tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-165585112024-03-15T18:09:25.983-07:00BarkBoard.comIndependent coverage of Fresno State athletics.BarkBoard.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17371532385025154602noreply@blogger.comBlogger741125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16558511.post-21821076551934089122013-08-04T14:29:00.001-07:002013-08-04T14:30:22.368-07:00Former 3-Star Cleared for Practice<p dir="ltr">Arizona transfer Bryan Harper is cleared to practice. Harper redshirted at last season, and he will have four years of eligibility remaining.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The 6-foot 170-pounder is out Colony High School. The CalHiSports fourth-team all-state defensive back was a three-star recruit by Scout.com and Rivals.com.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Harper must sit out the 2013 season to fulfill NCAA transfer requirments.</p>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">©Copyright 2006, The Fresno State Football Blog/barkboard.com and Scout.com. All rights reserved.
</div>BarkBoard.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17371532385025154602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16558511.post-36939146855733312952013-08-03T17:58:00.001-07:002013-08-03T17:58:31.718-07:00Fall Camp Underway<p dir="ltr">The 2013 Fresno State football season is three days old as the players reported Thursday and practiced yesterday and today. Lofty expectations await as the Bulldogs are ranked in many preseason publications and received 62 votes in the USA Today Coaches Poll released Thursday.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Anything less than a 10-2 season will be a disappointment. The 'Dogs host future Big Ten member Rutgers to open the season August 29. Furthermore, No. 19 Boise State must travel to Bulldog Stadium in the Mountain West opener September 20. Outside of road trips to fellow Cal State institutions San Diego State and San Jose State, FS should be double-digit favorites in its remaining games.</p>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">©Copyright 2006, The Fresno State Football Blog/barkboard.com and Scout.com. All rights reserved.
</div>BarkBoard.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17371532385025154602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16558511.post-89986934731385393862013-07-31T02:08:00.000-07:002013-07-31T02:12:01.911-07:00Time to Update This BlogIt's been nearly five years since the last post, and coincidentally, it concerned the same opponent Fresno State will open with in 2013 -- Rutgers.<br />
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This was the Fresno State Football Blog, now it is the temporary home of BarkBoard.com (all the domain name stuff, we hope to sort out in the next few days). The message board is absent for the time being but feel free to leave a comment good or bad. </div>
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We hope to get back to our roots and provide insightful independent coverage of Fresno State football (and other sports). Check back soon as fall camp gets underway Friday morning.</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">©Copyright 2006, The Fresno State Football Blog/barkboard.com and Scout.com. All rights reserved.
</div>BarkBoard.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17371532385025154602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16558511.post-87443152212901350022008-08-31T02:40:00.000-07:002008-08-31T02:48:22.953-07:00Fresno State at Rutgers- Position, Individual and Unit Comparisons<span style="font-family:georgia;color:#000000;">It's a brand new season, so all stats are for last year. This is the first meeting between the two teams, and it is the furthest the Bulldogs have ever travelled. Rutgers is coming off a 8-5 season, with losses at home to Maryland, #20 Cincinnati, #6 West Virginia, and at Louisville and #16 Connecticut, and beat South Florida when they were ranked #2 in the country. They are coming off a 52-30 win over Ball State in the International Bowl. The bulldogs return much of a team that went 9-4 with wins over Kansas State and Georgia Tech.</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#000000;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>Quarterbacks-</strong> Rutgers returns senior quarterback Mike Teel, who is coming off an impressive year having completed 203 of 349 attempts for a 58.2 percentage. He threw for 3,147 yards and 20 touchdowns. He is not much of a duel threat, however, having netted -49 yards rushing last season. He passed for 9 yards per attempt for a 145.4 passing efficiency, 2nd for returning QBs in the Big East. Fresno State's senior QB Tom Brandstater went 211 of 337 for a 62.6 percentage, throwing for 2654 yards and 15 touchdowns. He is more of a threat outside of the pocket, netting 118 yards rushing with 3TDs and averaging 2.5 yards per carry. He is 2nd in passing efficiency </span><span style="color:#000000;">for returning WAC quarterbacks with 7.9 yards per attempt and an efficiency of 150.8.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><strong><span style="color:#000000;">Advantage-</span></strong> <span style="color:#ff0000;">Even</span><span style="color:#000000;">, though slightly in</span> <span style="color:#ff0000;">Fresno State's</span> <span style="color:#000000;">favor because of Brandstater's scramble and slightly better percentages. Teel was injured late last season to his thumb, which negatively impacted his numbers, but both are of similar size and ability at around 6-4 220. Unfortunately for Brandstater, last year's Rutgers team was the 2nd most tenacious passing D in the nation, giving up only 1927 yards in the air. Fresno State was a more middling 60th in this category. The Bulldogs' improved D-line should prove important to pressuring Teel, whose mobility is a question mark for the Knights. Both QB's are also likely to bring a senior-year, multiple-year starter maturity to the position which should make the game interesting. </span></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#000000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><strong>Running Backs-</strong> This unit is going to be interesting for Rutgers, as it was lead by school- and Big East- record holder Ray Rice, whose 2012 yards and 24 TD's last year will be sorely missed by the Scarlet Knights, whose leading returning rusher is backup QB Jabu Lovelace with 332 yards and 4TDs. Mason Robinson, as sophomore, is the starter who produced only 202 yards and no TDs last year behind Rice. Along with Robinson, Kordell Young went for 58 yards last year and will return. Fresno State returns multiple options in Ryan Mathews, Lonyae Miller, and Anthony Harding, all of whom rushed for over 400 yards last year with Mathews leading the pack with 866 yards and 14 TD's despite limited playing time. The unit was 19th in the country last year with 2493 total rushing yards, and loses only Clifton Smith form last year's team. </span></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>Advantage-</strong> Even without Clifton Smith's 625 yards and 5 TDs, the</span> <span style="color:#ff0000;">Fresno State</span> <span style="color:#000000;">running attack should be much stronger than the Scarlet Knight's with the loss of so important an element a Ray Rice, though one hastens to discount his backups of previous years on mere stats alone. That said, Fresno State has multiple options and an scheme with multiple sets, giving the running game more depth and complexity. Both rush defenses were in the bottom half of running yards allowed in the NCAA last season, meaning a strong ruining game from Fresno State provides a solid advantage for the Bulldogs. </span></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#000000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><strong>Receivers/ Tight Ends –</strong> Both teams have important returnees in this unit, with Rutgers returning Kenny Britt, Tiquan Underwood, Tim Brown, and Kevin Brock, their four leading receivers, all returning. Britt lead the team last year with 1232 yards on 62 catches averaging 19.9 yards per catch and 8 TD's, followed by Underwood with 1100 yards off of 65 receptions for a 16.9 average and 7 TD's. Brown and Brock round out the receiving corp with 340 and 241 yards, respectively, and 2 touchdowns apiece. Fresno, too returns its top receivers in Marlon Moore, Bear Pascoe, and Seyi Ajirotutu. Moore went for 694 yards of 48 receptions with 5 trip to the end zone, while TE Bear Pascoe caught 45 catches for 553 yards and 4 TD's. Ajirotuto rounded out the top three with 29 catches for 491 yards. Also contributing were Jason Crawley, Isaac Kitner, Tim Lang and Jamel Hamler with 199, 111, 82, and 8 yards between them, respectively. Chastin West, lost at the end of last August, also returns for the Bulldogs. Last year Rutgers' receiving unit was 39th in the nation in total receiving yards with 3267 and 273 yards per game, compared with Fresno State at number 69 with 2760 and 230 yards per game. </span></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><strong><span style="color:#000000;">Advantage –</span></strong> <span style="color:#cc0000;">Even</span>, veering slightly toward <span style="color:#cc0000;">Rutgers</span><span style="color:#000000;">. Both are likely to be the best receiving corps either team will have seen for some time, and will be among the top of their conferences and in the upper echelons of I-A football. While Rutgers' unit outproduced the Bulldogs by 500 total yards last season, Fresno State does return West who is likely to make up for the difference and this should make an impact. The major note of concern is noted above in the QB section- Rutgers' pass D is the 2nd best in the nation in terms of fewest yards allowed, meaning the Bulldogs' receivers will face a difficult challenge. </span></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#000000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><strong>Defenses-</strong> This can be something of an area of concern for the Bulldogs. I have talked briefly already about the defenses for both sides, but a more detailed examination of each is revealing. Rutgers was 31st in the nation last year in fewest points allowed per game, giving up only 21.8; Fresno State was 62nd overall, giving up 26.9 points per game. Rutgers' pass D is the most troubling area of concern, giving up only 1927 passing yards, 2nd best in the nation after Ohio State. Fresno State is 60th nationwide in this category, having given up 2725 yards in the air. Neither team is in the upper half of rushing D, though Rutgers does also lead in that category in ruining yards allowed, 1871 to Fresno State's 2193. Free Safety Courtney Greene lead the Knights in tackles last year with 101 and returns, along with defensive tackle Jamaal Westerman who recorded 8 sacks and 6 tackles for a loss. CB Jason McCourty also blocked 12 punts for Rutgers last season. Fresno State loses a 132 tackler in Marcus Riley, and returns Ben Jacobs who recorded 81 tackles last season. Jon Monga was credited with 6.5 sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss last year for the 'Dogs.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><strong><span style="color:#000000;">Advantage-</span></strong> <span style="color:#cc0000;">Rutgers</span><span style="color:#000000;">. Both teams are very similar in most categories, but Rutgers is exceptional in its ability to stop the pass, and the Bulldogs lose some important components in Marcus Riley, Tyler Clutts, and Damon Jenkins for our defense. Rutgers looks to continue it's solid pass D as they return 7 from their backfield which will be a major issue for the Bulldogs if the running game is unable to make up for the difference. </span></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><strong>Special Teams-</strong> Fresno State returns AJ Jefferson who lead the nation in kick returns with 930 yards and a 35.8 yard per return average, which compares favorably with Rutgers' Tim Brown and Mason Robinson, a tandem who averaged 20.7 and 19.6, respectively, last season. Both teams face major losses to their kickers, as the Bulldogs lose Clint Stitser and the Knights lose Jeremy Ito, both of whom had a huge impact for this unit and it will be difficult for either team to replace their production. Rutgers also loses their special teams coach Darren Rizzi, who has become the head coach at Rhode Island. The Bulldogs also lose punter Kyle Zimmerman and punt returner Clifton Smith to graduation, and both are important losses.</span><br /></span><span style="font-family:georgia;"><strong><span style="color:#000000;">Advantage-</span></strong> <span style="color:#cc0000;">Toss-up.</span><span style="color:#000000;"> </span><span style="color:#000000;">Both teams are pretty much gutted. the Bulldogs look to start Kevin Goessling as kicker and Robert Malone as punter, both underclassmen. Rutgers looks to do no better starting San San Te at kicker and Teddy Dellaganna, also two underclassmen. The one obvious advantage for the Bulldogs is the return of AJ Jefferson, who lead the nation in kick return average and should be in good form to do so again this season. I will note that, in watching game tape from both teams, both head coaches seem to enjoy trickery from special teams. I give two examples: in 2004, at home against Hawai'i in what would be a 70-14 rout, Pat Hill had just scored the 2nd TD of the 1st quarter when he lined up to return the ball, only to fake an onside kick which was recovered by the Bulldogs. For Rutgers, in last year's win over USF, the Knights missed a third down conversion and were forced to give the ball over, and lined up to kick it to the Bulls at the far end. Jeremy Ito took the snap and, instead of kicking it away, passed it to a receiver to secure the first down and continue the drive. My point is both teams will utilize such methods and I would look out for them to come very early in the game.</span></span><span style="color:#000000;"><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><strong>Coaches-</strong> Fresno State’s Pat Hill is 85-55 (.607) coming into Monday’s game. He’s 60-27 against the WAC, and 30-39 away from Bulldog Stadium. Rutgers' Greg Schiano is 38-46 (.428) with a home record of 23-22, and is 2-15 against teams in the top 25, which Fresno State is for the Coaches' Poll, but not the AP. </span><br /></span><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>Advantage-</strong> Fresno State’s</span> <span style="color:#ff0000;">Pat Hill</span> <span style="color:#000000;">is willing to take on anyone, anytime, anywhere, and will have his team more than ready for the cross-country game in Rutgers Stadium in front of 43,000 (just 1,969 more than Bulldog Stadium, so a similar environment in that respect- even the same colors!). </span><span style="color:#cc0000;">Greg Schiano</span> <span style="color:#000000;">has turned around a program that was close to sharing Temple's fate of being kicked out of the Big East and looking for friendlier digs in the MAC. Schiano ensured that would not happen and through a combination of smart recruiting in Florida, a connection with the populated NY/NJ corridor, and and AD willing to stick with a guy after a 1-11 season, and has proven to be one of the best coaches of the decade. And, he's got the balls to take on the Bulldogs, which about 60-odd other BCS schools can't say, even ones with coaches that used to play and coach here... I'm going with another toss-up in this category as well, both men are solid coaches on and off the field.</span></span><span style="color:#000000;"><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><strong>“Taste of the Town”-</strong> It’s California vs. New York, East Coast vs. West Coast, BCS vs. Mid Major... Now, I've got to admit a West Coast Bias. Always had one. But I finally moved to the East Coast (Boston) and found the place to be pretty all-right. New York is an amazing place, with amazing food, lights, and all the rest. But, New Brunswick/ Piscataway isn't quite the same as Manhattan. But it is close enough.</span><br /></span><span style="font-family:georgia;"><strong><span style="color:#000000;">Advantage-</span></strong> <span style="color:#ff0000;">Fresno</span>. <span style="color:#000000;">West Coast Bias. But, if you've never been to Manhattan, you are missing out.</span></span><span style="color:#000000;"><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span><br /></span><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>Conclusion-</strong> This is going to be an amazing game. The two teams are surprisingly evenly matched in each position, with similar quarterbacks, wide receivers, defenses, and losses on (and tricks by) the special teams. Two places they radically differentiate- Rutgers lost their super-star running back, while Fresno returns multiple options; and Rutgers returns virtually all what is statistically next to the best pass defense in the nation. The Bulldogs will likely exploit the advantage on the ground and keep the maturing Kight running game in check. However, Rutgers' passing attack should be an interesting test for going into the much more pass-happy offenses to be faced later in the season. Fresno State and Rutgers are an interesting statistical match-up, though I think the running game of the Bulldogs will be the decisive factor in a Bulldog victory, so long as the team can focus after the long travel and change in atmosphere. I also forecast special teams to play a major role and hope that it is a role in our favor, as we have seen costly special teams mistakes take a toll in the past. Still, my call is:</span> <span style="color:#ff0000;">Bulldogs 32 - </span><span style="color:#cc0000;">Scarlet Knights 27</span></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">©Copyright 2006, The Fresno State Football Blog/barkboard.com and Scout.com. All rights reserved.
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16558511.post-41710249428044244852008-08-06T22:26:00.000-07:002008-08-06T22:29:28.353-07:00The 2008 Fresno State Bulldogs Offense<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yS0lHinYHls/SJqHzsfGjzI/AAAAAAAAAGs/m4ArD4Pd3WM/s1600-h/pat_hill1-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yS0lHinYHls/SJqHzsfGjzI/AAAAAAAAAGs/m4ArD4Pd3WM/s320/pat_hill1-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231643239328943922" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fresno State fans to this point have addressed their worries as to how the Bulldogs are going to be able to stop opposing team’s offenses. While our front line on defense should be strong the best answer as to how the Bulldogs will stop the other team’s offense is through the use of our own. I realize this may sound confusing but sometime’s a team’s best defense is their offense when it comes to college football. The longer Brandstater and company are on the football field the better. If the Bulldogs can find a way to put together long drives that eat up time off the clock look for the defense to be energized each time they step onto the football field. Here is a review of those offensive players who will do their best to make the defense’s job that much easier.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">At QB Tom Brandstater will take the reigns for his senior season. The offense will only go as far as Brandstater directs them to. While the running game is a huge part of the Fresno State offense the Bulldogs will need Brandstater to come through when the running game is not churning out yard after yard. Chances are that the Bulldogs will have to rely on Brandstater at least once this season. In 2007 when the Dogs had to turn to Brandstater he came through nearly every time. If the Bulldogs can get similar stats from Brandstater look for them to make noise on the BCS front this season.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">The RB situation is one that is usually positive for the Bulldogs. 2008 will be no different due to the fact that Fresno State returns Ryan Mathews, Lonyae Miller, and Anthony Harding. All look to be in outstanding physical shape and have a healthy level of competition between one another. With the offensive line opening holes for the Bulldog running backs look for one of these backs to break the 1,000 yard barrier this season. At the same time one cannot forget that A.J. Ellis and Rashad Evans will be used in the Fresno State offense as well. Each of these players brings a different aspect of explosiveness to the field which will allow the Dogs many more options on offense. While the situation at QB and RB seems positive they in no way compare to what the Bulldogs have returning at wide receiver and Tight End. </span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">The Wide Receivers may be the position with the most talent for this 2008 Bulldog football team. With returning receivers such as Marlon Moore, Seyi Ajirotutu (who looks to have enhanced his game since last season), Jason Crawley, Devon Wylie, Matt Lindsay, Darren Newborne, and Chastin West the Bulldogs look to have the height (Ajirotutu, Lindsay), speed (Moore, Wylie) and physical nature (Crawley, Moore) to dominate the outside of the field. Add in the fact that Bear Pascoe is next to impossible to cover and you have a Fresno State offense that is going to score early and often. In 2006 the Bulldogs averaged 23 points per game on offense. In 2007 the Bulldogs improved their offense to the tune of 33 points a game. If Fresno State can improve slightly in 2008 they will average anywhere between 35-40 points per game. If Fresno State can find a way to put that many points on the board every week opposing teams will have a hard time keeping up with this high octane offense. This very well may be one of the best offenses the Bulldogs have ever fielded. Unfortunately we will have to wait 26 more days until we know if this offense is truly as good as they look to be. </span><div class="blogger-post-footer">©Copyright 2006, The Fresno State Football Blog/barkboard.com and Scout.com. All rights reserved.
</div>nschttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09195649645048645277noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16558511.post-72546202711567024572008-08-05T21:50:00.000-07:002008-08-05T21:55:02.570-07:00Will Fresno State be Defensively Challenged in 08?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yS0lHinYHls/SJkuBAdEwrI/AAAAAAAAAGk/eAoIVH1oofQ/s1600-h/jefferson.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yS0lHinYHls/SJkuBAdEwrI/AAAAAAAAAGk/eAoIVH1oofQ/s320/jefferson.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231263037004235442" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Throughout the summer fans of Fresno State continued to realize that 2008 may be a special year not only for the players but for the fans of the Fresno State Bulldogs. With 16 returning starters Fresno State has the experience to make a serious run at the BCS. The offense will be explosive in 2008 as every starter returns aside Ryan Wendell. Replacing Wendell will be tough but Fresno State has always been known for its outstanding offensive line and 2008 should be no different. While the offensive side of the ball looks great the defensive side is left with nothing but questions. Can Fresno State replace WAC defensive player of the year Marcus Riley? Will Fresno State be able to create more takeaways en route to one win after another? Will the defensive line have enough depth to cause problems for opposing team’s offenses? The problem is there is no sure answer to any of these questions. I will do my best to answer each of these questions as I sat through practice today and have a bit better idea as to how good our defense truly will be. </span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">To begin let’s address the defensive line. Fresno State finished second in the WAC with 36 sacks this past season. Look for that total to increase this season. Ikenna Ike and Wilson Ramos are going to give offensive lineman fits as defensive ends. Cornell Banks has both the speed and side to put pressure on the offensive backfield. Chris Lewis will do a great job coming in with the second team to provide pressure from the defensive end position. Bryce Harris looks to be a mountain of a man and should do well with the second team as well. Chase McEntee and Anthony Williams (who looks gigantic) will come in and provide depth right from day one. With all of this talent there should be no worries as to how much pressure our defensive line will cause. If you noticed I haven’t even mentioned the one player that I feel will cause the most havoc on the defensive line: Jon Monga. Monga will be the leader of this defensive line. Look for Monga to have an outstanding season as both a run stopper and momentum killer as well. I realize that many of you worry that our LB’s are going to have a problem stopping the run due to the loss of Marcus Riley. Let’s see how the LB’s break down this season.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Our top three linebackers will be Ben Jacobs, Nico Herron, and more than likely Chris Carter (who has not played the position in two years). Quaadir Brown will be at fall camp but he may not be able to go due to personal issues. We can only hope that Brown finds his way back to football because he is definitely needed on defense. With that being said our first team LB’s are solid. Carter may be stepping into the LB role again but do remember that was his position in high school. He will adapt to the LB role much faster than any other newcomer may have. Damion Whittington will be in fall camp this week providing much needed depth. Kyle Knox, Austin Raphael, and Sean Plummer will provide depth at this position as well. LB is definitely the weakest of any area for the Bulldogs. On the positive side the secondary will be deep and provide the LB’s with the help they need to get through the season.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">The secondary will have little problems improving on their paltry takeaway totals from 2007. With A.J. Jefferson, Damion Owens, and Sharrod Davis at corner the Bulldogs should be able to cover man to man and press often. Marvin Haynes and Moses Harris will provide safety help as they have the ability to run with anyone in the nation. Backing up Harris and Haynes will be Zak Hill and Jake Jorde. Both of these men also have the ability to lock down the secondary with their cover skills. It will be because of the secondary that this defense is able to gamble and blitz much more this season than ever before. Look for the Bulldogs secondary to go to press coverage in order to give the safeties and corners time to blitz the QB. If the defensive front four combined with one or two CB’s or safeties blitz there will be very few teams who can stop Fresno State.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">The Bulldogs defense is not nearly as worrisome as many have made them out to be. The first and second teams are strong and have the experience to make plays. Fresno State’s offense will provide the defense a large margin for error as the offense should average anywhere between 35-42 points per game. Fresno State’s defense will be fine and they will find a way to hold the other team just enough to give the offense a chance to win every game on the schedule. </span><div class="blogger-post-footer">©Copyright 2006, The Fresno State Football Blog/barkboard.com and Scout.com. All rights reserved.
</div>nschttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09195649645048645277noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16558511.post-66517554462837886822008-06-11T23:21:00.000-07:002008-06-11T23:31:33.885-07:00What to Expect in 2008<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_yS0lHinYHls/SFDCUXfcBuI/AAAAAAAAAGc/DJFOol5W5cI/s1600-h/313662407_8499ac8ec8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_yS0lHinYHls/SFDCUXfcBuI/AAAAAAAAAGc/DJFOol5W5cI/s320/313662407_8499ac8ec8.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210878424026711778" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">This past week the Fresno State football players began eight weeks of individual practices in which coaches will not be present. During individual workouts QB’s and Receivers work on their timing and route running in order to prepare for the 2008 football season. These eight weeks have become far more important to the Bulldogs than they have to most other teams as Fresno State generally opens with a murderous schedule. In 2008 the Bulldogs season begins as follows:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Sept. 1st - @ Rutgers</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Sept. 13th – Wisconsin</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Sept. 20th - @ Toledo</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Sept. 27th - @ UCLA</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Once again Fresno State will have their work cut out for them in September as the Dogs opening month is one of the more challenging in the nation. If Fresno State can find a way to run off victories in each of the above mentioned games they will more than likely be ranked somewhere in the middle of the top twenty-five. In order to accomplish such a feat Fresno State will have to get the most out of their practices up until their first game of the season at Rutgers. The past few seasons Fresno State fans have had high expectations for the football program run by Pat Hill. But in 2008 should Bulldog fans once again expect the Dogs to make some noise nationally before WAC plays begins? The simple answer is absolutely.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fresno State returns a majority of their offensive starter’s aside Clifton Smith and Ryan Wendell who both have moved on to the NFL. However, Bear Pascoe returns. Tom Brandstater returns. Ryan Mathews returns as does Marlon Moore, Chastin West, Seyi Ajirotutu, Devin Wylie, Jamal Hamler, Lonyae Miller, Anthony Harding the entire offensive line (if healthy), and newcomers such as Rashad Evans, A.J. Ellis, and Ebahn Feathers. This quite possibly has the making to be one of the most explosive units in Fresno State history. If the Bulldog’s offense can continue to gel together as we have seen during spring ball look for the offense to average well over thirty points a game. Last season J-Mac’s offense averaged 33 points a game. If this returning unit can punch one more TD in per game you will be looking at a team that averages forty points a game. If that is the case this will be a very hard Bulldogs team to beat. While the offense looks to be in great shape what can expect from our defense early on in 2008? </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Defensively our first team defensive line will create havoc for most opposing teams. Players such as Jon Monga, Chris Carter, Wilson Ramos, and Cornell Banks will all demand attention on the defensive line. The Bulldogs secondary will be experienced with Moses Harris and Marvin Haynes at safety. One corner spot will be occupied by the speedy A.J. Jefferson who may be ready to depart for the NFL at season’s end. The other corner spot is up for grabs but players such as Sharrod Davis and Damion Owens should fill the voice left by Damon Jenkins who also made the jump to the NFL. The one position defensively Bulldog fans should worry about is Linebacker. Although Ben Jacobs, Nico Herron, and Quaadir Brown look to be a solid unit there is very little depth with respect to the unit. Fresno State will have two additions to help bolster the LB core in Damion Whittington and Ricky Pemasa, but both of these players will be coming in as freshman. If the starters do not do their job on defense then the Dogs will give up large amounts of yards and will be involved in games where scoring is happening far more than we as Bulldog fans would like it to be. </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><br />Fresno State’s special teams units look to be solid although the Dogs will be starting two kickers with relatively little experience. Robert Malone will take over punting duties. If he continues to punt the way he has in Spring ball Fresno State will have very little to worry about. At the same time Kevin Goessling will take over for Clint Stitser as the placekicker. Goessling has an accurate leg and should be expected to get the job done from forty yards and in. However, if the Dogs have to venture past forty yards this freshman will have his work cut out for him. Kick returning is in great hands with A.J. Jefferson. Fresno State has very little to worry about when it comes to the special teams units. John Baxter generally has these players prepared for every situation possible.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">What does this all mean? It means that Fresno State football in 2008 will have a shot at an amazing season. The men’s baseball team just qualified for the College World Series. The women’s softball team missed a super regional by one questionable call. The women’s basketball team qualified for their first NCAA tournament ever. Fresno State won the WAC commissioner’s cup. Overall it has been an amazing year of sports here at Fresno State. Now it’s the football team’s turn to step up and show the nation how truly good they are in 2008. Here is exactly what you can expect from Fresno State in 2008: A team that will fight until the end week to week with a desire to win at all costs and a drive to show the nation just how good this Bulldogs team is as a whole. </span><div class="blogger-post-footer">©Copyright 2006, The Fresno State Football Blog/barkboard.com and Scout.com. All rights reserved.
</div>nschttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09195649645048645277noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16558511.post-33085580823812804852008-06-10T22:20:00.000-07:002008-06-10T22:28:19.658-07:00The Role of the Underdog<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_yS0lHinYHls/SE9hO9-_PwI/AAAAAAAAAGE/LKbBYgNwca8/s1600-h/dogpile.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_yS0lHinYHls/SE9hO9-_PwI/AAAAAAAAAGE/LKbBYgNwca8/s320/dogpile.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210490203675770626" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Every sport aside FBS college football has a true champion crowned at the end of the season. Sometimes the champion crowned is exactly who everyone figures it will be. During the 1990’s the Chicago Bulls were as sure a bet as anyone could make during their six championship runs. On the other hand sometimes the favorite is upset in monumental fashion. During the 2007-2008 Super Bowl we as a nation were able to watch one of the bigger upsets in history as the New York Giants knocked off the undefeated New England Patriots. Sure there are fans out there that picked the Giants to win the Super Bowl, but the Patriots were overwhelming favorites prior to the start<br />of the game. I realize none of this directly has to do with the college world series unless you take a look deeper into what I am trying to say. This weekend Fresno State will compete in their first college world series in seventeen years as heavy underdogs. As an underdog Fresno State has done the job over the past two weekends with huge upsets in Long Beach and Tempe. Is it possible that they just may pull the biggest upset of them all?</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><br />In order to understand the role of an underdog in the college world series let’s take a look back at the past five years to see how the favorites have faired:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">2007</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Winner – </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Oregon State </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">(unranked)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Highest Ranked Participant – Rice (2 seed) </span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">2006</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Winner – </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Oregon State </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">(unranked)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Highest Ranked Participant – Clemson (1 seed)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">2005</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Winner – </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Florida </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">(7 seed)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Highest Ranked Participant – Tulane (1 seed)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">2004</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Winner – </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Cal State Fullerton</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> (7 seed)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Highest Ranked Participant – Texas (1 seed)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">2003</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Winner – </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Rice</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> (5 seed)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Highest Ranked Participant – LSU (2 seed)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">If you look at the past five seasons you will notice that not one time has the favorite won the college world series. In fact since rankings have been given only Miami has won the College World Series as the one seed. In other words being unranked heading into the College World Series is not necessarily a terrible spot to be in. What most people do not realize about the World Series is that it rewards those teams who have caught the hot hand at the right time in the season. While it is true that teams such as Miami and North Carolina are ranked as the top two teams in the nation, it also remains true that they quite possibly could be knocked out of the tournament by a lower ranked team who has caught fire at the right time. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Many of you may be asking what exactly does this mean for Fresno State. It means that the Bulldogs will be decided underdogs in this tournament. But remember the Bulldogs were underdogs in their previous two regionals and found a way to come out on top in both of those. I am not saying the Bulldogs are going to win the college world series. I realize to come out on top in a tournament such as this you have to be clicking on all cylinders and the ball must bounce your way from time to time. The difference for Fresno State now is they have reached their ultimate goal and know they have the talent to win it all. The Dogs just upset the #3 team in the nation on a field where the Sun Devils had lost a total of three games the entire season. At the same time Fresno State is a team that is most comfortable playing the role of the underdog. They realize they are not supposed to win the college world series. But here they are as one of the remaining eight teams in the nation playing for the biggest prize that college baseball has to offer them. Their determination, effort, fight, and desire has put them into an eight team tournament to become the best team in all of college baseball. Sports are cyclical as some teams remain on top for long periods of time until another rises up to knock them off of the perch they sit upon. In the end I am left with one phrase that is exactly how I feel about the Bulldogs chances in the college world series:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">“Why Not Us?”</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">It’s simple, to the point, and exactly how I feel about the Bulldogs chances in 2008. Why not us? Go Dogs and thank you for this amazing season you have given us as fans. </span><div class="blogger-post-footer">©Copyright 2006, The Fresno State Football Blog/barkboard.com and Scout.com. All rights reserved.
</div>nschttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09195649645048645277noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16558511.post-88263082330490621072008-06-09T23:32:00.001-07:002008-06-09T23:35:25.300-07:00A Team for the Ages<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_yS0lHinYHls/SE4gAu1cf9I/AAAAAAAAAF8/FEyF1xsNOgM/s1600-h/baseball1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_yS0lHinYHls/SE4gAu1cf9I/AAAAAAAAAF8/FEyF1xsNOgM/s320/baseball1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210137015858528210" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">The year began just as it had the past few seasons in Fresno. The Bulldogs would be ranked in the top twenty five only to falter out of the gates. Diamond Dog fans in Fresno were once again left to question whether this team had the talent to win their third consecutive WAC title. As the season moved along Fresno State sat near the .500 mark for much longer than many of us were comfortable with. <br />The Dogs were not playing good baseball and everyone including the players themselves knew it. Towards the tail end of the WAC season Fresno State held on to first place by the skin of their teeth and entered the WAC tournament as the one seed. What happened next is something that every Bulldog fan will remember for the rest of their lives.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Fresno State went on to win their third straight WAC tournament in 2008. To this date the Bulldogs have not lost once during the course of the WAC tournament in their history. But Fresno State had been in this position before. Much like the Lady Dogs softball team the Bulldogs commonly qualify for a regional yearly. The only difference between the 2008 Bulldog baseball squad when compared to year’s past was the fact that had the Dogs lost the WAC tournament this year they would not have qualified for a regional. However, Fresno State won the WAC and was placed in one of the toughest regionals in the nation where the seeding would look as follows:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">1) Long Beach State</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">2) San Diego</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">3) California</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">4) Fresno State</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Each team was ranked nationally in the regional aside Fresno State. In other words the Bulldogs had their work cut out for them. It was the Bulldogs against the rest of the world and unlike many times in the past this 2008 Bulldog team was up for the challenge.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">After an opening win against Long Beach State the Dogs took on and shut out San Diego in the second round of the regional 6-0. Fresno State sat in the winners’ bracket awaiting the winner of the Long Beach State-San Diego matchup. Once San Diego had defeated the Dirtbags the Bulldogs knew they had to win one game to advance to their first super regional in over a decade. Fresno State went out and were promptly torn apart by the Toreros in game one 15-1. Many Bulldog fans worried that the Dogs would follow suit to many teams in the past and lose again to San Diego in the deciding game of the regional. Instead the 2008 Bulldogs would make history with a 5-1 defeat of the Toreros. With their regional win Fresno State would then be sent off to Tempe, AZ to face the third ranked Sun Devils of Arizona State. Arizona State sported a 48-11 record with only three losses during the entire season at home. Fresno State had their work cut out for them as it would require a monumental upset to knock off the Sun Devils in their own house.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">In game one the Bulldogs played tough but untimely errors did them in as they trailed 8-4 heading into the eighth inning. ASU’s hitters were too much for the Dogs in game one and the Dogs would face an early hole in the series with a 12-4 defeat. Fresno State would now have to win the final two games of the series in order to return to the College World Series for the first time since 1991. Game two of the series would come down to one key at bat in the fourth inning and timely pitching at the tail end of the game. Gavin Hedstrom stepped up to the plate in the fourth inning with two outs and the bases loaded. The Dogs had put together four hits with two outs but had only one run to show for it. With two strikes Hedstrom swung at a curveball that jumped off of his bat to left center field. The ball carried over the fence giving Fresno State a 7-5 lead that they would not relinquish. Fresno State would finish off the victory with strong pitching from Brandon Burke. But the Dogs still had to win one more game and were depleted in the pitching department. Could the Dogs pull off one of the biggest upsets in college baseball during the 2008 season by knocking off the Sun Devils? </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Game three would be tough for both teams as the pitching staffs were equally depleted. For the first six innings both teams battled back and forth as the score sat at 5-5. Then the top of the seventh arrived. With two outs and the bases loaded Hedstrom was hit by a pitch to give the Dogs a 6-5 lead. Eric Wetzel followed with a double that cleared the bases given the Dogs a 9-5 lead. While a four run lead in most games is suitable the Dogs were playing the Sun Devils and no lead is ever safe against them. Following Wetzel the WAC player of the year Steve Susdorf stepped to the plate and crushed the ball deep to right center field to increase the lead to 11-5. The Dogs would need every last one of those runs as an eventful ninth inning was in sight. The Dogs would head to the bottom of the ninth with a 12-5 lead only to watch Sean Bonesteele and Brandon Burke allow four runs to score. With two outs and the bases loaded the Bulldogs would finally capture their dream they had played so hard to reach. With a fly ball to left field the Bulldogs had won the Tempe regional and reached the college world series.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><br />Fresno State will open up against Rice, the #6 national seed. Rice used to be a part of the WAC until they jumped ship to conference USA a few ago. Fresno State will have to hope their pitching and hitting can come through as it will take an amazing effort to win the college world series. But do remember that this is a team that was not supposed to win their regional as the four seed. The Dogs were not supposed to knock off the Sun Devils in the Tempe regional but they did. Now Fresno State is not supposed to win the college world series. To this writer it sounds like the Dogs are right where they want to be. </span><div class="blogger-post-footer">©Copyright 2006, The Fresno State Football Blog/barkboard.com and Scout.com. All rights reserved.
</div>nschttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09195649645048645277noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16558511.post-87583527001136472142008-06-03T13:17:00.000-07:002008-06-03T13:50:41.209-07:00Pat Hill's Recruiting Style<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_yS0lHinYHls/SEWoR5xA54I/AAAAAAAAAF0/QRQx0gKLl5I/s1600-h/hill_conder.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_yS0lHinYHls/SEWoR5xA54I/AAAAAAAAAF0/QRQx0gKLl5I/s320/hill_conder.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207753569641490306" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Over the past eleven years we as Bulldog fans have witnessed a change in Bulldog football. It all began with the head coach. Pat Hill took over Fresno State in 1997 and immediately made an impact as the head coach of this team. At the time recruiting was not nearly viewed in the same light as it is in today's world. Recruits were not under a microscope in the same respect that they are today as everyone desires to know what a </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">recruits</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> strengths and weaknesses are before they commit to a school. As fans we feel like we can evaluate a player based on what we have seen from him in his high school years. I for one thought Beau Sweeney would be hands down the best QB for the Bulldogs after watching him play during his Junior season. However, I realize I was wrong only because I let my heart and desire for valley football get in the way of what is truly best for Bulldog football. While we may question Pat Hill and his recruiting style, the fact remains that Hill continually finds players that fit the Bulldog football program perfectly. Regardless of what we think of his efforts as the head coach when it comes to recruiting Pat Hill does it exactly how all head coaches should. He recruits with respect to what the team needs and will only take players that he feels fit into the program perfectly.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><br />In 2006 The Bulldogs underachieved at a level we had not seen since the mid 1990's. The question of who should play QB came up early and often. Sean Norton was the backup to Tom </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Brandstater</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> who most felt was not ready to be the starting QB. However, Pat Hill showed tremendous faith in </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Brandstater</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> by making him the starter for the majority of the season. Although a large amount of fans disagreed with Pat on the QB issue only one season later we were able to see that Pat was right in keeping </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Brandstater</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> in as our QB. Headed into his senior year </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Brandstater</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> is viewed as the man to lead this team to their first WAC title in nearly ten seasons. Without Pat Hill's support who knows what would have happened to </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Brandstater during the course of his sophomore season. He was continually put down by the public and criticized for his play on the field. Week after week Hill supported Brandstater</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> and we as fans could not figure out why. Today we know that Pat was able to see what </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Brandstater</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> could truly do on the field while we as fans were not able to see past his performances early in his career. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><br />The difference between Pat Hill and your average fan is that Pat understands what it takes to be a college football player at Fresno State. He realizes what players will help the team and what players won't. When Hill goes on recruiting trips he understands the needs of the team and does not have the desire to tell a recruit that the Dogs are going to offer him if he does not believe it is in the best interest of Fresno State to do so. While schools such as Florida, Cal, and UCLA can offer scholarships to hundreds of players only to pull them back when they reach their allotted amount, Fresno State on the other hand only offers scholarships to players they want in their program. The Bulldogs do not offer every single five star recruit because it is not realistic to do so. While it makes sense to show a top flight recruit attention, if that attention falls on deaf ears then what exactly is the point of the attention in the first place? Pat Hill did not actively recruit Derek Carr but Derek decided to attend Fresno State. Travis Brown may be the first five star high school recruit in Bulldog history. However, to find other recruits Pat is forced to earn his money as head coach.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><br />I realize that many times we as fans think we know what is best for our hometown team. I think at times my knowledge of offense is exactly what allows me to understand what type of players the Bulldogs need. The truth is only the coaching staff and Pat Hill know exactly what is best for this program. Regardless if I have been a fan of Bulldog football for the past five, ten, or fifteen years I am not a coach in the Bulldog football program. In other words when all is said and done trust Pat Hill and his recruiting style. He may not be flashy with the way that he recruits, nor will he promise anyone more than they will actually be able to accomplish at State. Pat will be honest and that is something to be remembered in today's world where lying seems to get you ahead and a players word means absolutely nothing. Pat has done a great job recruiting here in Fresno and if we are lucky as Bulldog fans we will be able to enjoy his recruiting classes for many years into the future. </span><div class="blogger-post-footer">©Copyright 2006, The Fresno State Football Blog/barkboard.com and Scout.com. All rights reserved.
</div>nschttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09195649645048645277noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16558511.post-62085034528949299162008-06-02T10:05:00.000-07:002008-06-03T13:51:06.377-07:00What the 2008 Bulldog Football Season Hinges on<a href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_yS0lHinYHls/SEQodrEIy3I/AAAAAAAAAFk/wZdRb7kyN3E/s1600-h/377612.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_yS0lHinYHls/SEQodrEIy3I/AAAAAAAAAFk/wZdRb7kyN3E/s320/377612.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207331559388531570" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">This past weekend I attended the Under Armour camp with Mdg and Zagfan559 (I have a horrendous sunburn on my forehead to prove it). While watching all of the junior and seniors compete one on one in drills I began to think about the many different avenues the 2008 Bulldog football season might take. I have had a hard time coming up with what I think will happen during the football season if only because of how the 2007 season went. As one of my good friends said </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">"the 2007 season was one of the best coaching jobs Pat Hill has done in his time at Fresno State."</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> I tend to agree with this sentiment due to the amount of injuries the Bulldogs endured this past season and it is injuries that I believe will impact the 2008 season more so than any other factor.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Anyone who follows the Bulldogs knows the Dogs may be more talented on the field in 2008 than ever before. Tom Brandstater returns as the Senior QB with both experience and talent. The RB situation has only become that much better with the addition of players such as A.J. Ellis and Rashad Evans. Not to mention Ryan Mathews, Lonyae Miller, and Anthony Harding are not exactly guys you would want on the bench in the first place. The receiving core on offense is one of the deepest the Bulldogs have seen in years and is backed by a tight end that is NFL material (Bear Pascoe). With the offensive line in tact come fall practice there is no reason to think this team will not average close to forty points per game. The problem is when thinking about all of the weapons the Bulldogs have on the field we as fans are not considering who we may lose during the course of the season to injury. Here is a better question to consider if you are a Bulldog fan. Who can we afford to lose and still enjoy a successful 2008 season? At the same time what do you as fans consider a solid 2008 football season to be? I refrain from making predictions on any game until the week before due to the fact that injuries will impact the way a football team plays. But you as readers of the blog are welcome to leave comments as to what you feel is possible for this team in 2008.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">While I have mentioned the offensive weapons we have fans should also remember that we are returning a bulk of our defense as well. Our entire secondary returns aside Damon Jenkins who will be replaced by either Sharrod Davis or Damion Owens. Our Linebacking core lost Marcus Riley and it will be a tall task to replace such an outstanding linebacker. However, Fresno State brought in both Ricky Pemasa and Damion Whittington to fill the Riley void. The defensive line will be in great shape with Ramos, Banks, Monga, Carter, Lewis, and Ike. However, this will be one area where injuries could wreak havoc on the Bulldogs. Fresno State's first team defensive line will cause problems for most teams they line up against as they have both the size and speed to play with anyone. Unfortunately after the first team there is a huge drop in the talent that will be on the field. To hope for relative health out of the defensive line would be an understatement in the least. How Fresno State is able to deal with it's injuries in 2008 will be the tell tale of how the season will transpire. </span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">In the end most players that step on the field are replaceable if only because there is talent there to step in and take over. The one position Fresno State can ill afford an injury to in 2008 will be the QB position. Make no mistakes about it, this 2008 team has the talent and ability to run the table. As long as the defense keeps the Dogs in the game the offense is going to get the job done with Brandstater at QB. If for some reason Brandstater is not able to go the reigns are then turned over to little used Ryan Colburn. Many have confidence in Colburn and feel he can lead this team just as well as Brandstater can. However, Colburn has very little game experience and that is exactly how you become a more seasoned QB. After all what happened the last time we started a season with a QB that had very little game experience? </span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><br /><br />Injury.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> One word that can completely change the face of an entire football team. Here is hoping that for the first time since 2001 the Bulldogs will not have to deal with a major injury that single handedly changes the course of the 2008 football season. </span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Note:</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> I will be doing my best to blog more often in the off season. I apologize to those who read the blog daily and will do my best to make sure there is content for everyone to read throughout the entire 2008 football season.</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">©Copyright 2006, The Fresno State Football Blog/barkboard.com and Scout.com. All rights reserved.
</div>nschttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09195649645048645277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16558511.post-62714046154578557092008-05-23T09:35:00.000-07:002008-05-23T09:36:58.142-07:00How is this year different?<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">SF Gater again taking the gauntlet as guest on the Fresno State Bulldog Blog. As previously mentioned, those who pay attention to college football are placing the Bulldogs in their top-25s, and the team may be the presumptive favorites to win the conference for the first time since 1999. Nevertheless there are naysayers who point out that the Boise State Broncos have dominated the WAC since joining the conference in 2001, that they have not lost a WAC game at home since joining the conference, that Fresno State has a record for being, in <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/stewart_mandel/05/21/cfb.mailbag/2.html">Stewart Mandel’s </a>words, the “Clemson of mid-majors: A big tease.” This raises the question- is this year different? How?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">A corollary to the above question might be, how were all those other years different? I propose that this year’s team is a unique entity, one radically unlike those preceding it in several important respects. The first is experience. As much of the team was injured last year, many bench players had an opportunity to get valuable game experience, while many of the starters had played in previous seasons. One of the major separating factors between BCS and mid-major teams has long proven to be depth- often the starters may be comparable, but there is a radical divide in the second string down, where backups at BCS schools would likely start at their mid-major counterparts. <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place><st1:placename>Fresno</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>State</st1:placetype></st1:place> this year will be in a position unique for a mid-major in that there are skilled bench players such as Adam McDowell, Reynard Camp, and Cornell Banks, who can come in and make a difference after starting games last year. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The biggest difference made is in fortitude and discipline, the ability to shake off a loss. Each of the previous few seasons has an example of a though loss that affected the next game, and the one after, in a negative way. Last year, however, was different. The Texas A&M loss is a key case in point. After going into the half with a big deficit, the Bulldogs rallied and tied the game, taking it into three overtimes before a crushing loss. The next week was never a contest, with the Bulldogs losing by several touchdowns to <st1:state><st1:place>Oregon</st1:place></st1:state>. But the team did not let those twin losses get the best of them, and rallied for a four game winning streak against La Tech and <st1:state><st1:place>Nevada</st1:place></st1:state> teams that had bested us in similar situations before. The <st1:state><st1:place>Hawai’i</st1:place></st1:state> game is another example, when the team dropped a close game to a ranked opponent. The team just went ahead the next week and handed <st1:place><st1:placename>Kansas</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>State</st1:placetype></st1:place> a miserable loss. They didn’t lay an egg; instead they took big losses and turned them around into wins. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I think the composition of this bulldog team is different from previous years. The offense will be composed nearly entirely of returning starters, and the bench players behind them largely come into the game with experience. The key might be how to play in adverse circumstances, and the Bulldogs have proven they are able to do so. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Opening the season at <st1:place>Rutgers</st1:place> on September 1<sup>st</sup> is going to be an intense challenge; it will be important for the team to draw strength from the adversity in an East Coast venue. As the game draws closer, we will discuss the matchup in more detail, but today it can address the question of how this team is different from ones in the past, and most particularly in those qualities that might lead them to excel in the coming season. </span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">©Copyright 2006, The Fresno State Football Blog/barkboard.com and Scout.com. All rights reserved.
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16558511.post-66056215255820978632008-05-11T18:13:00.001-07:002008-05-12T06:15:04.566-07:00Bulldog RankingsHi folks, SF Gator here, and I'd like to thank NSC and MDG for giving me the opportunity to represent as a guest contributer to the FSFB. The Barkboard has come alive of late with the various preseason rankings that have been released by magazines, websites, and other media, placing the Bulldogs securely in the top-25. The preseason mags begin to heat up during the summer, and the two that 'really matter,' the AP and the Coaches polls, both are released latter than that; nevertheless, the post-spring workouts have yielded college football fans and pundits a variety of musings, which have manifested in rankings like the following:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.athlonsports.com/college-football/13428/no-25-fresno-state"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">ATHLON</span> </a>has released teams in its top 25 once-a-day, starting auspiciously with the Bulldogs at #25;<br /><br /><a style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold" href="http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/10813944">CBS Sportsline</a> pundit' n' hack Dennis Dodd actually didn't suck for the first time ever, placing the Bulldogs at #24;<br /><br /><a style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold" href="http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/story?columnist=schlabach_mark&id=3388100">ESPN </a>has their man Mark Schlabach pegging Fresno State at a solid #21, with opponent Rutgers nowhere in sight (like Dodd, but unlike Athlon who has them at #22);<br /><br />So, given this mayhem, what conclusions can we draw? Well, obviously the Bulldogs are getting some preseason love, both from the nice lil' pasting of the Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech in the Boise Bowl and the accompanying 9-4 record, and return of guys who played well and returning health of guys who should play well next year. Some of our opponents this year are in interesting positions; Boise isn't ranked by anyone, and neither is Cal Los Angeles; Rutgers is only ranked by Athlon; and everyone has Wisconsin in the top 18 at least. It's likely those positions will shift during the season so that some other teams do find themselves ranked when they play the 'Dogs.<br /><br />At this point, the Bulldogs have found themselves ranked at one point or another at least once since 2001, but haven't managed to go preseason to postseason ranked all the way though by any major poll. Still, it seems likey that the Bulldogs should start the season against Rutgers in the top-25, which is important since any media will represent the scores of all top-25 teams with more detail (like a write-up or Sports Center highlight) than even a really good or well-known outside of the top-25. It's also good because it's harder to move up from unranked to ranked really high if you weren't thought of well to begin with. Also, playing the likes of Idaho, Utah State, and NM State each and every year (and often one after the other) means there will be some attentionless days in October or November when a ranking at least draws attention to the fact that you mopped the floor with somebody. And lastly, the fact that pundits are paying attention in mid-May means that it's likely that they'll pay attention in Mid-August.<br /><br />Keep playing well, and someday the Bulldogs could find themselves ranked perennially, and viewed as a regular favorite for a WAC and Mid Major title. The powers-that-be recently scoffed heartily while drinking champagne at the idea of a playoff, so we'll be living with our present system for a while to come- meaning, a non BCS team that finishes in the top-12 is guaranteed a BCS bid, and the impression that the Bulldogs make this year will be an important one. Starting high and losing (once and only once) against a badass may not be a kiss of death for the Bulldogs making a BCS bowl, and if the initial impression for the Bulldogs is good enough and the team does well enough, a BCS bowl is a realistic probability. But keep in mind that BYU is ranked and ranked <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">higher</span> than the Bulldogs in every single one of those polls. and the Cougars <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">don't </span>have to play Wisconsin or Rutgers.<br /><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial;font-size:130%;" >one more rankings note:</span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"> </span>I'm absolutely amazed at the way these rankings folks have ignored UC Berkeley this year. Normally, the pundits overrate them tremendously (I'm looking at <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">you</span>, Mel Brooks look alike Lee Corso); but this year, after losing their last six regular season games and going 7-6, everyone has stayed clear. Okay, everyone who has ever read anything i've ever written or heard me speak in my life knows my feelings toward UC Berkeley are like Cap'n Ahab's toward that damn whale; but I honestly can't see this year's UC Berkeley football team winning fewer than 8 games. I don't buy the QB controversy thing, Tedford'll take care of it, most coaches can handle having two solid options at QB, a solid but sometimes shaky senior and a rising star underclassman, the only guy who couldn't was Dirk Koetter and he was the exception that proves the rule.<br /><br />Look, not to harp on this, but they open at home against Michigan State, a few people's sleeper but i just cant see them beating the Bears at home to open the season, there is too much speed, to many experienced upperclassmen and the coaching is too good. This is practically the same team that beat the SEC West champion Volunteers to open last season. Then they go to a depleted Wash State, then go to Maryland to face Fridge's Terps, which'll be a tough one but, look, they are not losing that game, i don't think. Maryland isn't as fast on offense as UC Berkeley, they just aren't, even at home. They'll open 3-0 and everyone'll jump on their bandwagon like they did in the last 5 years, and former Fresno State QB Jeff "the Douche" Tedford will be everyone's September coach of the year. Guys like Dodd, Mendel and Schlabach will jump on that bandwagon in seconds. I'm just saying, y'all saw it here first.<div class="blogger-post-footer">©Copyright 2006, The Fresno State Football Blog/barkboard.com and Scout.com. All rights reserved.
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16558511.post-65189724990887422602008-04-17T09:12:00.000-07:002008-04-17T09:28:03.465-07:00Bear With Us<a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_UFW0JBwItJg/SAd6LI7woSI/AAAAAAAAAEc/V90Vym0Q3Yg/s1600-h/Bear-Pascoe.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5190251427363070242" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_UFW0JBwItJg/SAd6LI7woSI/AAAAAAAAAEc/V90Vym0Q3Yg/s200/Bear-Pascoe.jpg" border="0" /></a>It's the off-season and with me publishing <a href="http://www.barkboard.com/">BarkBoard.com</a> and NSC working his real job, the site has suffered. We at FSFB apologize for the lack of content. We've asked for help, but all who have come forward failed as regular contributors.<br /><div></div><br /><div>NSC says once the season is back in full swing, he will contribute on a regular basis. Spring ball is in full swing and complete coverage is available at BB.C. As most of you know, the 08 Bulldogs will be very good. One reason why is because of the gentleman pictured to the right!</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">©Copyright 2006, The Fresno State Football Blog/barkboard.com and Scout.com. All rights reserved.
</div>BarkBoard.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17371532385025154602noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16558511.post-73099790242132532412008-01-09T16:50:00.000-08:002008-01-09T16:52:57.212-08:00A Confident Realization<a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_UFW0JBwItJg/R4VsU2PbjoI/AAAAAAAAAEU/JuKnlo9cdQg/s1600-h/gilroy_fallpractice_1+035.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153644454008819330" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_UFW0JBwItJg/R4VsU2PbjoI/AAAAAAAAAEU/JuKnlo9cdQg/s320/gilroy_fallpractice_1+035.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="color:#ff0000;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><em><strong>by nsc</strong></em><br /></span></span><br />We are all familiar with the offensive problems that the Bulldogs suffered throughout the 2006 football season. We are all also very familiar with the offensive improvement that was shown on the football field in 2007. Tom Brandstater looked like the QB we all hoped he would turn into. Our running game once again dominated nearly every game as the Bulldogs averaged over 200 yards on the ground per game. Receivers such as Marlon Moore, Seyi Ajirotutu, and Jason Crawley showed they can be the go to guy when the game is on the line. Fresno State raised their points per game average nearly ten points from 23 to 33 and showed the ability to not only hit on big plays but to control the clock for the entirety of a game. While it would be nice to credit the players for this improvement the fact is their offensive coordinator is the reason the Bulldogs changed their fortune during the course of the season. Many may have forgotten that this Bulldog team began the season just as the 2006 team did: 1-2 with a close loss to a top twenty five team. In 2006 the Bulldogs came unglued faltering in their next six games following their hard fought loss to Oregon. When 2007 began in the same manner with a hard fought loss at Texas A&M many worried that the Dogs would fall apart once again. However, J-Mac would not let the 2007 Bulldogs suffer the same fate as the team of year's past had experienced.<br /><br />It would be unfair to credit only the offense for the 9-4 record the Bulldogs achieved in 2007. But to ignore what J-Mac did for this offense would be naive in every sense of the imagination. J-Mac took an offense with little direction and turned them into a powerful unit that would be capable of scoring each time they had the ball. In 2006 Fresno State often led with the run because the creative side of the Dogs offense had disappeared. No longer did the Dogs rely on passing the ball to gain yardage. Many Bulldog fans were left wondering if the coaches had any faith in the Fresno State offense. Steve Hagen (one of the single worst offensive coordinators to ever set foot at Fresno State) let this team fall apart right in front of our very eyes. The offensive woes culminated with one of the single most embarrassing defeats in Fresno State history: A 13-12 defeat at the hands of winless Utah State. The Aggies would go on to finish with one win in 2006 and Fresno State would be the lone victim. During their loss to Utah State it became apparent that the Bulldogs lacked any type of downfield threat. The reason for the lack of passing however did not lay in the hands of the players themselves. Fresno State had receivers capable of making plays but the offensive coordinator did not allow the Bulldogs to exploit Utah State and their horrendous pass defense. Instead Hagen chose to allow Utah State to remain in the game by constantly running the ball between the tackles. That was an experience that no Bulldog coach, player, or fan ever wanted to experience again. J-Mac made sure this became a realization in 2007.<br /><br />In 2007 the Bulldogs opened the season just as they had in 2006: Leading with the run. However, something was different about the 2007 Bulldogs offense. Instead of calling 60% run plays the passing game began to make an appearance on the football field. J-Mac showed that he was the type of coach that not only would pass the ball, but if the defense allowed him to J-Mac would direct the offense to throw the ball often. The first sign of the passing game occurred against the Aggies of Texas A&M. In a game Fresno State trailed 19-0 at halftime the Bulldogs opened the second half allowing Brandstater to open the offense up. That was exactly what Brandstater did as the Dogs scored 45 points over the span of the second half and three overtimes. While the Dogs offense did not explode after this game it was only a short period of time before Fresno State fans were able to see what J-Mac could truly direct this offense to do. Three weeks later Fresno State traveled to Nevada and scored 49 followed by 37 at Idaho and 30 against San Jose State. In eight of their last nine games the Bulldogs scored at least 30 points in each game. The offense had arrived and the fans in Fresno finally were able to see what this team was capable of on the field of play.<br /><br />As I stated earlier it would be foolish to think that J-Mac had little to do with the improvement the offense showed in 2007. So it should have come as no surprise that J-Mac immediately became a hot commodity to the rest of the college football world. His alma mater Eastern Washington offered him the head coaching position. While the decision was tough for J-Mac he realized that Fresno is where he wants to be for now. Once the Bulldogs offense heard the news that J-Mac was staying they exhaled and were able to breathe fresh air once again. Players such as Tom Brandstater, Ryan Matthews, and Marlon Moore know this offense is because of J-Mac's creativity. Without J-Mac these players would not show the level of confidence that they do on the football field today. it is because of J-Mac's creativity that the Bulldogs feel they can score on anyone anytime they take the field. While the Bulldogs may not be able to hold on to J-Mac for many more years into the future they seem intent on doing their best to take full advantage of his creative mind sooner than later. It is J-Mac that allows the Bulldogs to confidently realize that in 2008 they may just become the type offense that no team can shut down regardless of what conference they play in. </span><div class="blogger-post-footer">©Copyright 2006, The Fresno State Football Blog/barkboard.com and Scout.com. All rights reserved.
</div>BarkBoard.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17371532385025154602noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16558511.post-9954956190350883642008-01-08T15:35:00.000-08:002008-01-08T15:43:09.130-08:00NSC asks...Can Fresno State Replace These Seniors?<a href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_UFW0JBwItJg/R4QKc2PbjnI/AAAAAAAAAEM/BUNGe7Lsdxs/s1600-h/Clifton_Smith150x200.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153255364331540082" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_UFW0JBwItJg/R4QKc2PbjnI/AAAAAAAAAEM/BUNGe7Lsdxs/s320/Clifton_Smith150x200.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="color:#000000;"><strong><em><span style="color:#ff0000;">by nsc</span></em></strong><br /><br />In 2007 the Bulldogs will endure the losses of a handful of seniors. Fresno State's offense will bid adeu to both Clifton Smith and Ryan Wendell. On the defensive side of the ball the Bulldogs will say goodbye to Marcus Riley (ouch), Damon Jenkins, Tyler Clutts, and Charles Tolbert. On special teams the Bulldogs say goodbye to Clint Stitser and Kyle Zimmerman. Obviously there are more seniors moving on such as Shannon Dorsey and Jesus Tapia but the players listed above are the ones that will be the most important to replace. How Fresno State goes about replacing these key players may determine what happens on the field of play in 2008. Since the offense has the least amount of work to do we will start with them.<br /><br /><strong>2008 Bulldogs Offense:</strong> <em><span style="color:#000000;">Key Losses:</span> Clifton Smith and Ryan Wendell. Key returning players: Everyone else.</em> Yes I could list the players returning but you all know who is coming back if you are a true Bulldog fan. With our entire receiving core returning Fresno State's offense should be as explosive as any team in the nation. It should also be noted that Fresno State returns three RB's who made a name for themselves on the field in 2007. While returning so many core players is important it should also be noted that our QB returns, our #1 TE threat returns, and our entire offensive line minus Wendell returns. I realize Wendell was wonderful on the offensive line but Fresno State rarely has problems with the offensive line. There is a reason this team rushes for so many yards season after season. The offensive line is the main reason that Brandstater has been sacked 23 times in 24 games over the past two seasons. Anytime an offensive line gives up less than one sack a game they are doing their job to protect the quarterback.<br /><br /><strong>What to expect from the 2008 Offense:</strong> Expect the Bulldogs to plug in players such as A.J. Ellis , Tim Lang, and Devon Wylie to help shoulder the loss of Clifton Smith. While these players may not have the moves that Smith did they are young and will have time to develop on the field of play. Each of these three players bring different aspects to the field and will be able to show how talented they are in 2008. The replacement of Wendell will be much easier as Fresno State has so a plethora of offensive lineman to step in and play right away. Players such as Joe Bernandi and Devan Cunningham will be on the field often opening up holes for our three headed running attack in 2008. Expect this Bulldog team to score nearly 40 points a game during the 2008 season.<br /><br /><strong>2008 Bulldogs Defense:</strong> <em>Key Losses: Marcus Riley, Charles Tolbert and Tyler Cutts. Key Returning Players: A. J. Jefferson, Damian Owens, Ben Jacobs, Quaadir Brown, and Jon Monga.</em> Defense is going to be the question mark of this football team in 2008. The offense will produce early and often for the Dogs so the defense is going to have to make sure that the opposing team does not hang with the high powered offense of the Dogs. Fresno State will not be able to replace Marcus Riley. He is not the kind of player you can replace in one season. Ricky Pemesa was tabbed to replace Riley and may be able to do so, but it will take much longer than one season. Ben Jacobs, Q Brown, Todd Chisom, Nico Herron, Ryan Machado, and Ryan Mckinley will all have to step up and find a way to bring the defensive intensity that Riley brought to the field. If the defense can find a way to compensate for the loss of Riley they will do fine in the long run.<br /><br /><strong>What to expect from the 2008 Defense:</strong> Early on the Dogs will suffer on defense if for no other reason than team leadership. I realize we have a good amount of players returning on defense but the intensity that players such as Tolbert, Clutts, and Riley brought to the field will be hard to match. Fresno State will do it's best as they will add the Jackson brothers and Matt Akers to their defensive line. While he has not committed a player such as Valentine could single handedly sure up this defensive line. The secondary will be a step up from 2007 as both Harris and Haynes return as safeties with Jefferson and Owens at corner. Although Jenkins started for Fresno State for the greater part of his college career he never truly developed into the type of corner the Dogs had hoped he would. With Jenkins gone other players such as Davis will have a chance to make a name for himself in 2008. Fresno State will give up a lot early on but expect this defensive unit to come together and eventually learn to make plays by the middle of 2008.<br /><br /><strong>2008 Special Teams Key Losses:</strong> Kyle Zimmerman and Clint Stitser. The special teams unit will now turn the reigns over to redshirt Freshman Kevin Goessling. This kid has an amazing leg and will do just fine as our field goal kicker. He is left footed which may remind many of you of Asen Asperuhov. Goessling will do his best to make us forget about Clint Stitser. As for punting Robert Malone will take over duties here. Malone was tabbed the punter a season ago only to lose his job to Zimmerman. Hopefully in 2008 Malone will mature to the point that he becomes the type of punter this program always thought he would be. Special teams may take a while to come around in the kicking game. We shall see how this plays out.<br /><br />Overall the Dogs look to have a solid team on paper. At the end of 2007 the Dogs finished 30th in coaches poll. Look for Fresno State to open near the top 25. If the Dogs play strong at UCLA and K-State look for a top ten Wisconsin team to head to Fresno to face a top 20 Bulldogs team. Hopefully everyone remembers the last time a top ten team came to Fresno. If you don't it was Oregon State in 2001. This Bulldog team has the talent to do exactly what the Dogs did to Oregon State in 2001. Here is hoping that it is in the cards for the Dogs to make a run like they did in 2001. If the newcomers play to their potential 2008 will be a great season for Fresno State. All the Dogs need to remember is the only game that matters right now is their next game against UCLA. </span><div class="blogger-post-footer">©Copyright 2006, The Fresno State Football Blog/barkboard.com and Scout.com. All rights reserved.
</div>BarkBoard.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17371532385025154602noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16558511.post-76627240282585068342008-01-07T16:01:00.000-08:002008-01-07T16:19:10.566-08:00The State of the Bulldogs<strong><span style="font-size:85%;color:#ff0000;"><em>by nsc</em></span></strong><br /><span style="color:#000000;"></span><br /><a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_UFW0JBwItJg/R4K-iGPbjmI/AAAAAAAAAEE/wM2zAb-Vl38/s1600-h/56248432.jpg"><span style="color:#000000;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5152890416665431650" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_UFW0JBwItJg/R4K-iGPbjmI/AAAAAAAAAEE/wM2zAb-Vl38/s200/56248432.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="color:#000000;">Recently, I spent three days in Boise, Idaho to watch our Fresno State Bulldogs take on the Yellow Jackets of Georgia Tech. I had high hopes for Fresno State coming into the Humanitarian bowl if for no other reason than the fact that the Bulldogs were able to turn around their fortunes on the football field when compared to what happened during 2006. Since the Bulldogs defeated Georgia Tech I have read that Fresno State will be the team to watch out for in 2008. I have read that if there is a mid-major primed to make a run at the BCS in 2008 it's the Bulldogs. While I tend to agree with this sentiment I want to cover a few thoughts that fans of Fresno State should stear clear of during what should be a very eventful offseason for Fresno State. I realize that Pat Hill is currently en route to signing one of his best recruiting classes in Bulldog history, but staying grounded is what we as Bulldog fans need to do from now until August 31st and the following reasons are why I think we need to be cautious as to what we dream of.<br /><br /><strong>1) Refrain from all BCS talk:</strong> Yes it's great to believe that Fresno State is a team on the cusp of the BCS. Yes it's great to believe that our beloved Dogs will one day rise above the rest and find a way to run the table regardless of how tough their schedule is. However, I warn all Bulldog fans to stay away from BCS talk. Fresno State is going to be a good team in 2008, I have no doubts about that. However, we do play a very grueling schedule and after the Hawaii debacle it is going to be even tougher to qualify for a BCS game as a mid-major. No, they won't change the formula or the way a mid-major has to qualify but the voters will be much more apprehensive when voting for a mid-major. With that being said Fresno State does have a schedule that can reap rewards if they play smart. To me smart is attempting to go 1-0 for twelve straight weeks. It does not matter what happens in week 5 if you don't win in week 1. I advise all of you as fans to begin the season believing that a 1-0 start at the Rose Bowl is exactly what this team needs. We do not need to look ahead to Boise or Wisconsin. We need to play UCLA first and that is where the journey begins.<br /><br /><strong>2) Understand Fresno State must improve on defense:</strong> Yes the Bulldogs went 9-4 this past season. But the Dogs defense gave up more yards than the offense gained. We continually had problems as we once again had a season with five or less int's. Fresno State is going to have to find a way to improve their defensive numbers in order to become a top flight team. Yes our offense will be loaded and we will score plenty of points, but will that matter if we lose 48-45? Without an improved defense the Dogs will lose the same games they did this past year, and believe me when I say this is going to be hard to do seeing that our best Linebacker in Bulldog history no longer with us (Marcus Riley). If we do not have anyone step up the defense could be in for another long season.<br /><br /><strong>3) Do not put too much stock into true Freshman:</strong> I know Ebahn Feathers will be debuting for the Bulldogs next fall but remember he is a Freshman. Yes it is possible for a Freshman to make an impact such as Ryan Matthews did in 2007 but it does not happen often. If you realize that these young players have plenty to learn then you will be pleasantly surprised at how good they do when given the chance to play. You won't see these players on the field nearly as much as the upperclassmen and rightfully so, but we will need contributions from every player on the team if we hope to have an oustanding 2008 season.<br /><br /><strong>4) Last but not least please let Tom be Tom:</strong> My last request and to me most important is to let Brandstater be himself in 2008. I think fans came along ways in 2007 with respect to accepting Tommy B. as our QB. But I still read plenty of messages and threads that say Tom is not as accurate as Carr or as talented as Carr. In the end all I want is for Tom to be himself. I think he is going to be great in 2008 and I think he has done just fine with the team he has. I believe his Junior year was very impressive and when I watch him play I see the skills that tell me one day he will play past Fresno State. I just hope everyone else in Bulldog land will accept him for who he is. Tom does not need to be Carr, Tom needs to be Tom. If Brandstater is the best he can possibly be week in and week out the Bulldogs will win a majority of their games in 2008.<br /><br /><strong>2008 can be a special season for Fresno State.</strong> We have the talent, we have the coaching, and we have the determination as a team to make 2008 unforgettable. But we as fans need to hold back and keep all of this talk about winning every game under raps until the twelth game of the season. If the Dogs are 11-0 then I have no problems talking about where they may end up. Remember we were upset with Pat Hill for dreaming of the BCS a few years ago when we could not win the WAC. That is exactly what we need to stay away from as fans. Enjoy the offseason. We will have plenty of news about practices, players, and the direction of this team. Just enjoy it because right now isn't it great to be a Bulldog fan?</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">©Copyright 2006, The Fresno State Football Blog/barkboard.com and Scout.com. All rights reserved.
</div>BarkBoard.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17371532385025154602noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16558511.post-41351578723432124842007-11-29T10:07:00.001-08:002007-11-29T10:10:48.537-08:00Comparing Tom Brandstater and David Carr (yes it can be done)<a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_UFW0JBwItJg/R08AlpTqPVI/AAAAAAAAAD8/5G-GATn0ans/s1600-h/brandstater.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138326346596498770" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_UFW0JBwItJg/R08AlpTqPVI/AAAAAAAAAD8/5G-GATn0ans/s320/brandstater.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#ff0000;"><strong>by nsc</strong></span></em></div><br /><div><br /><span style="color:#000000;">In 2001 we all remember the magic ride the Fresno State Bulldogs embarked on to begin the season. The Dogs opened up with three straight wins over BCS schools and were awarded the #8 ranking in the nation for doing so. David Carr had an amazing season as he threw for over 4000 yards and 45 td's leading the Bulldogs to an overall record of 11-3. Today it seems that regardless of how good or bad our teams are we continually compare them to that 2001 team. The other day I wrote a blog on Tom Brandstater and how he has matured over the season. I wrote that I feel his development is ahead of where David Carr was at the same point in his Junior season. I am quite sure many of you do not feel the same way as I do so I decided to use opposing team's record, common stats, and team schedules to try and further prove that Tom Brandstater is right where we need him to be at this point in his career. Brandstater had a very tough 2006 season but I cannot use that in comparison because David Carr was not our starter his sophomore season. While many awful things were said about Tom during our 4-8 season last year he was only a sophomore and there is no way to reference that for any type of comparison. Instead I will use Tom's Junior season and the records from the teams we play his senior year to compare the two QB's side by side. Now don't get me wrong, David Carr was an absolute godsend for this program as he helped put the Dogs into the national spotlight. All I am trying to say here is that Brandstater may be on the same maturation level as Carr was when he blossomed into one of the best QB's in college football. Let's begin the comparison by referencing Carr's Junior season and how he did during that season. </span><br /><p><br /><span style="color:#000000;">In 2000 Carr led the Bulldogs to a 7-5 record as they lost in the Silicon Valley Bowl to Air Force 37-34. In that game David Carr showed us glimpses of what he would become in 2001. Carr threw for 388 yards and five td's while bringing the Dogs back from a 34-7 halftime deficit. For the season Carr finished with the following stat line: </span><br /><p><span style="color:#000000;"></span><br /><center><b><br /><span style="color:#000000;">216 for 349 for 2,729 yards 62% completion rate 27 td's </span></b></center><br /><br /><span style="color:#000000;">What is far more interesting about the Bulldogs 2000 season is the record of the teams that Carr won and loss against. The teams Carr led the Bulldogs to victories over had a combined 26-56 record. The teams Carr and the Dogs lost to had a combined record of 41-19. In other words the teams the Dogs beat that season were teams they were supposed to beat. The Dogs did not lose to anyone they shouldn't have lost to with respect to team record and the Dogs did not beat anyone they shouldn't have beaten. Now let's take a look at Brandstater in 2007 and how he has fared against believe it or not very similar competition overall. Brandstater's line to date is as follows: </span><br /><p><b><br /><center><br /><span style="color:#000000;">178 for 288 for 2,164 yards 62% completion rate 14 td's </span></b></center><br /><br /><span style="color:#000000;">Remember that Brandstater still has two games remaining. No Brandstater will not throw for 13 td's in the next two games but it is possible that he may throw for 500 yards and say five td's. If that does happen he will end up with 2650-2700 yards passing (right where Carr was) and around 18-20 td's. Now let's take a look at the win-loss records of the teams the Dogs have played in 2007. Against teams the Dogs have beaten the opponents record is: 23-47. The teams the Dogs have lost to have a combined 36-10 record. You can try and make a case that the teams we lost to in 2000 are superior to the teams we have lost to this season but a further look shows this to be untrue. In 2000 we lost to Ohio State which is comparable to this year's Oregon team (record wise). In 2000 we lost to UCLA which is comparable to this year's TAMU team (record wise also). However, in 2000 the only other team that was anywhere near as good as this year's Boise and Hawaii team's would have been TCU. Air Force was not a dominating force in 2000 nor was UTEP. If this is not enough in the comparison arena for those who read the blog let me take a look at Carr's 2001 season to further prove that Brandstater will have a chance to show he can be our next star QB. </span><br /><p><br /><span style="color:#000000;">In 2001 Carr had what many consider to be the best QB season in Bulldog history. We know his stat line was astonishing and there is no way Brandstater will ever match what Carr did in 2001. However lets take a look at the win-loss records of the opponents Carr faced in 2001. The teams Carr led the Bulldogs to victories over had a combined 57-71 record. The teams Carr and the Dogs suffered a loss to had a comnined 24-12 record. As of right now the team's Brandstater will take the field against in 2008 have a combined 68-75 record. In 2001 Carr led Fresno State to three straight victories over BCS teams. In 2008 the Bulldogs also open the season with three consecutive games against BCS teams. I realize that comparing stats of two players is quite hard to do. I know that Carr and Brandstater are playing in different eras of Fresno State football. While we ran the ball in 2001 we realized that our QB could win games for us and our offense allowed Carr to do just that. In 2008 I expect much of the same from our offense. I expect early on that J-Mac and Hill will realize that if we have to we can win games by throwing the ball we will. I expect the offense to put trust in Brandstater and ride his back to victories from time to time. As I said earlier Tom will not achieve the stats Carr did in 2001, that's just not possible in today's Bulldog offense. However, if Fresno State finishes 10-2 or 11-1 and Brandstater throws for say 30 td's with 7 int's or so and 3000 yards won't that be enough to say Brandstater was just as successful as Carr was as our starting QB? Remember you cannot compare their sophomore seasons, that is not fair to either QB due to starting time and the team surrounding each QB. If the Dogs can come through in 2008 and finish 10-2 TB will have a record of 18-6 (assuming we beat NMSU this Friday and not counting our bowl game this season). Carr had a 18-8 record as our starter in 2000-2001. To me that sounds eerily similar. If you do not see the connection that is fine. I realize many of you loved David Carr and cannot fathom Brandstater as the type of QB Carr was for this program. However, if you take the time to look at the numbers and compare the two you might find out they are much more similar than at first glance.<br /><br /></span></p></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">©Copyright 2006, The Fresno State Football Blog/barkboard.com and Scout.com. All rights reserved.
</div>BarkBoard.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17371532385025154602noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16558511.post-9604937887123197882007-11-26T09:58:00.000-08:002007-11-26T10:00:15.966-08:00NSC...on Brandstater's Revival<a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_UFW0JBwItJg/R0sJn5TqPUI/AAAAAAAAAD0/aTOwJ_6Gwg0/s1600-h/tom_brandstater_240.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137210380949011778" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_UFW0JBwItJg/R0sJn5TqPUI/AAAAAAAAAD0/aTOwJ_6Gwg0/s320/tom_brandstater_240.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="color:#000000;"><strong><span style="font-size:85%;color:#ff0000;"><em>by nsc</em></span></strong><br /><br />2007 has been an interesting season to say the least. Fresno State has endured more injuries across the board than most teams in Div. 1A college football, yet they sit at 7-4 on the season. The Dogs travel to NMSU for their final game of the season this Friday with a chance to double their win total from 2006. Fresno State will play in a bowl game again this season. Fresno State's offense has pulled a complete 180 this season as they have averaged well over thirty points per game, up from 23 per game in 2006. However the biggest improvement this season has been in our signal caller. Brandstater struggled through 2006 as we all know. But what we did as fans that was not fair to Brandstater was blame him more so than everyone else on the team. We as fans felt that Brandstater was the sole reason that the Bulldogs offense failed miserably in 2006. We as fans were completely wrong. Today every single Bulldog fan should be praising Brandstater. For some reason that is not happening, at least not from what I am reading on the BarkBoard. Brandstater turned in a performance that was reminiscent of Carr in 2001 as he completed 23 out of 29 passes for 313 yards and 2 TD's with no int's against K-State this past Saturday. Somehow it still comes across as not good enough for many fans.<br /><br />On Saturday Brandstater looked comfortable as he hit his receivers in stride and continually put the ball where only our receivers could catch it. At the same time the progression chart seems to have become a part of Tom's game as he would look down field for a receiver and check down to his second or third option if receiver one was not open. On one play Tom avoided a sack, spun around in a complete circle and looked up to complete a fifteen yard pass downfield. On that one play I realized that Brandstater had arrived. But the problem is Brandstater had arrived much earlier during the 2007 season, not just on Saturday. While Saturday certainly was an outstanding performance for our Junior QB this was not the first game Brandstater had done well. If we take Tom's past three games into account he has completed 51 out of 73 passes which equates to a 70% completion rate. In that same span Brandstater has accounted for nine TD's and only one int. To say one game does not make Tom a good QB is correct, but it has not been one game that Tom has been outstanding this season. It may just be me but I feel like so many of you have forgotten why we had a chance late against Hawaii. We did not come back against the Warriors because of our superior running game or our great defense. Instead our offensive passing game gave us a chance late in the second half. True our defense gave us the ball often in the second half against Hawaii but we would not have scored any points had it not been for Brandstater and his receivers. To ignore what Tom has done over the past month for this football team would be a disservice not only to Tom but to the Bulldog football team as a whole. So many have complained about the way Tom has played, but in all honesty his Junior year is on pace to match many of the numbers that David Carr put up. The most important stat (Wins) may very well pass up what Carr was able to do his junior year as well as the Dogs that season finished 7-5 with a loss to the Air Force in their bowl game.<br /><br />As I stated earlier Fresno State is going to play in a bowl game to end the season. Whether that game is in Hawaii, Las Vegas, Boise, or New Mexico is yet to be determined, but Brandstater and the Bulldogs will play in a bowl game. For many Bulldogs it will be their first experience in a bowl game as most of the players on the team are Freshman and Sophomores. But the bowl experience will be one that the players can build on heading into 2008. Brandstater has done his part to make the Bulldogs a successful team this season. Tom has averaged nearly 200 yards a game for a team that leads with the run. Tom also has a completion percentage of 62% while throwing for 14 td's to only five int's. As I showed in a blog a week ago David Carr also completed 62% of his passes for 2700 yards his junior year and look what happened to Carr his senior season. If Tom can go out Friday night and perform as he has the past month I have no doubt that he will once again throw for 200-250 yards with 2-3 td's and no more than one int. If Brandstater throws for 250 yards in each of the final two games this season he will close with 2650 yards averaging over 200 yards a game. In other words Tom will be very proficient in the Bulldog offense.<br /><br />All I am trying to get across to many of the Bulldog faithful is that Brandstater has become a very competent QB in our system. Saturday Tom showed that he can throw the seem pass, and he can throw it quite well at that. For those of you who focus on the pass he threw behind Harding shame on you. Why not pay attention to the twenty great throws Tom made this past Saturday and forget about the one throw he did not complete. In fact why not concentrate on how many throws Tom has made the past two games that have been close to being intercepted. Well if you try to do that then you will realize he has not made one throw that was anywhere close to being taken away. Brandstater has come full circle and we as fans should support the changes Tom has made both on and off the football field. While Brandstater has had a tough go to this point remember that David Carr's breakout game came in 2000 against the Air Force in the Silicon Valley Bowl where he threw for 388 yards and five td's with one int. If you take that game into consideration I would say Brandstater is actually ahead of where Carr was at this time seeing that Brandstater still has two games remaining before the end of the 2007 season. I am pleased with the improvement of this team and especially the improvement our QB has made this season. The Bulldogs have a chance to finish the season 9-4. If you told me during the 2006 season that next year we could go 9-4 with 28 injuries to key players I would have told you to get your head examined. Instead it looks like I have to be the one to get examined because the Bulldogs are doing exactly what we all wanted: Playing hard and getting results on the football field. In the end isn't that all we really can ask for from this team? Don't forget we are one play away from being 8-3 right now. This has been a very successful season for Fresno State and I just hope that each and every one of you realize it before the 2007 season comes to an end.<br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">©Copyright 2006, The Fresno State Football Blog/barkboard.com and Scout.com. All rights reserved.
</div>BarkBoard.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17371532385025154602noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16558511.post-56481923502423981472007-11-15T10:39:00.000-08:002007-11-15T10:43:38.988-08:00Not So Offensively Challenged Anymore<a href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_UFW0JBwItJg/RzyTUJTqPTI/AAAAAAAAADs/YYGUU7mdEkw/s1600-h/J_Mac.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133139649600568626" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_UFW0JBwItJg/RzyTUJTqPTI/AAAAAAAAADs/YYGUU7mdEkw/s320/J_Mac.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="color:#000000;"><em><strong><span style="font-size:85%;color:#ff0000;">by nsc</span></strong></em><br /><br />Each time I write about our offense I have to refer to 2006 and how everything went horribly wrong. I don't do this because I enjoyed what happened during the 2006 season but instead I use 2006 as a reference to show Bulldog fans how bad things truly were for this program at this very same point last season. At this point last year Fresno State sat at 3-7. Our offense was non-existent aside one Dwayne Wright and our defense looked worse as the season wore on. Fans continually complained about the execution of our offense and how often the Bulldogs ran the ball regardless if the defense put nine men in the box to stop the run. Our QB looked lost, our plays lacked creativity, and our receivers did very little to help our QB succeed. We as fans threw most of the blame on the QB when in reality the problem lay with our offensive coordinator Steve Hagan. Hagan seemed to run the offense into the ground. The reason I say this is under Frank Cignetti the Bulldogs averaged 39 points a game the previous two seasons. In Hagan's one year as offensive coordinator the Dogs average dropped to 23 points per game. Fresno State had the same running game, three returning receivers, an outstanding tight end, and a stellar offensive line under Hagan yet they could not sustain a drive the entire season. At that time it may not have been obvious but our offensive coordinator was the sole reason this team struggled throughout the entire 2006 season. Enter Jim McElwain at offensive coordinator and everything immediately began to change.<br /><br />Jim McElwain spent six years of his coaching career at Louisville and Michigan State. During his tenure at Louisville the Cardinals averaged 31 points per game. While McElwain wasn't the offensive coordinator for Louisville he helped lead the Cardinals to the Liberty Bowl in 2000 and 2001 and the GMAC bowl in 2002. From there McElwain moved on to Michigan State where the Spartans averaged 31 points a game as well. McElwain then made the jump to the NFL where he took over as the QB coach for the Oakland Raiders. However, we all know the Raiders had absolutely no talent to work with making J-Mac look much worse than he actually was. In a sense the Raider failure led J-Mac to Fresno State where for the first time in his coaching career he would become an offensive coordinator. J-Mac had his work cut out for him once he arrived here due to the fact that Hagan had ruined everything great about the Fresno State offense. McElwain was going to have to make the Bulldogs believe that they could dominate the game once again on offense. At the same time J-Mac would have to work under Pat Hill who had always preferred the run over the pass, the opposite of the offense J-Mac worked under in the past. Would J-Mac be able to succeed in a system that was foreign to him up until this point in his college career? In one word: yes.<br /><br />To see the difference McElwain has made with the offense look no further than QB Tom Brandstater. His completion percentage has gone up 6% while he has thrown twice as many TD's as interceptions. Instead of handing games to the opponent Brandstater is now managing games in which he has given us a chance to win every single game this season aside the Oregon game. While the QB position has improved tenfold under the watchful eye of McElwain the running game has also thrived to the surprise of many. The Bulldogs knew going into the season they would have a strong runner in Lonyae Miller. What they did not realize was that Ryan Matthews as a true Freshman would shine the way he has. With two games remaining Matthews needs 250 yards rushing to top the 1000 yard barrier. If the Dogs qualify for a bowl game Matthews will have three games to reach the 1000 yard goal. While the running game has thrived in McElwain's system the wide receiving core has done far better than their counterparts in 2006. Seyi Ajirotutu has become a receiver the Dogs can count on down-field. Marlon Moore has emerged as a go to receiver in the slot. Clifton Smith has been amazing underneath and we all knew Bear Pascoe would be huge the entire season. The offense has gone from averaging 23 points a game in 2006 to 31 a game this season. While 31 points a game in college football is not an amazing number the way Fresno State gets to thirty one is the reason they are winning twice as many games as they did last season. McElwain has been able to keep defenses honest with his variety of formations that he lines up with. At times we see Brandstater alone with five receivers on the field. Other times have three receivers bunched on the left with one receiver to the right. Still there are times where McElwain will line up two running backs to stay in and block for Brandstater. In other words this offense is a shell of what it was in 2006.<br /><br />Last season we as Bulldog fans realized how amazing our offense truly was before Steve Hagan arrived. We realized that maybe we had been spoiled with the offensive explosions the Dogs put up week after week. In one five game stretch during the 2004 season Fresno State averaged over fifty points a game. McElwain is trying his best to get the Bulldogs back to that level on offense. Generally it takes most teams years to improve their offense to the point they are happy with it. Fresno State will not work out all of the kinks in one season. We have made a vast improvement from the product that was put on the field in 2006. The goal from here on is to improve to the point that our offense in 2007 is an after thought. If Fresno State can hold on to McElwain at coordinator for the next couple of seasons this offense will begin to thrive in ways we have never seen before. Next year Ebahn Feathers comes into the Bulldogs system as he will add a variation to the Dogs offense we have never seen. I truly believe McElwain will use Feathers to help Brandstater enjoy his most successful season as a Bulldog. It is for these reasons that I believe when all is said and done the 2008 season will be one of the more successful seasons for the Fresno State Bulldogs. Finally Bulldog fans will be able to count on the Dogs scoring often once again, a feeling we all want back much sooner than later. With McElwain in charge I no longer worry about if this offense is going to explode but instead look forward to when it is going to happen. </span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">©Copyright 2006, The Fresno State Football Blog/barkboard.com and Scout.com. All rights reserved.
</div>BarkBoard.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17371532385025154602noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16558511.post-66082180001980978822007-11-14T09:31:00.000-08:002007-11-14T16:25:34.364-08:00On the Right Track<a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_UFW0JBwItJg/Rzsy_ITG9oI/AAAAAAAAADk/khuazMnqGw0/s1600-h/tom_brandstater_.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132752260459591298" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_UFW0JBwItJg/Rzsy_ITG9oI/AAAAAAAAADk/khuazMnqGw0/s320/tom_brandstater_.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="color:#000000;"><strong><em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#ff0000;">by nsc</span></em></strong><br /><br />The past two seasons have been a tumultuous time for Tom Brandstater. In 2006 he was booed more often than he was cheered. In 2006 he led the Fresno State Bulldogs to their worst record since 1996. Brandstater's stat line was less than stellar in 2006 as he completed 54% of his passes for 1490 yards with 13 td's and 14 int's. The future looked dim for the Bulldogs signal caller. The fans in Fresno did not want to see Brandstater take another snap after his horrendous start. However, Pat Hill stuck with Brandstater throughout 2006. While Tom's 2006 season was not one to write home about the chance to erase all of those memories would come at the start of the 2007 season. Whether fans feel like Tom has moved past 2006 is left up to their perception of the QB position at Fresno State and how they view success. I feel Tom has been very successful in 2007 and to show why I feel this way I am going to use the junior seasons of two of the best Bulldog QB's in our recent history: Bill Volek and David Carr.<br /><br />Everyone remembers David Carr and Bill Volek as outstanding QB's in the Fresno State football system. Carr threw 46 td's his senior season compared to only nine int's. Volek threw 30 td's his senior season compared to only 3 int's, which today is still the most efficient college football season in history. But what most fans tend to forget is what these two players did their junior seasons. Below are three stat lines without the players names. Can you tell me who is who:<br /></span><br /><div><blockquote><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>216 for 349 for 2,729 yards 62% completion rate 27 td's<br />151 for 261 for 1,973 yards 58% completion rate 10 td's<br />155 for 259 for 1,851 yards 60% completion rate 12 td's </strong><br /></span></blockquote><br /><span style="color:#000000;">Each of the above stat lines represent Tom Brandstater, Bill Volek, and David Carr's junior seasons. If you could not tell by now the top line is David Carr, the second line is Bill Volek, and the third line is Tom Brandstater. Tom is doing much better with respect to these other two QB's than many have come to perceive on the BarkBoard. Not only is he having a much better year than Volek did his junior year, but if Tom were to continue to play how he has the past two games he would end up with close to 20 td's, and 2500 yards passing on the season. In other words maybe Brandstater is not nearly as bad as many have made him out to be. Playing QB in college is a tough job. Many don't realize how hard it is to become the focal point of an offense. I am not making excuses as to why Brandstater's sophomore season went horribly wrong but instead am trying to get people to understand that he is headed in the right direction. In today's' era we expect a QB to step in and do the job right from the first snap. Honestly this is as unreal an expectation as one could have of a QB. Most college QB's do not step in and perform the way Tim Tebow has at Florida. Instead struggles are common for new QB's. Sometimes the QB cycle follows a different path as a QB has a solid first season and struggles his second year (See Jared Zabranski).<br /><br />Brandstater has dealt with various situations since he took over at QB for the Bulldogs. I have to admit that I was one who wanted to see him replaced last season, but I failed to realize that Tom was not the only problem with our team last season. I wanted to put the blame on the guy who throws the ball without looking elsewhere. The fact of the matter is last season our receivers underachieved, our defense was atrocious, our offensive coordinator was lost, and our team as a whole was bad. To blame one man for the entire season is wrong and I am as guilty of that as the next Bulldog fan. Earlier this year Matt James wrote an article in which he apologized for the chastising of Brandstater in 2006. I did not go to the extremes James did but I do feel I should recant many of the things I said about Tom. He has played hard every game he has stepped on the field and he deserves some credit for the improvement of the team this season. Would any Bulldog fans have imagined being down to TAMU and Hawaii big only to come back and make it a game with our passing offense? To me that shows that Brandstater has improved far more than we give him credit for. He has finally began to look for receiver options two and three in the offense and can make the dump off throw underneath far better than he ever has.<br /><br />However, I do see a problem with our offense headed into our final two games of the season and I am going to trust that our offensive coordinator will take care of it. The Bulldogs offense heavily relies on the run which is fine. The problem is that we sometimes fall in love with the run so much that we forget our QB can throw the ball. I fully expect J-Mac to throw the ball much earlier next game as Kansas State is susceptible to the passing game. I do not see Brandstater throwing for 300 yards, but he does not need to do so to win games. Brandstater needs to continue to be efficient in this offense in 2007 in order to lead the Dogs to victories. I am sure Tom has learned quite a bit in his two years as a starter. There is no reason to think that 2008 won't bring Tom his best season yet. After all both David Carr and Bill Volek had average junior years only to explode their senior season. Why can't Tommy do the very same? I believe and think he will and I hope that by now the rest of the Fresno State faithful have begun to realize the improvements Tom has made on the field. If you haven't then please take off your blinders because if you don't you are going to miss some good QB play in the next year.<br /></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">©Copyright 2006, The Fresno State Football Blog/barkboard.com and Scout.com. All rights reserved.
</div>BarkBoard.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17371532385025154602noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16558511.post-61571091602300650432007-11-13T08:24:00.000-08:002007-11-13T08:27:11.445-08:00The Four Quarter Requirement<span style="color:#000000;"><strong><em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#ff0000;">by nsc</span></em></strong><br /><br />Saturday night Fresno State mounted a comeback against Hawaii that many Bulldog fans did not believe was possible. Fresno State's offense had left many of us wondering what would happen if we fell behind a good offensive team by a large amount early in the game. Oregon jumped out to a insurmountable lead in the first half earlier this season and Hawaii looked as if they were on their way to doing the very same to Fresno State this past weekend. However, the 2007 Fresno State Bulldogs showed us that they are nothing like the team from last season. We all know last season a game such as the one vs.Hawaii would have ended with Fresno State losing by forty. In 2007 the Dogs fought back and lost by seven. While the comeback can be used as a great motivational tool in the locker room what the Dogs should learn from this experience is that it takes four solid quarters of football to win a game. Up until this point in the season you would be hard pressed to find a game that Fresno State played a solid four quarters in. Let's take a look at the season and see where exactly the Dogs may be able to make improvements to play a complete game.<br /><br />The Bulldogs first challenge this season came from Texas A&M where the Dogs played a horrendous first half only to mount an impressive second half comeback. If the Dogs played a solid first half they walk away from the A&M game with a win. The following week the Dogs started slow once again against Oregon. Fresno State played a decent second half but found themselves too far behind to mount any kind of comeback. The three games after all told the same story. La. Tech showed us that the Dogs can play defense but they did not come out on offense until the second half. Against Nevada Fresno State opened up strong but played a shaky second half. The Dogs did the very same thing against Idaho and we all know what happened against Boise. Utah State brought the Dogs a very strong first half but the second half was a disappointment to say the least. Leading into Hawaii the Dogs had not put one complete game together and after the Dogs left Hawaii they still have not put one complete game together. The first half against Hawaii went as so many games do with the Warriors. The Warriors scored three touchdowns before Fresno State had even settled on to the football field. The Dogs mine as well have begun the game down 21-0, at least they would have had more time to come back in the game. My point is if Fresno State can come out with that instinct to take care of business right from the first snap they will win games more frequently.<br /><br />Fresno State could have beaten Hawaii. Fresno State should have beaten Hawaii. Yes, with 22 injured players and Pascoe and Matthews on the sidelines Fresno State still should have walked out of that stadium with a victory. Unfortunately Fresno State did not win the game and they need to learn from this experience. Every Bulldog fan is tired of hearing how our team is young and will be great next year. The saying "Wait till next year" has been used by countless Dogs fans for the past five seasons. There is no more waiting, the time needs to be now for the Bulldogs. Fresno State has to learn and grow from this experience against Hawaii. Aside the Bulldogs game against Oregon this season they have been close in every game they have played. This team is a few plays from being 8-2, but they are not 8-2. However, Fresno State does have 2 games remaining. If the Dogs play a full four quarters in both of these games I fully expect them to end the season 8-4, one game better than I had predicted at the beginning of the season. An 8-4 record will lead the Dogs into the bowl season once again and will give them momentum heading into off-season recruiting. In other words the Bulldogs have an opportunity in front of them. If they handle their business in the final two games of the season they very well may be rewarded with a West coast bowl game that Bulldog fans will travel to in large numbers. But if the Bulldogs once again find a way to play incomplete games they will spend the bowl season watching from home, something seniors like Marcus Riley and Tyler Clutts do not want to experience again. </span><div class="blogger-post-footer">©Copyright 2006, The Fresno State Football Blog/barkboard.com and Scout.com. All rights reserved.
</div>BarkBoard.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17371532385025154602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16558511.post-48449354134901543592007-11-12T09:04:00.000-08:002007-11-12T09:36:16.488-08:00What We Learned in HawaiiIn 2006 Hawaii came into Fresno and jumped out to a 28-7 lead before Bulldog fans could get comfortable. We all remember what Hawaii did from that point on as Colt Brennan tore Fresno apart en route to a 68-37 victory. The Bulldogs defense never seemed to get on track in that game and everyone in the stadium knew as soon as Fresno State fell behind by two touchdowns the game was over. The 2006 Bulldogs lacked heart. The 2006 Bulldogs lacked toughness on the football field. The 2006 Bulldogs did not have the talent to come back from a deficit of any margin. Saturday in Hawaii Fresno State once again fell behind by 21 points to the Warriors in the first quarter. It looked as if the Bulldogs would be blown out of Aloha stadium once again as trips to the island have never gone well for Fresno State. But something happened when the Warriors put their third touchdown on the scoreboard nine minutes into the game. Fresno State decided this game was not going to get out of hand. A.J. Jefferson returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown to cut the lead to 21-7. It was the second week in a row that Jefferson had done so on a kickoff return. Right before halftime Fresno State drove down field getting into the end zone to cut the lead to 31-16. While many of us felt good about what the Bulldogs did in the second quarter that would be nothing compared to what they did to Hawaii in the second half. <br /><br />After numerous blown opportunities to close the gap Fresno State finally made a play we have not seen since the San Jose State game. Hawaii had the lead at 34-16 and Brennan was driving the Warriors for the killing score in the third quarter. Brennan fired a bullet over the middle that looked to be in stride with his receiver. The score would have been 41-16 and all but out of reach for Fresno State until Marcus Riley made what looked to be one of the most athletic interceptions ever at Fresno State. Many people probably do not realize how important that play was for Fresno State. The Bulldogs kept Hawaii out of the end zone the entire second half only allowing the Warriors three points. Fresno State was able to fight back and close the gap with one minute remaining in the game as they were down 37-30. Unfortunately the onside kick did not bounce Fresno State's way and they once again left Aloha stadium with a back breaking loss. Where Fresno State goes from here will be important to the future of this program. Fresno State has a bye week coming up followed by games against two opponents they can beat. If Fresno State can knock off Kansas State and New Mexico State they will finish 8-4 headed to a bowl game once again. I am holding out hopes that we can replace the Pac-10 in a bowl game somwhere on the West Coast here (Emerald or Las Vegas bowl) but any bowl is better than no bowl. <br /><br />I realize that we have gone down the "This team is getting better" route thousands of times. This time around Fresno State has to move on and make that jump. The school cannot degress anymore. Fresno State in 2001 made a jump to a level many of us were not expecting. Today we know the talent on this team is there to become an elite team not only in the WAC but in the nation. Whether the Bulldogs do this or not truly falls on the shoulders of our coaching staff. J-Mac has given this team a life on offense we have not seen in many years. However, one improvement the Dogs are going to have to make is at the QB position. I do not mean they need to replace TB but instead they need to allow him to throw the ball much earlier in the game. He may not be 100% accurate but he has shown of late he can throw the ball when given the oportunity. Against Hawaii he finished 15-26 and had three balls thrown perfectly that were dropped. You can make the argument that he missed some throws so they cancel out, but I cannot recall many missed throws in the Hawaii game. His last two halfs where he was given the opportunity to throw the ball look like this: 22-33 5td's no int's. Those stats consist of Brandstater's first half against Utah State and his second half against Hawaii. In other words maybe Tom is ready to throw the ball more than the Bulldogs coaching staff is allowing him to do. <br /><br />Losses hurt regardless of who they are against. Sometimes you can look at a loss as a turning point for a team while other times losses should just be forgotten as they hurt the program more than they will ever help the program. Fresno State must make Hawaii a turning point. The Dogs went into a hostile environment with ridiculous fans and should have left Aloha stadium with a win. They played defense when they had to and their offense made a comeback that many of us fans did not know was possible. The Bulldogs were down 37-16 and pulled within one TD. If they do not fumble on the opening drive in the second half who knows what happens in this game. As I said before this game must be used as a turning point for this team. Marcus Riley and the rest of the seniors have one home game left. They deserve our support when the Dogs take on Kansas State. I hope that the rest of the Bulldog fans feel as strongly as I do about this team and will be there two weeks from now when the Bulldogs knock off Kansas State. It would only be fair to those on this football team that have given their all for the valley and every fan in this city.<div class="blogger-post-footer">©Copyright 2006, The Fresno State Football Blog/barkboard.com and Scout.com. All rights reserved.
</div>nschttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09195649645048645277noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16558511.post-43218822143187617422007-11-09T15:31:00.000-08:002007-11-09T15:37:18.679-08:00Instructions on Beating HawaiiTomorrow night Fresno State will begin another compelling match up <br />with the Warriors of Hawaii. At first glance this game looks to be a <br />mismatch as Fresno State does not generally implore the type of <br />defense that can stop Hawaii. The Dogs tend to play a soft defense <br />that allows the five to seven yard route. Fresno State relies on it's <br />LB's and secondary to make tackles as soon as the ball is caught <br />(something they have not done too well this season). There is a way <br />to beat the Warriors and it was on display last season when the Oregon <br />State Beavers traveled to the island. True, Oregon State was quite <br />hot and had defeated a very talented USC team only weeks before, but <br />they ran the type of defense it took to stop the Warriors amazing <br />offense. While I can write down the steps to stopping Hawaii's run <br />and shoot offense it does not mean that they will necessarily work. <br />College football is a game of sixty minutes and Hawaii can adjust to <br />what a defense is doing as well as any other offense in the nation. <br />However, these are the steps I deem <br />necessary to knock off the Warriors on the island. I am sure you will <br />notice this is written like a recipe and rightfully so since <br />directions need to be followed in order to beat Hawaii.<br /><br />1) Add a little pressure to Colt Brennan's passing attack- Oregon <br />State sacked Colt Brennan six times last season and forced him to <br />throw two int's. While Brennan still managed over 400 yards passing <br />the Warriors lost because Oregon State forced Brennan to throw the <br />ball much earlier than he anticipated. Brennan does not make many <br />mistakes and when he does defenses must take advantage of them. <br />Fresno State will have to find a way to pressure Brennan on every play <br />or he will sit back in the pocket and do whatever he pleases. If you <br />want proof of how good Brennan is when he has time to throw watch the <br />highlights of the 2006 Fresno State-Hawaii game. That game should be <br />used as an example of what not to do when playing Hawaii.<br /><br />2) Mix in physical play from the corner position - Hawaii loves the <br />underneath routes. This team uses five to seven yard routes to create <br />thirty yard gains. Grice-Mullin, Bess, Rivers, and Hawthorne (yes <br />they have four accomplished receivers) are all capable of turning a <br />small route into a large gain. If the Dogs do not get up close to the <br />line and knock these receivers off their routes right from the start <br />it will be a long day for the defense in Hawaii. True Hawaii is a <br />place where vacations are wonderful, but the Dogs defense will <br />experience a nightmare of a game if they do not play physical football <br />against Hawaii. Playing ten yards off the pass and allowing the <br />receivers to run underneath routes untouched will not get the job done <br />Saturday night.<br /><br />3) Throw in a little blitzing from all over the field - Fresno will <br />have to disguise it's defensive game plan to in a sense trick Hawaii. <br />The Bulldogs will have to make the Warriors believe one man is <br />blitzing when someone else is altogether. Fresno will have to bring <br />the safeties at times. On other plays they will have to bring the <br />corners. Still the LB's will have to be forced to blitz as well. The <br />key is to sack Brennan or force turnovers. For a team that has one <br />interception the entire year they will need a breakout performance <br />resulting in at least two interceptions if they hope to beat Hawaii.<br /><br />4) Add in a sprinkle of ball control - Fresno State loves to run the <br />ball. While Matthews may not be 100% for this game he is scheduled to <br />play along with Miller and Pascoe. Our offensive line will not be <br />100% due to all of the injuries suffered to this point but they have <br />played together long enough to know what blocking schemes are what. <br />Fresno State will have to do everything in their power to control the <br />clock. If the Dogs do not hold the ball for at least ten minutes <br />longer than the Warriors they can kiss a victory goodbye. Hawaii <br />scores fast and the only way to combat that type of scoring is to hold <br />on to the ball for long drives. To see how this is done watch the <br />super bowl that took place in the early 90's between the Buffalo Bills <br />and the New York Giants. The Bills held the ball for all of 19 <br />minutes in that game and still should have won. That is the kind of <br />effort it is going to take from Fresno State to win tomorrow.<br /><br />5) Last but not least avoid mixing in turnovers - The Warriors will <br />have the ball enough to score fifty points if their offense is <br />clicking. The last thing Fresno State can do is allow the Warriors to <br />touch the ball more than after the Dogs score or punt. Last year <br />Fresno State turned the ball over three times en route to the 68-37 <br />bombing they took. This year in order for the game to play out <br />differently the Dogs must reverse the turnover story. If Fresno State <br />cannot take the ball away from Hawaii and continues to give the ball <br />to the Warriors as if Christmas came early, there is absolutely no way <br />Fresno State will be close in this game.<br /><br />I realize these steps are easier said than done. Stopping the run and <br />shoot offense is next to impossible, but it can be done. As I said <br />before Oregon State did it last season and if the Dogs can follow that <br />defensive plan they will have a shot in this game. If the Dogs do not <br />put pressure on Brennan and allow the Warriors to run untouched across <br />the field look forward to turning this one off at halftime. We just <br />do not have the type of offense that can come back from a large <br />deficit and that is exactly what Hawaii will try to do to us in the <br />first half.<div class="blogger-post-footer">©Copyright 2006, The Fresno State Football Blog/barkboard.com and Scout.com. All rights reserved.
</div>nschttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09195649645048645277noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16558511.post-4720313007965665322007-11-08T12:33:00.000-08:002007-11-08T12:34:27.872-08:00Random Thoughts<span style="color:#000000;"><strong><em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#ff0000;">by nsc<br /></span></em></strong><br />Each time I write a blog on Fresno State I try to be as objective as I possibly can. I try my best not to use any personal bias when I predict scores or how the flow of a game will go. I try to analyze each aspect of what a team brings and in turn compare each team's strengths and weaknesses against one another. I do not predict scores or discuss a game based on how much I love the Fresno State Bulldogs or how much I dislike the Hawaii Warriors. Instead I give those who read the blog a fair assessment of what could happen in each football game the Bulldogs play in. But today I don't want to discuss the Hawaii game. Today I don't want to think about the 6-3 record the Dogs have or what bowl game they could possibly play in. Today I don't want to assess the positives and negatives of the Bulldog football program. Today I would rather focus on random thoughts across the sports world. I like blogging about the Dogs but every now and then it is nice to have some fun with what you write about. So without further adieu here are my random thoughts on the sportsworld:<br /><br />1) 350 million dollars for A-Rod? Are you kidding me? Who wants to pay 350 million dollars for a guy who has gone 0 for his last 27 with men in scoring position in the playoffs? Knowing my luck my Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (yeah what a name) will pick him up so he can go 0 for 10 in the playoffs this season as well.<br /><br />2) The valley playoffs start tonight in Fresno when Buchanan takes on Sanger. At least there will be no complaints that Fresno fans can't make the Bulldog game because of a muy importante high school football game in the valley.<br /><br />3) Apparantly going undefeated doesn't warrant you a number one seed in the valley playoffs as well. Maybe the C.I.F. is following the college football mold a bit too closely as El Diamante was awarded the one seed at 9-1 while Tulare Union went 10-0 and was granted the 2 seed. While there doesn't seem to be much of a difference El Diamante does not play in the first round and Tulare Union does. Wow, see what playing Clovis West gets you in the central section. El Diamante is rewarded for losing to Clovis West as the C.I.F. stated "Hey at least they played Clovis West, who cares if they won the game".<br /><br />4) If Ohio State makes the college football championship I might ram my head into my bedroom door. I was as excited as the next guy to find out that Ohio State was rebuilding, only to be screwed when they began the season 8-0. Our only hope in this college football season is for Michigan to knock them off at the end of the season. Yes, the same Michigan team that loss to App. State. If Michigan can't do it then look forward to another wonderful championship game with an overhyped Big-10 team.<br /><br />5) Fresno State begins it's basketball season tomorrow night as they take on Portland State at the Save Mart Center. However, you may not know that it's a game that counts when an announced crowd of 9,000 turns out to be about 4,000 fans too many.<br /><br />6) Wait a minute, did another prospect commit to a Pac-10 school instead of Fresno State? Well that just goes to show you that playing time isn't all that important to most of these prospects. Instead it may be that much more fun to ride the bench at a Pac-10 school because they have and I quote "Great Facilities".<br /><br />7) Oh did you hear that? Another group of Fresno State fans just complained as to why they cannot make the football games in the valley. Amongst the reasons given the most important one I can recall is "Fresno State doesn't win enough for me to be in the seats".<br /><br />8) Why is it when you predict your team to lose a game you are not supporting your team but when you pick them to win that very same game you are crazy? If you want any further proof check out the difference between responses to my blog on the Bulldogs and Warriors game and what responses Gator received. I said the Dogs lose, and Hawaii fans said I don't support our team. Gator said that we would win and they called him crazy. Weird bunch of fans over there really.<br /><br />9) This just in: When you are rivals you generally use the word hate to describe how you feel. Ask a Florida fan what he/she thinks about Georgia. You think they will say "I dislike them but I don't hate them because they are in our conference". Fans don't truly hate the other school, they just hate that side of the football rivalry. Fans shouldn't take the word hate to heart, it's all in good fun when it comes to college football.<br /><br />10) Last but not least one of the many reasons why college football is a much better sport than the NFL will ever be: New England @ Indianapolis last weekend. While the game was in week nine there is no doubt that one of these two teams will win the Super Bowl this season. How is that fun? How is knowing these two teams are far and away better than the rest of the NFL a great time? Yes, the NFL has a playoff but what's the point? At least in college football with four weeks of games left we still have absolutely no idea who will play in the championship. The NFL speaks of true parity. Well check out college football this season, there is your parity in a nutshell. Well that and the fans in college are a much more lively bunch.<br /><br />If anyone has any random thoughts to share let me know. It's always great to hear what people think about the sportsworld even when it doesn't have to do with the Fresno State Bulldogs.<br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">©Copyright 2006, The Fresno State Football Blog/barkboard.com and Scout.com. All rights reserved.
</div>BarkBoard.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17371532385025154602noreply@blogger.com6