2007: What to Expect

While the Red Wave Report is busy predicting all twelve games Fresno State plays before they even step onto the field for their first game against Sac State I instead will cover what I think we can expect form this football team during the 2007 season. I will not predict scores for games nor will I break down any games until the week before. We do not know who will be playing week to week and with Fresno State injuries always play a part in what will happen with this team. So predictions will come, but the first one is still thirty days away. With 2007 right around the corner Bulldog fans have to be getting antsy to see their team back on the field for the first time in nine months. I know around my household the only topic of conversation seems to be Bulldog football and what is going to take place during this upcoming season. We all know a lot is at stake this season and if Fresno State cannot fix what went wrong in 2006 we may have another year of what ifs hanging in the balance. With that being said there is a great deal to look out for during the 2007 football season here in Fresno. Here is my list of what we should look for during the season:

1) First and foremost will this team garner the fan support they have in the past after their first down season in close to ten years? Will it take a big win on the road against either Oregon or TAMU for the Bulldogs fans to return to the stadium to watch the Dogs play? I am willing to bet that many fans will be here for the start of the season but if the Dogs do not come out on fire and pull off at least one big road win the fan support will slowly dwindle.

2) Will the addition of players such as Devon Wylie, Ryan Mathews, Chris Carter, Devin Cunningham, and Zak Hill play a big role during the 2007 season? Fresno State generally does not rely on their incoming Freshman class much but 2007 may be different. With a handful of impact players the Dogs have the option to put these men on the field of play right away. Wylie will have the opportunity to make an impact right away as will players such as Cunningham and Mathews. The Bulldogs will need all of the help they can get if they are going to compete in every game they play this season.

3) Will Tom Brandstater become the QB we all want him to be? The 2007 season unfortunately will ride on the shoulders of this man. The Bulldogs come stacked with RB's so the run game will be a plus once again. Our offensive line returns nearly in tact meaning Brandstater will have no excuses as to why he cannot get the job done. With a full stock of receivers Brandstater will have to produce from the first snap against Sac State in order to keep fans happy. Fresno State for a time period was coined QB university and we all want to see a return to the days of 300 yard passing games and four TD performances.

4) Will Pat Hill open up his game plan on offense? In years past this team has relied on the run far more than the passing game. Although our running game will be our number one strength on offense, we will not be able to solely rely on running the ball. Starting with the Colorado State game in 2006 teams began to stack the line forcing the Dogs into passing situations. Unfortunately that did not matter as Hill did not trust the QB situation enough to allow Brandstater to throw the ball. With defenses showing nine man fronts the Bulldogs continued to force the run often going three and out. In 2007 Pat is going to have to allow Mac (our new OC) to open up the offense. If Spring practice was any indication the Dogs will be a much more exciting team to watch this season.

5) Will the Bulldogs Qualify for a Bowl game? After last season I as a fan do not know what to expect from the Bulldogs in 2007. With great QB play this team could see a 9-3 season. However if Brandstater or Colburn cannot get the job done we may be sitting right on the border for bowl elgibility. There is no way to predict what will happen with this team but one thing is for sure: After the debacle that was 2006 this team will play hard and will play together. Hopefully the rest will follow suit and the Dogs will finish the season with the reward of a bowl game at the end of the road.

This season is one of the few where a question mark surrounds the team in almost every area (aside both RB's and Offensive Line). Whether this team will succeed or not will depend on the heart they show on the field. The talent is in place to get the job done. The team has all the parts to be successful we just have to hope as fans that Pat Hill can motivate this team to play up every time they step on that football field. With games against Oregon, TAMU, Kansas State, Boise State, and Hawaii the Dogs will have their work cut out for them. All I ask from the fans is to support the team regardless of what happens. Everyone has the right to question what is being done on the field if they are not happy with the team but do not abandon the Dogs during this season. The Dogs will need our support out at Sweeney field six times this season. Let's show them they should believe in themselves as much as we do in them. If we can do that this season will be anything but a bust for both the players and the fans.

The Q Brown Situation

We all remember what it was like to be involved with the opposite sex in college. At first it feels great to be with someone but as time passes things tend to change. Slowly but surely you realize that maybe things are not great like you once thought they were. Eventually the relationship you thought was so strong ends and you have no idea why or how that happened. Q Brown may not have gone through the same type of situation as I explained but when it comes to affairs of the heart there has to be some type of understanding as to why men and women react they way they do. Margie Wright may not be happy with the punishment that Q Brown was given for the actions he took towards his ex g/f but she has no say in the matter and that is exactly how it should be. Had one of Margie Wright's players done the same thing they would not have been suspended for a long period of time either. This is a situation that the media will blow up every single time it occurs when in all reality it is something we as the public have very little need to know about.

Q Brown is a football player at Fresno State. As fans that gives us the right to root for him and to follow him on the football field. At the same time many of the things he does off the field will make headlines because he is one of those rare players that is supposed to come into the program and make a difference as soon as he steps on the field. Brown is fast, possessing the speed to catch Lonyae Miller out of the backfield and if anyone attended spring practices this season they would have seen the amazing shape Miller was in. However, with that being said I am not so sure it is truly our business to know that Brown made the decisions he did with respect to his ex. He seems to be a man who was confused and hurt at the same time and more often than not men make the wrong decisions when it comes to the women they care about. There are very few men out there who would not be bothered by the situation that Q Brown dealt with recently. Now I am not saying we all would have made the same decisions that Brown did. He apparently did not think things through and reacted before he thought about it. He made a mistake when he vandalized his ex's car, but he did not hurt her. Brown did not assault her and did not cause any pain to this woman. He reacted with his heart and to hear the way he is being portrayed in the public is quite bothersome. So many people have become hypocrites by saying that what Brown did was wrong and they never would have done anything like that in their lives. While I feel some have the right to say that most of us don't. Not every one of us in life has made the right decisions when it comes to the opposite sex. Sometimes we get upset and do things that are out of character. I feel like that is exactly what happened to Brown and in the end his one game suspension is all that is needed for this situation.

When we think about the punishment Q Brown received many have to remember that Brown is being punished and it has nothing to do with who we play in football. If we played K-State, Oregon, or A&M first he still would have been suspended for the first game. You have to remember this is a Pat Hill football team. When players screw up they get exactly what they deserve. How can anyone forget the way Hill handled the Kyle Young saga last season. Although Young was supposedly one of the top centers in the nation he missed the latter half of the season as Pat Hill did not think twice about suspending him. So for those who think Brown's suspension was unjust and should have been longer maybe you should ask Pat Hill why he only gave him one game. In the end I believe you will find that Hill did exactly what he felt Brown deserved. Q Brown made a mistake that hopefully one day will be forgotten. We will not look back and remember Brown for what happened this past month but instead we will try and remember him for the football player he was on the field. After all we are football fans first and foremost, isn't that what our focus should be on?

Note - After reading this blog again I realize that I make it sound like off the field performance doesn't matter. I am not saying that what a player does when he is off the field doesn't matter. I am just merely stating that players will make mistakes. Most of us in life have been given a second chance at one time or another and players are human just as we are. Sometime they need to see the error of their ways before they realize what is right and wrong.

Field Turf for a Better Future?

Over the past few years every Fresno State fan has realized that the Bulldogs football field does not last past November. More often than not the Bulldogs football team is forced to play in sloppy conditions for at least half of their home schedule. The Bulldogs football team shares it's home field with the women's soccer team for any Bulldog fan that did not know this (although I am quite sure most of you realize this already). The problem that arises here is that in a city like Fresno field turf may be the best surface for the Bulldogs football team to play on. The reason we have been given as to why the Bulldogs cannot install this turf is because the women's soccer team says they cannot play on field turf. They believe field turf would lead to various injuries and are not willing to at least entertain the idea of field turf to see if it would be a positive in the long run. Now understand that I am just as much an advocate of women's rights in sports as the next guy out there, but this situation irks me far more than just about anything going on at state (yes even more than the Q-Brown situation). The truth of the matter is the Fresno State women's soccer team needs to suck it up and allow the football program to install field turf for a better future with respect to playing conditions.

First and foremost what school officials must realize is the soccer team nets the university very little if any money at all. Yes the women's soccer team is generally strong. Yes the women's soccer team has made the NCAA tourney and tends to be one of the stronger members of the WAC. Yes women have many of the same rights as men when it comes to the NCAA sports world. However, the men's football team is the breadwinner as far as sporting events at Fresno State. What many athletes and fans tend to forget is other sports (such as women's soccer) would not exist if the Bulldogs football team did not put fans in the stands. To better understand this take a look at the 2006 football season. The Bulldogs were only able to attract twenty-five thousand or so fans per game for their final two home games. Because of this the Bulldogs athletic department stated that they lost over one hundred thousand dollars on the season due to the lack of fan interest in football. In other words if the football team does not perform then the athletic department does not see a surplus of money. If this is the case then why do we have an issue with field turf in the first place? Fresno State is at the point where they need to make a choice as to which sports they are going to go all in on. Football would be the easy choice as to the sport the university should back 100%. If Pat Hill wants field turf the university should do what it takes to get the turf installed.

Some have mentioned that field turf does not cool down in the same way that natural grass would. Many worry that if the Dogs played on field turf the field would remain hot for the entire game after the sun has gone down. However, it has been explained to me that the field turf would be installed with a colling system beneath it. If this is the case then not only would field turf be a positive for playing conditions but it would also allow the players to stand on turf that has a regulated temperature for the entire game. This would also allow the Dogs to play in an environment where the heat would not pose such a problem. What we have to realize here is the cost of something such as field turf is only going to increase as time passes. Right now is the opportune time to install field turf. Right now is the time to make a move such as this. The positives in this situation far outweigh the negatives as Fresno is not exactly the best place for a natural field surface in the winter. This is not Southern California where temperatures remain the same year round. Instead we live in an area where the temperatures reach one hundred plus degrees in the summer and drop below fifty at times in the winter. The only rationale answer to playing surface is field turf and if the university does not do this sooner than later they are only hurting the players and their opportunity to play on a solid surface year round.

Roster and Depth Chart for NCAA 2008

For all you NCAA 2008 Gamers, complete roster and depth chart. Sorry about the tables for the depth charts, I am too lazy to fix the glitch. Enjoy!

1 Lonyae Miller RB 5-11 215 SO Fontana, CA (Henry J. Kaiser HS)
2 Clifton Smith PR 5-8 190 SR* Fresno, CA (Edison HS)
3 Moses Harris SS 6-1 200 SO* Stockton, CA (Lincoln HS)
4 Damion Owens CB 5-11 185 SO San Leandro, CA (San Leandro HS)
5 Marlon Moore WR 6-1 180 SO* Sacramento, CA (Natomas HS)
6 Chastin West WR 6-1 210 SO* Moorpark, CA (Moorpark HS)
7 Tom Brandstater QB 6-5 220 JR* Turlock, CA (Turlock HS)
7 Jason Roberts DE 6-3 241 JR* Fresno, CA (Central High East Campus)
10 Nico Herron SLB 6-2 230 FR* San Leandro, CA (San Leandro HS)
11 Tyler Clutts DE 6-2 245 SR* Clovis, CA (Clovis HS)
13 Jason Crawley WR 6-2 185 SO* Pittsburg, CA (Pittsburg Senior HS)
15 Ryan Colburn QB 6-3 215 FR* Visalia, CA (Central Valley Christian HS)
16 Matt Christian QB 6-3 202 FR Carlsbad, CA (Carlsbad HS)
17 Jamel Hamler WR 6-1 185 FR San Leandro, CA (San Leandro HS)
19 Seyi Ajirotutu WR 6-3 207 SO* El Dorado Hills, CA (Oak Ridge HS)
19 Marvin Haynes FS 6-2 208 SO* Fresno, CA (Central High East Campus)
20 Lorne Bell SS 5-10 200 FR* Simi Valley, CA (Simi Valley HS)
20 Kyle Duffy RB 5-9 185 FR* Fresno, CA (Clovis West HS)
22 Anthony Harding RB 6-0 215 SO Turlock, CA (Pitman H S)
22 Damon Jenkins CB 5-11 196 SR* Concord, CA (De La Salle HS)
23 Jake Jorde FS 6-1 205 JR* Fallbrook, CA (Fallbrook HS)
25 Shannon Dorsey WR 6-1 205 SR* San Bernardino, CA (San Gorgonio HS)
26 Jason Blackmon CB 5-10 170 SO* Los Angeles, CA (Los Angeles HS)
27 Chris Lewis DE 6-3 250 FR* Fresno, CA (Clovis West HS)
28 A.J. Jefferson CB 6-1 180 SO Bakersfield, CA (West HS)
31 Marcus Riley WLB 6-0 220 SR* Elk Grove, CA (Elk Grove HS)
32 Quaadir Brown SLB 6-0 210 SO* Wildomar, CA (Elsinore HS)
34 Jamal Rashad RB 6-0 215 SO* Lakeview Terrace, CA
34 Trevor Shamblee SLB 6-1 220 SR* Queens, NY
35 Nick Bates LB 6-2 220 SO Madera, CA (Madera HS)
35 Kyle Zimmerman K/P 5-11 200 SR* Visalia, CA (Golden West HS)
36 Dustin Abrams K 6-0 170 FR* Los Alamitos, CA (Los Alamitos HS)
36 Mike Cheese LB 6-1 220 SO Fresno, CA (Sunnyside HS)
38 Sonny McCree TE 6-0 230 FR Fresno, CA (Edison HS)
39 Clint Stitser K 6-1 200 SR* Reno, NV (McQueen HS)
40 Nathan Adams FB 5-11 240 SR* Calaveras, CA (Calaveras HS
41 Ikenna Ike DE 6-1 255 JR* Walnut, CA (Walnut HS)
42 Robert Malone P 6-2 215 SO Riverside, CA (Matin Luther King HS)
42 Charles Tolbert DT 5-11 260 SR Reno, NV (McQueen HS)
43 Ahijah Lane MLB 6-2 240 SR* Fresno, CA (Herbert Hoover HS)
44 Frank Padilla FB 6-0 240 FR* Clovis, CA (Clovis East HS)
45 Isaac Kinter H-B 6-2 240 SO* El Dorado Hills, CA (Oak Ridge HS)
46 Will Harding CB 6-1 202 SR Turlock, CA (Turlock HS)
47 Ryan Machado WLB 6-1 225 SO* Ripon, CA (Ripon HS)
48 Reynard Camp FB 5-11 260 SO* Stockton, CA (Lincoln HS)
48 Frank Manquero LB 6-1 200 SO* Cutler, CA (Orosi HS)
49 Todd Chisom MLB 6-1 220 SO* Beverly Hills, CA (Beverly Hills HS)
49 Cameron Harris TE 6-3 255 JR* Norco, CA (Norco HS)
50 Cornell Banks DT 6-3 290 FR* Fresno, CA (Edison HS)
52 Richard Pacheco C 6-2 300 SO* Moreno Valley, CA (Canyon Springs HS)
52 Dustin Russell LB 6-0 220 FR Atwater, CA (Atw ater HS)
54 Ben Jacobs MLB 6-3 230 FR* Las Vegas, NV (Silverado HS)
55 Michael Stuart DE 6-2 245 JR* Westlake Village, CA (Westlake HS)
56 Robert Schenck LB 6-2 250 FR* San Marcos, CA (Mission Hills HS)
58 Ryan McKinley WLB 6-1 230 JR* Reno, NV (Reno HS)
60 Kenny Wiggins RT 6-8 310 FR* Elk Grove, CA (Elk Grove HS)
61 Charley Robbins LG 6-2 290 FR* Fresno, CA (Bullard HS)
62 Cole Popovich LG 6-2 295 JR* Oakhurst, CA (Yosemite HS)
65 Pierce Masse LG 6-4 300 JR San Diego, CA (Clairemont Senior HS)
69 Andrew Jackson RG 6-6 290 FR* Grass Valley, CA (Nevada Union HS)
71 Nick Wright RG 6-3 280 FR* Woodland Hills, CA (Chaminade HS)
72 Bobby Lepori LT 6-5 300 JR* Reno, NV (Bishop Manogue HS)
73 Kenny Avon RT 6-3 280 JR* Mojave, CA (Mojave Senior HS)
74 Joe Bernardi C 6-2 285 FR* Newhall, CA (William S. Hart HS)
75 Chris Piligian LT 6-6 260 SR* Newhall, CA (William S. Hart HS)
76 Adam McDowell RG 6-4 285 JR* Norco, CA (Norco HS)
77 Ryan Wendell C 6-2 290 SR Diamond Bar, CA (Diamond Bar HS)
79 Sean Yandall RT 6-5 360 JR
80 Drew Lubinsky TE 6-6 260 JR* Roseville, CA (Oakmont HS)
81 Norman Davis TE 6-6 225 SO* Hayward, CA (Hayward HS)
85 Bear Pascoe TE 6-6 265 JR* Porterville, CA (Granite Hills HS)
86 Darren Newborne WR 6-0 183 SO*
87 Cardell Turner WR 6-3 178 FR Fresno, CA (Edison HS)
88 Jesus Tapia TE 6-6 255 SR* Kingsburg, CA (Kingsburg HS)
90 Taylor Smith DE 6-3 250 FR* Clovis, CA (Buchanan HS)
94 Jon Monga DT 6-2 270 JR* Henderson, NV (Foothill HS)
95 Mark Roberts DT 6-2 290 FR* Modesto, CA (Modesto HS)
96 Wilson Ramos DT 6-4 270 SO* Woodland, CA (Woodland Senior HS)
97 Jason Shirley NT 6-5 330 SR* Fontana, CA (Henry J. Kaiser HS)

Incomings Players with no official jersey number:

Eric Brown DB 5-11 215 FR Fresno, CA (Clovis West HS)
Chris Carter DE 6-2 226 FR Fontana, CA (Henry J. Kaiser HS)
Leslie Cooper C/G 6-3 280 FR Compton, CA (Dominguez HS)
Devan Cunningham RT 6-5 342 FR Sacramento, CA (Grant Union HS)
Desia Dunn DB 5-11 175 FR
Matt Faulkner QB 6-3 190 FR Flower Mound, TX (Marcus HS)
Isaiah Green CB 5-9 170 FR Long Beach, CA (Poly HS)
Bryce Harris DT 6-6 261 FR Tulare, CA (Tulare Union HS)
Porter Hill DT 6-4 280 FR Compton, CA (Compton HS)
Zak Hill SS 6-2 190 FR Fresno, CA (Clovis West HS)
Tim Lang WR 6-0 190 FR Sacramento, CA (Grant Union HS)
Ryan Mathews RB 5-11 205 FR Bakersfield, CA (West HS)
Ryan Skidmore TE 6-6 230 FR Bakersfield, CA (East Bakersfield HS)
Jevon Stallworth CB 5-11 180 FR Sacramento, CA (Grant Unio n HS)

other players expected to contribute but have not reported:

WR Devon Wylie 5-10 175 FR Granite Bay , CA ( Granite Bay HS)
CB Jermaine Thomas 5-11 170 FR Duarte , CA ( Duarte HS)
CB Sharrod Davis 5-11 185 JR El Cajon , CA



This depth chart is a reflection of what was witnessed in spring practice and the first few weeks of summer workouts. Some potential starters are not listed due to injury, such as DE Michael Stuart and LB Trevor Shamblee.

This is not an official depth chart.

OFFENSE

Position	First Team	Second Team
Wide Receiver	#19 Seyi Ajirotutu, So.	#13 Jason Crawley, So.
Left Tackle	#72 Bobby Lepori, Jr.	#75 Chris Piligian, Sr.
Left Guard	#62 Cole Popovich, Jr.	#65 Pierce Masse, Jr.
Center	#77 Ryan Wendell, Sr.	#74 Joe Bernardi^, RFr.
Right Guard	#76 Adam McDowell, Jr.	#69 Andrew Jackson, RFr.
Right Tackle	#73 Kenny Avon, Jr.	#60 Kenny Wiggins, RFr.
Tight End	#85 Bear Pascoe, Jr.	#88 Jesus Tapia^, Sr.
Fullback	#40 Nate Adams, Sr.	#48 Reynard Camp^, So.
*Running Back	#1 Lonyae Miller, So.	#22 Anthony Harding^, So.
*WR/Slot/H-B	#6 Chastin West, So.	#25 Shannon Dorsey^, Sr.
Quarterback	#7 Tom Brandstater, Jr.	#15 Ryan Colburn, RFr.
Wide Receiver	#5 Marlon Moore, So.	#17 Jamel Hamler, Fr.

*depending on formation

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DEFENSE

Position	First Team	Second Team
End	#7 Jason Roberts, So.	#41 Ikenna Ike, Jr.
Tackle	#42 Charles Tolbert, Sr.	#96 Wilson Ramos^, So.
Nose Tackle	#97 Jason Shirley, Sr.	#94 Jon Monga, Jr.
End	#11 Tyler Clutts, Sr.	#27 Chris Lewis, RFr.
Weakside LB	#31 Marcus Riley, Sr.	#47 Ryan Machado^, So.
Middle LB	#43 Ahijah Lane, Sr.	#54 Ben Jacobs^, RFr.
Strongside LB	#32 Quaadir Brown, So.	#10 Nico Herron, RFr.
Cornerback	#22 Damon Jenkins, Sr.	#4 Damion Owens, So.
Strong Safety	#3 Moses Harris, So.	#20 Lorne Bell, RFr.
Free Safety	#19 Marvin Haynes	#23 Jake Jorde, Jr.
Cornerback	#28 A.J. Jefferson, So.	#46 Will Harding^, Sr.

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Special Teams

Position	First Team	Second Team
Place Kicker	#39 Clint Stitser, Sr.	#35 Kyle Zimmerman, Sr.
Kick-Off	#39 Clint Stitser, Sr.	#35 Kyle Zimmerman, Sr.
Punter	#35, Kyle Zimmerman, Sr.	#42 Robert Malone, So.
Long Snapper	#90 Greg Titiriga, Sr.	N/A
Holder	#42 Robert Malone, So.	#15 Ryan Colburn, Fr.
Kick Returner	#6 Chastin West	#2 Clifton Smith^
Punt Returner	#2 Clifton Smith, Sr.	#17 Jamel Hamler, Fr.

^notes -
#52 Richard Pacheco is the No. 2/3 C.
#61 Charley Robbins is NO. 3 LG.
#79 Sean Yandall is No. 3 RT.
#34 Jamal Rashad is the No. 3 RB.
#2 Clifton Smith is the No. 2/3 slot/H-B.
#50 Cornell Banks and #95 Mark Roberts are No. 4/5/6 DT.
#58 Ryan McKinley is the No. 3 WLB.
#49 Todd Chisom is No. 3 MLB.
#80 Drew Lubinsky is the No. 2/3 TE.
#45 Isaac Kinter is the No. 3/4 TE/FB/Slot/H-B
#44 Frank Padilla is the No. 2/3 FB.
#5 Marlon Moore is the No. 2/3 KR.
#16 Matt Christian is No. 3 QB.
#86 Darren Newborne is No. 7 WR.
Ryan Mathews is the No. 4 RB.
Chris Carter is No. 5 DE.
Sharrod Davis and Jermaine Thomas will probably be No. 3/4/5/6 CB.
Zak Hill is No. 3 SS and will probably wear #33, his number in HS.
Devan Cunningham is No. 4 RT but could move to No. 3 LT.
Devon Wylie will probably be No. 1/2/3 KR.

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The Vivas Verdict, Welty, and the future of Fresno State Football

Before I begin, I just want to take a moment to genuflect upon the oppertunity MDG has given me to be a guest blogger- and as such, my views are my own and may be different from someone else's.

The Vivas verdict has been an event in Fresno State athletics that has affected the entire department, and has sweeping after effects and probable outcomes that, while not certain, have a pattern that have been already been played out at other athletic programs in the Cal State system. For those of you who do not know, Lindy Vivas, formerly the woman's volleyball coach, sued Fresno State for gender discrimination after her contract was not renewed this year. After a legal battle, which included Scott Johnson thinking there were 'seven or eight' girls to a side on volleyball (there are, in fact, five), the court awarded Vivas $5.85 million in damages. This decision has made national headlines and has been seen by some as a landmark case for Title IX, as it is the largest award for an anti-gender discrimination lawsuit at a University, and has generated a lot of discussion on the barkboard and other fan sites. Some have begun to call for Weltey's resignation, while others are angry at the university and the chancellor for not standing up for the university's decision.

But there are even bigger questions than these which affect the situation, for this is a pattern which has been repeated at the majority of the universities in the Cal State system and, having visited upon Fresno State, can be expected to have massive repercussions. College football had once thrived in California at the Division I, I-AA, and II levels for decades until the Cal-NOW act was passed placing very stringent restrictions upon athletics at the CSU's in particular. Within a decade, fully half of the college football programs in California had folded, and the few that remained outside of the Pac-10 continue to be in jeopardy. Football is a sport that, while having the potential to generate generous profits, can also cost an institution a tremendous amount of money, and requires scholarships be given to as many men as 5 or 6 other sports. Many schools cannot financially support it while meeting the new guidelines. Fresno State had been fortunate that it had managed to escape many of the problems that have plagued the other schools in the system with its success on the field of play, but this legal decision has changed the financial and political situation of athletics at Fresno State. This situation, alongside similar problems in the Quaadir Brown case, implicate people from Welty to Johnson to Boeh in gender discrimination, and it seems reasonable to assume that this is only the tip of the iceberg in terms of what kind of things may happen next now that the cat is out of the bag on this.

My point is this- the mere suggestion of lawsuits brought down football programs at ten successful California universities in the last 15 years. It is not out of the question to suggest that landmark legal cases involving sweeping charges of gender discrimination and bias against Fresno State University won't result in a similar outcome for the Bulldogs than it did for our former opponents. This may be the beginning of the end of Fresno State football, and we may soon see the permanent removal of the goalposts from beloved Bulldog Stadium if we fail to pay attention to the lessons learned from the last decades.