Utah State's Nick Vigil Added to Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll

Utah State [University] linebacker Nick Vigil has been named to the Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll for week six of the college football season for his stellar, two-way performance in the Aggies’ 35-20 road win at No. 18 BYU last weekend [Oct. 3, 2014].

Vigil, a 6-2, 230-pound sophomore from Plain City, Utah, (Fremont HS) helped Utah State snap a 17-game road losing streak to BYU dating back to 1978. The win was just the fourth in school history against a ranked opponent as No. 18 BYU is the highest ranked team USU has ever defeated topping its 48-41 overtime win at No. 19 Louisiana Tech in 2012.

Utah State’s 35-20 road win at No. 18 BYU is also the first regular season road win by an unranked Mountain West team against a ranked opponent since UNLV posted a 23-20 win at No. 19 Arizona State Sept. 30, 2008.

Against BYU, Vigil saw his first duty of the season at running back and was the Aggie’s leading rusher with 16 carries for 57 yards and a touchdown. In one sequence, he carried the ball on three consecutive plays from the BYU 17-yard line to the six, picking up a first down and setting up a touchdown. Vigil scored USU’s final touchdown of the game on a one-yard plunge in the third quarter. Overall, he logged an astounding 108 snaps while playing both ways in all four quarters and led Utah State’s defense with nine tackles.

On the season, Vigil leads the team in tackles (49) and forced fumbles (2), is tied for the team lead in quarterback hurries (4), and ranks fourth in tackles for loss (5.5) and sacks (2.0). Overall, Vigil ranks second in the Mountain West and tied for 14th in the nation in fumbles forced (0.40 pg), second in the MW and tied for 33rd in the nation in tackles (9.8 pg), and tied for eighth in the MW in tackles for loss (1.1 pg).

Utah State (3-2, 0-0 MW) begins Mountain West play this weekend by hosting Air Force (4-1, 1-1 MW) in its annual Homecoming game Saturday, Oct. 11, at 8:15 p.m. The game will be nationally televised by ESPNU. USU is 1-1 all-time against AFA and this will be the Falcons first-ever trip to Romney Stadium.

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About the Paul Hornung Award presented by Texas Roadhouse
Created by the Louisville Sports Commission in 2010, the Paul Hornung Award presented by Texas Roadhouse is given annually to the most versatile player in major college football. The Award is designed to promote college football and help preserve the legacy of one of Kentucky’s best-known and accomplished athletes who has always called Louisville home. Hornung, the 1956 Hesiman Trophy winner at Notre Dame and NFL MVP for the Green Bay Packers, set a single-season NFL scoring record that stood 46 years. Hornung is a member of the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame, and Vince Lombardi once called Hornung “The most versatile man ever to play the game.” A national selection committee comprised of 16 sports journalists and former NFL stars votes for the Hornung Award, with fan voting powered by Texas Roadhouse comprising the 17th vote. The winner is honored at a banquet presented by KentuckyOne Health in late January in downtown Louisville. For more information, visit the website. Fans can also follow online on Twitter.

Additional Aggie sports news is available at the Athletics website.