Guy credits his seniors for setting an example

LOGAN — Utah State football coach Brent Guy saw firsthand the effects a group of uninterested seniors can have on a struggling football team during his first season as an assistant at Arizona State five years ago.

The Sun Devils were suffering through a miserable season, and some players lost faith in what the first-year coaching staff was doing and the new direction in which the program was heading.

Guy, who is two games away from completing his first season as the head coach with the Aggies (2-6, 1-5), is experiencing just the opposite of that Arizona State group with the 14 Aggie seniors who will play their final game at Romney Stadium Saturday against Nevada.

"They (the seniors) have stood behind us and are still fighting with us, and no one has thrown in the towel," Guy said.

In fact, the seniors are well aware of the new direction in which the program is heading, and they are helping the younger players progress.

"We've got a lot of seniors playing and a lot of freshmen playing and not very many in between," Guy said. "Those guys have done as good a job as any I have been around to bring those guys (the freshmen) around."

Andre Bala, Jarrett Bush, John Chick, Ryan DeQuillettes, Jarom Fano, Michael Gates, Nick George, Cornelius Lamb, Donald Penn, Jason Walker and Matt Wiser will play in their last game at Romney Stadium, while more injured players — D.J. Brookter, Justin Schlimgen and Nate Fredrick — will watch from the sidelines. Schlimgen was injured in an ATV accident during the summer and never took a snap this year.

"I really appreciate this senior class," Guy said. "We have moved guys around and have changed positions on guys and asked them to do it for the better of the team, and they've done that."

Fano, Chick, Wiser, Bush, Penn, and George have started every game for the Aggies this season, while Bala, DeQuillettes, Lamb and Brookter have made at least one start this year.

Currently, Wiser is second on the team in tackles with 67; Chick ranks sixth in the nation in sacks per game (1.06) and Bush is seventh in the nation in passes defended per game.

MORE ON PENN: Penn was ejected during the fourth quarter of Utah State's 50-23 loss to Hawaii last week, but he will not be suspended by Guy for the game against Nevada.

Guy said Penn "will pay the price" but wouldn't elaborate on the punishment.