Utah State Football Well Represented at Super Bowl XLVIII

Utah State [University] football will be well represented this weekend at Super Bowl XLVIII as two former Aggies will be playing for the Seattle Seahawks in running back Robert Turbin and linebacker Bobby Wagner.

Turbin, a native of Fremont, Calif. (Irvington HS), was named the Western Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year as a Utah State junior in 2011 as he rushed for 1,517 yards to become just the third running back in school history to rush for 1,500 yards. On the year, Turbin scored a school record 19 rushing touchdowns, adding four receiving scores for 23 total touchdowns and 138 total points, also USU single-season records.

Turbin ended his Utah State career with 3,315 rushing yards to rank fifth all-time in school history and 19th all-time in the history of the WAC. Turbin also scored 40 rushing touchdowns during his Aggie career to tie for first all-time in school history, along with Abu Wilson (1992, 1994-96), and 10th all-time in the history of the WAC. For his career, Turbin also set USU career records with 51 total touchdowns and 308 career points scored. Overall, Turbin had 16 career 100-yard rushing games to rank tied for third all-time in school history.

Wagner, a native of Ontario, Calif. (Colony HS), earned first-team all-WAC accolades for the third-straight season as a senior in 2011 as he led the WAC and ranked eighth in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) in tackles with 11.3 per game, ranking tied for third in the FBS in total tackles with 147. As a senior, Wagner posted nine double-digit tackle outings, highlighted by a career-high 20 stops against Louisiana Tech, while adding 18 stops against Colorado State. Wagner also led the Utah State defensive with 11.5 tackles for loss, adding four sacks and also led the Aggies with two interceptions to go along with one fumble recovery.

Wagner ended his career with 446 tackles and tied the school record that was first set by Del Lyles (1988-91), and became only the fourth player in the history of the WAC to record more than 400 tackles, breaking the league all-time record of 443 tackles by Robert Rodriguez of Texas-El Paso (2001-04).

Other former Aggies who have played for the Seahawks include Bill Munson (QB), 1976; Chuck Butler (LB), 1984; Matt Hanousek (OL), 1987, Paul Lavine (LB), 1987 and James Brindley (2010).

Utah State has also had 12 former Aggies play for the Denver Broncos in Buddy Allen (HB), 1961; Jack Hill (HB), 1961; Ron Sbranti (LB), 1966; James Smith (S), 1969; Jim Turner (K), 1971-79; Phil Olsen (DL), 1975-76; Scott Parrish (OT), 1976; Rulon Jones (DE), 1980-88; Rick Parros (RB), 1981-84; Aaron Smith (LB), 1984; Micah Knorr (P), 2002-04; and Greg Kragen (DL), 1985-93.

Turner played in one Super Bowl (1977) with the Broncos, while Jones played in two Super Bowls (1986, 1987) with Denver and Kragen played in three Super Bowls (1986, 1987, 1989) with the Broncos.

Additional Aggie sports news is available at the Athletics website.