The Utah State Aggies have lost one of their biggest offseason weapons.
Junior running back Robert Briggs fractured his left leg in the team’s season-opening win against Robert Morris on Saturday.
“It was just an awkward fall, got his foot rolled up at the end when he was fully extended,” USU interim head coach Nate Dreiling said.
The running back from Bellville, Texas, figured to be one of USU’s top options in the backfield this season.
Last year, Briggs ran for 420 yards (5.3 yards per carry) and two touchdowns. On Saturday, he racked up 88 yards on nine runs before the injury.
“He worked extremely hard this offseason and had a great first game. Just how it works sometimes,” Dreiling said. “He’ll come back stronger than ever.”
Briggs had already had surgery by the time Dreiling addressed reporters Monday afternoon.
“He’s such a resilient individual. He was in good spirits at the hospital when I visited him,” the coach said. “He’ll be around and he’ll have a big voice like he always does, it will just be from a leadership and coach’s role.”
USU senior Rahsul Faison, who rushed for 736 yards a season ago, carried the ball 12 times for 78 yards on Saturday.
With Briggs out, freshman Herschel Turner figures to have a larger role.
“He’s got so much vision and balance and his burst is just phenomenal,” Dreiling said. “He’s a guy that the coaches trust who can take it the distance, too.”