Washington State 2024 Opponent Scouting Report: Utah State

Jared Miller | Aug 12, 2024

Sep 30, 2023; East Hartford, Connecticut, USA; Utah State Aggies wide receiver Jalen Royals (1) is congratulated by quarterback Cooper Legas (5) after running the ball for a touchdown against the UConn Huskies in the second half at Rentschler Field at Pratt & Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports / David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Washington State's November home stretch will kick off with the Aggies paying a visit to Pullman.

Who/When/Where: On November 9 the Cougars will welcome in a very solid Utah State team that will likely be vying for a bowl game (if not more). The Aggies boast a ball-hawking defense and scary passing attack but WSU should be well-rested for the Week 11 battle which comes right after their off week. USU brings with it a tough challenge on both sides of the ball and it may result in a heck of a matchup.

Offensive Players to Watch: Jalen Royals (WR), Spencer Petras (QB), Rahsul Faison (RB)

Defensive Players to Watch: Ike Larsen (S), Blaine Spires (DE), Bronson Olevao Jr. (LB)

Utah State underwent some offensive changes this offseason but nothing completely wholesale. The biggest new name on that side of the ball is surely transfer signal-caller Spencer Petras (#7). The former longtime Iowa QB takes his talents to Logan now on the heels of a very productive six years with the Hawkeyes. Petras started 31 games in Iowa City, throwing for 5,199 yards and 24 touchdowns. Now with the Aggies, he could pose a serious problem for Washington State's defense when they meet up.

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Petras is precise, patient and accurate when passing. He lets routes develop well and hits receivers in stride, often making catches look effortless for his targets. Petras is also not shy about sacrificing himself on plays, specifically in short yardage. His arm is strong and he has the toughness to match. Plus he'll have a pretty good target to throw to in wideout Jalen Royals (#1).

Royals has been with USU for two years now and has established himself as the primary point of interest in the passing attack. He racked up 1,080 yards on 71 catches last year to lead the team and found the end zone 15 times.

The senior is excellent at adjusting to the ball during its flight to make a catch, making him that much more difficult to defend even when the coverage is solid. Royals is a threat in both the deep and intermediate passing game and his ability to pile up yards after the catch is going to be something WSU defenders will need to key in on. Royals is fast and elusive enough to get by lone defenders, meaning that Cougars tacklers will need to swarm him when he has the ball.

When Utah State opts to run, it will largely be through senior back Rahsul Faison (#3). Faison, too, was on the team last year, splitting the bulk of the carries with fellow back Davon Booth. Booth is gone now, though, and it appears that Faison will now be the workhorse. He ran for 736 yards and five TDs a season ago. Faison cuts with his feet well and can change direction quickly. He uses his momentum as a weapon, many times running straight through would-be tacklers and gaining extra yardage after first contact.

On the other side of the ball, the Aggies will flex arguably the best secondary player Washington State's offense will see all year in safety Ike Larsen (#6). The standout junior is more or less a ball magnet and always seems to be around the play. He intercepted four passes, knocked down six more, registered 103 stops and forced two fumbles in 2023. In short, he's going to be a problem for the Cougars.

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Knowing where Larsen is on every play will be essential for the offense, but even then that won't be enough. Larsen possesses tremendous closing speed and can shorten his distance to the ball very quickly. He hits hard and uses his hands well in not only coverage but after the catch as well. WSU pass catchers will need to protect the ball (and themselves) when he's bearing down.

Up front it will be edge rusher Blaine Spires (#9) leading the charge. Spires authored five sacks last year along with 8.5 TFLs. With last year's leading sack-getter in Paul Fitzgerald gone, Spires is expected to take the mantle in the trenches now. He is great at timing his jump with the snap and can shoot into the backfield before blockers have a chance to get set. While is size alone might not jump off the screen, Spires makes up for it in his speed.

As Spires will take over as the leader on the line, so will sophomore linebacker Bronson Olevao Jr. (#14) in the middle now that M.J. Tafisi has moved on. Olevao saw limited action last year but has climbed the USU depth chart this offseason. He, like many of his defensive teammates, has great vision and pursuit to the ball. That awareness mixed with his physical play will likely have him involved in most plays.

Final Analysis: There are two big keys here if you're Washington State. Defensively the Cougars must wrap up and practice sound tackling fundamentals or guys like Royals are going to slice them apart. Offensively they will need to have their collective heads on a swivel for both Larsen and Olevao. Not knowing where either of them are on any given snap will likely prove to be costly. This game is a winnable one for WSU but it won't be if they can't neutralize the stars on Utah State's defense.