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Logan • Asked to give a rundown of Utah State's offensive line and coach Matt Wells talks about returning starters Austin Stephens and Jake Simonich, then he throws in Ben Wysocki, a transfer from UCLA who is spending his final year of eligibility with the Aggies.

"He is someone who can come in and help us right away," Wells said with a smile that hints he might have found a bit of hidden treasure in the 6-foot-5, 295-pound Wysocki.

While other coaches might shy from taking a chance on a player who has little experience and one year of eligibility left, Wells embraces it.

In a perfect world, Wells would have a roster full of guys who grew up in the program. But as a team aiming for the top of the Mountain West, the Aggies don't have that kind of depth yet.

As a result, Wells is actively wooing junior transfers, using the "sign and send" system and scouring Logan for walk-ons. He even refers to his program as a "developmental" program, verbiage that might make other coaches cringe.

"We don't want to be a flash in the pan, a team that is good for one year then disappears," he said. "So we have to look for ways to develop our team and doing it this way has been successful for us."

Wells admits that taking junior college players can be a risk because they have one or two years of eligibility remaining, so they must assimilate quickly. But he believes the impact they can have overrides any risk. The Aggies have had tremendous luck with their selections, making the newcomers' impact perhaps more noticeable.

"You are always looking for guys who you think you can develop, guys who are going to buy into what we do here," Wells said.

The returning players are tasked with helping the newcomers learn the Aggie way as quickly as possible.

Linebacker Kyler Fackrell said it doesn't take long for the newcomers to get up to speed, partially because they've had a chance to mature at the college level.

"We have a long history of guys who come in and step in and fill big roles," he said. "We know that we have to help them get prepared, but it doesn't take them long to get adjusted."

The Aggies' knack for finding talent through its walk-on program is well-documented, particularly in recent years with guys including linebacker Zach Vigil, safety Frankie Sutera and defensive lineman B.J. Larsen all having excellent careers.

The Aggies' other method of keeping the roster stocked is the way it uses the "sign and send" technique, whereas a school signs a high school recruit knowing he is going to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Since the athlete's eligibility clock doesn't start until he is enrolled, the Aggies can hope their athletes will come back bigger and more mature. This habit has drawn the ire of opposing coaches, but Wells is unapologetic.

"I'll never apologize for it; it's part of our recruiting model," he said. "We've been very successful with it, and any school in the country can do it if they want to, so we aren't going to apologize."

Defensvie lineman Ricky Ali'fua, projected to start at left end, served his mission in Oklahoma and came back better than when he left, he said.

"Mentally, I was a lot more prepared," he said. "You take things seriously after being away because you learn more about life, you don't take anything for granted."

Coaches often speak of the value of continuity for success, so all the patchwork done to the lineup may make some skeptical of Wells' tactics, but he stands by them, noting that the Aggies have had consistent success in recent years.

"You've got to have recent history when you are out there recruiting 18-year-olds," he said. "They want to know what you have done in the last three to four years. I don't look at it like we are out there selling a developmental program, we want them to come be a part of what we are doing, and that is being successful every year." —

Notable new faces

Jude Hockel • Transfer from Diablo Valley Community College

Preston Brooksby • A transfer from Glendale Community College

Chris Copier • Tight end spent a year at Snow College after serving a two-year mission

Devante Mays • Running back is pushing for reps after transferring from Blinn Community College

Ben Wysocki • Offensive lineman transferred from UCLA as a grad student