Following a turbulent offseason which included a change at the head coach position with Nate Dreiling being named the interim, the Utah State Aggies are looking to rebound from a 6-7 finish to the 2023 season.
Despite losing a few key players through the transfer portal, the Aggies will look to rebuild and reload in 2024 with a collection of holdovers while welcoming in a new signal caller via the portal. As Utah State looks to make a return to the top of the Mountain West, who are the Aggies’ top returning players in 2024?
Utah State Aggies Top 10 Returners in 2024
“Analyzing the returning players at every school is a difficult task in the transfer portal area. As such, we’ve included transfer-portal athletes that were included on each team’s roster page to open fall camp in addition to the rostered players from last year.”
10) Jordan Vincent, Safety
Jordan Vincent followed Dreiling from New Mexico State where he was Honorable Mention All-Conference USA with 65 tackles, three pass breakups, and two sacks. His job at safety is to shore up a defense that struggled overall, ranking 120th nationally in total defense.
Vincent following Dreiling is a good sign, even if the numbers aren’t eye-popping, and his experience playing in big games like last year’s upset of SEC opponent Auburn will be a plus for the Aggies on the field and off.
9) Teague Andersen, Left Tackle
Teague Andersen will likely line up on the left side after starting five games on the right side in 2023. Anderson also started one game at left tackle and one game at center, showcasing his versatility and athleticism.
He’ll be charged with protecting the blind side of whoever ends up starting at quarterback for the Aggies and trying to improve on the 44 sacks they allowed in 2023.
8) Avante Dickerson, Defensive Back
Utah State’s pass defense allowed a league-worst 27 touchdowns through the air last season, so Avante Dickerson’s six pass breakups will be a welcome return to a secondary and defense that struggled for most of 2023.
Dickerson is only a junior, and after starting seven games last year, he should be the lockdown corner for all of this year.
7) Broc Lane, Tight End
Broc Lane was Honorable Mention All-Mountain West in 2023 with 21 receptions for 208 yards and one trip to the end zone. He will be a welcome target for whoever takes over as the starter for Utah State at quarterback and should be primed to improve on his numbers from last year.
6) Blaine Spires, Defensive End
After the departure of leading rush specialist Paul Fitzgerald to Utah in the spring, it will be up to Blaire Spires to replace the production for a defense that had 29 sacks in 2023. Spires accounted for five of those sacks, which was good enough to put him in the top 10 for the conference and makes the potential for improvement even more possible.
5) Robert Briggs Jr., Running Back
The Aggies’ rushing attack was a bright spot offensively, and while leading rusher Davon Booth left for Mississippi State, Robert Briggs Jr. was no slouch as a backup, averaging 5.3 yards per rush and scoring two touchdowns.
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Despite being 5’6”, Briggs is a tough, explosive runner who can find the crease and explode through it, leaving big play potential on the table anytime he gets to the next level.
4) Spencer Petras, Quarterback
Normally the quarterback would be higher, but Spencer Petras has yet to be named the official starter, although all signs point to the Iowa transfer being the guy behind center. Petras brings loads of experience to Logan, Utah, with 31 starts and a 20-11 record to go along with his 5,199 passing yards.
He’ll need to cut down on turnovers, but Petras is a sneaky threat on the ground as well with 11 career rushing touchdowns, and Utah State could be the perfect place to make the leap.
3) Rahsul Faison, Running Back
Part of a three-headed attack at the running back position, it will now be Rahsul Faison getting the lion’s share of the carries, and that should bode well for the Aggies. Faison is a bruiser with the speed to break runs for huge gains and the kind of shiftiness to make defenders miss and miss often.
His 6.24 yards per rush will help whoever steps in at quarterback to feel more secure, and his ability to catch passes out of the backfield should make Faison a marked man for defenses in the fall.
2) Ike Larsen, Safety
The hometown safety was named Honorable Mention All-American by College Football Network for the job he did in 2023 along with plenty of other accolades. In addition to a nose for the football with 103 tackles, Ike Larsen had a team-leading four interceptions and has blocked five kicks (four punts, one PAT) in his time at Utah State.
Larsen was named to the Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List in the preseason and should be a must-watch for fans of the Aggies and those who just love good football in general.
1) Jalen Royals, Wide Receiver
Jalen Royals’ return was one of the biggest wins of the offseason for the Aggies as he led all pass catchers with 1,080 yards on 71 receptions with 15 touchdowns last season. Royals was named a third-team All-American by College Football Network last fall for his performance and was added to the Biletnikoff Award Watch List for this upcoming season.
Though he will be without running mates Terrell Vaughn and Micah Davis, Royals has the kind of speed and ability to go up and get the ball no matter who throws it. That, and his status as the go-to offensive option, should make his decision to stay pay off with a big senior season.