OFFENSIVE TACKLE
Returning players: Teague Andersen, Cole Motes, Adam Pond, JR Sia
2023 players not returning: Ralph Frias (transferred to Northern Arizona), Jake Hellman (transferred to Idaho State), Calvin Knapp (graduation), Shively “Timo” Asoaufua (transfer portal)
2024 post-spring ball attrition: None
2023 total production lost: 37 games 10 starts 686 snaps 27.0 knockdowns
2023 total production returning: 20 games 15 starts 1,205 snaps 39.0 knockdowns
2023 total production transferring in (transfer portal/junior college): 12 games 0 starts
New Faces in 2024:
Trey Andersen 6’6″ 300 (247 3*) – University of Pittsburgh – (2 years to play 2)
2023 (So.) Stats: Saw action in all 12 games
2022 (RsFr.) Stats: Saw action in 9 games
2021 (Fr.) Stats: Redshirted at the University of Pittsburgh
Original offers from: byu, Eastern Washington, Montana State-Northern, Pittsburgh, Weber St
Primary Recruiter: DJ Tialavea, Cooper Bassett
https://247sports.com/Player/trey-andersen-46053701/high-school-214578/
https://www.hudl.com/profile/7916405/Trey-Andersen
Camden Jury 6’7″ 315 (247 3*) – Casteel HS, AZ
2023 (Sr.) Stats: Started all 11 games on the offensive line
2022 (Jr.) Stats: Started all 12 games on the offensive line
Offers from: Arizona St (PWO), Augustana, Middle Tennessee St
Primary Recruiter: Mike Zuckerman, Cooper Bassett
https://247sports.com/Player/camden-jury-46143869/
https://www.hudl.com/profile/14823802/Camden-Jury
Kimo Lopati 6’7″ 330 (247 3*) – Dixie HS, UT
2023 (Sr.) Stats: Started all 12 games on the offensive line
2022 (Jr.) Stats: Started all 10 games on the offensive line
Offers from: Garden City CC (KS), Mount San Antonio CC (CA), New Mexico Military Institute, Oklahoma-Pan Handle St (OK), Peru St, Riverside CC (CA), Saddleback CC (CA), Snow JC (UT)
Primary Recruiter: DJ Tialavea, Cooper Bassett
https://247sports.com/Player/kimo-lopati-46147532/
https://www.hudl.com/profile/19795381/kimo-lopati
2024 OUTLOOK
LEFT TACKLE
COLE MOTES
Senior Cole Motes is positioned to make the flip from right tackle to left tackle this season. He has one extra year of COVID eligibility remaining. He struggled with an injury last season but was still able to start in all 9 games that he was available for racking up 617 snaps and 18.0 knockdown blocks. During his 3-year career with the Aggies, he has played in 30 games with 21 starts and totaled 1,685 snaps with 60.0 knockdown blocks.
According to 247sports coming out of Thatcher High School (AZ), Motes was rated as the 2,377th-best player nationally, the 98th-best tight end, and the 43rd-best player in Arizona. He chose the Aggies over offers from New Mexico State and Western New Mexico.
Motes is an extremely athletic big man. He has great hands and an impressive verticle leap. He has a good first step and is very rangy with his long wingspan. His mobility and speed are what will serve him best. His footwork has improved immensely over the last few years. He is aggressive after the snap and uses solid footwork techniques when executing his assignments. He is mobile and quick enough that he can be used to pull across the entire line of scrimmage. Motes is developing into an extremely dependable offensive lineman.
TREY ANDERSEN
Trey Andersen is a transfer from the University of Pittsburgh who will enter the 2024 season as a junior with two years of eligibility remaining. Last season he saw action in all 12 games for the Panthers. During his 2-year career, he has played in 21 games. Trey is the brother of Aggie offensive lineman Teague Andersen.
According to 247sports coming out of Lehi High School (UT), Andersen was rated as the 2,188th-best player nationally, the 75th-best tight end, and the 16th-best player in Utah. He chose the Aggies just 24 hours after entering the transfer portal. He originally held offers from byu, Eastern Washington, Montana State-Northern, Pittsburgh, and Weber State.
Thanks to his days as a tight end, Andersen is extremely athletic for his position. He moves around with ease and can match the speed of the opposing team’s defensive linemen. His tenacious mentality gives him the ability to be a determined and capable blocker. That leads to him often doing whatever he can to take the defender out of the play. He gets his whole body into his blocks and drives opposing defenders out of the hole. Trey has college experience, which should help the Aggies immediately.
CAMDEN JURY
True freshman Camden Jury will join the Aggies in time for summer workouts. He started 23 games in his final two seasons of high school ball. For his consistent effort as a senior, he earned an Arizona 6A Premier Region first-team selection.
According to 247sports coming out of Casteel High School (AZ), Jury was rated as the 1,909th-best player nationally, the 151st-best offensive tackle, and the 41st-best player in Arizona. He chose the Aggies over offers from Augustana, Middle Tennessee State, and a preferred walk-on offer from Arizona State.
Jury is a massive kid for his age. He displays nimble footwork and he is surprisingly light on his feet. His mobility helps him negate the pass rush from opposing defensive players. He has the size and ability to anchor the offensive line for years to come with his ability to road-grade the opposition in the run game. He knocks defenders off balance and uses his strength to win his one-on-one matchups.
ADAM POND
Adding depth to the position will be sophomore preferred walk-on, Adam Pond. As a senior at Skyridge High School (UT) in 2019, Pond was a starter on the offensive line in all 10 games and was named to the all-region 3 first-team. He started in 37 games during his 3-year career for the Falcons.
Following the completion of his high school career, Pond originally signed with Southern Utah University. He had a change of heart once he returned from serving an LDS Church mission.
Pond is an athletic big man out on the field. He is very mobile and that allows him to keep himself upright and kick out opposing edge rushers. He isn’t shy about throwing would-be defenders to the ground if they try to engage him. His mobility lets him be used to pull from one side to the other and lead a sweep. He has a mean streak that will serve him well at the collegiate level.
RIGHT TACKLE
TEAGUE ANDERSEN
Sophomore Teague Andersen will start the season at this spot. Last season was his first taste of action for the Aggies and he played in 11 games with 6 starts, recording 588 snaps and 21.0 knockdown blocks. Teague is the brother of Aggie offensive lineman Trey Andersen.
According to 247sports coming out of Lehi High School (UT), Andersen was rated as the 1,817th-best player nationally, the 99th-best interior offensive lineman, and the 36th-best player in Utah. He chose the Aggies over offers from Air Force, Army, Baylor, Florida Atlantic, Indiana, Marshall, and Troy State.
Andersen is light on his feet and moves well laterally in pass protection. He is a force in run-blocking and does a good job of getting into the proper position right after the snap and engaging in his blocks. He pulls well on run plays and has developed an understanding of what to do for each play. He plays with a nasty mean streak that will make him a physical force at the collegiate level. He is versatile enough to play all five positions along the offensive line.
JR SIA
Once fall camp begins, redshirt freshman JR Sia will be looking to prove that the number two spot belongs to him. He spent last season redshirting at Utah State. As a high school senior in 2022, he started all 12 games on the offensive line and earned a first-team all-state selection. He started 43 games during his 4-year career high school career for the Sentinels.
According to 247sports coming out of Mountain Ridge High School (UT), Sia was rated as the 1,111th-best player nationally, the 85th-best interior offensive lineman, and the 10th-best player in Utah. He chose the Aggies over offers from Arizona State, Nebraska, utah, and Virginia.
Sia does a good job of gaining leverage on opponents and staying low to maximize his strength. He is an aggressive run-blocker burying his defender with pancake blocks. In pass protection, he does a good job moving backward while anticipating where defenders will try to attack him. This allows him to beat his defender to the spot. He is mobile enough to get out into the second level on his blocks. Sia is versatile enough to play both tackle and guard at the collegiate level potentially. It’s my understanding that Sia may miss a portion of the season with an injury suffered during summer workouts.
KIMO LOPATI
True freshman Kimo Lopati will join the Aggies in time for summer workouts. He started 22 games in his final two seasons of high school ball. For his consistent effort as a senior, he earned a spot on the all-region 9 first-team.
According to 247sports coming out of Dixie High School (UT), Lopati was rated as the 216th-best offensive tackle in the country, and the 47-best player in Utah. He chose the Aggies over offers from Garden City CC (KS), Mount San Antonio CC (CA), New Mexico Military Institute, Oklahoma-Pan Handle St, Peru St, Riverside CC (CA), Saddleback CC (CA), and Snow JC (UT).
Lopati is an intriguing player to me because he’s only been playing football for two years. His upside is tremendous. With him being so new to the game of football, right tackle is the perfect spot for him to develop his game. He is a massive player who has surprising agility and can get low and deliver punishing blocks. This makes him a force in the run game. He has quickly learned to move his feet well, allowing him to maintain a smooth drop back in pass protection and match the angle of opposing pass rushers. His natural mobility will allow him to be used in multiple ways.
PROJECTED 2024 PRESEASON DEPTH CHART
LEFT TACKLE
56 Cole Motes (6-5, 295, Sr+., 3L, 3*)
57 Trey Andersen (6-6, 295, Jr., TR, 3*)
76 Camden Jury (6-7, 315, Fr., HS, 3*)
67 Adam Pond (6-5, 290, So., SQ, 2*)
RIGHT TACKLE
54 Teague Andersen (6-5, 310, So., 1L, 3*)
70 Jr Sia (6-4, 330, RsFr., RS, 3*)
77 Kimo Lopati (6-7, 340, Fr., HS, 3*)
Coming Up On Monday: Wide Receiver