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The Anatomy of an Upset.......Is a Playoff Now Needed? 2007-01-09 22:03:00
It begins with two teams. One team is heavily favored over the other. One team expects to win while the other team hopes to keep the game within striking distance. One team is the national giant that never loses the big game, the other team wins but not nearly at the level of the favorite. As the game approaches The favorite becomes even more confident. They know they are favored for a reason and there is very little the other team can do to stop them. The favorite believes it is their destiny to win the game. As the game begins the favorite makes a mistake to fall behind. However this does not phase the favorite. They know they can afford to mess up from time to time because in the end they will still come out victorious. As the first quarter moves along the score does not change. The underdog has kept the game within seven and begins to build confidence. The favorite continues to try and blow the game open but something isn't working today. The underdog is not allowing the favo Read more:Upset
The Desire to Win 2007-01-08 16:26:00
The game of college football at times rests on the desire a team has to win a game. One may think that every team that steps on the football field has a desire to win, but the truth is over half of the teams that step out on a college football field don't believe they are going to win the game. Yes the coach can pump his team up and make them believe but the players have to believe in their hearts that they can win the game. Fresno State during the post USC game era has seemed to have lost that desire to win the games they play in. The reasons this desire seems to have disappeared are suspect as there really is no one area that can be pointed to as the cause of this lost desire. So what has changed since the loss to USC? Why is Fresno State a combined 4-12 since that historical game at the coliseum against the Trojans?
First and foremost Fresno State's underdog status seems to have disappeared. Since 2001 Fresno State had been known as the small school that could. They would tak Read more:Desire
A Boise Blue New Years Before Fresno Red 2007-01-11 16:26:00 As we all know Boise
State beat us to a New Years
day BCS bowl. We also know that Boise pulled the upset by beating Oklahoma 43-42 on a heart stopping Statue of Liberty play that surprised everyone including the Sooners. While Boise was pulling the upset of the year in Glendale, Arizona everyone back in Fresno
had to be wondering "How did Boise possibly achieve the goal that Fresno had set for Read more:New Years
The Bulldog Way 2007-01-12 16:01:00
They always keep your interest. Each year there is a team that makes a run only to break our hearts in the end. They always make us believe that they are capable of far more than they truly are. They are the Fresno State Bulldog
s. Whether it is the men's or women's basketball team's, the football team, the softball team, or the baseball team at the end of the year you will be left with that same empty feeling that the Bulldogs often give you when they lose. The problem isn't that Fresno State loses. Instead the problem is that they make us believe they are capable of far more than they truly are. How many Bulldog fans thought the Dogs had a shot at beating Hawaii at the Stan-Sherriff Center last night? I know I did but only because of the success the Dogs had to begin the year. How many Bulldog fans thought the Bulldog football team would make some noise in the WAC last year? (and I mean in a positive manner) I know I did not have the same expectations as most but I felt the Dog
Recruiting in the WAC 2007-01-16 17:13:00
Last week a reader of the blog asked me to do an article on why Boise's recruiting has surpassed Fresno State. Although I didn't
completely agree with this view I decided I would do some research and see if this were indeed true. The 2007 Bulldog recruiting class is shaping up to be one of the better recruiting classes of the Pat Hill era although Scout doesn't seem to think so. However one thing every college football fan must remember is that recruits cannot be truly rated until they step onto the college football field. The stars that are given to recruits are based upon potential. Did David Carr look like a two star prospect to anyone in the nation during his senior season? Did Bernard Berrian look like a two star prospect out of little known Avenal during his tenure at Fresno State? Although Jared Zabranski wasn't the most accomplished Boise QB did he look like a walk-on to anyone during the Fiesta Bowl game against Oklahoma? With that being said the 2007 Recruiting rank
Leaving Early for the Draft....When is the Right Time to Go? 2007-01-17 16:18:00
Every year the NFL draft is filled with Juniors who surpass their senior season for a chance to play at the top. Some players are absolutely ready for the jump to the NFL and are able to make a difference in their first season. Other players leave before they are ready and their career's in the NFL never seem to get on track. 2007 is shaping up to be another great draft as many underclassmen have already decided that the NFL is their goal. These young men do not feel that their senior seasons will help them in any way possible. However making this decision is tough to say the least. For some this decision turns out to be the best decision ever made while others often wish they would have just stayed for one more season. To better understand the difficulties with respect to making a decision like this we should take a look at a few players that are close to home.
During the 2006 season Paul Williams took a step back with respect to progress on the college level. While it is tru Read more:Leaving
, Early
, Draft
, Right
Goals For 2007 2007-01-18 16:23:00
After a 4-8 season setting goals for the 2007 season should be rather easy. Fresno State will not have to do much more to improve the team as a whole. The Bulldogs will be hard pressed to perform even worse on offense, defense, and special teams. With so many returning offensive players the Bulldogs should have very little problems scoring more than 23 points per game. However, if the passing game does not pick up the pace from 2006 this team once again will be mired in an ugly season with no one to blame but themselves. With that being said there are many goals for 2007 the Bulldogs should embark upon, some of which are in their control while others aren't. Without further adieu here are the goals I have in mind for the 2007 Fresno State football team:
1) Improve Offensive Efficiency - The Bulldogs offense averaged 150 yards passing per game. Anyone who actually watched the games this past season realizes most of these passes were on screens or dump-offs to the running back. Bra Read more:Goals
Is the Job Getting Done? 2007-01-19 17:31:00
I know you are not accustomed to checking out the Bulldog Blog and seeing a picture of a girl on the site, but today's blog is not going to have much to do with football. Instead today I want to ask the readers what they think about the Bulldog football blog and how it has been since the off-season began for Fresno State a month and a half ago (By the way the picture on the left is of Kristen Bell who stars in Veronica Mars, yes she is the hottie of my lifetime).
I have tried to cover every angle of our football team since I began writing for the blog six months ago. My first post was my prediction of the way the WAC would finish. I had Boise right as I said they would go 12-0 but as for the rest of the teams I was as far off as any guy could possibly be. However, in the end I write to inform the readers about what is going on with respect to the Bulldog football world. For the most part the readers already know about everything I publish because the barkboard does a great job o
The Bulldog Recruiting Update 2007-01-22 21:15:00
This past week will go down as one of the better recruiting weeks the Bulldog
s may have ever experienced. Over the past week the Dogs have received commitments from Tim Lang, Ryan Mathews, Tyrone Duncan, Zak Hill, and Porter Hill. Porter Hill, Duncan, and Mathews have all been given as high as a three star rating depending on what recruiting company you choose to follow. Each of these players bring their talent to Bulldog stadium. I have to say that I am excited to get two players on the defensive line who have size like both Porter Hill and Tyrone Duncan do. Duncan comes in as a 6'2" 300 pound defensive tackle. He brings immediate size and strength to a Bulldogs defensive line lacking just that. At the same time three star prospect Porter Hill stands at 6'3" 265 and also is a defensive tackle. These two young men will come into Fresno State hoping to compete for playing time right off the bat. They both have the skill and tools to make an impact as soon as they arrive at Fresno S Read more:Update
A Hire Worth Discussing: Jeff Grady 2007-01-23 19:37:00
During the 2006 Fresno State Football season it became quite clear that our offense was lacking more than we are used to seeing. Whether it was the QB or the receivers someone was not doing their job while on the field. The Bulldogs experienced far too many three and outs and did very little to move the ball throughout the course of the game. While the Bulldogs have not hired an offensive coordinator to take over for Steve Hagen (who wasn't very good anyway) a hire has been made that I feel will impact Fresno State down the line. The hire I am speaking of is that of Jeff Grady. Many people who read the blog complain that I am far too negative with my point of views on this team and where they are headed. If you feel I am negative sit back and relax, this is going to be one of the more positive blogs I write during the off-season.
Jeff Grady endured a tumultuous career while at Fresno State. Many people remember him for being a failure on the field, but do remember he was injured o Read more:Worth
Has It Been That Long... 2007-01-26 11:17:00 My contract to blog with AOL is done. They have chosen to go in a different direction. Translation: AOL no longer sees employing a blogger of a 4-8 non-BCS team that can not throw the football. Anyways my weekday workload has also cut down and BarkBoard.com is running smooth. Now I will be able to get back to blogging on the No. 1 Fresno State Football Blog.
My last post was back on Dec. 1 about the same time I stopped posting on AOL. Covering recruiting on BarkBoard.com has taken up a good amount, but I can't believe it has been almost two months since my last post.
NSC has done a tremendous job posting, but I hope to blog at least two-three times a week, if not more.
I have read the readers comments about improving the blog and I will do my best to add whatever you guys want to read. Player interviews will be tough because we would have to go through the SI office to do things the "right-way". But we'll see what we can do.
As far as recruiting, it will not be hard-hitting, breaking
The Recruiting Winds of Change 2007-01-30 17:21:00
Teenagers change their mind. If one thing is for certain it is that teenagers don't always realize what they truly want to do until the last minute. While one choice may look more lucrative than another, the situation may change as time passes. Schools such as Fresno State may receive verbal commitments from recruits only to have the recruit retract their statement at a later date. Many may wonder why a recruit would possibly do something of this sort and honestly can you blame a young man? When recruiting reaches the final weeks schools such as Washington, USC, and UCLA may lose out on a recruit they counted on acquiring. When this happens it leads these BCS tier schools to search elsewhere for a quick replacement. A school such as Fresno State is liable to take a hit more so than any other mid-major school in the nation because of the level of recruits the Bulldogs continually get. Schools like Fresno State have to worry that another program such as Washington will swoop in and Read more:Change
, Winds
Fresno State's Scheduling Suprises 2007-01-31 23:13:00 I have to say when I first heard about FresnoState
taking on Texas A&M I was not the happiest of fans. I thought the Cincinatti game was a much better fit with respect to the players and the level we are on right now. However, I never thought 2007 would be the season to make a run in the first place so I guess playing this game is not going to be nearly as horrifying as I first thought it to be. I compare this game to the one David Carr went through when the Dogs traveled to play a decent Ohio State team in 2000 and were handled by the Buckeyes. If Fresno State
cannot handle the atmosphere of the twelth man (pictured left) then that is fine, it will be an experience that will only help the Dogs in the years to come. I had originally thought that 2008 would be the year to make a run at the BCS but the schedule seems to be shaping up to be very tough to do so. With three out of four OOC games on the road against K-State, UCLA, and Toledo the Dogs are going to have to play their "A
The Recruiting Battle 2007-02-01 20:31:00 We have reached the final week of recruiting and it looks as if Fresno State is sitting at 22 recruits for the time being. While we lost out on Duncan that does not take away from the talent that the rest of this class may be able to provide. Last year the Bulldogs lacked in speed far more than any other area on the field. In 2007 the Bulldogs will possess far more speed than they did in 2006. Sharrod Davis, Terrence Dennis, Ryan Mathews, and Devon Wylie all run 4.5 40's or less. Fresno State seems to have addressed the one area they truly needed help in. At the same time players such as Wylie look to have that playmaking ability that the Bulldogs have sorely missed over the past season. Adam Jennings was far more important to this team than many of us realized as the kick return game was non-existant in 2006. As I have said before I have nothing against Chastin West who is a good player for the Dogs, but he is not a kick returner. Hopefully Clifton Smith can figure out that Read more:Battle
The Offensively Challenged Bulldogs 2007-02-02 18:05:00 With signing day only five days away I began to think about the Bulldogs
and where they are headed offensively. I know that the Dogs are not nearly as potent on offense as they have been in the past, but the question that reamins in my head is do the Dogs have enough talent on offense to become an explosive team once again? I believe without a doubt that the answer is yes. Unfortunately putting trust into a QB that faltered game after game this past season is going to be very hard for many Fresno State fans to do. The fact that Brandstater more than likely will be our starter should not shy fans away from attending home games this upcoming season. Fresno State may have had a terrible 2006 season but that does not exactly reflect how 2007 will be. Part of our offensive problem this past season had to do with team chemistry and continuity. As you can see above the picture I put at the top is of Fairman running while Fernandez is blocking. Fairman was lost for the season relatively early
A&M for Cincy, Smart or Stupid? 2007-02-02 18:04:00 Texas A&M is one of the most storied college football programs in America. Cincinnati is just a few years removed from being just another "mid-major". Texas A&M has Kyle Field, home to the 12th Man and a crowd of 82,000 plus. Cincy
has aging Nippert Stadium that on average will see between 12-15,000 fans.With those comparisons why not play at A&M, not too mention a loss to the Aggies does not seem so bad compared to losing at Cincinnati. I am not saying Fresno State is going to lose, but after a 4-8 season the prospects of winning are not what many would expect compared to other seasons. I would have to say playing at Texas A&M would be the smartest thing Pat Hill has done thus far in 2007.The Aggies are not the juggernaut they have been in the past. They certainly don't posses the speed say an LSU does. But they still are capable of wiping the floor with Tom Brandstater and the rest of the Bulldogs. But with improved quarterback play, the right team attitude and good coaching Read more:Stupid
, Smart
24 and Counting.... 2007-02-05 19:55:00 Here is the list of the 24 verbal Bulldog commits. The positions listed is their projected spot at the next level, not neccessarily their position in high school. This list in detail can be read here at Barkboard.com. Now how many of these kids will likely see action as freshmen.The All-Important Legend :Bold - Solid Contributor - could start one or more games.* - Contributor - could play as a true but not necessarily be on the two-deep.Red - RedshirtGray - GrayshirtQB Matt Faulkner (Marcus HS) Flower Mound, TX 6-3/185/4.65 QB Nick Anderson (Oak Ridge HS) El Dorado Hills, CA 6-3/200RB Ryan Mathews (West HS) Bakersfield, CA 6-0/195RB Bryson Hodges (Golden Valley HS) Bakersfield, CA 5-9/200WR/KR Devon Wylie (Granite Bay HS) Granite Bay, CA 5-10/185/4.40WR Matt Lindsey (Clovis HS) Clovis, CA 6-2/180TE Ryan Skidmore (East Bakersfield HS) Bakersfield, CA 6-5/225*OG Eric Sproal (El Dorado HS) Placentia, CA 6-5/285OT Bryce Harris (Tulare Union HS) Tulare, CA 6-6/240LT Devan Cunningham (Grant Read more:Counting
Faulkner Provides Hope at QB Position 2007-02-05 17:02:00
Fresno State fans have become accustomed to QB's who throw the ball with extreme efficiency. With QB's such as Trent Dilfer, Billy Volek, David Carr, and Paul Pinegar can you blame Bulldog fans for expecting the best out of their QB? Each of these QB's did an outstanding job of keeping the Bulldogs in games the rest of the nation thought the Bulldogs had no chance to win. In 2006 the Bulldogs QB position took a step back as Tom Brandstater did not perform at the level that Fresno State Bulldog fans have become accustomed to. Far too often Brandstater looked lost on the field of play. It was almost as if Brandstater had never studied what to do when the #1 option on the field wasn't available. Time and time again Brandstater threw into double coverage forcing balls that should have never been thrown. In 2007 Brandstater will once again be the starter for the Bulldogs, but his leash is going to be much shorter than what Pat Hill gave him during the 2006 season. His immediate bac Read more:Faulkner
Devon Wylie - Fresno State's Version of the Flash 2007-02-06 16:05:00
As 2007 bids adieu to a player commonly referred to as Batman it also welcomes in FresnoState
's version of the flash. Anyone who has watched the recruiting videos of Devon
Wylie knows exactly why Wylie would be called the Flash
. If you have not had the opportunity to see the elusiveness of Wylie take a few minutes out of your day and access youtube.com to watch his high school video highlights. In 2006 Fresno State
more often than not struggled with field position as the Bulldogs outstanding kick returner Adam Jennings moved on to the NFL. While at Fresno State Jennings was one of the most electrifying players ever to step in Bulldog stadium. Jennings played with no fear and had no desire to fair catch anything kicked to him. Jennings had the uncanny ability to run backwards ten yards and turn the mess he created into a fifty yard gain. Losing Paul Pinegar turned out to be a big blow to the Fresno State offense. However, losing Adam Jennings may have been the dagger to the he
Fresno State's Defensive Gems 2007-02-07 16:07:00
As we all recall the FresnoState
Bulldogs defense in 2006 lacked many components needed to be successful. The most glaring need for Fresno State
was that of speed. While players like McCauley ran relatively quick forty times he was forced to do far too much on his own which led to numerous breakdowns in coverage. If Fresno State can hold on to the recruits that are supposed to sign today the defense in the next two years will see a vast improvement with respect to both speed and talent. Fresno State had to address the issue of talent on the defensive side of the ball and it looks like they have done everything in their power to make this happen. With the addition of players such as Jermaine Thomas, Chris Carter, Tim Lang, and Sharrod Davis the Bulldogs defense should be much more athletic and that much faster in the end. Although he was not a recruit from the 2007 class Lorne Bell should be able to step in this upcoming season and make a name for himself as well.
Chris Carter Read more:Defensive
Fresno State's Rock: The Offensive Line 2007-02-08 16:12:00
Over the years as a FresnoState
Bulldog fan I have encountered many conversations about the strengths and the weaknesses of this team. Since I became a large scale follower of the Bulldogs in the late 1990's (I have always been a fan but did not devote my time to the team until this period) there have been many problems this team has endured. At times the QB position has been a mess (Grady although talented was injury prone and we all know about Brandstater's struggles). There have been instances where the WR's have not done their job. We have seen the safeties struggle as well as the corners and LB's from time to time. However, one theme always seem to hold true with Fresno State
: We will have a talented and productive Offensive
Line. You have to look no further than the past three seasons to understand how dominant the Bulldogs Offensive Line has truly been.
In 2004 Fresno State lost one of the Better RB's ever to set foot in the program in Dwayne Wright. Although this
Does This Recruiting Class Excite You? 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Time Out Looking on During Fresno-Utah StateLet's be honest here, we have all been Bulldog fans for as long as we can remember. Anyone who spends time reading this blog has devoted countless hours to talking, watching, and following the Fresno State Bulldogs. With all that has happened over the past year the Fresno State Football program needed something exciting to pump life back into it. The Bulldog football program needed something from either Pat Hill or the fans in order for us to once again believe that we have the talent to compete with the BCS schools of the world. Pat Hill came through for the Bulldogs program by recruiting exactly what we needed in order to become a complete team again. Not only did Hill address the number one need (that of speed), but he also brought in countless defensive, offensive, and all around athletes that will make this Fresno State team one to reckon with in the upcoming seasons.The key here as fans is to expect improvement but not all at one time
Fresno State Offensive Recruiting Grades 1970-01-01 00:59:59 FresnoState
Recruit Ryan MathewsRivals gave Fresno State
's recruiting class an A. The Fresno Bee thought the Bulldogs recruiting class warranted a B+. However, the Fresno State Football Blog is the only source that takes into account what you as readers think of our recruiting class. Although Rivals is a reputable source for recruiting information, they do not consider what we as a city think of the recruits that we have brought into the program for the next four years. I realize that our opinions do not mean much when it comes to how these players perform on the field for Fresno State but we as true fans know what this team needed coming into 2007. We as true Fresno State fans know exactly what can help this team reach that level that we had become used to between the years of 2001-2005. Instead of grading the recruiting as a whole I am going to look at each position and give a grade with respect to what I know Fresno State needed to improve their team for the future.Quarterback: T Read more:Offensive
Fresno State Defensive Recruiting Grades 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Fresno State
Recruit Ken Borg If anything became apparent during the 2006 season at Fresno State
it was the Bulldogs did not possess the speed on defense to compete in games against teams such as Hawaii, Boise State, or LSU. More often than not the Bulldogs defensive secondary could be seen chasing a RB, WR, or TE down the field due to the lack of speed on defense. Although Marcus McCauley came into the season as one of the more highly touted CB's at Fresno State he would deal with so much pressure that it eventually took its toll on the young man. McCauley was counted on to do far too much during the 2006 season and in the end could not compensate for all of the inexperience in the secondary. While Josh Shirley could hit he always seemed to arrive one second too late. We all know the story of Vincent Mays and how he did not pan out. Elgin Simmons never seemed to grasp the corner position like the Dogs had hoped. The only bright spot in the secondary came with Damon Jenkins, but even Read more:Fresno
, Defensive
Team Improvement - The QB Position 1970-01-01 00:59:59 2007 will rest on the shoulders of BrandstaterNow that I have finished giving my grades for all of the incoming recruits I will shift my focus for the next week or so. Each day for the next week (aside Saturday and Sunday) I will take one area of Fresno State football and write about what the keys to success are for that respective position. At the same time I will also write about what needs to be done better than last season in order to have a successful 2007 season. Since our most glaring need for improvement is the QB position I will cover this spot first. I realize that many of us know what needs to be done here, but I feel there are a few positives that have come about during the off-season that will help the Bulldogs to find more consistent play out of one of the most important positions on the football field. In 2006 Tom Brandstater failed to live up to the expectations that Bulldog fans placed upon him. We heard the hype about his rocket arm and outstanding size. We believed Read more:Improvement
Team Improvement - Running Backs 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Fresno State RB Anthony HardingWhen most people think of Fresno State they think of a school that generally produces NFL type QB's because of the pro style offense that is used. From Trent Dilfer to Billy Volek to David Carr the Bulldogs have produced three QB's who have made a name for themselves in the NFL in a span of just ten seasons (Although Carr is still doing his best to get on track for a pathetic Texans franchise). What most people don't realize is that Fresno State's number one strength may be the running game. Quick, name the last time Fresno State did not have a 1,000 yard rusher during the course of a season? Most Fresno State fans know in order to answer this question you have to travel back to the pre David Carr years. Fresno State has produced one great Running Back after another en route to where they stand today: With three RB's who can break away on any given play. During 2006 Fresno State may have enjoyed their single greatest rushing season in team history. Read more:Improvement
, Backs
, Running Backs
Team Improvement - Wide Receivers 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Wide Receiver Seyi ArijotutuHeading into the 2006 season Fresno State looked to have possibly it's best group of veteran receivers ever to step onto the football field. Unfortunately the talent the Bulldogs possessed at the Wide Receiver position did not develop the way Fresno State had hoped it would. Joe Fernandez would be the only Senior Wide Receiver still playing by the time Fresno State reached it's game with San Jose to end the season. Both Paul Williams and Jaron Fairman sat out a good portion of 2006 due to injury leaving the Dogs with little experience at the Wide Receiver position. Although the Dogs lost these Seniors they were able to insert Freshman who developed a feel for what the college game was like. Receivers
such as Chastin West, Jason Crawley, and Seyi Ajirotutu were able to step in and find some playing time along the way. With the additions of possibly two new receivers the Dogs may have a chance to once again possess a high powered passing game with more than Read more:Improvement
, Wide Receivers
Filling a Void.... 2007-03-06 07:22:00 For blog readers that do not know, NSC has not been able to blog as much to to some technicalties. I apologize for not blogging as much in his place. Blogging is a feeling! For me it is something that just can not be done but something that just flows. And I have not really been in the blogging mode since becoming the publisher of BarkBoard.com back in late August.Again, if anyone wants to contribute or guest blog, drop us a line!Anyway time for some Bulldog football blogging!I know its a bit late but Jeff Grady and Jim McElwain will fill the open tight end and offensive coordinator positions, respetively. Grady is a no-brainer and a freakin good hire! Mark it down, he will be one of the hottest young coaches in the next few years. McElwain is not a your typical run of the mill NFL assistant Pat Hill pulls out of his ass to fill the OC spot every few years. McElwain is a college coach, his one year coaching QB's in Oakland hardly makes him an NFL "guy".McElwain, however, has not been
Spring Game Set 2007-03-08 13:17:00 The Spring
Game is tentatively set for April 28, 2007. The time is yet to be determined but more than likely it will be around the same time as last year, 11 a.m. However, there is no date for the annual South Valley Scrimmage. The word is the South Valley game may not happen this year.I don't know how many of you had ever attended the South Valley Scrimmage but it was a very good event. The reason behind not having the scrimmage has nothing to do with organization or attendance, as the attendance was almost on par with the Spring Game held at Bulldog Stadium. Regardless, it makes the Spring Game that much more important, if fans want to catch an early glimpse of the 2007 team.The 2007 Fresno State Pro Day is today. Last season more than 100 NFL officials/scouts were in attendance. The 'Dogs are could have as many as six, seven or even eight players drafted. Marcus McCauley, Paul Williams, Chris Denman, Dwayne Wright, and Kyle Young are expected to be drafted in the seven round draft
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