A Change in Focus

Lately I am sure most of you have noticed that the focus of my blogs have solely concentrated on Pat Hill and how he has single handedly brought this team down. I am sure that I have come across as pessimistic and down about the Bulldogs but I feel like I have the right to be with what has happened over the past season and a half. Anytime you are a fan of a school that expects to win more than they lose a 2-11 stretch is going to bring you down regardless of how die hard of a fan you are. However, with Saturday being senior day I think maybe the focus should be on what the seniors have done for Fresno State. Although this has been a down year we cannot forget how important many of these seniors have been in our run of seven straight bowl games and seasons of at least eight wins.

Saturday will be the last home game for Fernandez, Amendola, Briscoe, Andrews, Christensen, Denman, Fairman, Goodwin, Kezirian, Leonard, Lingua, Mays, McCauley, Sherley, Simmons, Vercher, Williams, Young, and possibly Wright. In other words a large part of our team will be leaving at the end of the 2006 season. Yes this has been a down season but there are so many good memories of many of these players. Who can forge the 98 yard TD catch Williams had in a breakthrough win against Boise State last season or the game tying catch that Fairman made against Virginia in the MPC bowl? Lingua was a great punter for this school as he had a hang time that the Bulldogs are not quite used to seeing. Although McCauley is having a down senior season you have to admit that his lockdown skills on whatever side of the field he played on were quite impressive for most of his college career. McCauley and Marshall combined to be a great tandem for us at corner. Christensen had less playing time than any of these men but throughout the course of his career he did a great job of holding the snaps on every field goal and extra point attempted by this team. Yes it seems like a trivial job to hold but we all know how truly important extra points can be throughout the course of a college football game.

Although this season has not gone to plan we have much to look forward to in 2007 because of the tragic turns 2006 has taken. Many of our young players have been given the chance to get into games and that will only help them entering the 2007 season. With players such as Miller, Smith, West, Ciconne, Ajirotutu, Crawley, Moore, Haynes, Harris, Jefferson, Lewis, Stitser, Zimmerman, Ike, Kinter, Lane, Brown, Owens (2), and Riley returning the Bulldogs will have plenty of experience on the field to begin the 2007 season. I realize that if we continue to run the offense the way we have it will never be fixed. However, you have to think things will turn around eventually. Whether we throw the ball or put some trick plays into the mix the Dogs will not be able to run the same type of offense and succeed. These young men returning offer us hope on the offensive, defensive, and special teams sides.

However, the focus of Saturday should be on the seniors and the efforts they have given for the city of Fresno, the fans, and the team overall. The seniors on this team have played hard for four years now and for the most part have done an outstanding job. Because the coaching has not been up to par this season does not mean we should penalize these players in their last home game of their careers. Honor these seniors and go out to watch them play their final game in the city of Fresno. Idaho is going to be a much tougher challenge than New Mexico State as Idaho can score points and plays a much better defense than NMSU does. The Dogs will have to come out ready to play and if they don't this one will be over quick. Regardless of the outcome I will be there to watch some of my favorite Bulldog players for the last time and I hope you as Fresno State fans will as well.