

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