Utah State running back Robert Briggs out for the season

Entering the season, Robert Briggs was expected to play a major role in Utah State’s offense as part of a veteran and proven running back duo with Rahsul Faison.

For more than half of the season opener against Robert Morris, those expectations proved prescient before a serious leg injury in the third quarter — at the end of a 55-yard run — knocked Briggs out of the game.

On Monday, interim head coach Nate Dreiling announced that Briggs will miss the rest of the 2024 season.

“With Robert, he has already had surgery and he will be out for the remainder of the season,” Dreiling said. “We will appreciate any prayers that anyone wants to send out to him.

“He worked extremely hard this offseason and had a great first game. It is just how it works some times. He will come back stronger than ever.”

The 5-foot-6, 185 pound junior running back had a rod inserted into his leg to stabilize his foot, which “got rolled up at the end (of the run), when he was fully extended,” Dreiling said.

“They had to put a rod in his leg to get things to start to grow back together correctly,” Dreiling said. “It is going to be a little bit, but he is such a resilient individual. He was in good spirits at the hospital when I visited him. He will be around. He will have just as big a voice as he always does, it will just be from a leadership and coaching role.”

In less than three quarters of action Saturday, Briggs carried the ball nine times for 88 total yards, averaging nearly 10 yards a carry.

It was, until the injury, a triumphant return to form for Briggs.

As a true freshman in 2022, Briggs teased considerable potential — he ran for 85 yards on 10 carries in his first ever college football game — but injuries limited him and he ultimately missed the final three games of the year.

Injuries held him back a bit in 2023 as well, though Briggs did play in 11 games, starting three, racking up 401 yards on the ground.

As mentioned by Dreiling, Briggs — healthy throughout the offseason — was looking at something of a breakout year this season, but no longer.

In the absence of Briggs, USU will turn to Faison and true freshman Herschel Turner at running back. Turner made an appearance against Robert Morris, carrying the ball four times for 44 yards, and Dreiling expects he will make a considerable impact going forward.

“We were expecting to get Herschel carries regardless, but obviously when Rob went down his role and carries went up drastically,” Dreiling said.

“You know, Herschel had like 3,800 yards as a senior in high school last year, which is just absolutely insane. He has so much vision and balance, and his burst is phenomenal. He is a guy that the coaches trust that can take it the distance, too. His role is obviously expanded now.”