The catchy name — and the playmaking abilities that come with it — have dominated Knoxville’s recent football conversations.
But when Utah State trots onto the Neyland Stadium grass for Sunday’s season opener, much more firepower will be arriving than just the Aggies’ decorated senior signal caller.
“Let’s make one thing clear,” Volunteers head coach Butch Jones said, “it’s not just Chuckie Keeton.”
Since the start of 2011, Utah State has compiled a 27-13 record with three straight bowl appearances, including a program-best 11 victories in 2012.
And well aware of the recent string of success, Jones stressed Wednesday that the Aggies’ recent romp through the Mountain West Conference isn’t happening on only one set of shoulders.
“There’s a reason why they’ve won the amount of games that they’ve won,” Jones said. “They’re talented across the board. Their defense is a really good defense. They’re tough. They’re physical. They run to the football. They play angry.”
Spearheading the Aggies’ defensive assault is junior linebacker Kyler Fackrell, who garnered a bevy of national accolades and recognition following his sophomore campaign.
After racking up 82 total takedowns, five sacks and a team-high 13 tackles for loss in 2013, the Mesa, Ariz., native was selected to the Phil Steele First-Team All-Mountain West and was pegged College Football News Sophomore Honorable Mention All-American.
“They’re a really good defense, very sound in their coverages,” quarterback Justin Worley said. “They don’t miss assignments too often, and you can tell they’re very well-coached. Looking at their roster and stuff, they’ve lost a few guys in their secondary so they’re a little unproven there, but overall, they’ve got a pretty solid defense.”
With fourth-round NFL draft picks Maurice Alexander and Nevin Lawson both departed from the Utah State secondary, the Aggies’ 2014 defensive unit beckoned for immediate newcomer impact – a scenario sophomore cornerback Daniel Gray exploited with authority this offseason.
But the extensive trek east to Neyland won’t be an unfamiliar one for the Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native, who signed with the Vols out of high school and played one season under ex-UT head coach Derek Dooley.
In 2012, Gray started one game — UT’s 55-48 win over Troy — and saw action in another seven, racking up six total tackles along the way. But following the Vols’ most recent coaching shakeup, Gray opted to transfer west in May 2013, joining two of his former prep teammates who were already roaming the Utah State sideline.
And after sitting out all of last season, the 5-foot-11, 170-pound Gray is itching to kick off his first of three remaining years of eligibility with a homecoming of sorts.
“He’s played really well in training camp,” Utah State head coach Matt Wells told reporters. “It will be his first start as a Utah State Aggie. I’m sure there will be mixed emotions for him going in. He needs to be able to control those and play each snap and move on and have success. If there wasn’t something so good, move on and play the next play. He better have a short mentality at cornerback in any game.
“I’m sure he’ll have some mixed emotions, but he’s played well the last couple weeks of training camp. He’s known since the minute he walked in here that this was the opening game.”
