USU's Kellen Bartlett and Robert Turbin Tabbed to Preseason Watch Lists

Utah State [University] football player senior tight end Kellen Bartlett and running back Robert Turbin have been tabbed to the College Football Performance Awards national watch lists for their respective positions. The publication released its watch lists Tuesday, July 5.

One of 39 tight ends on the watch list, Bartlett is the only tight end from the Western Athletic Conference and only one of two players from the state of Utah, joined by Kendrick Moeai of Utah. 

Turbin is one of 38 players on the running backs list and one of only three WAC running backs, joined by Robbie Rouse of Fresno State and Lennon Creer of Louisiana Tech. Turbin is also one of two players from the Beehive state, joined by BYU’s J.J. DiLuigi.

Bartlett, a native of Blue Springs, Mo. (Blue Springs South HS), caught 15 passes for 222 yards (14.8 ypg), highlighted by five receptions for 121 yards on the road at Nevada, including a career-long 63-yard catc, for USU’s only 100-yard receiving outing of season. Bartlett snared at least two catches in five-straight games, capped off with career-best five receptions in Nevada game, before suffering a season-ending arm injury in the New Mexico State game, missing the last three contests of the season.

Turbin, a Fremont, Calif. (Irvington HS), native missed all of last season with a knee injury, but is expected to make full recovery and return to his school-record setting form from 2009 when he ranked third in the WAC and 20th in Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) in rushing with 108.0 ypg, as well as third in the league and 32nd in the nation in all-purpose yards with 142.8 ypg.  Turbin finished with 1,296 rushing yards, becoming the first USU back with 1,500 for a career since Emmett White (1998-01), who finished with 2,791 yards. The 1,296 yards rank eighth on the Aggies’ single-season rushing list, right behind White’s 1,322 yards in 2000 at No. 7.  With 1,798 career rushing yards, Turbin is currently No. 11 on the USU career rushing list, 22 behind Jack Hill’s 1,820 yards (1952, 55-56) at the No. 10 spot.

The purpose of the College Football Performance Awards is to provide the most scientifically rigorous conferments in college football. Recipients are selected exclusively based upon objective scientific rankings of the extent to which individual players increase the overall effectiveness of their teams.

Bartlett and Turbin are two of Utah State’s 46 returning letterwinners (28 offense, 17 defense, one special teams), including 16 starters (nine offense, six defense, one special teams), from last season’s 4-8 overall mark, and 2-6 in WAC play, in head coach Gary Andersen’s second season at the helm of the Aggie program.

After its season-opener at Auburn Saturday, Sept. 3, Utah State’s home opener is Saturday, Sept. 10, at 6 p.m. (MT), taking on in-state foe Weber State, marking the first time that USU and WSU have squared off since 2001. Utah State leads the all-time series, 11-1. The Aggie-Wildcat match-up will have special meaning for Andersen, who will be facing his mentor, Weber State head coach Ron McBride. Andersen played for McBride at Utah in 1985-86.

For USU football ticket information, contact the USU Ticket Office at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, or by phone by calling 1-888-USTATE-1 or (435) 797-0305.

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Contact: Zach Fisher, (435) 797-2066