This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Logan • In his first start of the season — during a game that was delayed by lightning — Utah State quarterback Kent Myers was electric.
Nobody was shocked, of course.
Myers had performed admirably in emergency situations last year, when he went 5-1 as a starter.
In his 2015 debut, however, Myers was nearly unstoppable. Replacing injured starter Chuckie Keeton on a cold and rainy Saturday night at Maverik Stadium, he ran for 191 yards and one touchdown during the Aggies' 33-18 victory over Colorado State.
After producing four first downs and only 41 yards in a so-so first quarter, Myers and the Utah State offense got rolling. The Aggies picked up 17 first downs and gained 394 yards over the final three quarters.
"… Overall, I thought we played well, putting 33 points on the board," Myers said. "I'm excited to see what else we can do, this being my first game of the year.
"Once we have a complete game where everything is good, I'm excited to see what's next."
Significantly, Myers added an explosiveness to the Utah State offense that had been missing in the first three games.
The sophomore from Rowlett, Texas, averaged 11.9 yards per carry, including runs of 18, 26, 27, 30, 34 and 36 yards. He also threw a 42-yard touchdown pass to Hunter Sharp to tie the game, 10-10, in the second quarter.
"We haven't hit our peak yet," Myers said. "We're still not there. If we have six gears, I think we're only at three. … We're still learning together. As we start watching film and looking at our next opponent, I'm excited to see what we can do. Tonight, there were times I was trying to rush it and do too much."
Utah State's defense also had a big night.
The Aggies held Colorado State to 361 total yards, or 101 below its average. The Rams' powerful running game produced only 109 yards, averaging 3.5 yards per attempt. Utah State also forced three turnovers, including two in the red zone.
"We left some plays on the field," said linebacker Kyler Fackrell. "But, when it came down to it, we played well when we had to."
Fackrell, a senior from Mesa, Ariz., finished with six tackles. He had three tackles for losses, including one sack. He also recovered a fumble on Colorado State's first possession of the lightning-delayed second half, setting up a field goal.
Winning its first game since Sept. 19, Utah State bumped its record to 2-2 overall and 1-0 in the Mountain West Conference.
Colorado State, which committed 12 penalties for 125 yards in the game, dropped to 2-3 overall in its first Mountain West game.
Twitter: @sluhm —
Storylines
• After a 33-18 victory over Colorado State, Utah State visits Fresno State on Saturday night. Kickoff is 8:30 p.m. (MST).
• The Aggies had not scored more than 17 points in any of their first three games. They had 17 by halftime against CSU.
• Going back to last season, sophomore Kent Myers' record as Utah State's starting quarterback improved to 6-1.