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Boise • Forget four losses in the last six games. Forget changes on the coaching staff. Forget the possibility of boredom with the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. And forget the possibility of playing in miserable weather.
Utah State coach Matt Wells believes his players are primed for a top effort Tuesday afternoon, when the Aggies meet Akron at Albertsons Stadium.
"When guys are on time, when the meetings go well, when practices are crisp [and] when the tempo is sharp, that tells me they're motivated," Wells said.
"After the game, everybody will draw their own conclusions about this week [of preparation]. But these kids seem to be in good spirits — focused and motivated. They've practiced hard — very physical."
Utah State makes its fifth straight bowl appearance in this year's Potato Bowl. Three of them have been in Boise.
"For those of us who've been here for a long time and been to all these bowl games, it definitely doesn't get repetitive," said senior linebacker Kyler Fackrell. "It's fun. It's a great experience."
The Aggies are shooting for their fourth straight bowl win.
"Yes, it's motivation, absolutely," Fackrell said. "Bowl games are the last game of the season. They are probably what is most remembered about a season for a team. So to win another one would be a huge accomplishment."
Punting production
Utah State punter Aaron Dalton has given the Aggies a huge lift this season, especially down the stretch. He is a redshirt freshman from Viewmont High in Bountiful.
On the season, Dalton averages 41 yards on 66 punts. But he's had eight punts of at least 50 yards. Twenty-four have been downed inside the opponents' 20-yard line.
Over the last four games, Dalton has been particularly effective, averaging 44.3 yards on 20 punts. Eleven have been downed inside the 20. He had a season-long 63-yarder at New Mexico.
"That has been a bright spot," Wells said. "Since Game 1, he has improved each and every week. He had a really strong Mountain West season [with] his hang time, length and flipping the field. He's been a very big bright spot for us."
Height problems
Utah State's secondary has struggled at times against tall, physical receivers.
Problem?
Akron has such a player in Jerome Lane Jr. A sophomore, he is the Zips' leading receiver with 35 receptions. He averages 21.4 yards per catch with eight touchdowns.
"He's a big guy," Wells said. "They have a couple of big guys out there on the perimeter and they do a nice job of getting them in the right matchups schematically. … They are very productive on the edge."
Lane is the son of former University of Pittsburgh and NBA basketball player Jerome Lane Sr., who is probably most famous for shattering a backboard in a college game in 1988.
According to Akron coach Terry Bowden, Lane Jr. was switched from linebacker to receiver just before the start of the season, although he still plays defense on occasion.
"He's an interesting guy," Bowden said. "We needed somebody with big-play ability … and he slowly began to understand the position. As he's learned to feel comfortable out there, he's become difficult to cover one-on-one."
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