LOGAN -- Stew Morrill was pleased when he heard what ESPN.com writer Andy Katzhad told the Aggies head coach Wednesday afternoon.
Katz called the winningest coach in Utah State basketball history, asking what he thought about his team being picked first in the WAC by the media despite the fact that the Aggies return just one starter in point guard Brockeith Pane.
But Morrill was more pleased later in the conversation, when Katz said what former Utah coach Rick Majerus told him about the less-than-inviting atmosphere of the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.
"Coaches were talking about places at Duke, Kentucky, Michigan State, but (Majerus) said none of those places are like Logan, Utah," Morrill quoted of Katz to the thousands of fans in attendance prior to his team's Blue-White scrimmage later that evening.
"Majerus went on to say (the Spectrum) is like the Oakland Coliseum without the guns and knives."
A booming cheer ensuing, the 10 new members of the team were able to receive a taste of the crazed fandom that is sure to accompany the Aggies' home opener Nov. 11 when they play arch-rival and Jimmer Fredette-less BYU.
"Oh, walking down the aisle there, coming into the Spectrum, was amazing," said Adam Thoseby, a true freshman from Henley-on-Thames, England. "I was shaking all over. I didn't know what to do with myself."
The 19-year-old went 2-for-3 from the three-point line in the 20-minute, two-half scrimmage. Both of his makes came in front of the student section, which were still full four rows up.
That group included 'Wild' Bill Sproat, who, contrary to previous Spectrum outings, was donned in street clothes.
"Oh yeah, I've heard about Wild Bill," Thoseby said when asked about a particular supporter Wednesday night. "I've watched it all on YouTube. He's the funniest guy in the country."
Senior post player Brady Jardine didn't find his team's performance all that humorous.
"We have a little bit of lack of understanding of how hard we have to work," said the Twin Falls, Idaho, native. "We've got to improve quick. We are not prepared to beat BYU. We've got the coaches to get us ready to get us there."
And an arena that would match, at least one coach would say.
The Aggies face UC San Diego in a home exhibition game on Friday before taking on Adams State Nov. 5 in the second of two preseason games.
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