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Logan • Junior safety Dallin Leavitt has been elected as one of Utah State's captains, even though he won't play his first game for the Aggies until Sept. 1 against Weber State.

Leavitt, who is from Portland, transferred from BYU after the 2014 season. He played in 24 games over two seasons for the Cougars, including five starts.

When Leavitt informed Matt Wells that he was interested in playing at Utah State, the Aggie head coach welcomed the news "with open arms."

Said Wells, "His film was his résumé. Playing against him and having to game-plan against him was all I needed" to know.

Before signing off on the transfer, however, Wells wanted to a face-to-face meeting with Leavitt.

He was impressed.

"He's a tremendous young man — high character," Wells said. "He's a football junkie and has a high football IQ. He's everything we want in a player, so … it was an easy decision on our part and a fairly seamless transition."

Leavitt has quickly emerged as a foundation-type player on the back end of Utah State's defense.

"A very vocal leader … [who] knows what he's talking about because he spends a lot of time in that meeting room," Wells said. "He's invested a lot of time. So he's a good player, he knows what he's doing, and when he opens his mouth, he can be heard because he's earned the respect of his teammates."

Manly placekickers

Utah State placekickers Brock Warren and Jake Thompson were a respectable 11 for 17 on field goals last season, but misses at critical times contributed to the Aggies' 6-7 record.

Warren was 8 for 11, but he missed three of his last four attempts, including a 41-yarder with 59 seconds remaining in a 14-13 loss at New Mexico.

Thompson was 3 for 6 during the season, but he missed his only two attempts from inside the 40-yard line. He had two kicks blocked.

Warren and Thompson are seniors. They are once again competing for the No. 1 job, along with redshirt freshman Dominik Eberle.

Who will win the job?

"It will be a battle until somebody steps up and acts like a man and wins it," Wells said.

Decisions, decisions

According to Wells, Utah State coaches are "still in the evaluation phase … in a lot of positions."

One area being closely scrutinized is the offensive line, where center Austin Stephens and tackles Jake Simonich and Austin Albrecht return.

The other two starting jobs, however, remain up in the air.

"We're trying to figure that out," Wells said.

Referring to the progress his team has made during the first two weeks of preseason camp, he said, "As you evaluate it, sometimes it looks really good and sometimes it doesn't look so good. But I think that's the struggle every coach has this time of the year."

Myers watchlisted

Utah State junior Kent Myers has been named to the 2016 Manning Award watch list.

Created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl in honor of the college accomplishments of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning, the award is given annually to the nation's top quarterback.

Thirty players are included on the watch list, including at least one from all 10 Football Bowl Subdivision conferences. The group includes two players from the Mountain West — Myers and Boise State's Brett Rypien.

Ten finalists will be announced on Nov. 30. The winner will be named on Jan. 11.

Myers is from Sachse High School in Rowlett, Texas. Last season, he started eight games, completed 60.8 percent of his passes and threw 16 touchdowns passes. In a 33-18 win over Colorado State, he also rushed for 191 yards on 16 carries.

luhm@sltribcom

Twitter: @sluhm