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October 13, 2009

Rivalry Game
By: Rusty Browning

Last week the Bulldogs did exactly what they needed to do against an undermanned Hawaii squad.  The game was never in question and the Bulldog’s could have easily won by 50 had they wanted to.  Next up for the ‘Dogs is interstate rival San Jose  State.  Coming into the year, the Spartans were expected to have a very good season and challenge for a bowl bid.  Unfortunately for Dick Tomey and friends, things have not gone as planned.  But, this is the type of game that can turn the season around for San Jose  State and Tomey will have his team prepared.  On the other hand, the ‘Dogs must look at this as another opportunity to take care of business.  The national media will ignore this game and most people outside of California will not even know the game was played. But come the end of the year, and bowl selection time, this game will have great meaning.  San Jose State is the type of opponent that good teams beat and average teams lose to.  The Bulldogs are clearly the more talented team and are playing as good as they have in 5 years.  As long as they can keep their heads in the right frame of mind and don’t overlook the Spartans, this game should be another victory for Fresno State.
 
The Bulldogs will look to establish the running game early and often.  Ryan Mathews has quietly become one of the best running backs in the country and should have another huge game.   Once Mathews and friends establish the run, Colburn can once again have the time he needs to find open receivers and shred the San  Jose secondary.  Defensively, the ‘Dogs just need to limit the big play.  That has been their Achilles heal in all three losses.  San Jose  State will not be able to consistently drive the ball against the ‘Dogs and will not be able to keep pace past the first quarter.  Look for Fresno State to put this game away by half time.
 
Prediction:
Fresno State 45
San Jose State 17

October 7, 2009

Now or Never
By: Rusty Browning
 

The Big Tuna once said “You are what your record says you are”.  Unfortunately for the ‘Dogs; that means they are 1-3.  Sure, they have possibly played the hardest schedule in the country to this point (their 3 losses are to teams with a combined 15-0 record), but the bottom line is they are 1-3.  Now comes the most important game of the season for the Bulldogs.  It may sound absurd to label this the most important game, but there is no doubt about it. This Saturday night, or Sunday morning to anybody east of the Rockies, they are matched up against Hawaii.  The ‘Dogs have better talent and have been playing better football than the Warriors; but in the past this has not mattered.  Through out Coach Hill’s tenure, Fresno State has consistently lost to lesser competition year after year.  Now is the time to reverse this trend. The game is at Hawaii which is a challenge for any team, but the bottom line is you have to beat the teams you are better than.  This years team is not going to win the WAC, they are not going to go to a BCS bowl and will most likely end the season unranked – but in order to regain any sort of relevance this is a must win.  Losing this game will devastate the program: it would start a downward spiral that will cost Coach Hill his job, will kill attendance at future home games, and hurt recruiting going forward.  However, winning the game puts the team on track to run the remaining schedule.  The ‘Dogs are more talented than any team they have left to play, and Coach Hill and his Fresno State Bulldogs must start winning these games every single week.  
 
To win the game, the ‘Dogs must not turn the ball over.  Turnovers have been a major factor in all 3 losses and they must be eliminated.  If the ‘Dogs can play relatively error free football, they will dominate the game. Hawaii will not be able to stop the ‘Dogs running machine known as Ryan Mathews and that should open up some deep ball opportunities.  The Defense has been playing very well this season, although the big plays have hurt the ‘Dogs. If the defense can play more of a bend but don’t break style against Hawaii, then victory will be there for the taking.  
 
Prediction:
Fresno State 38
Hawaii 27

October 1, 2009

BYE to Losing
By: Rusty Browning

 
I normally hate BYE weeks.  You wait all summer long for your team to take the field, and then you are stuck with an open date.  I must admit though, this is the best thing that could have happened to the Bulldogs.  The ‘Dogs need to step back and catch their breath.  This year’s ‘Dogs just played, arguably, the toughest 3 game stretch in team history.  From an outsider looking in, the ‘Dogs 1-3 start is a disaster.  Recent Bulldog teams would throw in the towel and just play out the schedule – I think this team is different.  The truth of the matter is, the ‘Dogs are a very good 1-3 team.  They just are not good enough to beat good teams.  They could have beaten Wisconsin, they could have beaten Cincinnati and Boise is just a machine that nobody can seem to beat.   The combined records of the teams who have defeated the Bulldogs is 12-0.  Next week is a game the Bulldogs must win.  They are playing at Hawaii and most likely will be a battle for second place in the WAC.  With a win over Hawaii, the ‘Dogs can regain some confidence.  But more than that, they can possibly run the table.  This Bulldog team is good, and the rest of the WAC is not good.  Nevada has been a huge disappointment, San  Jose St. is not playing as well as last year, and the rest of the league is just not playing well.   Do not be surprised to see the Bulldogs win all remaining games.  This team is once again a year away from great pre-season hype, but it starts now with an 8 game winning streak.
 

September 26, 2009

September 25, 2009

Fresno St Recap
BY: Jason Nafziger

After blowing out California-Davis, Fresno nearly pulled off an
overtime upset of Wisconsin then got blasted by Boise State.
Stats so far: FSU is 6th with 6.22 yards per rush attempt and 25th with 8.4
yards per passing attempt. Overall, they have scored 38.7 points and gained
495.3 yards on offense per game. Defensively, they are 115th with 6.02
yards allowed per rush attempt and 52nd with 6.2 yards allowed per pass
attempt. Overall, they have allowed 28.3 points and 374.7 yards per game.
Coming up: The Bulldogs take on Cincinnati, Hawaii and San Jose Sate.

Jason Nafziger writes about Pro and College Football at
http://onfootball.wordpress.com

September 16, 2009

WAC Game of the Year
By: Rusty Browning

Recap: Week #2
Once again Fresno  State had a BCS team on the ropes but let them get away.  This game was as frustrating as can be for Bulldog fans.  Fresno State outplayed Wisconsin for much of the game but a fourth quarter missed field goal and late game heroics from Wisconsin cost the Bulldogs any chance of BCS busting this year.  With the game in over-time, Wisconsin scored first to take a 31-24 lead.  The ‘Dogs answered the can and made the score 31-30.  It is easy to look back at this point in the game and make coaching decisions, but Coach Hill should have gone for 2. Playing on the road, with an undersized team, there is no reason to try and extend the game into a second overtime.  Take your chances of getting 2.5 yards and running off the field with a victory.  Too many times over the past few years have the ‘Dogs experienced devastating losses; this could have been an opportunity to win in dramatic fashion and taken that emotion right into the Boise game.
 

What to look for: Week #3
The first quarter of the game will be the most important.  One of two things will happen: 1) The ‘Dogs will be emotionally let down after another heart breaking loss to a BCS school and Boise State will have a 14-21 point lead and the game will effectively be over.  2) The ‘Dogs come out swinging and fight for WAC supremacy.  They out physical Boise  State and end the first quarter with a 3 – 7 point advantage; but they let it be known there will be no 50+ point blow outs this season.  
 
I think this Fresno  State team has a chance to be different than past squads.  I look for the ‘Dogs to fight all game and play even with Boise  State.  The Bulldogs will establish the run early and continue to run through out the game. This will open up some space for the passing game which will create some big plays. Boise State has shown over the past decade that no matter what the situation, they will be ready to play and there will not be a let down.  Every game Boise plays is another chance to improve their own BCS goals, and they are out for blood.

Prediction:

September 9, 2009

Redemption Week
By: Rusty Browning  

 
Recap: Week #1
The Fresno State Bulldogs dominated their week 1 opponent UC Davis in every aspect of the game.  The ‘Dogs played with an attitude that has not been seen since last years opening day victory over Rutgers.   Most pundits are chalking this victory up to the level of opponent, but don’t let them fool you. Before the game, most predictions I read were around 10-15 point ‘Dog victory.  Also, pitching a shut out against any opponent is impressive.  The Bulldogs surpassed all expectations and showed very little of their play book in doing so. I completely understand that beating UC Davis at home does not equate to beating Wisconsin on the road, but I do take note of what the ‘Dogs accomplished. This was 10 out of 10 in terms of what Coach Hill could have hoped to accomplish: re-establish Bulldog football, continue the season injury free, hide a majority of the play book, dominate an inferior opponent and install confidence in a beaten program and fan base.

What to look for: Week #2
Now comes a much bigger test for Fresno State. Playing on the road at a Big 10 stadium is going to be much different than getting UC Davis at home.  But do not be fooled, the ‘Dogs are every bit as talented as Wisconsin. As a matter of fact, I would argue that at every skill position the ‘Dogs are equal to or better than the Badgers.  Last season, the Badgers came to Fresno and walked out of the Valley with a 3 point win.  Anybody who watched the game in its entirety knows the scoreboard did not tell the true story of the game.  Fresno could have, and some might say should have, won that game.  The ‘Dogs have played at Camp  Randall in the past and have even won a game their.  Intimidation will not be a factor in this game.  
 
Offensively:
The ‘Dogs need to be faster than Wisconsin.  In order to win the game, Fresno State must establish the big play potential they have through out the game. Running the ball up the middle against a bigger Badger team will only lead to another 13-10 loss.  Look for Coach Hill to open it up early and often on Saturday morning.  Once the ‘Dogs get the Wisconsin defense on their heels, there will be plenty of room to pound the running game right at the Badgers.  Do not be surprised to see the ‘Dogs score 25+ points against a bigger, slower defense.
 
Defensively:
The Bulldogs are desperate to improve defensively over last season.  This game will go a long way in doing so.  There is no doubt that the Wisconsin game plan will be to ram the ball down the ‘Dogs throats.  Fresno State must stay patient and realize that the Wisconsin offense is not able to consistently drive the ball 70-80 yards and finish with touchdowns. I realize all fans want their defense to go out there and ‘seek and destroy’, but in this game the Bulldogs must take a ‘bend but don’t break’ philosophy.  Eventually, this will result in multiple turnovers as well as field goals rather than touchdowns.
 
Special Teams:
Field position will be a big part of the game.  The ‘Dogs must force Wisconsin to drive the entire field for points.  This means deep kick offs and good punting.  Coach Hill has always stressed special teams and in a game like this they are key.  

Prediction:
I really feel the ‘Dogs will upset Wisconsin.  The early Vegas line is at +8.5 for Fresno State, but I think is more based on conference ratings rather than looking at the two teams.  Coach Hill and his team are ready to take on the national stage one more time and it starts Saturday with a win over Wisconsin.
FSU 30
Wisconsin 23

September 2, 2009

What to look for: Week #1
By: Rusty Browning

 Fresno State Bulldogs vs UC Davis Aggies
 
The outcome of the game on Saturday night should not be in doubt. The Bulldogs are matched up against UC Davis, a team that has nowhere near the talent of Fresno State.  Sure, stranger things have happened; just ask Michigan or USC about that one?   UC Davis does have a recent history of competing with larger programs:  In 2005, the Aggies traveled to Stanford and beat the PAC-10 team.  And just last season, they lost a closely fought battle with WAC member San  Jose State 13-10.  Games like this are almost like Bowl games for UC Davis.  
 
What to look for offensively:
The ‘Dogs will establish their running game early and often.  They have 3 running backs, all of whom would probably start at most other schools that will see plenty of action on Saturday night.  The ‘Dogs offensive line will wear down the Aggies and I expect some long runs through out the evening.  I think Coach Hill will play the game fairly vanilla offensively.  Don’t look for too much Feathers this game, I really think he will be the secret weapon come next week @ Wisconsin. Hill knows his squad should beat UC Davis by playing basic, hard nose football.  There is no reason for Hill to show his entire play book at this stage.  The passing game will be used sparingly, but look for Hill to establish some chemistry between recently named starter Ryan Colburn and his veteran receiving corp.
 
What to look for defensively:
Defensively is what all Bulldog fans should be interested in watching.  The Defense is coming off an embarrassing two games to end the ’08 season.  If 2009 is going to be any different, it must start on the defensive end.  Fresno  State must find a way to slow down and eventually stop the run.  It has been an Achilles heel for years and to truly reach greatness, it begins with stopping the run.  The Fresno Defense must shut down Davis completely.  The ‘Dogs have more talent at every position and can not let the Aggies dictate anything offensively.  This will be a much better indicator of things to come than the final score will be.
 
What to look for on Special Teams:
Last year, Special teams were a nightmare for Coach Hill.  Through out his tenure, the ‘Dogs have always excelled on special teams but in ’08 they were out matched consistently.  Look for ’09 to be a year the ‘Dogs rebound.  AJ Jefferson should be one of the best return men in the country.  Sophomore Kicker <http://www.gobulldogs.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/goessling_kevin00.html> Kevin Goessling should have a terrific season after a rough start to his freshman year.  Look for A.J. to break one for a touch down at some point in the game and for Goessling to attempt 1 long field goal for confidence building purposes.
 
Worst Case Scenario: Obviously a loss would be beyond worst case, it would fall in to the category of catastrophic when it comes to college football.  Since I do not see anyway the ‘Dogs lose, here is what scares me:  Teams coached under Pat Hill have a tendency to play to the level of the competition, both good and bad.  The Aggies come in fired up and play a lethargic Bulldogs team that is looking ahead to Wisconsin.  Fresno State struggles all night to find consistency on offense and gives up some big plays on defense.  The ‘Dogs scrape out a game they should have dominated 24-17.

Best Case Scenario:  The Bulldogs take the field for the ’09 season with a chip on their shoulder.  They pound the Aggies early and often and establish an early lead.  The do not have to show much of the play book and ride their 3 headed monster of a running back to victory.  Defensively, they shut down everything the Aggies try and set the tone that 2009 will not be a repeat of the past few season.  
Final score: Bulldogs 31; UC Davis 10

August 31, 2009

Bulldog Games of the Decade
By: Rusty Browning

The 2009 Season is almost here, and much new drama will be added to the already exciting decade of the ‘Dogs.  The 2000’s have brought some excellent memories (both good and painful) to Bulldog fans; here is recap of the 10 most important games so far this decade.
 
#10) Win: 2003 Fresno St vs UCLA: The ‘Dogs got an intrastate matchup in the Silicon Valley Bowl against UCLA.  The Bulldog’s sent a message not only to the rest of of California, but also to the PAC 10: There was a new ‘Dog in the neighborhood and everybody better take them seriously.
#9) Win: 2008 Fresno St @ Rutgers: Looking back, this game ended up not being very important.  At the time, it was huge.  The ‘Dogs opened the season Nationally ranked playing at Rutgers on Labor Day.   Rutgers was a BCS team with a renowned coach and chomping at the bit to make another national splash.  Fresno St. went
into Rutgers and dominated the second half.  This game would be a lead up to what was called the biggest home game in history.
#8) Win: 2004 Fresno St vs. Virginia: The ‘Dogs were matched up against a Virginia team favored to beat them in the MPC Computers Bowl. Instead, the Bulldog’s won a thriller in overtime in a game which would give the team a ton of momentum heading into 2005.  It proved to the Country what ‘Dogs fans already knew: on any given day, the Fresno State Bulldogs can beat any team in the Nation.
#7) Loss: 2005 Fresno St @ Nevada: The ‘Dogs were coming off a heart breaking loss to the #1 Trojans. Still ranked #16 in the country, the ‘Dogs overlooked Nevada and could not shake the cobwebs left from the prior week.  Nevada stunned the ‘Dogs in a game that would have solidified the 2005 WAC title.  Instead, it was step #2 in a long, long USC hangover.
#6) Win: 2005  Fresno St vs Boise St: The ‘Dogs were nationally ranked and just a game away from taking on the #1 ranked Trojans.  All that stood in their way was a Boise team who has owned them this decade.  The Bulldogs put all doubts to rest and dominated the game from start to finish. At the time, it appeared evident who was the class of the WAC and no doubt who would take home the WAC title in ’05.
#5) Win: 2001 Fresno St. vs Oregon State: Oregon State had been the Sports Illustrated pre-season #1 team in the Nation.  Fresno State was coming off a big win over Colorado and it was a nationally televised game against the Beavers.  The ‘Dogs took it to them and absolutely pounded the Beavers.  The win was the second big upset in a row and continued the magic that was.
#4) Loss: 2008 Fresno St. vs Wisconsin: Coming off a nationally televised win over Rutgers, the ‘Dogs were hosting Wisconsin in what many called the biggest home game in school history.  The ‘Dogs played even with Wisconsin the entire game, but just missed too many opportunities.  Missed field goals and conservative play calling led to a loss in a game they easily could have won.  This loss ended all pre-season talk of Fresno State being a BCS team.
#3) Win: 2001 Fresno St @ Colorado: The ‘Dogs rolled into Colorado, a perennial football power house, and upset the Buffaloes to start a magical run which included wins over Oregon State and Wisconsin.  This game gave Fresno  State a national name and made names like David Carr and Pat Hill common to the college football world.  Colorado ended up being ranked as high as #2 in the nation that year, but on that night they could not top the ‘Dogs.
#2) Loss: 2001 Fresno St. vs Boise  State: The 35-30 loss dashed any hopes of the ‘Dogs playing not only for a BCS game, but an outside shot at the national title.  The ‘Dogs were as high as #8 and a solid favorite to beat Boise and remain undefeated.  The game was in Fresno, and nobody saw the loss coming. This was game signified that Boise  St. was now a major player on the national scene and it cost Fresno  State a chance at history.
#1) Loss: 2005: Fresno St @ USC:  Fresno State dominated the first half and came just short of shocking the #1 ranked Trojans.  This game changed everything for the Bulldogs.  After this loss, Fresno State went a spiral downward and has yet to get out of it.  Had the ‘Dogs pulled off the victory, it is conceivable they could have played in a BCS game in 2005 and most likely would not have experienced a hang over that has yet to go away.  Instead, they went on to lose the rest of the season and give away the WAC title.

August 18, 2009

Thank You Coach Hill, Now shut up and hit somebody
By: Rusty Browning

One will not find a more hardened supporter of Coach Pat Hill than yours truly.  Coach Hill has transformed Fresno State football from a wacky West coast team with gimmicky offenses to a nationally recognized program capable of beating anybody, anytime anywhere.  However, Hill’s critics are correct in hammering the point of the ‘Dogs lack of WAC titles and late season collapses.  In the last year of his current contract, it is time for Coach Hill to follow his own words: ‘Shut up and hit somebody’.  Coach Hill has a tremendous chance at silencing all critics and regaining the status as college footballs grittiest, feistiest team.
 
Hill’s tenure has brought some of the greatest moments in Fresno State history.  Victories over storied programs (Wisconsin, Virginia, Colorado, Oregon, Cal and UCLA to name a few) have been a trademark of the Pat Hill era.  Unfortunately, falling short in terms of winning the WAC consistency has been the other Pat Hill trademark.  Every year ‘Dog fans are greeted with a schedule that lends credence to Hill’s slogan: “Any time, any body, Any where”; with expectations that this might be the year the Bulldogs can crash the BCS party.  In 2001 the ‘Dogs sent shockwaves through out the college football world by climbing as high as #8 in the nation. Unfortunately for the ‘Dogs, Boise  State decided not to care about national rankings and beat Hill in the Doghouse.  This would start a decade long trend of Boise  State dominating the WAC.  In 2005, Hill had the ‘Dogs poised to once again shock the college football world.  Playing at USC, the Bulldogs took the #1 ranked Trojans to the wire only to lose 50-42.  Ever since that heart breaking loss, the program has lost momentum.  2006 was a down year for the team, as it seemed the USC hang over lasted well into the following season. 2007 was somewhat of a comeback year and with many returning starters coming back for 2008; the expectations were once again high in the Central  Valley.  Not only favored to win the WAC title, but also an outside shot at playing in a BCS bowl was the hype coming out of Fresno. After a strong performance at Rutgers to start the season, once again the ‘Dogs cries for respect fell on deaf ears.  Having what many considered the biggest home game in school history, hosting Wisconsin, the ‘Dogs left too many points off the board and were nipped at the end.  Once again this loss crushed all the pre-season hopes and the team fell into mediocracy the remainder of the season. Getting humiliated by Boise  State was the low point of Hill’s tenure.
 
Heading into the 2009 season, Hill must regain the edge of former years.  The ‘Dogs need to regain that ‘us against the world’ swagger that Hill is so famous for.  There is no doubt that the future of Coach Hill and Fresno  State are at a cross roads.  Hill continues to bring in excellent recruits (which far exceeds the talent ever before seen in Fresno), he does a tremendous amount for the Valley, and has established the Bulldog’s national reputation; but now he must please the locals.  The only way to do this is to win the WAC.   There may only be a handful of coaches in America who are so closely associated with their respective schools.  With his fu man chu mustache, his fiery persona and his ‘us against the world’ attitude; Hill is the perfect fit for the Fresno State Bulldogs head coaching position.  It is time for Pat Hill and the University to both realize they need each other, that the grass is not always greener on the other side.   Here is to hoping that Coach Hill and Fresno  State can achieve even greater success in the 2009 season.

 
 

August 14, 2009

To QB or not to QB
Bulldog’98

The biggest thing keeping Fresno hot this summer is the sun, the next biggest thing keeping the town on fire is the hot QB competition taking place. There are 3 possible candidates all vying for the #1 slot.  The most intriguing would be Redshirt freshman Ebahn Feathers.  A local kid, he would bring something new to Fresno – a duel threat QB.  Pat Hill has never had a QB who was capable of attacking his opponents with his arm as well as his legs.  For those unfamiliar with Feathers, think of a poor mans Daryl Clark at Penn State. At this point, it appears that Ebahn will be slotted as the #3 QB on the depth chart, but will get plenty of snaps as a change of pace QB.  So that leaves the competition between the upper graduate Ryan Colburn and true Freshman Derrick Carr.  If the name Carr sounds familiar, that is because he is the younger brother of overall NFL #1 draft pick and former Bulldog David Carr – a Pat Hill favorite.  Most recruiting gurus would have never thought Carr would even go to Fresno State, but Hill was able to lure the younger Carr in as one of Fresno State’s most heralded recruits ever.  Carr has all the potential in the world, and the intelligence and leadership to go along with it.  He enrolled at Fresno early and was able to participate in spring practice so he has been around the program for months now.   Ryan Colburn was Tom Brandstater’s back up last year and was considered the next in line to take over the starting spot.  Colburn brings experience, leadership and a decent arm to the position.  So, the big question is who will Pat Hill go with?  In any other season, I would expect Hill to go with Carr from Day 1 and ride his arm for the next 3-4 seasons.  The only problem with this scenario is that Pat Hill is in the last year of his contract with the Bulldogs and some in the Red Wave are getting anxious.  With only 1 WAC title and numerous years of flirting with other universities, Hill is now fighting for his job in Fresno. Because of this, and an unbelievably tough early schedule (UC Davis, @ Wisconsin, vs. Boise St, @ Cincinnati) that would make most BCS schools run and hide, Hill will decide to go with Colburn as his starter.  He needs the veteran leadership as well as proven experience to guide the Bulldogs until there week 5 BYE.  At this point, one of two things will have happened: The ‘Dogs will be anywhere from 2-2 to 4-0, including a victory over Boise and in position to battle for the WAC title. If this is the case, Hill will stick with Colburn and ride the veteran through out the season, barring injury.  The other scenario is a 1-3 start with Boise poised to run away with the WAC again.  In this second scenario, look for Hill to install the young Carr during the BYE week as his starter for the remainder of the season.  No matter what happens with the QB situation, Pat Hill has plenty of options to play with.  It will be extremely fun watching how this plays out and to see how the young Feathers plays into this as well.