Spartan Daily

Coach Mac Corner: Possibly Rutley-less, SJSU football set to take on BYU on the road

Vernon McKnight, Spartan Daily

Junior tight end Ryan Otten scores one of his two touchdowns against New Mexico State on oct. 1

Huge in the context that the Spartans’ 38-31 triumph over the Rams, on Colorado State's homecoming weekend nonetheless, was the team’s second win in as many weeks and the first road victory for SJSU since 2008.

“In our little world right now it’s big,” MacIntyre said. “I’d say about 80 percent of the team has never won a game on the road and I’d say about 80 percent of the team has never won back-to-back games.”

MacIntyre said the team has earned a winning attitude from the two wins.

“You can see the players are excited about playing,” he said. “They believe they can beat anybody and there’s no doubt we can we  have that attitude.”

In each if its two wins SJSU has scored 30 points or more, showing the team has the firepower to move the ball and score points.

“It gives us all a chance to realize we go into a game and score points,” MacIntyre said on the thriving offense. “Ball movement relieves pressure on our kids — gives an overall feeling that we can move the ball and we’re going to be alright.”

Among the offensive artillery that has been firing on all cylinders is senior quarterback Matt Faulkner, who led an eight-play 70-yard drive capped by a game-winning touchdown to freshman wide receiver Jabari Carr.

One cylinder of the offense, however, may not be able to add horsepower to the offense for this weekend’s game against Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah — senior running back Brandon Rutley.

Rutley suffered a sprained ankle in the third quarter of Saturday’s contest, ending an afternoon in which he recorded 131 yards — well on his way to a third consecutive game with 200 or more all-purpose yards.

MacIntyre said Rutley will be a game-time decision.

“We’re just not sure yet,” MacIntyre said. “We won’t know anything until game time. It looks like he’ll have a chance but I wont be for sure until we see how things go.”

MacIntyre assured that the offense won’t experience any drastic changes against BYU.

“You can’t just change everything or you won’t be very efficient,” he said. “We will emphasize the strengths of our backup running backs.”

Those backups being freshman Ben Thompson and sophomore Jason Simpson, who will take on the 70th-ranked defense in the nation in BYU.

The Spartans’ ability to move the ball on the ground has done wonders for junior tight end Ryan Otten, who has emerged as a top offensive threat in the past two weeks, MacIntyre said.

“The running game enables Otten to come open,” he said. “We will definitely utilize that and might be something we have to run with more.”

Otten led SJSU with 112 yards on six catches, earning him the nation-wide honor of being named the John Mackey Tight End of the Week by the Nassau County Sports Commission.

Sophomore linebacker Keith Smith earned Western Athletic Conference defensive Player of the Week honors for his 10 tackles and forced fumble against Colorado State.

BYU is coming off a thrilling victory over Utah State, a fellow WAC member with SJSU.

The come-from-behind Cougar victory lets the Spartans know confidence is in their locker room, MacIntyre said.

“It was an impressive win and they are a very good football team,” he said. “They are starting to click a little bit on offense so it will be a very good test for us.”

MacIntyre said BYU boasts an intense and physical defense, but added he has little worries if SJSU stays to its game plan and strengths.

“We have enough versatility in our offense that we can take advantage of what the defense gives us,” he said. “Every game is like its own season — they will come in and they’re going to do something that they haven’t shown on film before.”

MacIntyre pointed out the size and toughness of the Cougars’ defensive line.

“I can’t pronounce their names, but they’re 331, 321 and 294 and that’s all I need to pronounce,” he said referring to the weight of three defensive lineman. “The defensive line is huge — scary.”

A win against BYU would a very big win for Spartan football, MacIntyre said.

“It would be another step completely in the right direction,” he said. “SJSU has come down there a couple times and I would really like to see us get over the hump.

"Momentum is riding high, we just need to push it — that’s the key.”