AGGIES OFFENSE
WR—11 Braden Pegan 6-3 210 Jr.
WR—5 Brady Boyd 6-1 195 Gr.
LT—67 Adam Pond 6-5 290 Jr.
LG—72 George Maile 6-4 295 Jr.
C—55 Jimmy Liston 6-4 300 So.
RG—65 Tavo Motu‘apuaka 6-4 330 Jr.
RT—57 Trey Andersen 6-6 285 Gr.
TE—87 Broc Lane 6-4 240 Gr.
WR—10 Anthony Garcia 6-2 195 So.
QB—16 Bryson Barnes 6-2 210 Gr.
RB—2 Miles Davis 5-11 215 Gr.
Being multi-skilled is easy for quarterback Bryson Barnes, who has worked as a pig farmer, plumber and solar-panel installer. Barnes uses his passing (launching from several arm platforms) and running (7.02 yards per non-sack rush) to steer a hybrid offense that features pre-snap motions, tight-end overloads, run-pass options, triple options, three-back formations and four- and five-receiver sets. Offensive coordinator Kevin McGiven also has borrowed Craig Stutzmann’s spread-and-shred concepts from his time at San Jose State last season. Barnes played at Utah, where he beat Florida in 2023, and then was the Aggies’ No. 2 QB after transferring ahead of the 2024 season. Barnes has sure-handed targets in Brady Boyd, who is a tough cover on deep routes, and UCLA transfer Braden Pegan, who can align wide or inside and has mastered the stutter-step-and-zoom technique. Pegan, who has four 35-plus-yard catches, is dependable on 50-50 balls (37-inch vertical jump) and sliding in front of mid-level defenders (4.48 seconds in the 40). Broc Lane is a motion tight end whose shifts create mismatches on the outside running paths or as a flex receiver. A favorite play is a jet sweep to move the defense to one side and the O-line convoy-blocking the other way, opening a gap for Barnes to run up the gut. He averages 6.6 yards on rushes between the guards. Barnes was knocked silly against Vanderbilt, but does not appear on this week’s initial injury report. Miles “Smooth Jazz” Davis, named after his father’s favorite musician, fostered dreams of being a college athlete. He used to sleep with a football, with his cleats on a bedside table and a basketball at the foot of the bed. After gaining 50 pounds at BYU, the 5-11, 215-pound Davis moved from receiver to running back. Davis, who transferred to Utah State this year, has 4.3 speed and no fumbles in 69 touches. “My life — and our team — is that ball,” Davis said. “I make sure I hold onto it.”
AGGIES DEFENSE
DE—9 Tyree Morris 6-5 285 Jr.
NT—10 Gabriel Iniguez 6-1 290 Gr.
DE—44 Bo Maile 6-3 270 Sr.
WLB—24 William Holmes 6-4 245 So.
SLB—25 Chris Joe 6-3 215 Fr.
MLB—14 Bronson Olevao 6-1 215 Jr.
BLB—20 John Miller 6-1 225 Gr.
FC—21 Noah Flores 5-9 175 So.
FS—1 Noah Avinger 6-0 190 Sr.
BS—4 Brevin Hamblin 6-5 200 Jr.
BC—34 Dylan Tucker 5-11 200 Sr.
Here’s the skinny on inside linebacker John Miller: he’s a cat lover (adopting his Siamese-Maine Coon “Terry” from Craigslist), avid hiker and quarterback hunter. “Quarterbacks are the only thing on my agenda this year and most of my life,” said Miller, who leads the Mountain West with five sacks. Miller relies on video studies, Olympic- styled lifting (snatch, power clean), and the ability to get “skinny” in sliding between blockers. “It’s being ready to go when your number’s called,” Miller said. “And fighting the hands, because every blocker, every O-lineman, is going to try to catch you. As long as you get those hands off you, you’re scot-free to the quarterback.” Miller aligns to the side of mike linebacker Bronson Olevao and either sprints to the flats or darts to the inside gaps. He also has the motor for the hook move, dashing past the blocks and then looping to catch the QB. Last year, Miller wore the green dot on his helmet, allowing him to communicate with the coaches. This year, no Aggies defender has the dot, spreading the leadership among several players. Gabriel Iniguez, who was at UH for his first two seasons, is the point in the three-man front. It expands to four if will linebacker Williams Holmes moves up as a stand-up pass rusher. Sometimes the Aggies will place only five in the box — Iniguez bracketed by two ends playing across the offensive tackles, and Olevao and Miller aligned 3 yards off the line of scrimmage. In the secondary, the Aggies have several zone packages. There are three- and four-across looks. Safeties Noah Avinger and Brevin Hamblin can set up deep with the corners playing a cushion coverage. Hamblin also can align deep, with Avinger moving up as a pass defender or 15-yard blitzer. The Aggies might receive a boost now that safety Ike Larsen completed his seven-week suspension. “He’s such a playmaker and ballhawk,” Miller said of Larsen. “He goes back there and finds the ball no matter where it is.”
AGGIES SPECIALISTS
PK—14 Tanner Rinker 6-2 190 Jr.
KO—90 Zachary Robbins 6-3 220 Fr.
LS—13 Hyrum Hatch 6-0 200 So.
P/H—16 Landon Rehkow 6-1 175 So.
KR—2 Miles Davis 5-11 215 Gr.
PR—8 Javen Jacobs 5-10 190 Jr.
If he’s cleared to play, Ike Larsen’s reinstatement to the active roster could boost special teams. Larsen has five career blocks, a school record. At Sky View High, he blocked 15 kicks. Larsen’s goal is to place his hands in the kicking lane within 1.8 seconds from the snap. BYU transfer Tanner Rinker was successful on two field goals in the opener, but did not attempt another in the next four games.
RAINBOW WARRIORS OFFENSE
WO—9 Jackson Harris 6-3 205 So.
SB—5 Pofele Ashlock 6-2 185 Jr.
LT—52 Dean Briski 6-5 300 Jr.
LG—58 Zhen Sotelo 6-2 310 Sr.
C—57 Ethan Spencer 6-2 295 Jr.
RG—79 Judah Kaio 6-3 300 Jr.
RT—70 James Milovale 6-6 320 Sr.
SB—3 Nick Cenacle 6-2 200 Sr.
WO—11 Karsyn Pupunu 6-3 205 Sr.
QB—12 Micah Alejado 5-10 180 Fr.
RB—30 Landon Sims 6-2 220 Sr.
Last November, quarterback Micah Alejado came off the sideline to complete 11 of 12 passes against Utah State. In his first start two weeks later, he threw for 469 yards and five TDs in a rout of New Mexico. There will be few surprises this time. The Aggies have archived videos of last year’s game. Bronco Mendenhall, whose background is in defense, went from being New Mexico’s head coach last season to leading the Aggies this year. “I’m sure they have film of me now,” said Alejado, a second-year freshman who is 3-2 as a starter. Fully healed from an ankle/foot injury, Alejado has a sturdy foundation on pocket throws while also using his mobility on rollouts and keepers (5.46 yards per non-sack rush). Slotback Nick Cenacle’s return to health provides another physical target. This is the first time since Aug. 30 that the first-team offense is available. Running back Landon Sims has perfect attendance in this breakout season. He’s excelled as a backfield blocker, devoured yards on draws and dives, and has caught 78.6% of passes thrown his way. Against Fresno State, he was clocked at 22.1 mph chasing down a defensive back on a pick return. His jersey always requires deep cleaning. “I don’t know if it’s my blood or somebody else’s, but I seem to always be covered in blood, whether in a practice or game,” said Sims, who recalled suffering a broken nose during a practice two years ago. “That was (from linebacker) Logan Taylor. He put my nose between my eyes in one practice. That thing was bleeding for days on end. I think it looks pretty now.” Three NFL teams have shown interest in Sims, mostly for special teams. Sims plays on all six special-teams units. He has three cover tackles.
RAINBOW WARRIORS DEFENSE
DE—51 Lester Lagafuaina 6-4 240 So.
DT—79 De’Jon Benton 6-2 270 Gr.
DT—77 Jamar Sekona 6-2 275 Sr.
DE—5 Tariq Jones 6-2 245 Sr.
DLB—3 Jalen Smith 6-0 220 Sr.
MLB—11 Jamih Otis 5-11 220 Jr.
NB—4 Elijah Palmer 5-8 180 Jr.
CB—24 Devyn King 5-11 175 Sr.
S—1 Peter Manuma 6-0 205 Sr.
S—25 Matagi Thompson 6-2 190 Jr.
CB—23 Virdel Edwards II 6-2 210 Sr.
At the sound of last season’s final whistle, the UH coaches and recruiting department worked on the interior redesign of the D-line. “We were trying to get bigger,” D-line coach Jeff Reinebold said.”You look at football, and football has always been a big man’s game. Particularly in the trenches and what we do up front defensively, you really need size. You need guys who can get up the field and be disruptive, guys who are physically hard to move.” UH signed transfers De’Jon Benton (USC/New Mexico), Carsen Stocklinski (Richmond), Luther McCoy (Minnesota), Qwyn Williams (Old Dominion), Jordan Lynch (UT-Permian Basin) and Iosefa Letulil (BYU). Jamar Sekona, who transferred from USC last year, recovered from a leg injury. In addition to regular workouts, the DTs learned boxing techniques to ward off grasping O-linemen, as well as martial arts. Similar to 2006, when the Warriors were five deep in nose tackles, eight interior linemen rotate at the two spots. Benton has logged the most snaps in a game with 46. “Because we ask them to play so hard, they don’t have to play long,” Reinebold said. “Those guys embrace it.” There also are specific packages for Lynch, whose playing time has increased each week, and Letuli. “If you know you’re going to play every week, you practice better and pay more attention to details,” Reinebold said. Benton, who has recovered from an injury that kept him out of the Air Force game, has been impactful playing three line positions. McCoy lost 27 pounds since joining UH In January, and now weighs 280. McCoy is a 6-4 obstacle on middle screens. In seeking a nickname for the unit, Reinebold passed on the boxing gym that produced 41 world champions and five Olympic gold medalists. “If I said ‘Kronk Gym’ to these guys, they wouldn’t get it,” Reinebold said. Instead, McCoy named the group as the “Dojo.”
RAINBOW WARRIORS SPECIALISTS
PK/KO—17 Kansei Matsuzawa 6-2 200 Sr.
P—19 Billy Gowers 6-1 205 Fr.
LS—33 Jack Mowrey 6-3 240 So.
H—18 Caleb Freeman 6-0 185 Sr.
KR—0 Cam Barfield 5-7 185 So.
PR—8 Tama Uiliata 5-11 190 Fr.
The punt-return job came with instructions. “Coach (Timmy) Chang told me: ‘Don’t let the ball touch the ground — there are hidden yards every time the ball rolls,’” Tama Uiliata recalled. Following Uiliata’s 11 fair catches, the average UH drive started at its 29. Uiliata has benefited from gauging conditions during pregame warmups, a tutorial from former UH great Chad Owens on tracking the point of the football and backyard games back in the day. “We’d throw the ball in the air, and whoever catches it, you gotta go get ’em,” Uiliata said. “Playing in the backyard got me used to catching the ball in a crowd.”
