The Best Offense for Fresno State?

In my first post today I asked what kind of offense everyone prefers. I aksed if you as Bulldog fans enjoy this clock eating offense that allows us to score between 20-24 points a game or do you prefer the quick strike offense that had been in place during the Sweeney era where we scored 35-40 points a game? I have always been a proponent of a quick strike offense because I feel like that type of offense is always putting pressure on the defense of the other team. At the same time how often is a team going to win a college football game when scoring 20-24 points a game? Part of the problem with the clock eating offense is if you play a team such as Hawaii who comes at you fast and furious your defense is now looking to force turnovers to stay in the game. When you run a quick strike offense you don't necessarily have to force any turnovers on defense because your team is scoring 35 points without any turnovers. This has been shown with respect to Fresno State this season. We do not have an interception up to this point and have had very few fumble recoveries. With the type of offense we have we are lucky to score 28 points in a game such as we did against Nevada.

Now let's take a look at the alternative to Fresno State's offense, the type of offense I would have wanted to run to start the season. This is the type of offensive coordinator I believe we should have hired instead of a conservative type of guy such as Steve Hagen. I know I am going to get crap for this idea but I truly believe it would work with the skilled players we have on this team. First and foremost this team has the ability to run the option/ spread offense easily. Just bare with me for a minute and listen to what I am proposing before you think this is the most ridiculous idea you have ever heard.

Spread Formation W/the Option - At the beginning of the year we had the ability to line up on every single play with Fernandez and West on the left side and Williams and Fairman on the right. We would have Norton at QB (or Brandstater, they both can run) with Wright or Miller at RB. Now many of you would say this would kill Wright's numbers but I say look at the numbers Hawaii's RB puts up. He is slightly bigger than Wright and runs in the offense I am trying to prove would work at state. Three of our receivers at the beginning of the season were as good as you could hope to have. I know Fairman went down but now you just substitute Pascoe in on one side or another depending on if you want to run trips or not. With the spread option formation the defense has to guess if you are going to throw, option left or right, or run the ball. Linebackers tend to blitz because you only have your five lineman and maybe a TE in on the line, but once they do your speedy receivers now have the middle of the field wide open to roam in. An offense like this could really put the scoring back on the map here in Fresno. I know that many of you prefer the Pro Style and I think that is a good offense to run if you do it like many of the SEC teams run it, but right now we are not executing that offense. I know we won't change the way we run offense, but these are just ideas to talk about from time to time. If the Dogs went to an offense like this they would score 35-40 a game base solely on the fact college corners just aren't good enough to run across the field step for step with a receiver (well aside maybe three or four select corners, McCauley included).

In the end I know this is a pipe dream but after explaining it I hope some of you understand where I am coming from. I played QB in Japan for the island football team for three seasons and we ran the Pro Set the first season. We finished 2-8 and I was contastanly under pressure. The next season we had a new coach who installed the option/spread formation and we went 8-2 because teams were lost on every play. I am not saying the league I played in was nearly as difficult as college football is, but it does work. Just watch the teams that run it with the right talent in place. Hawaii runs this offense amazingly and if we don't beat them Saturday they will not lose another game this season. I am wondering if anoyne else out there who has seen the Dogs play this year has an offensive idea that might help (aside the obvious get a QB who can make the throws and such). If so I would really like to hear it as I am as offensive minded as one guy could possibly be.

The Most Dominant Team in Fresno State History Is?

I realize over the past two weeks the blog has dealt with many negative topics, but you have to realize that is what tends to happen when the team everyone in the valley loves is struggling. Today I think I would rather blog about something that is highly debatable but in a positive way. Fresno State has had some pretty good teams in the past. Truthfully, Fresno State has had some downright dominant teams in the past (this of course is relative to the conference they played in). Unfortunately many of these great Fresno State teams had hiccups during their season which in turn made them look far less dominant than they truly were. For example the 2001 Bulldog team blew out half of the teams they played that season. The problem is the nation will remember us for losing back to back games against Boise State and Hawaii (who by the way were good teams that year, the nation just didn't know about them yet). Another great example is the 1989 Bulldog team that went into New Mexico with a 10-0 record and lost their only game of the season.

Over the past five years Fresno State has put itself in position to make BCS runs two different times only to faulter in the end but that does not reflect how truly good these teams were. These teams just had down weeks that would lead to a drop in the polls. So here is a list of the most dominant teams in Fresno State history. I am wondering who each of you die hard fans think is the single best team Fresno State ever had? I am only going back to the 1985 team that went 11-0-1 because I was not in Fresno before that. I don't know much about the Bulldogs from back in the day but if you feel a team before the undefeated 1985 team was truly the best Bulldog team ever then feel free to chime in and let everyone know what year and why they were truly the best.

Year Team Record PF PA
1985 Fresno State 11-0-1 481 209
1989 Fresno State 11-1 441 220
1991 Fresno State 10-2 507 235
1992 Fresno State 9-4 510 364
2001 Fresno State 11-3 560 344
2004 Fresno State 9-3 482 253

Now when you look at these seasons and the numbers I believe it is obvious which team is the best. The 1991 Bulldogs seemed to have the best overall makeup of a team. Unfortunately these Dogs could not run the season as they lost a heartbreaker at Utah State 20-19 after opening the season 7-0 with wins at Washington State and Oregon State. This team's second loss occurred in the final week of the season against Bowling Green in the Cal Bowl 28-21. The 1991 Bulldogs lost a total of two games by a combined eight points. If you look at the point differential of this team you realize that they were absolutely dominant game in and game out. I realize the 1985 team went undefeated and finished the season at #16 in the coaches poll, but I truly don't feel like there was a better team in Bulldog history than the 1991 team. I would like to know from as many fans as possibly who their pick is for the most dominant Bulldog team in history. This should be a good discussion to say the least.

Which Offense Do you Prefer - In the mid 1980's to the mid 1990's Fresno State ran an explosive offense that often put up 40 points per game. The QB's during this period of time threw for astronomical numbers as the WAC became the conference where games were commonly found to be in the 48-45 range. Fresno State did it's part to show how explosive their offenses were with QB's such as Barsotti, Sweeney, Dilfer, and lastly Volek. In 2001 David Carr had the single most explosive season in Bulldog history as he threw for over 4500 yards and 40 TD's on the season. Today the Bulldogs offense has completely changed. Today we run a clock controlling offense where drives are commonly seven minutes long with respect to TD's. We don't have the explosive offense that can score in one minute if we have to. I prefer an explosive offense that can score in the blink of an eye. I am wondering how many fans enjoy the kind of offense we have today? How many fans enjoy the offenses of the late 1980's and early 1990's? In the end as long as the team wins the offense doesn't matter. I just really enjoy those types of offenses that can score on command.

Norton's Chances Good to Play - With each day that passes it seems more and more likely that Sean Norton is going to get into the game Saturday. Coach Hill is looking for a spark that can help the offense and if Brandstater struggles at all it looks as if Norton will enter the game. Today in the Fresno Bee there is an article on the struggles of Brandstater (On a side note how about two thumbs up for the Fresno Bee for finally writing articles that have to do with what is wrong with Fresno State right now). In the article it looks as if Brandstater has accepted the fact he is not getting the job done and that the right move might be to put Norton in to see if he can succeed. I am not sure if this will have a positive effect in the long run but how can you ignore 4,000 yards passing and 44 td's in his senior year in a highly competitive high school out of Southern California? I just think sooner or later you have to make this move to see if it effects the team in a positive light. Whether I am right or not does not matter, all that matters is the team succeeding from here on during the season. A win vs. Hawaii could go a long ways with respect to the Bulldogs confidence and momentum heading into the LSU game next weekend. Let's just hope for the best regardless of who is in there at QB. We will need a good performance against Hawaii from our QB to have a chance in this game.

BCS Smoke Screen: Would You Rather Have Skippy? I Prefer Jif

First and foremost Fresno State (10 wins) does not hold the top spot among non-BCS schools when it comes to beating BCS schools since 2000. That honor belongs to Utah (11 wins), after the Utes blew-out No. 24 Georgia Tech in the Emerald Bowl last season.

Second, the BCS started in 1998, Pat Hill's second season and Fresno State has just beaten the 10 teams from the BCS, all from 2000-2004. The Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime mantra is a smoke screen that give Fresno State unbelievable amount of national exposure. Hill knows what he is doing; he is the face of the program and the media eats that stuff up.

If you want to dig deeper and compare Hill's "impressive" record of BCS wins to other programs, take a look at East Carolina.

The Pirates have beaten 10 BCS teams (that's right the same amount) from 1998 to the present, including wins over No. 9 Miami, West Virginia, Syracuse, NC State and Texas Tech in a bowl game. What makes is somewhat puzzling, and in a weird way impressive, is the ECU has not had a winning season since 2000. The Pirates won eight of those games over the span of two seasons, 1999 and 2000. Was ECU known as the "giant killer" those years? No!

In fact ECU started the 1999 season beating four BCS teams in row, sound familiar? Granted one was at home against lowly Duke, and two were at neutral sites in North Carolina against West Virginia -- that finished 8-4 the year before -- and the other against the No. 9 Miami team. The fourth game was a win at South Carolina, who was in the midst of 21 game losing streak. But ECU started their four game run with the win over West Virginia and ended it with the emotional win over Miami in Raleigh, a game that was moved because of Hurricane Floyd.

ECU moved into the rankings for the first time that season, after beating the 'Canes, at No. 20 in the Coaches Poll and No. 19 in the AP, a spot behind Miami in both polls. ECU beat Army the following week and moved up to No. 16 in the AP, but then lost to USM and dropped from the polls. And despite another bad loss to UAB, ECU did beat one more BCS team that season (NC State) finished 9-2 and ranked No. 18 in the Coaches Poll. But lost to 7-4 TCU in the Mobile Bowl, and finished the season unranked.

The list of schools might not look impressive, but the fact of the matter is non-BCS schools are not suppose to beat BCS schools. East Carolina does not pride itself on beating BCS schools, but after beating a couple of ACC doormats (Duke and Virginia) the Pirates have tied the Bulldogs, in what is considered an elite group by the media.

Pat Hill is a great at creating hype, but imagine if East Carolina actually recruited against Fresno State. A recruit could say I want to play at Fresno State because Coach Hill plays the best and is known as a "giant killer". Well, Lou's kid Skippy could respond with, ECU has the same amount of wins over BCS schools as Fresno State, 10, and ECU has beaten two in the last two years. And Fresno State has not beaten a BCS school since 2004. And as far as playing the best, ECU plays three BCS teams in 2006, two at home including one against top five West Virginia.

We all know, ECU has been bad the last few years, 2002-2005 to be exact, but that is because ECU got a little frustrated with Head Coach Steve Logan after 11 years. He led ECU to six winning seasons and five bowl games. But his 2001 team was a preseason top 25 team that was hyped as being the best ECU team ever (keep in mind ECU finished 1991 11-1 and ranked No. 9).

Well, ECU limped to a 2-3 start, rebounded but lost its last three (sound familiar), including a 64-61 2OT loss to Marshall in the GMAC Bowl, where ECU had a 38-8 lead at the half. ECU finished 6-6 and Logan was clinging to his job. His team 2002 team did beat No. 22 TCU but it was one of just four wins on the season. Logan was fired a day after the season ended. Was it a good move? Well, ECU went 3-20 the next two years under John Thompson, who was fired after those two years. ECU won five games in Holtz's first year(2005) and looks to be climbing back into the ring of respectability.

Now, for everyone who wants to fire Hill, keep in mind the grass isn't always greener(ask ECU). And Hill knows that the grass isn't always greener for coaches either(ask Dan Hawkins).

We as fans could see a lot of changes the remainder of the season, and very well, a new Bulldog mantra for the future years. Just be patient, but if Hill doesn't change anything this season, you can count on the program being in the dumps (ask the Fresno Bee).

Has Hill Accomplished His Goals?

Goals:
1) Win the WAC
2) Get established recruits
3) Establish a top 25 team yearly
4) Play BCS teams yearly
5) Become a household name
6) Break into the BCS and win a National Championship

Pat Hill set lofty goals for Fresno State when he arrived. He wanted to make the Bulldogs a nationally known product with respect to the college football landscape. Many fans have been arguing back and forth about what Pat Hill has actually accomplished with respect to the football program at Fresno State. If we take a look at the list of goals I remember him setting for the Bulldogs we are able to go down the list and figure out which goals he has accomplished and which ones he hasn't.

First off we have one WAC championship in 1999 and that was a co-title. We have not won the WAC outright and maybe blew our best chance with our losses at Nevada and against La. Tech last season. I do believe Pat Hill has brought in much better recruits over the past few years. We have continually put players in the NFL that end up performing very well. David Carr, Bernard Berrian, Richard Marshall, and Logan Mankins are just a few players that have prospered in the NFL to date. In the future you will be able to add Marcus McCauley, Kyle Young, Dwayne Wright, and Paul Williams to that list. So overall the recruits have been a step above what we had before Pat Hill arrived. Hill's third goal of establishing a top 25 team yearly has not worked out as he once hoped it to be. We have finished in the top 25 one time in his tenure and that was not with David Carr at QB. In 2004 we finished #22 I believe after we beat Virginia in the MPC Computers Bowl. With respect to number four well we do play top of the line BCS teams yearly as we have taken on Oregon the past two years, USC, and this year LSU. However, I don't think this scheduling tactic helps the Dogs out in the long run. They put so much energy and effort into beating top tier teams that they have nothing left when it comes to playing in the WAC. Goal number fiive definitely has materialized as most people in the nation now know who Fresno State is. Hill has been able to make us a household name and most people do not want to take on the Dogs as they see it as a lose-lose situation knowing that their team could very well lose the game. Lastly we have not played in a BCS bowl so of course that goal has not been reached. Here is the problem with this goal. When Utah made a BCS game they did not aim for that, they just went from their first game to their second and on and on. Boise this season is doing the very same thing and you hear very little talk of a BCS game with respect to Boise State. If Boise does make it they might be the most surprised that they get into a game of that magnitude. Here in Fresno we have changed our goal to BCS or nothing and honestly that is such a bad goal to have. This is on Pat Hill as he has made this a goal for the team when I feel they should focus on the WAC and the OOC schedule should be secondary.

So when it comes down to it how much has Hill accomplished? He has given us a national name, scheduled BCS schools yearly, and brought in better recruits. At the same time we have our new locker room facilities and the new video board is now present at Bulldog stadium. You figure that we will either do something to the field or expand one day and you have to think it is going to happen because of Hill's vision for the team. At the same time Hill has failed with respect to winning the WAC, and finishing in the top 25 yearly. I know he has failed to get us into a BCS game but I think that is a goal that should be made for much later on down the line. I can see why some want Hill gone and why others want to keep him here. Who is right and who is wrong? I guess the last seven games of the season will decide that.

What Happens Next?

When I woke up this morning I went through my normal routine and after I finished getting ready to go to work I jumped on the internet to read the latest news on the Bulldogs. I have to say that when I went to the Fresno Bee I was shocked to read a column on what needs to be done to make the program successful again. I realize this past weekend Matt James wrote an article about changing the quarterback, but this article today covers many of the same ideas that we have been discussing over the past few weeks on the Blog and BarkBoard. The article suggests that we rid ourselves of the play anytime anywhere motto. I have to say I was never a big fan of that idea in the first place because it made us sound desperate to get a game with a big time BCS school. If we did get a game with a school like USC it would be under their terms and we would have to travel to their school with no return trip involved. So to do away with the idea of playing anyone, anywhere is something I am completely ok with. However, this made me think of all of the slogans that Pat Hill has used over the years and there is one that seems to have disappeared that I was big supporter of. What ever happened to the saying "Shutup and Hit Somebody"? In the early part of the decade Fresno State may have had questionable defense but they always hit hard and did their best to intimidate the offenses of the teams we played. No one can forget the hit Kendall Edwards put on Oregon State's two players on the punt return in the second half of the game in 2001. Our team this year seems to be void of those types of players that live for that one big hit. Aside McCauley (who has done a very good job of tackling) the rest of the team looks scared when trying to bring someone down. This just doesn't seem like the Fresno State defenses I remember from the past. What do you as fans think the problem is with our loss in determination and fire on defense? Is it the scheme our defense is put in or do you think our defense is just void of these types of players this season?

The truth is everyone that reads this Blog knows that we need to make changes to have a chance the rest of the season. I know a big part of the fan base is hoping to see Norton come in on Saturday in one way or another. But when the Fresno Bee decides to publish an article on what is wrong with the Bulldogs then you know something is not right in Bulldog land. Since John Branch left we have not had anyone who dared to write an article that questioned what is going wrong with the Bulldogs. I have always had a problem with the articles and news that is published with respect to Fresno State. The reason is publications such as the FresnoBee and GoBulldogs.com never seem to capture what is truly going on with respect to the Dogs. When we lost to Colorado State the focus should have been what went wrong with our offensive line, defensive secondary, and passing game. Instead the news that was put out had to do with Clifton Smith making his first start and the positives that Pat Hill came away with from that game. To me this is laughable because when I left the stadium that night I wondered what the hell happened to our team's killer instinct and I am sure most other Bulldog fans wondered the very same thing.

So this leads me to my question of the day today. I know most of you have read that I feel 2007 is going to be a much tougher year than 2006 currently is. Right now I may have to take that back knowing that there is a chance we could start the season 1-7 this year. However, we are losing plenty this offseason and have little to replace those who are leaving. With Hawaii and Oregon on the road and Boise State at home next season how do you feel our team is going to be? At the same time is Fresno State going to take a hit for a couple of years with respect to recruiting because of this loss to Utah State? Are we slowly dropping back into the mediocrity of college football or is this just a one year drop for the Dogs? I unfortunately feel that if we cannot pick up some big wins here against Hawaii, and either LSU or Boise State then our recruiting is going to take a huge hit this offseason. I cannot see anyone wanting to play for a team that starts the season 1-7, loses to Utah State, and will be lucky to go 5-7. On the other hand if we pulled out some games and finished 7-5 somehow that may change how recruits view this team. They might want to come here to get us over that hump and make us a team that can accomplish the BCS and win the WAC one day. I am just wondering how everyone else is viewing this season towards recruiting.

Lastly what is this season going to do to Pat Hill? I have read that many fans want Hill around while many think it is time for him to move on. I would have to say right now I am leaning to him moving on unless he is capable of making changes to better the team. I just don't feel Pat Hill is open enough to make changes needed to win anymore. This can be seen on offense or defense when our team is struggling. It seems to me that the other team is always the one making the adjustments while the Dogs seemed lost most of the time. What do you as fans want to happen with Pat Hill? Is his ride as Bulldog coach over in your minds or is he going to be around for many years to come?

Hawai'i-Fresno State: Rivalry Game

This Saturday Hawai'i comes to Fresno to play a Bulldog team that is considerably down. There are many different views one can take on this game, but what can we expect to happen? One thing is for sure: These two teams absolutely do not like one another. This rivalry runs much deeper than the football program. With respect to baseball, basketball, and softball it seems that Hawai'i and Fresno State are two teams that are always in some sort of battle for the upper echelon of the WAC. No this may not compare to the Red River Shootout or the Notre Dame-USC game that happens yearly, but here in Fresno there is not a team that we love to hate more than Hawai'i. Fresno State could go 0-11 against the rest of the nation, but if we beat Hawai'i we would remember this game forever (although if we went 0-11 against everyone else that would be horrible).

The series has not alternated like one might expect over the past four years. Hawai'i won in Fresno in 2002 coming back in the 4th quarter to put the Dogs away. In 2003 Fresno traveled to the island and were obliterated as they never had a chance. 2004 and 2005 went to the Bullodgs as they finally broke the island curse in Hawai'i in 2005. In 2004 Fresno State crushed Hawai'i 70-14. At the beginning of the game Hawai'i actually ran down through the Bulldogs doghouse which pushed Fresno State to take a 35-0 lead in the second quarter. Of course we have the famed screwdriver incident in 2002 in which June Jones accused a fan in the Fresno Stat section of throwing a screwdriver at his players. However, it was later determined that the screwdriver did not come from the student section at all. As soon as June Jones learned that Fresno lost this weekend he made the comment that "Maybe the Bulldog fans will throw a screwdriver at their own player instead of his".

Regardless of how badly Fresno Sttae has played this season they do not get blown out at home. If they struggle early this will be the game where Sean Norton is inserted as QB. The Dogs will have a fire this weekend to go out there and get the job done against as hated a rival as they have ever played against. True the attendance might be down, but the fact Norton could play will keep many of us at the stadium just to see if the backup can come in and get the job done. Fresno State is the underdog but they will keep this game close somehow. I am not sure if they will come out of it with a win, but if they do this could be the momentum we need to make a run. if the Dogs were to run these next three games (highly unlikely but bare with me for a second) how would you as fans view the team? Would it upset you that we used our backup and began to win or would you be happy that we were winning again and may have found our fix for the future? I know I would be on the latter half of those options as I just want to see the Dogs win. Hawai'i could provide that spark we need to get back into the win column but the fans and the Dogs need to perform as we can. I hope to see as many fans at the game as possible. If you feel like we are going to get bombed ask yourself this: When is the last time you watched Fresno State lose at home without a chance to win (Aside La. Tech last year)? It has been a long time and I don't see that changing this weekend.

Is Fresno Afraid of Pat Hill?

Last night I tuned into the Fox-26 Monday Night interview with Pat Hill (I am not sure if the interview is actually Monday night, but it took place after the Utah State loss). Ralph Wood chose very interesting questions to ask Hill and I found it funny that not one of these questions actually addressed what is wrong with the Bulldogs. Every single fan that reads this website knows there are problems with the QB position, the defensive secondary, special teams, and the offense as a whole. Not one question from Ralph Wood addressed any of these problems. Instead Wood asked Hill the following question:

"When something is wrong with the team what is the process you go about in order to fix that problem?"

Why is it that regardless of who is interviewing Hill they never choose to address any of the actual problems the Dogs are currently going through? Why is it the press cannot ask questions such as:

"Why is Brandstater still playing when he clearly is not doing the job?"
"Why do you continue to try and run the ball when the other team knows what is coming next?"
"Why have you not inserted someone else at corner in place of Jenkins or Simmons seeing that they have not covered anyone this year?"
"Why did your team lose to the second worst team in the nation in Utah State? Where is the fire yuo used to brgin to Fresno State?"

To me these are all questions that should be addressed and answered by Hill. As fans we pay at least $25 a game to watch the Dogs per game. The Oregon game ran most people $40 and Hill refuses to answer questions such as this. In truth he owes us as fans these answers because we are the ones that make his 1.3 million dollar salary possible. It is not like we are asking him for his daughter (or son) in marriage. We are only wondering why he has not made changes and what his thought process is with respect to each of these situations the Dogs are currently struggling through. Pat Hill is obviously against the media and some fans have told me he is completely against the BarkBoard because we find out far too much information. Hill needs to realize that is the way the world works today and that information is available everywhere we look. We will find out who is hurt early and we will find out what players are playing and who is on the bench before he wants us to. Word of mouth travels further today than it ever has before. I just don't understand why he is so cold to the public. If Hill ever does leave hopefully Boeh will look into finding a coach who is media and fan friendly. I don't expect Hill to leave anytime soon nor do I necessarily want him to. I just want him to open up to Bulldog nation a little bit more.

QB Situation - Now how is it possible Tom Brandstater is still starting this week? I don't know if I have the patience for this anymore. Tom will start with Sean being a viable option finally. It took four games of mistakes and poorly played football in order for Hill to consider Norton. There is no way Norton is as bad as Hill is making him look and when he says he might use him does that mean Norton will come in when Hawaii scores 42 points in the first half? Last night in the interview Hill stated :

"We are not a prolific offense like Hawaii. We need to control the clock and keep their offense off of the field."

My answer to that is no, no, no. You are wrong Pat, you need to score and score in bunches. We have the offensive weapons to do so if you can figure out how to get a QB in there to throw the ball. With Williams (if he plays), West, Fernandez, and Pascoe our receivers are as talented as any in the WAC. Wright and Miller at RB are a great combo and Vercher is an outstanding fullback. You cannot tell me we can't perform on offense like Hawaii, we have the tools to have a prolific offense. The pro set clock controlling offense goes down the drain in college football because you can bleed seven minutes off the clock, but what good does that do when Hawaii scores in two minutes? This is the wrong mindset against Hawaii. We need to score 35 points to beat them, and with Hill's mindset we will be lucky to put up 24. Hawaii will score at least 30 so where does it make sense to control the clock and hope they don't score?

This Saturday could be very ugly and I realize that Hill wants the best for the team, but opening the playbook and running some unconventional plays similar to how Arkansas has been doing is what Hill needs to begin trying. We shall see how Saturday goes. One thing is for sure. If Norton doesn't play at all Hill is going to lose many of his followers, something I really don't want to see happen.

What Can Be Fixed?

Problems, problems, and more problems. That is what the Fresno State football team is facing right now. The only thing that went right at Utah State was our defense. They played more than good enough to give us a win in this game, but our offense faltered. What is caused by our offense faltering again and again? Well aside Pat Hill I think everyone else in the city of Fresno knows how much the offense playing this badly affects the team. The fact that Pat Hill is considering changing QB's is a ridiculous at best. He should be changing QB's without a second thought now. Utah State played much worse on offense the first four weeks and they switched their QB. Utah State's coach realized that maybe a fresh start at QB could breath life into a football program that desperately needed it. We all know he was right and wish our coach would do the same thing. So where are the player problems that exist on the field for this team? There are many so brace yourselves while I try to cover each and every one one of them.

1) QB Play - This is the most obvious and glaring problem that Pat Hill must fix and fix soon. Maybe it is just me but I am beginning to feel like Pat is afraid to change QB's because he is afraid that Norton may actually fix what is wrong. If he does then the fans of Fresno will begin asking why the hell this move wasn't made sooner. We all know our coach is stubborn and as hard headed as they come. But seriously this move needs to be made. We have been calling for it for three weeks now and Brandstater has continually become worse as the season has moved along. Most QB's live for games against Utah State. They get to throw for 500 yards and five TD's when they play a team like this. Brandstater barely broke 100 yards and he owes that to Chastin West.

2) Player Frustration - Dwayne Wright is downright frustrated with the offense and that has become obvious. He is doing all he can to make this team a winner and he knows just as well as the rest of us do that he can only do so much on his own. Against Utah State you could see Wright was out of breath in the second half. He just ran for 30 yards on a carry and because of our inept offense he was asked to run the very next play. What is a man like Wright supposed to do when the game is continually put on his shoulders? I don't know that there are many college kids that can handle a problem like this. Unless the play-calling changes the frustration is going to build to where these players just do not care anymore.

3) Predictability - How many third and long's did we have this past weekend? I saw a stat that said we were only 4 for 16 on third downs? Is that correct because if so that is absolutely horrendous. The Dogs offense has become so predictable that Utah State put eight men in the box on first and second down knowing a run would be coming. At the same time they could gamble because if it weren't a run our qb was only completing half of his passes anyhow.

4) Special Teams - Our special teams has killed us all year. If we perform these correctly we are sitting here talking about a 4-1 Bulldog team with a loss to Colorado State. Unfortunately Stitser has not been himself this year and I can see why. He has only attempted seven field goals in five games because our offense has been so bad. He has not had the chance to come into a game often and if that continues he will miss kicks due to frustrating circumstances.

5) Defensive Secondary - We have done little to nothing to stop the deep pass this season. Colorado State, Oregon, and now Utah State have all beat us on at least one deep route per game. I don't know what is wrong here but I think it has a lot to do with the QB having so much time to throw the ball. If the LB's and D-Line could get pressure on the QB then out defense would not be suffering nearly as bad as they have this season.

I realize we have so many problems one man will not fix every one of these areas. But if we fix one area then that is one less problem we have. We can move to another area after that one is fixed. It looks as if our punting may be fixed as Zimmerman kicks the ball high and gives the opposing team little time to return a punt. That is a good fix to one problem we have. Now let's move on and fix the QB position and see if that in turn can fix the offensive woes, which will help to fix the defensive woes which can lead to a win. How does Hill not see this? It all starts with the QB and it always will start right there when it comes to football.

Note - Thanks for reading the Blog. I have been getting over 400 page views a day and it means a lot that you guys come by and read this daily. Thanks again and as long as their are readers I will continue to write.

A Letter to Pat Hill

Mr. Hill,
What has happened to your fire as coach? What has happened to our once proud football team that would take on anyone, anytime, anywhere? Why is it that when we play teams now it looks as if the other team is more fired up than we are? The 2006 Bulldogs are undoubtably the single best team you have ever put together. You have more talent at each position (aside the corner opposite of McCauley) than you have ever had in your program. Paul Williams and Joe Fernandez are two of the best wide receivers in the West. Chastin West is going to be something amazing as has already started his progress by showing that he has great hands and amazing speed. Dwayne Wright may be the best running back to ever come through the city of Fresno. His pounding style of football has allowed him to succeed in a system where he has to break tackle after tackle just to get back to the line of scrimmage. The offensive line is led by Kyle Young who may be the best center in the league. With a supporting cast of Denman, Lepori, Wendell, and even McDowell this offensive line gives the quarterback more than enough time to throw the ball. Roshon Vercher may be one of the best fullbacks we have ever had in the Fresno State system. On defense we have two 330 pound lineman in Shirley and Leonard. Tyler Clutts is a motor that won't stop, and Marcus McCauley has more talent at CB than anyone we have ever put in that position. We have some weaknesses in our secondary but these lineman should be putting pressure on the qb to where we are not exploited in the secondary. So my question to you Mr. Hill is what is wrong with this team?

The fans of Fresno have rallied around your tough coaching style for the past ten years. Up until this season you had brought life into a program that had lost it after the departure of Trent Dilfer. Today I ask you to find that fire once again and lead this team into the second half of the season with a desire they have not shown up to this point. Can you do that for the city of Fresno Mr. Hill? We have sat back and listened to you clamor about BCS games, national recognition, and playing the biggest and best the college ranks has to offer. Today we sit here with national recognition. We have played some of the best teams the nation has to offer, and we have put ourselves in line to play in a BCS game but just have not finished the job. However, this season we have problems that have not surfaced before. Our QB situation has become a hotly debated issue that needs to be fixed soon. We understand as fans that you like to go with a one QB system but do you have to be this stubborn Mr. Hill? Can you not see that you are rendering the rest of our offense useless by continually putting a QB in the game that cannot make the throws needed to succeed? Without a passing game we have no running game. Utah State realized this and forced us to throw the ball on third and long every time. All we as fans are asking is for you to take your stubborn side and throw it to the side for the greater good of the team. This city loves the Bulldogs, you know that. A great amount of us will support Fresno State football regardless of what happens, but when you have a fix why don't you use it? Sean Norton our first and only Parade All American sits on the bench watching our starting QB throw one bad pass after another. We understand you don't want to put all of the blame on Tom but he has to take some of the faults for what has gone wrong.

Football is a great game Mr. Hill. You have done an outstanding job of turning around a program that would have never played the big time schools we have in the past ten years. However, today we need more from you. We need you to open up your mind and try something you don't necessarily like doing. We as Fresno State fans need you to give others a chance. We need you to make changes on this team. Put Sean Norton in and see how he does under pressure. Give Jefferson a chance at corner, it can't become much worse with how badly both Simmons and Jenkins have played. In the end we just need you to allow change to happen. In 2007 we will have many young players on the field and these men wil not be ready to play unless they see time now. Make this a bright future for the Bulldogs. Give them a chance this weekend against Hawaii. Tom has had an opportunity and he has not done the job you had hoped he would. Open your mind and let other possibilities in. Once you do the results might surprise you. What if Norton leads us to a victory this weekend? What if Jefferson plays corner and shuts down Hawaii's receiver? It is not too late to make changes Mr. Hill. Unfortunately if you continue to operate within your stubborn ways you will lose much of the support you have gained over the past ten years. I would never want to see that happen to someone who I think genuinly loves Fresno State as much as the next fan. I wish you a great rest of the season, but please make some changes, it is all we ask as die hard fans of the Fresno State Bulldogs.
A Bulldog Fan for Life,
NSC

The Morning After

Last night was as tough a loss as Fresno State has ever experienced. As I explained last night there is so much wrong with Fresno State right now that there is not one area that can fix everything. The next few days I am going to go over the areas I really feel need the most attention in the order of their importance. For me the number one area of improvement is coaching. Pat Hill, Steve Hagen, and Dan Brown are not getting the job done. Of course all of this will fall on Pat Hill because he is the head coach and he is not preparing the Dogs the way he has in the past. The Bulldogs do not look ready when they come out on the field anymore. Not only do they not look ready to play, they also have no fire. I miss the days of David Carr led teams that were out to beat the world. Pat Hill seems to have lost his fire as the head coach and in the coming weeks it is going to be as important as ever for him to find a way to rediscover it.

The most obvious question is where does this team go from here? Pat Hill has become one of the single most stubborn coaches alive and unlike previous years he has affected the performance of the football team in doing so. Earlier in the season I noticed a problem with Brandstater (against Washington) with respect to his pocket presence. I took a lot of negativity for suggesting that he may not be the right quarterback for the Dogs because he has very little poise when in the game. I realize that most of the time my negativity poses a problem but this may be the only time I have been correct about a player at Fresno State. I had problems with Pinegar but he could throw the ball well. Brandstater did not complete 50% of his passes last night against one of the single worst defenses in the nation and it is all going to fall back onto Pat Hill. Pat Hill wanted to dumb down the playbook for the so called new receivers, but we all know it is being done because Tom cannot make the plays. So why do we continue to use a QB that cannot make the plays? Has Pat Hill ruined the remainder of the season? I still believe the answer is no, but only if the coaching wises up now and begins to make some changes.

First and foremost Pat Hill has to give Sean Norton a chance. If Norton doesn't work out so be it, but he has to let him see if he can do something positive for the Dogs. Pat needs to swallow his pride for the first time in his career at state and realize that he made a mistake. If he inserts Norton as starter this upcoming weekend there will be many more fans at the game than we might anticipate solely to see how good the Parade All American can play. If he let's Tom start again the attendance might be at an all time low as fans do not want to watch this offense go into it's pathetic mode that it tends to when Brandstater starts. On offense I don't feel like any more changes are needed aside opening up the playbook and maybe running the option with Norton at QB. If that happens we add another dimension to the game that Hawaii will have trouble keeping up with.

Dan Brown and the defense will have to figure out how to get pressure on the QB. Colt Brennan is amazing as most of you saw last night, but when he is pressured he will fumble or force throws. That is going to be the only way we win next weekend, with a opportunistic defense that hasn't done anything for us all season. We need interceptions and fumble recoveries next weekend and we need them bad. Brown needs to find a way to attack the Hawaii offense or this game is going to get out of hand fast. I would attack Steve Hagen but I feel like the play calling is not completely on him as Pat Hill has final say over all plays. So once again Pat Hill needs to change something on offense. I suggested a spread formation with Norton in from time to time but Hill is so stuck on the pro style that my spread idea will never materialize.

In the end changes are needed badly. Hill has to know this after the pathetic showing we had at Utah State. Congrats to Utah State and all but Pat Hill handed them a win. If they want to thank anyone for that win they have no where else to look but squarely at Pat Hill. Utah State knew we would run early and often and did everything they could to stop it daring us to throw. Pat Hill did not get the team ready and for that he should shoulder most of this loss.

The End of the Line

To the left is the man under fire right now. He obviously is not the only one who is taking heat for Fresno State as Pat Hill, Dan Brown, and Steve Hagan have all been thrown to the wolves this time around. I can't say I blame any Bulldog fans for being dissatisfied with our team, I know I am upset beyond belief right now. To lose a game the way we did tonight to such a bad team was unthinkable in my mind. When I wrote the blog titled "The Death March" I did not include Utah State in the ugly stretch we are about to embark on, I too took this game for granted. Unfortunately the Bulldogs have so much wrong now that it will not be fixed over the next three weeks. Heading into the single toughest stretch in their history, the Bulldogs now have lost four in a row. Forget a three game losing streak, how about seven in a row? We most certainly will be thrown into the ten worst teams in the nation this season after our skid hits seven (if it does). What does this team need to do to get itself back in business?

First of all Brandstater proved tonight he is not the answer. However, Pat Hill may not agree as he never seems to. I think it is entirely possible that next weekend Brandstater will trot out there to start the game and if that is the case there will be more boos at Bulldog stadium for Brandstater then there will be for the Warriors. Brandstater has the happiest feet I have ever seen and he cannot set himself to throw the ball. On the final drive of the game the Bulldogs had 44 seconds and two timeouts remaining. Brandstater overthrew his receivers four straight times. Receivers were open every single down but it is impossible to complete passes when you only look at one receiver the entire play. Brandstater would not have broken 100 yards today had it not been for a speedy Chastin West who made something happen out of nothing. Sean Norton may not the fix but he is a solution to a problem that needs repair right now. We need to see if he is able to do more than Brandstater and we need to find out next weekend. Whether we do or not is in Hill's hands and there are very few people who agree with the way Hill has run the team. Here is hoping to a change in the way things are being done at Fresno State.

Our play calling continues to be pathetic at best and honestly it will not get any better. If we put Norton in the option run would now be in play as he is much better on the rollout than Brandstater. My point here is not that Norton is going to fix us, because one player cannot fix this team. My point is a change is needed. I am currently sitting and watching the Hawaii offense move up and down the field on Nevada as if there were only one team playing. Fresno has the personnel to run the same exact offense with Wright being a similar weight to the Hawaii running back. Norton may not have as good an arm as Brennan but who does? Norton however can run and Brennan while having decent speed is not nearly as fast as Norton. We have four receivers who can catch the ball, two of them very capable of big plays every down. We have a tight end with very good hands yet we throw the ball his way twice a game at the most. The offense needs a change and if they dont come up with it this week Hawaii will blow Fresno out of the stadium.

I understand most fans are completely pissed off right now and you have every right to be. I do not want to hear the normal Pat Hill speach about execution either after this one. I just want to hear him say he made a mistake and he will do his best to fix it as he tries to get this team back to where it needs to be: a competitive team that gives every team it's all and wins 80% of their games.

Utah State 7 Fresno State 0

We are in the second quarter with a little over 7 minutes remaining and Utah State scored on a long passing play to take a 7-0 lead. Fresno State has missed two field goals (42, 27 yards). Yes Stitser has missed from 27. The Dogs are playing with no desire. They don't look like they care who wins as they have no points against one of the worst defenses in the nation. Brandstater is 5 for 7 for 61 yards up to this point, but it hasn't been impressive to say the least. Anytime Tom is forced to throw the ball longer than ten yards he just doesn't have the touch, but the receivers don't tend to be open so it doesn't matter much. The Dogs are being outgained 144 to 109, so if they don't pick it up soon we could be looking at another loss for the Dogs.

Once again the play calling is awful, run, run, throw, or throw, run, run. Utah State knows what is going on before we do. We need to pick it up. From here on just check the comments on this blog for the updates, it's easier to get done.

Opening Drive

Fresno State stalled on the opening drive as Brandstater missed an open Chastin West down the right sideline on a third and five. So far the Bulldogs run defense is ugly to say the least. They allowed a 20 yard run on the first drive and are giving up five yars or so per carry. Fresno State wil be getting the ball back with 7 minutes left in the first quarter as they have stopped a terrible Utah State offense for a 2nd time. Bulldogs ball, first and ten on the Aggies 43 yard line.

By the way Brandstater opened up the game with a 13 yard completion to Bear Pascoe. It is currently not raining but the Dogs look as if they are going to run a lot tonight. Wright carried the ball four times out of the first six plays. Look for this to continue.

Gameday - LiveBlog

Well we play Utah State today at 5pm. I am going to do my best to liveblog the game for anyone who can't watch it and is wondering what happened. I have never done one of these before but I figure now is as good a time to start. Anyhow if you want to find out that stuff just come back to the blog from time to time after 5pm and I will tell you what happened while at the same time giving my thoughts on what Fresno State should be doing to win the game. Well go dogs, lets get back on track here.

Fresno State vs. Utah State

At the beginning of the season I thought going into the Utah State game we would be 3-1. It never crossed my mind that the Bulldogs would actually be 1-3 t this point in the season. However, that is exactly where we stand at this point in time. The Utah State game is going to be much tougher than most of us would hope mainly because we aren't a very good team right now. This game reminds me of one we played in 2004 after we had lost three straight WAC games and everyone wondered what was going to happen the rest of the season. Instead the Bulldogs went out and pummelled SMU 42-0 in what was one of Pinegar's best games of his career. True it came against lowly SMU but it was a confidence builder that led to six straight wins and a finish in the top 25 nationally. Utah State may be just the game that could springboard the Dogs back into the mix this season. If Brandstater can come out and establish himself this game it possibly could lead to more confidence leading into the Hawaii game. If this Fresno State team can figure out a way to beat Hawaii they will have a chance to win every remaining game on their schedule. Hawaii in my opinion is the hardest remaining game we have left, but it all starts with Utah State.

Utah State is not a good team, but they do have some momentum going into the game. They scored 21 points last week, their biggest offensive output of the season. They will be starting a new QB which always seems to give teams some momentum if for no other reason than the fact a change is being made. This game will be much closer than any of us as Fresno State fans want it to be. I keep believing that Fresno State's offense is going to explode but it just hasn't done it quite yet this year. I feel like this will be Brandstater's make or break game. He will either perform amazing and lead us to a big win, or once again perform mediocre leading to a change at QB. Pat Hill believes in Brandstater but you can tell that Hill will replace him if he does not do the job in this game. Hill knows he has little room for error with Hawaii, LSU, and Boise State coming up so expect him to have a relatively short leash with Brandstater this weekend, something we are not used to. Hill will have to get Norton reps before a game against Hawaii and he knows this. If he wants Norton to be sharp he knows he will have to get him some snaps in this game. So as I said, if Brandstater struggles look for Norton to come in and take his spot in this one.

Fresno State should be able to put up 40 points in this game, Idaho did last weekend against Utah State and they are absolutely one of the worst teams in the nation. If the Bulldogs score 40 they will win this game with relative ease, but this is Fresno State so don't expect that to happen. We have a problem with playing down to our opponents level. I wouldn't be surprised to see it happen again tomorrow.

Boise and the BCS - Last night was a very good night for Boise State without having to step on the field. With Florida State losing the ACC is becoming a very disappointing conference. With the new BCS rules in place Boise needs to finish in the top 12 in order to qualify automatically for a BCS game. However, if Boise finishes in the top 16 they still have a great shot to play in a BCS game. If there is no team from the ACC ranked higher than Boise and the Broncos finish at 13-16, they will qualify for a BCS game as an undefeated mid-major conference winner. The chances of this happening are very good now that Miami and Florida State each have two losses. Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, and Clemson are all good teams, but none are good enough to run the remainder of their schedules without another loss meaning that each team in the ACC will have at least two losses. Hopefully Boise will represent the WAC well if they go undefeated. They will be underdogs in whatever BCS bowl game they play, but the Broncos offense is good enough to hang with just about anyone so we will see how this turns out. Not to mention that if a WAC team does make a BCS game it will help the conference as a whole as that is a great amount of money for the entire conference to split.

WAC Weekend Schedule: WAC play finally begins as four games take place this weekend with the highlight game being Nevada @ Hawaii.

1) Nevada @ Hawaii - Nevada is a good team, but Hawaii is different this year. Look for Hawaii to win this game by two touchdowns.

2) New Mexico State @ Idaho - Chase Holbrook could throw for 600 yards in this game if Mumme lets him throw the ball that much. New Mexico State could pull out a close one here.

3) La. Tech @ Boise St. - Biggest mismatch of the weekend. Look for Boise to win big.

4) Fresno State @ Utah State - Will be closer than Bulldog fans want it to be but Fresno will pull out a tough one.

Notre Dame's BCS Deal - I didn't realize this until today but Notre Dame makes money off of the BCS even if they don't participate in a game. Because of the agreement the BCS made with Notre Dame the Golden Domers receive 1.3 million dollars regardless if they play in a BCS game or not. Now I am not saying Notre Dame is cheating the system but how exactly is this fair? Why is it that Notre Dame seems to get special treatment with respect to college football and the rules of the game? It is almost as if they make an entire set of rules that does not apply to Notre Dame. Just wondering if anyone else has noticed this and cares to comment on it.

The Death March

Fresno State travels to Utah State this weekend for a game they should have a chance to win easily. However, following that game is what I view as the toughest three game stretch in Bulldog history. This stretch is much worse than the one that covered Oregon State, Wisconsin, and Colorado in 2001. The reason is Hawaii, Boise State, and LSU will finish in the top 25 this season with Boise and LSU being in the top 15 by the time the season is all said and done. If Hawaii were to knock off the Bulldogs I do not see them losing another game this season which will put them at 11-2. Boise in my opinion is not going to lose a game and will finish 12-0 now that they have finished the tough part of the schedule (if you can call it that). LSU may lose another game but they are a powerhouse of a team in the SEC. Unlike the 2001 season where 2 out of the 3 teams the Dogs knocked off to start the season struggled for the remainder of the season, these three teams are all superior and going to finish the season strong. So let's take a look at each game and see if Fresno State has it in them to knock off any of these teams.

Hawaii - In my opinion this is the single worst matchup for Fresno State this season. Hawaii is going to run it's four and five sets of receivers forcing the Bulldogs to go man to man. The problem doesn't lay within the formations or the spread offense Hawaii runs, but instead sits wth Colt Brennan. Colt Brennan is one of the better QB's in the nation and can start for just about anyone. He is not your typical Hawaii QB who is prospering in a system that makes him look better than he truly is. Ask Boise fans how good this guy truly is and they will tell you he is one of the better QB's to come through and play against Boise State. Fresno State will have to pressure Brennan early and often just to keep this game close. The fact the game is at home is a good thing because we tend to play well against Hawaii in the Dog house. Due to the fact this is homecoming and it is our rival Hawaii we should have a decent amount of fans at the game. However, Fresno is going to have to play the game of their lives to beat Hawaii this season.

LSU - One of the best defensive teams in the nation, they shoud be undefeated but faltered against #2 Auburn earlier in the season. Playing at LSU is going to be a tough task, but because this is an SEC team the offense they run will look very similar to what the Bulldogs run. The only difference is Russell (the QB for LSU) is more efficient at running LSU's offense than Brandstater has been with the Bulldogs giving LSU a decisive advantage in this game. Fresno should be able to hang in this game if they play up to their potential but they are going to have to contain Russell and stop the LSU running game. If they can take the crowd out of the game this may be Fresn's best shot at winning a game out of the three.

Boise State - Boise runs the ball as efficiently as any team in the nation. However, after watching Ian Johnson he seems to be the strongest with respect to running over the middle. Fresno State is very good at stopping the run over the middle. If Johnson can run outside that will put the Dogs in a tough position. They tackle well inside of the tackles but once everything is run outside the game changes for the Dogs completely. McCauley has been an outstanding tackler this year and if they run his way he will stop Boise. Unfortunately most running has gone away from McCauley and we just do not have the resources to keep up on that side of the field. Because Boise's strength is the run game I feel like the Bulldogs have a much better chance to play with Boise than they do with Hawaii. Yes, the game being in Boise does not make the situation any easier but the Dogs should be able to contend in this game. I would look for the Dogs to be in this one well into the fourth quarter.

This is going to be a very hard stretch for the Dogs. If they can knock off Utah State (and they really need to) they will have a little momentum going into the Hawaii game. A win at Hawaii and the LSU game might be much more feasable. If they pull out the LSU game then anything is possible at Boise. There is much hope with this team if they can pull it all together. Unfortunately there is the possibility that the Dogs could be 2-6 after this stretch. I really hope that doesn't happen, but if it does it is because we did not get the job done and Pat Hill and the Dogs will have no one to blame but themselves. I know we will win one of those three, I just don't know which one it will be. But we will win one, count on it.

Is Auburn a Good Idea?

They are ranked #2 in the nation. They are a modern powerhouse college football team. They have one of the top defenses (if not the top defense) in the nation and have a great running game that can devastate any opponent. Fresno State is willing to play them next year without anything in return aside the game itself. Fresno State wants a home game in return but Auburn is not going to give us that, we are not a BCS team. Major market teams such as Auburn will never play in a stadium like Fresno State's. For God sake's Auburn only plays four road games this season and only leaves their home state twice the entire season. In other words Auburn does what they want when they want to.

The question I have is do we as fans feel like this is a good game to play? I know that our team is going to be very young next season with many underclassmen starting. Our QB position is going through much turmoil but hopefully will be fixed by that time. We will have a new starting RB and three new starting wide receivers. We will have to replace Kyle Young at center. We will have to replace Marcus McCauley, Vincent Mays, Elgin Simmons, and Josh Shirley (although the last three on that list haven't been impressive at all). Fresno State will be going through a year of rebuildng next season as Pat Hill will have to plug in players to see where they fit best. We will have plenty of players on the field with little experience. We already have a schedule next season with Oregon on the road (who will be in the top 20 without a doubt) and K-State at home who should be much improved. Adding Auburn is really going to put a strain on this young Fresno State team. I don't necessarily think it is in the best interest of a young team to go and play a game of this magnitude. Does anyone remember David Carr's first game at Ohio State and what happened? We were a relatively young team at that time as well. It is very hard for a young team to go into a hostile environment such as Auburn and have a positive experience (plus Oregon's stadium is pretty damn hostile already). I just believe this game has such a huge downside that maybe the Dogs should find another opponent closer to the West coast to play.

However, I realize that games like this can also be good for a young program. A game like this can teach the young players how tough it is in a hostile environment to execute the way you do while in practice. If Brandstater went through a game such as this and performed above expectations it could very well stay with him for the remainder of the season improving his performance as the season moves along. This kind of game can also help to bring the team together if the Dogs can show they can hang with such a dominant team on the road. Regardless of how you look at it, this is going to be one of the toughest games in Bulldog history if they they play it. USC was tough, but it was only four hours away from home and 20,000 of us went down to USC to watch the game. It was almost a home away from home in that game for the Bulldogs. Auburn will not be that way and there will be very little Bulldog support down there for the game. I just hope the team is ready if we accept a game like this, to say the least it is going to be a learning experience.

Brandstater on Himself - Today in the Fresno Bee they covered the woes on offense for Fresno State. I was impressed with the fact that Brandstater knows he is not getting the job done. He said if he doesn't improve he knows this is going to be it for him which makes me believe he knows he has to improve. I respect the fact that Tom is not acting like he has played amazing and blaming others for his problems. It's nice to see someone taking the blame when he knows he has not performed as well as he can.

Is the FSFB Optimistic or Pessimistic?

First and foremost guys, I started this blog to share my thoughts, feelings and knowledge of Bulldog football with fellow fans. NSC is a passionate fan and has taken the time to post here, since I do not have the same amount to devote to this site as I did last season. I have asked numerous time if anyone else wanted to contribute to the blog, and no one else stepped to the plate. Now, some of the loyal readers (thank you for reading) are calling him not a fan of Bulldog football, WTF?

NSC and myself spend countless hours, reading, studying and searching for information that other Bulldog fans might find interesting or informative. You don't always have to agree with us, but just respect the fact that we are Bulldog fans and love Bulldog football.

As far as my take on scheduling, unlike NSC, I remember the days of the PCAA/Big West. Granted I was only in elementary, junior high and high school, but I followed the Bulldogs just as passionately as I do now. In fact, I probably followed them more then because it was hard to get information on them outside of the Fresno Bee.

I never thought Fresno State would ever get to play Tennessee, Oklahoma, Ohio State, USC, Kansas State, or Wisconsin in the regular season, let alone schedule home games with the latter two. But I get NSC's point. Jim Sweeney would have played the "big boys" in the 80s and early 90s, but he didn't want to whore out the program. He knew he didn't have the speed to contend with some of the better teams and wouldn't go on the road unless it was a home-and-home. He made an exception with UCLA in 1987 and 1995 and again his final season with Auburn.

Fresno State was not hurting financially like fellow Cal-States like Long Beach State and Cal-State Fullerton and didn't have to schedule "body-bag" games. Would Fresno State have had the same success under Sweeney if it played the "big boys" every year? My guess is no, and Fresno State might not have been invited to join the WAC in 1992. The football team's success in the mid and late 80s was the driving force to get the WAC invitation.

Sweeney had a very talented team in 1987, minus a QB with starting experience but the defense was relentless. But games at Washington State and UCLA took their toll early on. And the offense was not quite good enough to beat SJSU at home, close road losses at Pacific and Utah State sent the 'Dogs to an 6-5 season. If the schedule had been the usual soft self, minus WSU and UCLA, the 'Dogs very well could have started strong, worked out the kinks on offense and won the PCAA and earned a bowl berth.

Boise State knows it can't contend week-in and week-out against a tough schedule, and chooses to schedule what best fits its program. Pat Hill, on the other hand, feels his team can and schedules the best possible schedule. Am I for it? Hell, yea! But I think Hill, should realize the limitations of his team. If the Bulldogs travel to Baton Rouge in three weeks for nothing more than to be taken behind the woodshed, it really could hurt the program, instead of helping it.

USC was a great game and great exposure, but since the team has won just one game. Hill's program earned unparalleled respect from the nation and instead of building upon that, the program is regressing. And a blow-out loss at LSU, might be see Hill's program make a complete 180 in less than one year.

So with that said, why schedule a slate full of tough games in 2007, when the program might need wins and confidence more than national respect. The schedule already has games at Oregon and at home vs. Kansas State. The Ducks will be a top 20 team, and the Wildcats will be a bowl contender next season. In my opinion, there is no need to add a game at a top-flight SEC school. Sacramento State is already on the schedule, so why not try to get one or two more non-BCS school at home, giving the program seven -- or maybe eight home games -- for the first time since 1994. The game at Hawaii will give the 'Dogs 13 games in 2007, I for one would like to see at least seven home games, I am tired of "death-march" schedules with seven road games.

note: The pic is a painting of Heraclitus and Democritus. Imaginary portraits of these greatest pre-Socratic philosophers were meant to provoke reflection on two extreme attitudes in life: one optimistic and the other pessimistic. (don't mean to insult the intelligence of some, but just give the few the heads up)

Where do the QB Problems Begin?

I have been unfair in many respects to Tom Brandstater as our QB at Fresno State. I have put much blame on him for not making the throws when we need him to. I have put even more blame on him for his decision making which really hasn't been too surprising if you go back and watch the games we have played up to this point. I do feel that Brandstater should shoulder some of the blame because he is the starting QB and he really is going to have to make some throws when the team is counting on him. However, I feel that the problems at QB amount from problems that occur all over the offensive side of the ball. The Colorado State game is a perfect example of what is wrong with the Fresno State offense. Below are just a few reasons why I feel like the Bulldogs offense is sputtering.

1) Play-Calling: I honestly believe that the Bulldogs coaching staff is to blame for this part of the game. Brandstater can only get the play in from the sideline and then go from there. If the O-Coordinator or Pat Hill calls two runs on first and second down leaving the Dogs with a third and long Brandstater is automatically put in a tough spot. As a first year starter the coaching staff should be easing Brandstater into these situations and the only way to do that is to put less pressure on him in third down situations. For example last weekend we had a third and one from our own 40 yard line and instead of handing the ball off to Dwayne Wright the O-Coordinator thought it would be a good idea to try and have Tom run for it out of the shotgun. Not only was this easily the worst call of the game, but it could also lead to Tommy getting hurt which is not what we as fans want to happen. If the coaches do not change the way they call the game they are going to continually put Tom in a position to fail as our starting QB.

2) Defensive Pressure - Our offensive line was bad against Colorado State as Brandstater was sacked more times than I can ever remember a Bulldog QB going down. The Bulldogs need to learn how to pick up the blitz so Tom is not continually under pressure in the backfield. Tom has little time to throw and is forced to let go of the ball before a receiver has even made a cut. If he is to be successful Tom is going to have to have faith in the offensive line to block for him. I will say two men you cannot blame for this are D-Wright and Roshon Vercher. They both do an outstanding job of picking up whatever blitzing safety or linebacker comes from the middle of the field. I have noticed the problems tend to come from the outside as the Bulldogs seem to let a man through each time untouched.

3) Offensive Scheme - Being a run oriented team is fine. Being a predictable run-oriented team is ridiculous and that is exactly what Fresno State has become. Everyone in the stadium knows we are going to run on first down, and if we don't run they know we will not throw the ball more than five yards downfield on first down. Open it up and run some plays that other teams would be surprised to see. The Vanilla offense is not going to work in two weeks against Hawaii as it has not worked up to this date. The Bulldogs offense needs to get back to the basics with respect to running routes, blocking, and picking up the blitz. If they do this Brandstater will be a much more successful QB in the long run.

With that being said Tom does need to stop staring down receivers and get rid of the ball a bit earlier. He also needs to get a better feel for the pocket. Of course there are areas Tom needs to get better in, but if the Bulldogs offense can help him out I still believe Brandstater can be a much better QB. If Saturday the Dogs block well for him and give him time to throw and he still struggles then it will be time to replace him. However, Tom deserves a fair shot with an offense that is giving him a chance to succeed.

Note - Fresno State received a committment from Clovis High's receiver Matt Lindsey who is one of the central sections better receivers. Who do we owe for a chance to land such a good receiver? None other than Tom Brandstater as Lindsey stated that palying with Brandstater is part of the reason he decided to choose Fresno State over both Oregon State and Colorado. Just so everyone knows Lindsey is one of the top rated receivers in the central section with respect to catches and receiving yardage as he had 13 catches for 225 yards in Clovis High's opening game of the season.

Response to Scheduling Thoughts

I have to say I am surprised so many people disagree with me about the way Fresno State generally schedules. You all make outstanding points about how Fresno State is preceived to be a far more dangerous team than any of the other mid-majors because of the chances they take by putting teams such as Tennessee, Oklahoma, Oregon, USC, and LSU on their schedule. I also completely understand where everyone is coming from when you talk about how Fresno needs to continue to schedule this way. The only problem I have with the entire theory posed by each of you is this: You say that if the Bulldogs went undefeated they would be in a BCS game without conflict. While I agree that is true I also feel that Fresno State's chances of going undefeated are slim to none. One response stated that the undefeated season's by Boise, Tulane, and other mid-majors didn't warrant as much consideration for a BCS game as an undefeated season by the Bulldogs would warrant. However, these teams have all had undefeated seasons and we have not. That is the only point I make. I know that we have had a chance to make that happen but we have not done it. I feel like our scheduling hurts because the Dogs have to get up so high for a game such as the LSU game, and then they are brought back down to earth when they play someone like a LA. Tech two weeks later.

That being said I won't change how I feel with respect to scheduling. I know that sometimes teams need to schedule to fit the talent level they have so I don't question why some of the smaller schools only schedule games against schools they can compete with. At the same time I accept that most Fresno State fans agree that the Bulldogs way of scheduling is how mid-majors should do it and I will lay off this topic. However, I did get many responses from people and remember that is the point of writing a blog such as this. I try to get people interested and want to hear what they have to think. I don't mind if they do not agree with me, I just want to know what the rest of the Bulldog fans out there think about the way things are going for Fresno State. GoBulldogs.com won't write an article that is against Fresno State nor will the Fresno Bee. So that pretty much leaves MDG sand I to write about what is really going on with respect to the Dogs.

While most of the responses were warranted I have to say there is one post I can't say I agree with. One person stated "The replacement of Brandstater and the departure of Hill, would be very detrimental to the program". Coaching in college football tends to be a carousel, and the fact that Pat Hill has remained the Bulldogs coach for ten years is a testiment to what he has meant to the Bulldogs. But what many people have to realize is that change is not always bad. I mean because we go through change it does not always lead to terrible results. Colorado changed coaches and I am willing to bet down the line it will be a much better atmosphere in Boulder. If Hill could open up his mind with respect to the team such as the play calling and player rotation then I would feel like there is no need for a new coach. Hill used to feed on the fact that other teams would often overlook the Bulldogs but that is not happening anymore. Our punch them in the mouth and surprise them with our tenacity is not working anymore because other teams are coming out and becoming just as physical as we are in games. This should be noticed right away as the Dogs usually score on the first drive of the game but are continually frustrated after. The reason is the adjustments other teams make. Is it just me or does it seem like the other teams we have played all make great adjustments while we do very little after the first quarter? At the same time changing the QB isn't going to kill Fresno State. It can't get worse and that is my point with respect to this kind of change. Jenkins and Simmons rotate at corner and neither of them do a very good job as they have not figured how to cover quite yet. If Norton came in and performed as Brandstater has up to this point it would not change anything. Honestly it would be hard to do worse.

What I would like to see is for Brandstater to start against Utah State, but for Norton to get some reps during the game. If Norton could get into the game and get a feel for it he would be much more prepared for the follwing three games. Say Brandstater struggles horribly against Hawaii. If Norton has not played at all up to that point is that the kind of game you bring him into? The same should go for the next two games at LSU and at Boise. Norton would have to have some experience before that three game streak to perform at a respectable level. Whether he gets any reps at Utah State will be up to Hill, but I don't foresee that happening. I realize Brandstater has great arm strength but he needs to step it up this weekend. He needs to unload on a Utah State team that is not good by any means of the imagination. Brandstater needs to turn this game into a route early on by hitting his targets early and often. I believe Tom can do this, I just hope that he has the confidence in himself to do the very same. I know it has been a very tough start for him, but if he could orchestrate a win at Utah State and find a way to win one of the big three games following (hopefully Hawaii) he would then put us in line for a bowl game once again. If we finished 7-1 in the WAC this season we would come in second and that would warrant an eighth straight bowl. It all starts this weekend with Utah State. I know this is going to be a good weekend, I just have that feeling. Tune in because Tom or Sean is going to tear the Aggies a new one.

Scheduling Respect

Yesterday on the BarkBoard I posted a topic on scheduling and how Fresno State is affected by their own scheduling each season. I used Boise State as my example of how a team should schedule and as I expected most Fresno State fans were not happy with what I had to say. However, I feel as if Fresno State fans are ignoring the results of the scheduling that Boise and Fresno have attempted over the past three years. While Fresno State has played teams such as USC, Oregon, and Virginia they have very little to show for it aside a bowl victory over the Cavaliers in 2004. Boise on the other hand while playing a paltry schedule has been the team with the more desirable results. Boise's last three bowl opponents have been TCU (ranked in the top 25 at the time), Lousiville (ranked in the top ten at the time), and Boston College (ranked in the top 25 at the time). Quick, how many of Fresno State's bowl opponents over the last seven years have been ranked at the time they played? If you answered one you are correct. So Fresno State who has the mighty schedule and the mentality that they will play anyone anywhere in the end is the one that ends up on the short end of the stick. I do not possibly understand how any Fresno State fan could see our respect level as being better than that of Boise's with these type of results.

If our goal is to play in a great bowl game against a BCS opponent then why do we not schedule as Boise does? Boise is going to play in a BCS game this season, mark my words. They will be the only undefeated mid-major and with that they will carry votes to get into the top 12 in the nation. Each week after they rip another opponent a new one they will move up one or two spots. Boise right now sits in the 19-20 range. if they win their final seven games and move up 1-2 spots a week they will be in the top 12 when the season is over. However, remember the loophole rule that the NCAA made to give mid-majors a better chance at a BCS game. If Boise finished 14th in the rankings but no team from a conference such as the ACC finishes higher then Boise is in. With the way the ACC has performed up to this point I would not be surprised to see Boise finish higher than that entire conference. With that being said Boise would then most likely play a team such as Texas in the Fiesta Bowl. But wait a minute, Boise gets no respect and never plays anyone, until it matters that is.

The problem I am having here is understanding the Fresno State fans point of view on scheduling. It makes absolutely no sense to me why you would want as fans to continue scheduling teams we have a great chance of losing to. Yes I understand that if we win the game we all of the sudden become a headliner for college football again. However, look at it from this point of view. Say for the next three years Fresno State dumbs down it's schedule. Say the Bulldogs in turn go 11-1 for two years, and the third year go 12-0. In the first two years they play top 25 teams in bowl games and the third year they play in a BCS game. Are you telling me because we didn't play as tough a schedule you as Fresno State fans would not appreciate a BCS game in that third year? Are you saying as Fresno State fans you will not accept all of the money and accolades that comes with a BCS game?

What should be remembered here is if we do concentrate on scheduling big game non-conference opponents we are continuing to forget about the conference we play in. The WAC should be the first goal, win the conference and the move on to the bigger and better things college football has to offer. No my opinion is not always correct, it is just my opinion and nothing more. I feel like if we would have skipped the LSU game this year and played a lesser opponent then our season wouldn't be looking so terrible right now. However, we took the LSU game and there is a real possibility that this team could be 2-6 after eight games. Is that really what you as Fresno State fans want to see? I know I don't and I am tired of playing these schools that offer nothing but a big loss for us. Schedule to fit the talent of the team, don't schedule without thinking about how it will affect the team. It is this unwillingness to look at what is best for the Fresno State football team as a whole that has started this downward spiral the Dogs are currently in.

Where Do We Go From Here?

There are a few different directions this Bulldog football team can go from here. From our past the most common direction this team can go is down because Fresno State teams tend to completely fall apart once things begin to go wrong. The 2006 Bulldogs look as if they are headed down the same road as many Bulldog teams of years past. This team may be one of the more talented teams under Pat Hill, but they are doing absolutely nothing to show it. However, I along with many other fans are at the point that we have stopped blaming the players for what is going wrong. The players have to realize they are not getting the job done. The problem is we are at the point where the coaching is beginning to take the blame, and rightfully so.

Play calling has been a problem since day one. This team oriented itself around the running game of D-Wright without a second thought to what they would do if a defense shut down the run. Saturday we saw what happens when this team cannot run the ball: Nothing. The passing game of Fresno State is ridiculous to say the least. The quarterback position is looking worse as the season ages on. Each week it is as if Brandstater takes a step back instead of a step forward. As it was obvious to the 40,000 plus fans in the stadium Saturday night, a change at QB is needed right now. Unfortunately we have come to learn here at Fresno State that Pat Hill will stick with his starter through thick and thin. It does not matter how many interceptions he may throw each week, he is the starter and Sean Norton has absolutely no chance of getting into the game. If Norton could not get a chance to play in the fourth quarter down 18 points then when will he possibly ever play? I feel like the failure to allow another QB a shot to get in the game is a pride issue with Pat Hill. What if Sean Norton were to get a chance? What if Fresno State won by twenty with Norton in the game? How would Pat Hill possibly explain having Norton on the bench for as long as he did? Hill would not be able to say "I thought Tom was a much better QB" because he knows that is not true. If Norton were to come in and make the fans look right then our coach would look wrong. Just realize Bulldog fans we are not allowed to be correct when analyzing what is wrong, we are only fans and do not have an idea of what is truly going on down on the field.

So where is this Bulldog team headed? Can they salvage something from this disappointment of a start? Of course they can but will they? If nothing is changed the season will only continue to spiral downwards. The QB position needs to be addressed. The corner position needs to be fixed somehow. The secondary is terrible, there is just no other way to put it. Pat Hill stated that Tommy did all he could against the blitzing of the Rams, and he was not going to put the blame on him for the results that occurred. To me that means absolutely nothing. Tommy is a QB and his job is to adjust to the blitz. If he knows they are blitzing the middle why does he not audible to slant routes over the middle? Because he does not have the vision that a QB needs to survive in the college football world. He could be a great QB but he has to improve his vision, touch, and timing. Unfortunately those are all absolutely required to be a good QB in college. Right now Tommy is not good, he is average at best. Right now the only players that have been in the positive light are Marcus McCauley and Dwayne Wright. If we could somehow teach the other corner to play with the tenacity and fire that McCauley plays with we would have two great corners out there instead of just Marcus.

Where do I see this team in five weeks? I don't know if we are going to fix anything this season. I feel like our coach just doesn't have enough change in him to make this season a success. With Hill's son graduating from Clovis West this year we may also be in for a big change as the coaching job may be vacant. Hill has been a great man for Fresno State for ten years now, but change is part of the college football life. Every school needs to go through change and it is time for Fresno State to do so as well. The Dogs need to go out and search for a coach that is open to the offensive side of football. With teams like Boise, Nevada, and Hawaii in the WAC we need to be able to score points to win this conference. A pro style offense will not win the WAC, it hasn't in the last ten years so why would it anytime soon? Will any of this happen? I have no idea, but I am just interested in what is best for the football program as a whole and the one constant I see that we need is that of change. If we do not change anything as I said before the season will be lost. For most Bulldog fans that would be utterly disappointing considering the hopes we had before the season began.

When is a Change Necessary?

Sometimes a team comes to a point in the season where if changes are not made the outcome will only become worse. Fresno State is at that point early in the season. Although the Bulldogs have only played four games they need to change something and they need to do it soon. This season is as close to over as it possibly can be and we have not hit the halfway point of the year quite yet. In my mind many changes need to made in order for the Bulldogs to salvage the 2006 season. I fear that if no changes are made this team is only going to get worse as the season moves along. In my opinion some of the changes that need to be made are listed below in order of importance:

1) A Quarterback Switch - Tonight after Tom Brandstater threw his second pic in as many series my brother looked at me and said "I was never on the Sean Norton bandwagon, but if he doesn't get a shot to play after the way Tom has started this season he should transfer because he can't be as bad as Tom has been". I have given Brandstater the benefit of the doubt in saying that the offensive playcalling is what has lost us the first two games in this three game losing streak. Tonight we were able to see what happens when the running game is shut down. D-Wright rushed for 77 yards (far below his 150 yards per game average) and the game fell into the hands of our sophomore quarterback Brandstater. Needless to say Brandstater did not come through. He threw for over two hundred yards for the first time this season, but that was mostly because he had to come from behind the entire night. His final line looked like this: 19 for 42, 3 int's, 1 td. Brandstater has shown that he continually looks uncomfortable in the pocket and has absolutely no touch on any pass that is beyond 15 yards. I am not one to knock a guy for giving all the effort he possibly can, but I just don't feel that Brandstater has the gifts needed to be a quarterback for this team. It is quite possible that Sean Norton does not have the talent to lead this team either, but if he does not play how will we possibly know? The Dogs need to give Norton a chance now because Brandstater has been given his chance and has not been able to come through. The season is not lost, but if we don't change this qb situation things will only get worse as the season goes on.

2) Special Teams - An eight yard punt. A 58 yard punt return for a touchdown. A blocked extra point. What is the one thing these three occurances all have in common? They all happened on special teams Saturday night against Colorado State. I do not know if the problem is the fact that Malone does not have the hang time that Lingua does, but something needs to be done to fix the punting game. Whether it be to kick it out of bounds every time or just plain go for it on fourth down, our punter is not getting the results that Lingua did. I am not sure where the lapses are on the special teams return team but not only do we give up great field position every time the opposition has the ball, we also cannot provide a positive kick return to help with field position for the offense. We cannot continue to allow the opposition to start from their 35-40 yard line every time they have the ball. Our defense aside McCauley cannot tackle, cover, or do anything right when it comes down to it. If the special teams is not fixed soon our remaining games could get quite ugly for Fresno State.

3) Secondary Changes - The hard truth is that Jenkins and Simmons are just not getting the job done. I realize that Hill wanted to redshirt Jefferson but he is the freshman who has shown he can stay with defenders. Why he is not playing is something I would love to know. Mays once again showed that four star hype out of high school will get you no where if you don't preapare yourself for the season at hand. Not only has Mays struggled in the safety spot but so has Sherley. The only bright spot in the secondary was Marcus McCauley which is usually the case for the Bulldogs. He did give up a long touchdown that made the score 35-17, but if you were to look back and view that touchdown you might notice a Colorado State receiver pushing off on the play to catch the ball. Unfortunately I do not know how the secondary can possibly be fixed. The Dogs need to figure out if they have a playmaker who can step in and play on the level that Richard Marshall did for the Dogs. If we cannot find any defensive help in the secondary Hawaii is going to man-handle us.

4) Create Pressure on the QB - Tonight in the second half of the game we were able to see Sherley (#97) get constant pressure on the Colorado State offense. However, as I said it only occurred in the second half. For the most part Fresno has not figured out a way to get their players near the opposing team's qb's. If this continues even a team like Utah State will give us a run for our money.

5) Offensive Play Calling - The Dogs coaching staff needs to figure out a way to pass the ball but only in a way that fits Brandstater (or Norton sometime soon). Although I would like to see Norton get a chance I know how stubborn Pat Hill is and there is no way he will blame any of this on the quarterback right now. Somehow Hagen is going to have to figure out a way to get this offense going. I think the change needs to be the quarterback but I am not sure if everyone believes that. If the O-coordinator has a quarterback that can make the longer throws while being somewhat accurate then maybe he would feel confident about calling deep routes more often.

Lastly I want to say it was great to have Clifton Smith in the game returning kicks. He had a chance to run back the first kick he fielded but instead fell down after a gain of 30 yards or so. At the same time it was nice to Marcus Riley out there roaming the field quite often. I know that most of you are avid Pat Hill followers. I realize I am going to take a huge hit from the fans for this one, but I also feel like it might be time for Pat Hll to move on. I know you are going to say that is ridiculous, but we have lost seven out of our last eight games. Hill has done absolutely everything he wanted to during his time at state. He built the program up and made them into a nationally known name. Pat Hill has the ability to be a great NFL coach because of the system he likes to run. It might be time for him to make that jump. At the same time Pat Hill makes an awful lot of money (over one million dollars a year) to coach a team that has won eight games on the average per season. It just might be time to get someone in here that is a little bit more offensive minded.

Fresno State endured a beating tonight at the hands of Colorado State. If the university does not do something about the football program and its coaching then the football team may very well become the Idaho of the WAC. It may not be something you want to hear, but Fresno State this year is definitely along the same lines as of a San Jose State and such (maybe not, San Jose did beat San Diego State 31-10). As I stated before this season is lost if Pat Hill and the Dogs do not change anything. I just know a change is necessary here and if we don't accomplish one then the Dogs will continue to fail during the remainder of the season.