SALT LAKE CITY – After winning their first-ever Mountain West football championship in 2021, Utah State head coach Blake Anderson believes the standard is set.

Blake Anderson and Utah State were picked to finish fifth in the 2021 Mountain West preseason poll but managed to go 11-3 overall and 6-2 in conference play. They ended up beating San Diego State in the Mountain West title game and defeated Oregon State in the inaugural Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl.

At the 2022 Mountain West Media Days in Las Vegas, Anderson joined Hans Olsen and Scott Garrard on the KSL Sports Zone. Anderson was asked where his players are at as far as motivation for the 2022 season after winning a conference title and bowl game.

“I think a standard was set that they carry with them,” Anderson said. “There is an energy that you bring from having those two big wins at the end of the season. You carry that into the off-season. But you gotta battle complacency as well and we have talked about that openly of not being able to rest on last year. Last year is not going to get us anything in terms of wins (this year), you gotta go out and prove it. There are a lot of new faces and we lost a lot of good players.”

Now that the standard is set, Utah State will have to prove themselves all over again to the conference and the country. The Aggies were picked to finish third in the Mountain Division in the 2022 preseason poll.

“It’s a challenge no doubt,” Anderson stated. “I think we have pushed them really hard all spring. Our strength staff has done the same this summer. I’m hoping this team is mature and disciplined enough to understand that they have to go out and earn it every week. That no points are given for carrying the trophy. Everybody is gunning for you, everybody is circling this game on their calendar. Completely different environment than a year ago. It’s a huge challenge. I like the energy and attitude we’ve had. It’s a selfless and hardworking group of guys. That’s what got us the trophy a year ago. Hopefully, we can do the same thing again.”

Utah State will open the 2022 season on Saturday, August 27 against UConn at 2 p.m. MT. That game and every Utah State football game will be broadcast on the KSL Sports Zone.

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