2020_Utah_State_Aggies_football_team
2020 Utah State Aggies football team
American college football season
The 2020 Utah State Aggies football team represented Utah State University in the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Aggies played their home games at Maverik Stadium in Logan, Utah as members of the Mountain West Conference. Head coach Gary Andersen, who was in his second year back at Utah State (sixth overall), coached the first three games before he was fired after going 0–3.[2] Co-defensive coordinator Frank Maile was named interim head coach.[3] In a season limited due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Aggies finished the conference-only season 1–5 to finish in 11th place in Mountain West play.
| 2020 Utah State Aggies football | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Conference | Mountain West Conference |
| Record | 1–5 (1–5 MW) |
| Head coach |
|
| Offensive coordinator | Bodie Reeder (1st season) |
| Co-defensive coordinator | Frank Maile (4th season) |
| Co-defensive coordinator | Stacy Collins (1st season) |
Uniform | |
 | |
Seasons | |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 24 San Jose State y$ | 7 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Boise State y | 5 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nevada | 6 | – | 2 | 7 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| San Diego State | 4 | – | 2 | 4 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hawaii | 4 | – | 4 | 5 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fresno State | 3 | – | 3 | 3 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Air Force | 2 | – | 2 | 3 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wyoming | 2 | – | 4 | 2 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New Mexico | 2 | – | 5 | 2 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colorado State | 1 | – | 3 | 1 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Utah State | 1 | – | 5 | 1 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UNLV | 0 | – | 6 | 0 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Championship: San Jose State 34, Boise State 20 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rankings from AP Poll | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Following the season, the school announced Arkansas State head coach Blake Anderson would become the team's new head coach.[4]
The final scheduled game of the season was canceled due to a Utah State player boycott.[5]
Coaching staff
After an up-and-down year, various changes were made to the Aggie coaching staff. Offensive coordinator Mike Sanford left to take the same position at Minnesota, and was replaced by North Texas offensive coordinator Bodie Reeder. Defensive coordinator Justin Ena was reassigned as the inside linebackers coach. Frank Maile, assistant head coach and tight ends coach, was reassigned to defensive coordinator. He had previously been Utah State's defensive coordinator from 2016 to 2018. Stacy Collins, special teams and running backs coach, was named co-defensive coordinator with Maile. Bojay Filimoeatu was moved from defensive ends to outside linebackers. Dave Schramm, the offensive coordinator at Weber State, was hired as the new running backs coach. Safeties coach Mike Caputo was let go and is now at Baylor with former Utah State defensive coordinator Dave Aranda.
| Name | Position | Alma mater | Joined staff |
| Gary Andersen | Head Coach | Utah (1986) | 2019 (previously 2009–2012) |
| Frank Maile | Co-Defensive Coordinator / Defensive Line | Utah State (2007) | 2016 (previously 2009–2013) |
| Stacy Collins | Co-Defensive Coordinator / Secondary | Western Oregon (1998) | 2016 |
| Bodie Reeder | Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks | Eastern Illinois (2009) | 2020 |
| Justin Ena | Inside Linebackers | BYU (2001) | 2019 |
| T.J. Woods | Offensive Line | Azusa Pacific (2002) | 2019 (previously 2009–2012) |
| Jason Phillips | Pass Game Coordinator / Wide Receivers | Houston (2001) | 2019 |
| Bojay Filimoeatu | Defensive Ends | Utah State (2012) | 2019 |
| Dave Schramm | Running Backs | Adams State (1983) | 2020 |
| Mark Orphey | Secondary | Texas Southern (2010) | 2019 |
| Jordan Hicks | Strength and Conditioning | Georgetown (KY) (2005) | 2019 |
| Keegan Andersen | Director of Player Personnel | Utah State (2013) | 2019 |
Source: [6]
On December 11, a day before the scheduled final game of the season, it was reported that Blake Anderson would be named the team's new head coach.[7] As a result of the announcement of the hire of Anderson and racially and religiously insensitive comments allegedly made by Utah State president Noelle Cockett, the Aggie players announced a boycott of the final game.[7] The players had announced their support for the retention of interim head coach Maile, but were allegedly told by Cockett that Maile's religious and cultural background was a problem.[8] Maile is of Polynesian descent and a Mormon.[8] The players reported that it was not the first time issues of discrimination had occurred, citing a 2019 issue where the team's head equipment manager used a racial slur, but the manager ultimately continued his employment at the school.[9]
Utah State announced its 2020 football schedule on February 27, 2020.[10] The 2020 schedule consisted of six home and six away games in the regular season. On August 10, 2020, the Mountain West Conference announced the suspension of the football season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[11][12]
On September 25, the Mountain West announced the 2020 season would return with a revised eight-game, conference-only season beginning October 24.[13] On November 18, the scheduled November 19 game against Wyoming was canceled by the Mountain West Conference due to rising COVID-19 cases in the Utah State program.[14] On December 11, the scheduled December 12 at Colorado State was canceled as a result of a Utah State player boycott in protest of comments made by their university president that they perceived as discriminatory.[15]
| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 24 | 5:00 p.m. | at Boise State | FS1 | L 13–42 | 0 | |
| October 31 | 7:30 p.m. | San Diego State | CBSSN | L 7–38 | 5,116 | |
| November 5 | 5:00 p.m. | at Nevada | FS1 | L 9–34 | 250 | |
| November 14 | 12:30 p.m. | Fresno State |
| FS2 | L 16–35 | 0 |
| November 26 | 5:00 p.m. | New Mexico |
| FS1 | W 41–27 | 198 |
| December 3 | 7:30 p.m. | Air Force |
| CBSSN | L 7–35 | 3,025 |
| ||||||
Source[16]
- "WE'RE BACK". twitter.com/MountainWest. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
- "Gary Andersen out at Utah State after Aggies' 0-3 start; assistant Frank Maile named interim coach". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
- McDonald, Ryan (November 9, 2020). "Who is Frank Maile? Getting to know the Utah State Aggies' interim head football coach". Deseret News. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
- "Utah State hires Blake Anderson from Arkansas State as Aggies' next coach". CBSSports.com. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
- "Utah State players opt out of Colorado State game over alleged insensitive remarks made by school leadership". CBSSports.com. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
- "Football Coaches". Utah State University Athletics. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
- Lyell, Kelly. "Utah State football players defend decision to boycott 2020 season finale at Colorado State". The Coloradoan. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
- Robinson, Doug (December 22, 2020). "Utah State players to be applauded for taking measured, thoughtful stand". Deseret News. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
- "Utah State Players Opt Out of Final Game Due to President's Comments, Past Issues". Stadium. December 11, 2020. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
- "Mountain West Announces 2020 Football Schedule for Utah State". Utah State University. February 27, 2020. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
- "Utah State football won't play as Mountain West cancels fall sports". The Salt Lake Tribune. August 10, 2020. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
- "Mountain West postpones football, fall sports". ESPN.com. August 10, 2020. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
- "The Mountain West announces the return of football". September 24, 2020.
- Potter, Davis (November 18, 2020). "More COVID-19 issues cancel Wyoming's game against Utah State". Casper Star Tribune. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
- Fredrickson, Kyle (December 11, 2020). "Utah State at Colorado State football game canceled due to USU player boycott". The Denver Post. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
- "2020 Utah State Football Schedule". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved March 4, 2020.