LOGAN, Utah – Having spent time coaching at the U.S. Naval Academy, Utah State head coach Matt Wells has a deep appreciation for those who serve the nation while playing college football.

In Saturday’s contest against Air Force, the Aggies are facing a group of players who make similar sacrifices as those who Wells coached at Navy.

“The five years that I had at the Naval Academy and the amount of respect that I have for all three academies for what those kids do on a daily basis and what they do for our country once they graduate, I can’t pay them enough respect,” said Wells.

Following his years as quarterback at Utah State, Wells landed his first college coaching job at Navy, where he worked coaching the quarterbacks, fullbacks, and wide receivers while also serving as the junior varsity head coach and offensive coordinator from 1997-2001.

“I don’t know personally what those cadets at Air Force are going through, but I’ve seen it close up as a coach at the Naval Academy. I just have a tremendous amount of respect for them,” he said.

Wells continued to add that for those players at the military academies, football, practice and lifting weights can be the “fun part of their day”.

“These are the guys that you want protecting you, our country and freedoms on an every-day basis. I have a lot of respect for them.”

The Aggies will take on Air Force Saturday at 8:15 p.m. at Maverik Stadium. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2.