2004
Preview By DJ Boyer
football.com
Team MVP: It isn’t often you
reward a player from your secondary with this type of reward but
James Sanders is the most important player for the Fresno State
defense and the team as a whole. Sanders led the team in tackles as
a freshman and a sophomore and with another strong campaign as a
junior he could find himself contemplating leaving early for the
NFL. Fresno State coordinator Dan Brown simplified the defense a
year ago and Sanders was the man leading the way with 93 tackles and
55 of the solo variety from the strong safety position. Fresno State
now has a year under their belt with the defensive scheme, look for
them to be one of the top defenses in the WAC this season.
Quarterback: Paul Pinegar is another player
who I feel has pro potential although he will not be leaving school
early. Pinegar has done well filling the shoes of David Carr but
last year he missed five games after tearing a pectoral muscle.
Pinegar had an injury that would have caused many people to miss
more games or even an entire season. Pinegar wasn’t nearly as
effective as he could have been but played well enough to lead
Fresno State to six wins in their last seven games including their
bowl game against UCLA. Jorden Christensen is the backup but he does
not have the command that Paul Pinegar possesses.
Running Back: Dwayne Wright is not the best running back on
the planet but he gives you the best of both worlds with sub 4.5
speed and size at 210 pounds. Wright is a versatile runner that can
go inside and outside and he is coming off a 1,000 yard season. The
plus for Fresno State is Bryson Sumlin may be even better than
Wright. Sumlin will take some carries but so will UCLA transfer
Wendell Mathis.
Wide Receiver/Tight End: This is the weakest part of the
offense for Fresno State with starters Marque Davis and Bernard
Berrian both lost to the NFL. The players stepping into the starting
roles will be Joe Fernandez and Jermaine Jamison. The sad news for
Fresno State is not one active wide receiver on the roster caught a
touchdown pass in 2003, a scary thought. This will be the area where
Fresno will struggle and it makes the running game that much more
important. Tight end Stephen Spach may be utilized more following
his 13 catch campaign in 2003 but he is not a downfield or red zone
threat.
Offensive Line: If you plan on playing power football having
one of the best lines in the western region of the United States
helps. The line at Fresno State is a model for teamwork, there are
no big stars. The Fresno line is filled with players who play within
their capabilities, communicate well and rarely miss an assignment.
There is a nice blend of youth and experience and the Bulldogs are
deep at every position. Tackle Logan Mankins has the most experience
but the most talented may be sophomore center Kyle Young.
Defensive Line: The solid play along the line on the offense
must have spread to the defense as well because this team returns
three starters who had a total of 20 sacks as a trio in 2003. Brian
Morris led the team in sacks but I think the presence of Garrett
McIntyre makes him a better player. Both play a similar type of game
but McIntyre is well rounded and can stuff the run when asked to do
so from his defensive end position. Donyell Booker had only 1 sack
from the nose tackle position in 2003 but he was second on the team
in quarterback pressures. There is a lot of youth behind the
starters, Fresno is not as deep on the defensive line as they are on
the offensive line.
Linebacker: Fresno State lacks the big playmaker at
linebacker but speed is not a problem. Todd Garcia leads the group
but starting weakside linebacker Manuel Sanchez is the player whop
possesses the best sideline-to-sideline speed. The new defense put
in by Dan Brown last season gives the linebackers more
responsibility so the Bulldogs in the middle of the field will be in
almost every play.
Secondary: Next to Boise State this is probably the best
secondary and the aforementioned James Sanders is the biggest reason
for that. I would like to see the Bulldog corners play a little
better in the air. Half of the team in the secondary is at the 6-0
mark but aside from Sanders you will be hard pressed finding a
200-pounder. I like the fact that the corners are very aggressive in
the running game, they are aggressive but don’t take unnecessary
risks.
Special Teams: The brightest spot in the special teams game
is the return ability of Adam Jennings, a player that should handle
kickoffs and punts. Mike Lungua was a pleasant surprise as a
freshman punter last year and the coverage units are always solid.
Pat Hill has plenty of experience coaching special teams, this is
always one of the strongest points to Fresno State’s game.
Final Thoughts: Fresno State still managed nine wins last
year in a season where they lost to good teams like Tennessee,
Oklahoma and Boise State. I am anxious to see their second game of
the year when they travel to Kansas State. Marshall showed that
Kansas State is not unbeatable last year and with so much turnover
this could be an upset victory for the Bulldogs. Fresno State cannot
rely on winning so many games down the stretch every year so they
have to win one of their first two games of the year on the road
against Washington and Kansas State. There is a ton of individual
talent on this team and I maintain that Pat Hill could be the most
underrated coach in the college football today. This program will
not only challenge for the WAC title this year, they are poised to
do it for years to come.
-- DJ Boyer
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Head
Coach: Pat Hill