Aggies on Phil Steele's Midseason Honorable Mention All-America Team

Utah State [University] football players Robert Turbin and Bobby Wagner were tabbed to Phil Steele’s College Football Midseason All-American Honorable Mention list and were two of 11 Aggies on the publication’s Midseason all-Western Athletic Conference teams in 12 spots.

Turbin currently leads the WAC and is third in the FBS in scoring at 14.4 ppg, while leading the league and 10th in the nation in rushing at 119.8 ypg. Turbin also is fifth in the conference and 46th in the county in all-purpose yards (130.4 ypg).

Wagner is tops in the WAC and fifth in FBS in tackles at 12.2 per game.

In addition to honorable mention All-America honors, both Turbin and Wagner were also tabbed to the Midseason all-WAC list, both earning first-team accolades. They were joined on the first-team by teammates sophomore center Tyler Larsen and offensive lineman Philip Gapelu.

Freshman quarterback Chuckie Keeton was tabbed to the second-team list, along with senior offensive lineman Funaki Asisi, junior defensive lineman Al Lapuaho, junior punter Tyler Bennett and junior Kerwynn Williams as a punt returner. Williams was also on the third-team list as a kick returner, and was joined on the third-team by senior tight end Tarren Lloyd and senior linebacker Kyle Gallagher.

Larsen, Gapelu and Asisi anchor and Aggie offense that leads the league in four offensive categories, including rushing offense, which they rank sixth in the nation at 309.6 yards per game. USU also leads the WAC and ranks 16th in the FBS in total offense at 480.4 ypg, as well as leading the conference and ranking 22nd in the country in passing efficiency at 155.77.  Utah State also is tops in the league and 11th in the nation in scoring offense, hanging an average of 42.6 points per game on the scoreboard.

Keeton is first in the WAC and 22nd in the nation is passing efficiency (157.05), while ranking seventh in the conference and tied for 77th in the country in total offense (198.8 ypg).

Lapuaho has ranked tied for 20th in the league in sacks (.2 pg) and adds 16 tackles with 1.5 TFL.  Fellow second-team honoree Bennett is second in the WAC and seventh in the FBS in punting at 47.0 ypp.

Williams is third in the league and 19th in the nation in all-purpose yards (156.6 ypg), consisting of ranking second in the WAC and 12th in the FBS in punt returns (16.8 ypr), as well as third in the conference and 36th in the country in kick returns (25.0 ypr).

Lloyd has seven catches for 55 yards (7.9 ypc) and snared his first TD of the season in Saturday’s game vs. Wyoming [Oct. 8]. Gallagher is 10th in the league and tied for 82nd in the nation (8.0 pg).

USU returns home to the friendly confines of Merlin Olsen Field at Romney Stadium to host Louisiana Tech Saturday, Oct. 22, at 1 p.m. (MT).

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