Posted by SpartaRick on 1/7/2008, 4:09 pm, in reply to "Fresno State the next WAC team to go BCS-ing?"
98.207.134.141
And we care, because? I, for one don't care at all about Fresno. It is a crime ridden nothing town and a lower level CSU campus. I find it embarassing that we consider it our "rival". Have we sunk that low? Now, San Diego State-- that has potential.
--Previous Message--
: 'Dogs thinking BCS going into offseason
: Bryant-Jon Anteola
: The Fresno Bee
: 1/05/08
:
: Ah, the joy. The excitement. The optimism
: for the upcoming year.
:
: Fresno State ended its turnaround season
: with a win at the Humanitarian Bowl and now
: everyone seems giddy, especially following
: Thursday's announcement that offensive
: coordinator Jim McElwain turned down the
: head coaching job at Eastern Washington to
: remain at Fresno State.
:
: As coach Pat Hill has said numerous times
: throughout his 11 seasons -- when Fresno
: State wins, so does all of the Central
: Valley.
:
: "It's just a great feeling right now,
: to be a part of something special and to
: know bigger things are in store,"
: Fresno State safety Moses Harris said.
:
: A year after finishing 4-8 and missing the
: postseason for the first time since 1998,
: Fresno State proved that 2006 was an
: aberration and not the start of the
: program's decline.
:
: Fresno State finished 9-4, ending with a
: 40-28 win against Georgia Tech in the
: Humanitarian Bowl on Monday, amid numerous
: injuries to key players and suspensions and
: the health uncertainty of its defensive
: coordinator.
:
: Now, with the majority of the team expected
: to return, including 17 starters, Fresno
: State could be next in line as the Western
: Athletic Conference team that makes a run at
: a coveted Bowl Championship Series game.
:
: "Boise [State] did it; Hawaii
: did," Harris said. "Next year's
: our turn at a BCS [bowl]."
:
: Why not think such grand hopes?
:
: Among those expected to return will be:
:
: Soon-to-be senior and three-year starter Tom
: Brandstater, who was named Fresno State's
: MVP at the Humanitarian Bowl. Brandstater
: threw 15 touchdowns and only five
: interceptions for the season.
:
: Bear Pascoe, who might be considered one of
: the nation's top tight ends and an NFL
: prospect at a mobile 6 feet, 5 inches and
: 260 pounds as he heads into his senior
: season.
:
: Speedy receiver Marlon Moore, who had a
: breakout season as a sophomore with a
: team-best 48 catches for 694 yards and five
: touchdowns.
:
: Running back Ryan Mathews, who was enjoying
: a phenomenal freshman season before injuries
: derailed him late in the year. Still,
: Mathews led Fresno State with 866 rushing
: yards and 14 touchdowns.
:
: Plus, the offseason would appear to
: replenish Fresno State's depth with several
: players coming back from injury, including
: Chastin West, who was the Bulldogs' top
: receiver going into the 2007 season, and
: kick returner/cornerback A.J. Jefferson, who
: led the nation in kick returns but missed
: the final three games either because of
: injury or suspension.
:
: "We did so much this year with having
: key guys getting hurt," Brandstater
: said. "It's exciting to think about the
: young guys we have and the talent that they
: have [and] think about them contributing
: more next year.
:
: "The boundaries are endless for us. We
: just have to keep working hard and not
: forget what it takes to get where we
: are."
:
: The nonconference schedule also sets the
: stage for the Bulldogs to climb through the
: rankings quickly, even if they don't begin
: the preseason in the Top 25.
:
: Fresno State is set to open its season at
: UCLA, then plays at Kansas State the
: following week. The Bulldogs host Wisconsin
: in their first home game then travel to
: Toledo.
:
: In addition, Fresno State avoids a trip to
: Hawaii and instead hosts a Warriors team
: that will no longer have Heisman Trophy
: candidate quarterback Colt Brennan.
:
: The Bulldogs will return to Bronco Stadium,
: site of their Humanitarian Bowl win, to play
: Boise State in what could be the game that
: decides the Western Athletic Conference
: title.
:
: "We're built different than most places
: -- we play a front-loaded schedule instead
: of a back-loaded schedule," Hill said.
: "That's the way we do things, and it's
: not going to change as long as I'm head
: coach at Fresno State.
:
: "We're going to play that type of
: schedule, give it our best shot and see what
: happens. ... Bring it on."
:
: So what's ahead for the Bulldogs in the
: offseason?
:
: Fresno State is expected to sign a class of
: about 20 players by national signing day
: Feb. 6. One national recruiting service
: already praises Fresno State for receiving
: an oral commitment from a four-star recruit
: in Malik Jackson, a 6-5, 212-pound defensive
: end from Birmingham High-Lake Balboa.
:
: The recovery of injured players such as West
: and defensive end Jason Roberts will be a
: key. West led the team in receptions in 2006
: but tore his anterior cruciate ligament in
: the preseason. Roberts also blew out his
: knee and missed most of the year after
: starting the first three games.
:
: Other players like Moore and nickelback Will
: Harding are expected to have surgery in the
: offseason to correct nagging injuries.
:
: Moore was playing with padding on his hand
: at the end of the season and will have
: surgery after spraining ligaments near his
: left thumb, Hill said.
:
: Harding, who was listed as a senior this
: season but was granted another year of
: eligibility through a medical redshirt
: waiver, will have shoulder surgery.
:
: Players again will begin holding voluntary
: workout sessions soon enough in preparation
: for spring ball and summer camp.
:
: But most important to Hill is remembering
: the lessons from the 2006 season.
:
: "When we get back Jan. 14, we have to
: go back to Day 1, make sure we discuss what
: we are and who we are," Hill said.
: "I'll have meetings with all the
: players and make sure everybody understands
: the song. We're never going to take for
: granted that everybody knows what's going
: on. We let it get away that one year. It
: just can't happen."
:
: And if the Bulldogs show the concentration
: and focus they displayed this season, it
: should mean an exciting season to come.
:
: "To have that super season it means you
: have to go 1-0 for 12 weeks," Hill
: said. "Players have to understand that,
: how difficult that journey is, what kind of
: sacrifices they have to make if they want to
: contend for that.
:
: "We've got a tall ceiling. We've got a
: long ways to go, but I think we're heading
: in the right direction."
:
:
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