With Keeton back, loaded Aggie QB field pushes Myers to WR

(Matt Glade/KSL-TV)


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LOGAN — Kent Myers was a familiar face on the field as Utah State won its third-straight bowl game and capped another 10-win season for the Aggies in 2014.

When the Aggies picked up spring practices Monday, Myers’ familiar face was still there — but it wasn’t in the red quarterback jersey to which he’s grown accustomed.

Myers, who will be a sophomore next season, opened Utah State’s spring camp with the wide receivers, as starting quarterbacks Chuckie Keeton and Darell Garretson joined Oregon transfer Damion Hobbs and redshirt freshman D.J. Nelson as signal callers on the camp’s opening day.

“That was a big switch to me, too,” Keeton said. “He’s a reliable kid right now and he clearly knows the offense after playing quarterback. It’s an easy transition for him; he just has to run a lot more now. He’s adapting well to (receivers coach Jovon Bouknight’s) direction, and he’s taken hold of it so far.”

Keeton reclaimed a lost year of eligibility via a medical redshirt this winter, and Garretson is coming off a premature end to his season with wrist surgery. Hobbs, a sophomore, sat out 2014 after transferring from Oregon.

“I’m feeling good,” said Keeton, who did not wear a brace at practice. “I’m happy to be back out with these guys. A lot of guys have grown up, and I’m happy to be back and a part of it.”

JoJo Natson runs drills during the first day of spring camp at Utah State in Logan on Monday. (Photo: Matt Glade/KSL-TV)
JoJo Natson runs drills during the first day of spring camp at Utah State in Logan on Monday. (Photo: Matt Glade/KSL-TV)

Myers completed 66 percent of his passes for 866 yards and five touchdowns in 2014, leading the Aggies to a 6-1 record as the fourth quarterback used in the season. The true freshman signal caller was named offensive most valuable player during the Gildan New Mexico Bowl when he threw for 68 yards and ran for 70 more with a touchdown scamper in the Aggies’ 21-6 win over UTEP.

Myers is listed as a wide receiver on the Aggies’ spring roster.

“It’s a change of color of jerseys,” head coach Matt Wells said of Myers’ move. “With some of our injuries and guys not here (at wide receiver), there are a lot of reps to go around with him.”

Myers’ move may just be for spring practices, Wells stressed after practice Monday. He could still use a redshirt this fall, and he could even make an appearance at quarterback, if the Aggies need him — just as he did in 2014, when the Texas native entered the season as the No. 4 option at his position.

“We need to be able to see him, and he needs to be able to mess up … and put two good days back to back,” Wells said. “He had a good day, but we’re just out in shorts.”

Utah State practiced 103 players in helmets and gym shorts Monday, including 36 freshmen. The Aggies return 17 starters from the 2014 season, 10 on offense and seven on defense. But the returning standouts did not include linebackers Nick Vigil and Kyler Fackrell, who are still rehabilitating leg injuries suffered in 2014.

Vigil, who also saw time at running back a year ago, aggravated a hamstring in the Aggies’ bowl win, and Fackrell is coming off a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered in the first game of the season at Tennessee.

Neither will see time during the spring, but both were on hand at practice to observe, mentor and help coach their position group — which includes new defensive coordinator and former Utah State linebackers coach Kevin Clune.

“We’ve got a lot of competition at linebacker, with all the injuries and graduation,” Wells said. “A lot of young guys will get a lot of reps at linebacker.”

The Aggies will slip on pads for the first time Thursday and practice through next week, leading to the first scrimmage of spring camp on March 27. The annual Blue-and-White spring game is scheduled for April 11 at 2 p.m. MDT at Romney Stadium.

“It’s always great to start,” Wells said. “The youthful enthusiasm is what gets us up in the morning and it's exciting about being back out on the grass and coaching these kids.

“The biggest thing was being able to reset the Aggie standard, not taking anything for granted.”

Contributing: Matt Glade

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