This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated.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.
From Chuckie Keeton to Joe Hill and Hunter Sharp, the Aggies' offense had a strong showing in the first scrimmage of the year Tuesday. Keeton finished 16-of-22 for 180 yards with two touchdowns while backup Darell Garretson as 14-of-25 for 122 yards and a touchdown. Hunter Sharp, from Antelope Valley JC, led the receivers with five receptions for 90 yards while JoJo Natson had four catches for 36 yards. Hill rushed 13 times for 67 yards and a touchdown. Utah State coach Matt Wells was happy with the team's performance, especially with Keeton. "Chuckie was really accurate and got off to a fast start," he said. "I'm proud of how the No. 1 defense played in the red zone." The Aggies did give up some big plays over the middle, but Wells said he wasn't concerned since some key players sat out the scrimmage for precautionary reasons. Deshane Hines led the Aggies' defense with eight tackles, Eric Berntson had three sacks while transfer LT Filiaga had two tackles for loss. The Aggies had six pass breakups but no interceptions. Wells said there is work to do still in the secondary, but that is to be expected since it is one of the areas with the least experience returning. Defensive leader Zach Vigil, who has promised to make sure the newcomers don't take anything for granted, said the offense's quick start was frustrating. "I'd like to see the defense come out a little bit quicker than that," he said. The defense will get a chance for a better start on Saturday when the Aggies scrimmage again. But despite Vigil's frustrations, USU fans should be encouraged with the way Keeton and Hill performed in game situations. The offense looks like it has all the makings of being a solid one this year.