Bulldogs arrive in boise, walk on water marked with yard lines in walkthrough

Fresno State has finally arrived to the land of better-than-you, where pinky fingers aren't allowed near the drinking glass and the manliest man is the one who thumbs his nose up first to pick up the tab.

However, Kevan over at OBNUG and myself have created sort of a weird "Bring it On" mutual respect sort of thing. Kevan just recently posted my answers from our recent Q&A exchange over on OBNUG, with his answers to our questions to follow shortly here on our blog.

In the meantime, Kevan and the guys over at OBNUG have been talking 'Dogs/broncos all week and the rimshots are working overtime in the comment section to try and keep up.

Check back soon for Fresno State vs boise state related updates, but for now, feel free to praise my connections to the underground. Exclusively for Bulldog Bounce readers, a portrait of a young Kellen Moore. Amazing what a simple set of donkey ears can achieve.

Kellen Moore as "Donkey" from Shrek

Halloween 2001

Fall Camp Notebook '010: Days 3 & 4

There comes a time where you need to get straight to the point. We've waited long enough for football season, so for today at least, I'm going to put aside my usual style of writing entertainment (reading for you) to give you all the nuts and bolts a hardcore fan desires from his/her team.

While Thursday's opening practice provided more of a methodical introduction to camp, each of Friday's, Saturday's and Sunday's efforts have been increasingly confidence-inducing for fans.

Practice continues to be split into essentially two sessions, bridged in the middle with a collaborative effort between vets and newcomers with special teams work. Continue reading below to learn about practice nuggets and some cumulative thoughts after observing the first 4 fall camp practices.

8/7: 'Dogs beginning to Turn up the Dial

Most of the players are beginning to settle in and become more comfortable with the high-tempo, intense practices that are Fresno State football practices.

Here are some nuggets from Saturday's events:

• Isaiah Burse, Jalen Saunders, Alex Jefferies, Victor Dean and Josh Harper were all head-turners. Each has been a sponge for WR coach Keith Williams, which can only bring good things.

• In both newcomer and vet sessions, the team got extensive work in the wildcat formation. Burse, Milton Knox, Michael Harris, Robbie Rouse, Rashad Evans and more all received reps in their respective sessions.

• At this point, Burse (a high school QB) would appear to present Bulldogs coaches with a tough decision on whether or not to dress for games this year. He runs solid routes, has showed good hands and has made several quality throws to his fellow receivers out of the wildcat formation, the latter of which may be his most valuable asset at this point. He has also taken frequent reps as a return man during special teams work.

• Zak Hill made several standout plays in 11-on-11s. Hill made a diving, arms fully-outstretched interception of a pressured Ryan Colburn, followed up by a nice read and tackle on an outside handoff.That being said, Hill continues to get beat deeper in the secondary, especially in 1-on-1 situations. Many times, the culprit on the offensive side has been WR Matt Lindsey.

• Kyle Knox made his presence felt as well, squaring up a few guys in "tag off" situations and simply out-muscling a couple of the offensive skill players while stripping the ball on a couple of plays.

8/8: Another practice applauded, 'Dogs tuned up for debut of full pads

For the second consecutive day, the vets ended practice minutes earlier than the planned agenda called for. It should please you to know that is has been due to an in-shape team practicing with a good tempo and great efficiency.

In fact, Sunday's practice ended with an impressive amount of effort, inspired by a quick team huddle with a few words on behalf of Pat Hill before the final 10 plays. Hill urged his team to finish strong and push themselves to new limits when they felt they were tiring.

Here are some nuggets from today's events:

• It was heartbreaking to see and hear Zak Hill clutch his knee in pain during an 11-on-11 play today. Hill's left knee was motionless as he grabbed it and yelled audibly from across the field. Hill was eventually helped up and used crutches to make his way to a cart, where he was lifted on with assistance and without ever putting any pressure on the leg. Hill had been the first-team SS in each of the teams' first four practices.

• TE Michael Butler performed well in half-line running game work. One of Butler's most impressive plays was a block on the edge of the line that included a loud collision, followed by coaches praise.

• FBs Dylan Cruz and Austin Raphael also earned quite a bit of praise today for both high-impact blocks and blitz pick-ups.

• Jermaine Thomas made a jump-out-of-your-seat interception on a Ryan Colburn pass that was intended for Jamel Hamler in the back of the endzone. Thomas was initially beaten on a beautiful fake corner post route by Melly before showing tremendous recovery speed to cut in front of Hamler, make a leaping deflection of the ball, return to his feet, make a 180 degree turn and secure the interception.

• In the newcomers session, Victor Dean made a leaping, hands-over-head reception over a CB while getting tackled to the ground. Dean earned cheers from his veteran teammates stretching on top of the berm above the field.

• Jalen Saunders had the highlight of the day, however, when he ended the newcomers session with a touchdown catch in the very same corner as Dean. Saunders ran a corner route of his own, turned, and skied for a ball well above him. As he grasped the ball, Saunders was well up in the air and almost parallel to the ground, hands stretched out above his head, before gravity took over and his heels dragged behind on the grass below for a touchdown. His veteran teammates once again erupted in approval before taking the field.

• Tracy Slocum, much as I expected, is a pretty complete back. Slocum always takes quality reps in every drill and has initiated loud collisions on some runs and shown impressive elusiveness on others. He will add definite value to the depth of running backs.

• Defensive end Donnie Pritchett busted through for a sack on QB Derek Carr today. Pritchett has been steady throughout camp, but has yet to really standout until today.

• True frosh DT Tyeler Davison has looked slow and sloppy in defensive line agility drills. However, in half-line work today, Davison showed great strength and controlled the line of scrimmage on several occasions.

• True frosh RB E.J. Schexnayder injured his ankle early in practice Saturday, but played through it. Schexnayder spent Sunday rehabbing the ankle, though, and appeared to struggle through it. It took quite a bit of trainer motivation to end his claims that he couldn't make it through the session. It would be nice if Schexnayder can work through this like a Bulldog, because he has very nice size to be an effective RB, if only in short yardage situations.

Digesting the thoughts after 4 days:

When you've watched fall practice on a daily basis for year after year after year, you tend to notice certain trends, routines, styles and vibes. This applies to trainers, videotape collectors, coaches, players and well, you get the picture.

There is a reason for prefacing with that last graph. For whatever reason, it has become smack-in-the-face obvious that the initial practice personality of this team (through 4 days) is different than any other to date. As mentioned earlier, the team has completed each of its first two half pad practice sessions with great tempo and efficiency, resulting in practice ending minutes earlier than scheduled. There has been far less joking between players, much fewer wasted reps and an overall focus and intensity that really has been absent in many Fresno State teams within the past decade.

And now for more nuggets and thoughts from the first 4 days of practice:

• Linebacker Mario Moore has been impossible not to notice in pass coverage during newcomer sessions. He routinely jumps routes, bats down passes and has at least two interceptions in live situations.

• Many players are donning the relatively new Revolution Speed helmets, made by Riddell. Players such as Ben Jacobs, Travis Brown, Phillip Thomas and more have upgraded to latest model of football helmet technology.

• True freshman Andrew Gustafson, an offensive lineman from Arizona, has the prototypical body type for his left tackle position. Gustafson has also shown an unexpected mean streak in practice and is grasping his new role very quickly.

• JC transfer QB Kelly O'Brien is very tall (6'6") and very skinny. He possesses a very thin, wiry frame in addition to an awkward throwing motion. O'Brien appears to almost shot put the ball out of his ear. On out throws and throws at about 12 yards or less, O'Brien has the tendency to throw the ball very low with a downward trajectory. That being said, he has showed improvement early in his Bulldogs career, and throws a decent ball downfield. He is definitely still adjusting to the skill and speed of the Division I level, however.

• On day 2 of camp, Matt Lindsey showed up to the field in a new jersey number -- 2. But that has been the least of the headlines he has made. The young receiver out of Clovis High School has showed immense progress from the last time we saw him, enough so that he might push for some time on the field this year. Lindsey already had been a very good route runner and possesses great hands, but his acceleration and explosiveness after the catch has come as an eye-opener, considering the extent to which he has improved.

• Tracy Slocum never takes a rep off, and he appears to be earning the respect of his new teammates rather quickly because of it. Slocum initiates loud contact on tough inside runs while maintaining great balance, but also shows great quickness on slashes through the line and elusiveness in 1-on-1 situations. Slocum has also made several solid blitz pick-ups and received praise from both teammates and coaches in that area.

• An under-the-radar presence in this camp has been Justin Webber. Yes he is shorter that your typical safety, but he is a tough, smart player that will not hurt the team. Webber is more athletic than he has been given credit for and is constantly locked in on his assignment. Webber is currently working with the vets as the 2nd string free safety behind Lorne Bell. It will be interesting to see how his role is affected by the recent injury to Zak Hill.

• Last season, Jermaine Thomas made arguably the most impressive interception by a Fresno State defensive back during his late-game action at home against san jose state. Seeing him apply his abilities in a game situation only reaffirmed my view of him as the best cornerback in the Fresno State defensive backfield. He is outstanding in man press situations, has great closing speed and has a great instinct for making a play on the ball. Offensive skill players have told me "you're done" when he gets his hands on you.

• Offensive lineman Trevor Richter has moved to the guard spot this season. In previous seasons, Richter had worked out mostly at the tackle spot, but has since been getting work at both the left and right guard positions. His move may be partly due to theemergence of Marcel Jensen as a tackle.

• Speaking of Marcel Jensen, the former defensive lineman turned offensive tackle appears to be getting comfortable in his new spot. Jensen, who also had a lower leg injury to recover from, seems fully healthy and has shown a newfound strength and athletic ability to go with a fantastic frame (6'6" 260-270ish) for his position.

• It would be nearly impossible to pinpoint any one individual at wide receiver in the newcomer group. Jalen Saunders has shown dynamic, game-breaking speed and fits the mold of Devon Wylie. Victor Dean has been the slowest to acclimate to Coach Dub's outstanding route running teaching, but only because the rest are picking it up so quickly. That being said, Dean is a tall (6'6") receiver with pretty sticky hands and can definitely go up and get the ball. Josh Harper has looked impressive from the get-go, but has yet to make the spectacular play. Isaiah Burse is yet another true with well-rounded receiving abilities and is a big-play threat every down. Alex Jefferies is developing extremely quickly and has been arguably the most impressive in drill situations.

• In the TMI realm comes the debut of some new performance shorts the guys are sporting. The new Nike Pro Combat football short has made its way into the locker room, and appears to be widely accepted, after over-hearing Pat Hill's confirmation with team veterans.

• Nikko Motta doesn't appear to have the size you would expect from a defensive tackle (yet), but he has shown an ability to get into the backfield and generally be disruptive from his position. He has played with a great motor and is easily a defensive lineman to keep tabs on.

• Lorne Bell has displayed a noticeable improvement in his ability to change direction in coverage. Bell has often been a blanket in 1-on-1 coverage situations and has broken up several passes in addition to an interception.

• Derron Smith is becoming noticeably more comfortable and confident at his safety position while working with the newcomers. He is among the most active in the secondary and pushed the limits of half-pad physicality by laying several hits to players on the offensive side of the ball. If his rapid improvement continues, it will be interesting to see where he lands on the depth chart, given Zak Hill's injury is as serious as expected.

Questions? Comments? Feel free to get interactive as well on twitter, where we're always available at twitter.com/BulldogBounce.

The day Graham Watson drops knowledge on me will be the day that Peter Gammons changes his name to Graham Watson

If you don't know who Graham Watson is, consider yourself lucky. Or, at least you were until I decided to write a Graham Watson blog, which, thanks to it containing her name, now has an unfortunate side effect similar to the one you get when reading her blogs.

Watson -- unbeknownst to many of the people that actually do read what she writes out of boredom -- is in fact a female and non-BCS blogger for espn.com. That wasn't meant as an insult, but actually a real did-you-know, as more than a few message board-ers have dropped a "he" when referencing Graham. Don't worry though, plenty of insults still to come.

Graham Watson's job is to know non-BCS football (unless she has a second job, in which case only one of her jobs is to know non-BCS football). She is paid to watch them, write about them, read about them and even go to some of the games and cover them in person.

Needless to say, I don't find Graham Watson to be a particularly entertaining writer, or to generally have an informed opinion about non-BCS teams. Count me in as one out of nine Americans who agree with that statement (fine print: who knows if that's true, but I'd like to think it is). Sure, it's hard to mess up links to local newspaper Web sites and a list of players who have won awards (although it's happened). That stuff is generally tolerable. I've got no beef there, plus, beggars can't be choosers.

Rather, it is the lack of pure knowledge of teams, the head-shaking predictions, the perceived arrogance, etc., that make her a villain for college football fans. Her opinion-including blogs are daily evidence of that. She's consistent at least, I'll give her that.

So why do a blog now? Well, for one, I had the time. And then there's, well ... read on.

What if I told you that today, as I half-heartedly browsed through the BulldogBounce twitter feed, I ran across a Graham Watson tweet that provided me great entertainment and a lengthy laugh?

See the evidence below:

As you may have figured out, the "allow me to drop some knowledge" portion of the tweet was the part that did it for me. At this point, I was willing to be suckered, hoping to continue my streak of Graham-provided hilarity's. So I suckered myself into clicking the provided link, only to become utterly disappointed (but not surprised) with the vagueness, cluelessness and general ineptitude that followed.

BUT, for at least a brief segment in time, albeit unintentionally, Graham Watson brought a smile to my face, and now, to yours. That has to mean something. Could it be, that after we've grown apart from her for so long, that we've now learned to love each other. I only thought it fair to capture this event with its due diligence -- a sentimental Graham Watson tribute blog (which you've been reading) and a letter to her (which you will now read).

So to you, Graham, on behalf of the readers and myself, I say this:

Graham, I know we've had our ups and downs in the past, and we readers realize that it was unreasonable for us to expect us to see eye-to-eye on everything, but it became impossible for us grow together once you showed us your wealth of a lack of knowledge on college football. In the beginning, we showed an undying commitment to you, only to feel turned away by your insulting lack of knowledge of our programs.

I'll never forget the time I saw you remind about/request an interview on Facebook for Fresno State running backs Lonyae Miller and Ryan "Matthews." But that's OK, spelling isn't important for a paid non-BCS blogger, nor is knowing how to spell the name of arguably the best running back in the country, who just so happens to play for a non-BCS team.

Still, regardless of our rocky start, stars aligned and brought us back together, for what could only be described as us having a moment that we shall never forget.

Actually, on second thought, you got lucky this one time. Continue to take espn's money and "drop knowledge" on those suckers who can't get their cheek off the hook, and we'll all go our way and continue to know libraries of information more than you about non-BCS and BCS football alike.

Man, what a moment though ...

The end.

Fresno State and coach Pat Hill reach contract extension for "years" beyond 2010

Fresno State coach Pat Hill and the rock 'n' roll fu manchu will remain at the helm of the Bulldogs for an undetermined number of years, as reported by The Fresno Bee last night.

Contract details between Hill and the University are yet to be made official, and will be worked out following Fresno State's New Mexico Bowl *edit loss over wyoming this weekend.

Extra! Extra! Moscow blacksmith wins inventor of the year award

See that jumbo-sized medieval knight's battle axe? Yeah, it's not exactly the Where's Waldo of its medieval brethren, so we'll move along ...

The idaho vandal football team has been toting around "the battle axe" (known in history as the executioner axe) as part of an alleged revitalization of a past tradition, which we can only assume must somehow correlate with winning. As legend has it, touching the axe turns L's into W's, as its Harry Potter-like power is able to turn players such as Max Komar from cheap walk-on to all-conference caliber, and the Kibbie Dome from House of Horrors to the Miracle on 34th Street.

True as it may be, my own alternate ending involves idaho coach Rob(b) Akey coming late to a team meeting, battle axe in hand, and after a long hard-fought battle of Laire, decided he quickly needed a plan of action. I think it's Akey's mustache that makes it so believable.

Regardless of how the axe got its powers, fact of the matter is, it has them. The vandals are 4-0 at home and 7-2 overall, which means the people in Moscow can finally use the word win in its plural form. In fact, with all this winning, it's easy to forget that the university of idaho is located in remote Moscow, ID, an old-fashioned place where horse-powered carriages reign supreme and a place where trees and water exist, among other highlights.

But this whole idaho winning with the axe thing didn't just happen overnight. No, the hardworking townsmen of Moscow have dedicated many hours of labor into this turnaround. Such are the perks when competition among blacksmiths is so fierce. Rob(b) Akey asked for his community to get onboard and support the vandals, and they responded with the miracle axe.

That's why we were willing to help spread the word about Moscow's inventor of the year award, given to the talented blacksmith who managed to create a battle axe with such magical powers. With his inspiration, the local youngsters no longer aspire to be the next Charlie Chaplin, but rather the next great smoke-stained iron forger.

That is, of course, unless you happen to be one of the lucky vandals on scholarship, meaning a job can be put on hold for a few years, giving them and their inner Huck Finn the opportunity to splash in dirty water and bite off fish heads. No really ...

There really isn't a smooth transition after watching that. In other news, the Kibbie Dome is looking slightly different this year.

So they added windows and cleaned up a little bit. That should keep the window washer busy for awhile. I realize your level of indifference about this could hardly be weaker, but I couldn't help but imagine the damage Sir-Mix-A-Lot could have done with that much glass.

Simple as the job may have seemed, check out the amount of scaffolding necessary for such a project. I don't know about you, but upon seeing this, the only thing I could think of is the potentially awesome game of Plinko that could have been had.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but after all that I've learned about Moscow through researching for this blog, I might have actually talked myself into making it a future Fresno State football roadtrip destination.

In my defense, I have always had an interest in the Oregon Trail.

Time To Start Talking Some Hoops

As you all very well know, the football team has a bye week before playing Hawaii on October 10th, so what better way to celebrate a bye week than with the talk of some Fresno State basketball! It's always fun to play the guessing game and make predictions and that's just what we are going to do today! Let's talk about the potential line-up. Here is how I think the rotation will look for this year's squad based on nothing! Haha. There are a lot of new guys on this years team that I have never seen play, so my knowledge comes from what I have heard or read about.

Starting 5

Point Guard- Steven Shepp (6-2 170, So.) Has great ball handling skills and his pass first mentality is ideal for this team built with size and athleticism.

Shooting Guard- Mychal Ladd (6-5 190, So.) Might be the most athletic player on a team that is loaded with many athletes.

Small Forward- Paul George (6-8 210, So.) Showed tremendous talent last year as a freshman. Do it all player who can throw it down with the best of them.

Power Forward- Sylvester Seay (6-10 235, Sr.) Only senior on this years team. Will need to become a leader. He is a tough match-up with his length, athleticism, scoring and shot blocking ability.

Center- Greg Smith (6-10 250, Fr.) The most highly anticipated player to come into the basketball program since the Tark era.


Bench (In Order of Impact)

G- Brandon Sperling (6-4 180, So.) It looks like Sperling might be the back-up at both guard positions. He really turned it on at the end of last year, so it will be key for him to come off the bench and eat up some quality minutes. Needs to be more confident in his scoring abilities and driving to the basket.

F/C-Nedeljko Golubovic (6-8 245, Jr.) Started last year, but with the addition of Greg Smith, he will mostly likely be coming off the bench. Ned is a team player who will need to eat up some quality minutes with his ability to score inside and out.

G/F- Jerry Brown, Jr. (6-7 195, Fr.) Another freshman in this highly touted incoming class, Jerry brings a lot of athleticism and will see some time off the bench.

C- Brandon Webster (6-10 275, Jr.) Big body player who has shown signs of promise that makes you wonder if he can put it all together and play hard all the time, that he has the potential to be a very valuable player since most teams can't match up with his size.

G/F- Garrett Johnson (6-5 190, Fr.) Could potentially come off the bench for defensive purposes this season.

G- Taylor Kelly (6-2 200, RS Fr.) Red-shirted last season. Good shooter, who most likely will come off the bench in mop up duties this season, but may play himself into a much larger role.

F- Justin Johnson (6-6 205, RS Fr.) Surgery forced him to red-shirt last season. Father, Eddie, played in the NBA for 17 years.

G/F- Jonathan Wills (6-6 180, Jr.) The transfer from the University of New Mexico will sit out this year due to NCAA transfer rules, but will be able to practice with the team.



Now it's your turn. Tell us how you think the rotation will set up. I know there are others just as excited for the upcoming season. IT'S GREAT TO BE A BULLDOG!

Week 2 game prep: Links and wisconsin film study

wisconsin week. Our annual week of embarrassment thanks to the jocking of the badgers' jump around (which makes The Bulldog Bounce guilty by association).

Now that the elephant has been spotted and kicked out of the room, let's prep for what will be a very physical, hard-hitting slugfest with a little bit of flare mixed in on Saturday. For those of you who like to put coaching staff-like hours into each game, let's get to work.

Below you will find various links providing info on the bad guys (wisconsin) and the good guys (Fresno State).

• Official Web site of wisconsin football

• Madison.com coverage of the badgers and their game against Fresno State

• The badgernation football message board

• wisconsin football twitter feeds: wisconsin football and head coach bret bielema

• Bucky's 5th Quarter -- fan blog and large community of the badgers

• Official Fresno State football media notes for week 2 vs wisconsin (including depth charts)

• Barkboard: message board community for Fresno State fans

• RedWavepodcast: Sports staff from the school's newspaper, The Collegian, gives their take on the Dogs.

• Dogbyte podcast: another fan's take on the Bulldogs football team.

When you're ready, bust out the notebook and make good use of the replay. Below is an abbreviated version of Fresno State's highlights from its 51-0 mauling of uc davis and 10 minutes worth of highlights for both northern illinois and wisconsin below that.

northern illinois @ wisconsin

I'm already spitting blood in anticipation.

Fall scrimmage sketchy for offense

Ryan Colburn took first-team reps to start the scrimmage, but the offense sputtered most of the night no matter which quarterback was in. Though Derek Carr had the best stat line on 8 for 12 with 101 yards, compared to Colburn's 8 of 14 for 57 yards, Carr missed on a few should-be surefire completions. One thing to note is Colburn throws a flatout pretty ball, tight spiral. But Carr can really zip it in there, as he showed.

In Ebahn Feathers' first series at the helm, he led a touchdown drive. Feathers looked better running option plays than passing (as per the norm) but nearly made a fantastic throw down the sideline. The toss was a smidgen out of reach of the diving J.J. Stallworth. Coaches have got to work with redshirt freshman center Douglas Spacht, who constantly snaps the ball over Feathers' head -- and seems to be the only center Feathers gets reps with. Luckily, Feathers jumped to grab 'em all, but it gives the defense the advantage every time his fleet feet leave the ground.

The biggest passing play was a 35-yarder from Carr to Jamel Hamler across midfield. The ball was underthrown by Carr as he tried to avoid a sack from a defender in his face, but Hamler showed how special he can be by adjusting and going after the ball and yanking it down.

Still way too many dropped passes by receivers, though Chastin West did a great job of hanging on to one around his waist in traffic. Devon Wylie had a couple nice catch and jukes, but fumbled away one of his receptions. Seyi Ajirotutu, Marlon Moore, Rashad Evans and Matt Lindsey were all sidelined and not dressed out.

One of the few bright spots for the offense on the otherwise frustrating night was redshirt freshman tight end Tapa Taumopeau, who showed he has deceptive football speed and solid hands. Expect him to push Ryan Skidmore, Cub Pascoe and Isaac Kinter (who also didn't dress) for playing time at tight end/H-back.

Ryan Mathews looks to be running at a different level than everyone else -- when he takes that first burst it's obvious he's an elite caliber of football player. He broke off one of the most impressive runs of the night, zig-zagging and straight-arming his way for 17 yards. True freshman Robbie Rouse continues to impress, scoring one of just two touchdowns in the game on a would-be broken play where he improvised and scooted outside the tackle and into the end zone.

The only other touchdown was a late pass from walk-on QB Tyler Stirewalt to converted tight end Austin Raphael.

Redshirt freshman Michael Harris probably won't see much time this year as he's being groomed for a chance at a featured role 2011, but he showed a glimpse with a 46-yard scamper and some breakaway speed. Anthony Harding and Lonyae Miller, as well as Mathews, saw limited action as coaches favored getting younger guys reps.

The offensive line is a concern. Bryce Harris, Leslie Cooper, Joe Bernardi, Andrew Jackson and Kenny Wiggins worked the first series. Though some jobs are still being battled out, the line looked suspect throughout the scrimmage. Freshman Matt Hunt didn't dress, but could battle for the left guard spot. Richard Pacheco saw first-team reps later at center, as did Devan Cunningham at left tackle. Across the board, this might be the most size Fresno State has ever had on the o-line. The 2008 signees -- Max Devlin, Austin Wentworth, Trevor Richter, Richard Helepiko -- are all flatout huge.

Tuesday Two-a-day: Session 1

First, the bad news. Fresno State had an 8-10 p.m. practice session Tuesday night, but the Bounce was unable to attend. We're not happy campers about that.

That being said, there was two and a half hours of practice to enjoy in the a.m. And it was on this day, day 6, that the rookies finally joined the veterans to create a full squad. With that said, here are some news, notes and observations:

***UPDATE: So I left something out that I was reminded about this morning. The hit of the day came toward the end of practice during the 11-on-11 "tag-off" session in the compete zone (25 yard line to the goal). Ebahn Feathers jumped for a high snap out of the shotgun, came down with the ball and handed it to Robbie Rouse. As Rouse planted for his first step, Matt Akers came flying from around the left end and steam-rolled Rouse into the ground for the biggest collision of the day. This play sort of epitomizes the anxiousness that can be observed watching the team that they want to hit. The tag-off session is a full speed session, with defensive players making contact, wrapping up or stripping and letting the ball carrier continue with the play. Needless to say, as the period got more competitive, so to did the urge to hit. This is a good thing.

• With Matt Hunt and Devan Cunningham still not ready for full speed action, Leslie Cooper and Charley Robbins received time at left guard. Both played the position admirably, with Cooper taking home one of the plays of the day. In a nutshell, Cooper drove linebacker Ben Jacobs back 15+ yards away from the ball and line of scrimmage until the whistle blew.

• Joe Bernardi also received first team reps at center today. The always reliable Bernardi had a solid day as well.

• Quarterback is obviously the story of camp, but the linebackers will also eventually make a splash. Ben Jacobs seems to have the middle locked up, but he still seems to me missing a dimension from his game that would make him great. On the outside, Kyle Knox is showing great growth, although he and Nico Herron will at least be pushed for their jobs.

• True freshman Travis Brown may be the biggest contender, as he was given reps as the second team strongside backer. Fellow freshman Damion Whittington is also flashing talent out there.

• Also making noise in camp, and again on Tuesday, are the wideouts. New coach Keith Williams is pure hilarity, but his coaching methods are top flight. Route running has never been better across the board, and their improvement should only help the defensive backs compete at a higher level as well. Jamel Hamler is still looking prime to be big-play material.

• After watching a new wrinkle in the offense involving Devon Wylie, I'm starting to think that his school-record 4.25 40 speed is a tad bit slower than his true time. Defenders will thank the football Gods that the field is only 100 yards, because chasing Wylie will not be a fun chore.

• Bulldogs coaches also seem to have increased their aggressiveness for turnovers this year, a very much welcomed mentality. This should suit this team's new decapitating personality just fine.

• Speaking of the new personality, let's speak on it for a second. After having attended many years of Fresno State fall camps, the 2009 version has easily been among the most focused and effort-giving ones. Coaches have been dishing out praise for execution and effort frequently. That being said, they are still pushing the players to set the bar higher every practice. Bottom line is you couldn't ask for a better run camp right now.

• Finally, let's get to the QBs. After a few days of neck-and-neck competition between Ryan Colburn and Derek Carr, it seems as though the competition has heated up, with Carr doing most of the fueling. He has looked more poised, comfortable and shown more leadership each day. As a result, he has seen reps with the first team on consecutive days. On Tuesday, Carr made ridiculous throws at a torrid pace, flashing some of this teams enormous potential for big plays. Can a true freshman really be this good? Seems to be so. That being said, Colburn has also look fairly consistent, and should be able continue a high-scoring offense should he get the job.

• And for you Ebahn Feathers fans out there. Feathers has legit speed and can breakaway at any time. The noticeable and encouraging thing the past couple of days has been his arm strength and spiral quality. A lot less ducks being shot lately. He is still frustratingly inconsistent, because at times he shows flashes that prove he could be a monster impact player. He is getting plenty of reps, almost all of which he is throwing in, in an attempt to get him more seasoning for his strong right arm. He'll need to find accuracy to see the field more than a couple times per game.

Day 5: First day of full pads in the books

It should be an unwritten understanding, but just in case, let's start off with what I deem the necessary fall camp disclaimer. We've already got four Fresno State football camp wrap-ups, and excitement on the Barkboard is beginning to build steam.

So with that, let's remember than for probably every team in camp, everything is looking positive (except for idaho and other cheap "division I" teams). It's the nature of the beast we call fall camp. A fresh start and new and/or more improved players will do that to you. We at the Bulldog Bounce try to keep that in mind, but like you, we have Bulldog Red pumping through our veins. So don't be afraid to get excited, we are too. Just remember not to climb all the way to the top of the mountain too soon. Take it day by day, as we hope the Bulldogs do.

Today was the first day of full pads, which means somewhere, behind the fence and bushes surrounding the practice field, was an out-of-town homer TV station (likely oregon or boise) scouting the team.

It also means that today was finally an opportunity to see the guys put their talents to use at full speed, so to speak. Collisions are more violent and the spotlight shines a little brighter, so these are presumably key days for coaches to evaluate. Let's get to some nuggets:

Ebahn Feathers got a ton of throws in today. He threw to ghost coverage, one-on-one coverage, 7-on-7s and finally 11-on-11s. He threw a very nice ball. Very strong arm, but was finally more consistent on delivering a tight spiral to his receivers. QB coach Jeff Grady still had to work with him on gripping the ball though, which means he's not quite where he needs to be yet. He's shown definite improvement though, but his inconsistency is enough for me to hold my breath should he see time. That being said, opposing defenses will have to do the same.

For people familiar with previous fall camps, it's pretty obvious that this year's group of rookies is more advanced than in years past. They are bigger physically, more athletic and more adaptive to the college practice style. Competition for jobs should be heated for years, which should only make this team and players better during the season.

Running back Mike Harris had the play of the day on the second to last play of the rookies' session. He broke free on a run for about 40 yards before lowering his shoulder and flattening Terrance Dennis, igniting a host of screams from teammates. As a response, DT Anthony Williams busted through the line on the next play for a 3-4 yard tackle for loss.

Special teams (as always) remains a focus for the Bulldogs. The return game should be more lethal than ever and ideally set up the team with excellent field position to make it easier on breaking in the new QBs.

Derek Carr and Ryan Colburn are going to make Pat Hill have a tough call. The two of them can make all the throws, though Carr seems to have more velocity. Carr seems to be more comfortable with his position (both as a QB and leader) every day, and is making up ground if not passing Colburn. Both make out throws, fly routes and fade/corner routes with ease. The offense has already been opened up in practice. Either way, it's hard to imagine QB being a weak spot this year.

Richard Pacheco has taken most of the first team reps at center, but Joe Bernardi is just plain good.

The defensive line should have much more depth this year, in addition to size, speed and experience. Expect much better production.

Wide receivers coach Keith Williams is paying and will pay huge dividends for the wide receivers. I feel like I've improved ten-fold as a receiver just by watching him work. Now apply that to the receivers.

Ryan Skidmore continued where he left off today. By my count, he leads the team in fights when the team is dressed in full pads, going back to last year. He can really run though, and will be a very tough cover. Vince Pascoe and Nico Herron also got testy today.

Kyle Knox looks much bigger, faster and most importantly, confident on the field. Not the best year to be an opposing running back.

Jamel Hamler will be great by the time he leaves here. Awesome routes, great hands and can run.

No Richard Marshall-types at CB (yet), but the depth appears to be better than it's been in a while.

Looking forward to the day rookies mix it up with the vets. Robbie Rouse has been making some noise, and the linebackers are more seasoned than anyone thought.

All in a day(s) at Fresno State football camp.

I find it odd...

that Chris Dufresne of the LA Times pokes fun at Rutgers coach Greg Schiano and Fresno State coach Pat Hill for being the only two coaches to vote for Rutgers in the top 25 poll. Really Chris? With a straight face, are you suggesting Rutgers isn't a top 25 team? Rutgers who started a horrific 1-5, but then rattled off six straight wins to close out the season.

The Scarlet Knights' only two Big East losses were West Virginia by 7 and Cinicinnati by 3. Thing is, what would happen if these teams met now? Outside of Oklahoma and Florida, there might not be a hotter team in the country right now than Rutgers. And QB Mike Teel is putting up video game numbers after being shut down by Fresno State in a 24-7 season-opening loss. Even that game, though, was closer than the final score.

Why did Hill vote Rutgers in the top 25? Because he's been paying attention. It's not like Hill's pushing Rutgers to try and increase Fresno State's BCS ranking. Come on man...

Now that that's settled...

So now that Pat Hill has announced his intention to remain at Fresno State, as we all know I've been hoping like crazy for, let's hope he puts some of that stubborness behind him.

While it's definitely a great quality of his to be so no-nonsense and preach physical, punch-'em-in-the-mouth football, he also must step back and see that his biggest shortcoming as a coach is sometimes refusing to adjust proactively.

Don't be afraid to be unpredictable Pat. It doesn't mean we're not tougher or more physical than the other guys. It just means we're multi-dimensional. And, yeah, some of those fans who whine and complain all the time and think they know enough to tell you how to coach are irritating, but forget all that. Pay them no attention. You're the 'Dogs coach, we've all bought in to your vision. Let's make it happen. Just let us know how to help you along the way.

NObama, NOregon State!

Talk about an idea for an instant classic sign to hold up at this afternoon's 2 p.m. tipoff between Fresno State and Oregon State at the Save Mart Center.

I mean, regardless of your personal political views, that's just funny.

If you don't know by now, Oregon State's first-year head coach, Craig Robinson, is Barack Obama's brother-in-law.

I'm just gonna come out and say it...

Clifton Smith is the greatest return man in Tampa Bay Buccaneers history.

There. Simple. One sentence. And I believe every word of it. After a horrifying injury at Oregon in 2005 during Smith's first real action, in his first big road game, in the first quarter, as a Fresno State up-and-comer, he suffered a horrible knee injury. It basically killed his sophomore and junior seasons -- the stuff medical redshirts should be granted for.

After a breakout senior season in '08, Smith was an undrafted free agent (mostly 'cause he's only 5-foot-8) who everyone the 'Dogs ever played knew was one of the NCAA's great return men of all time. Not because he's astonishingly fast. But because he's Batmobile quick and makes cuts that are too impressive for analogies.

The Bucs had gone more than 30 years as an NFL franchise with just one -- ONE -- kick return for a touchdown. Clifton Smith has returned a kick and a punt for TDs in his first four games as a Buc. And a smart person would not bet against him doing it another time or two before the season is over.

You know the way people say someone is almost as fast as Devin Hester? Well, get ready to hear, "almost as elusive as Clifton Smith." Just take a looksie for yourself...

Grading the 'Dogs (7-4, 4-3) at San Jose St. (6-6, 4-4)

Quarterbacks: F
Brandstater's worst showing in since the '06 season finale at San Jose State (if not worst ever) amounts to 5 of 18 for 71 yards, an pick and a fumbled snap. Made bad decisions and consistently missed open receivers.

Running Backs: B
Would be a D if not for an eye-popping fourth quarter capped by a 22-yard Harding dip and dodge TD run and Rashad's breakout game of 41 yards (8.2 per carry). Harding led with 99 yards and Miller added 62.

Receivers: D+
Five guys had one catch each -- two receivers, a tight end, an H-back and a running back. Ajirotutu went without a reception for the first time all year and Moore was a non-factor in his first game back from injury. Bear Pascoe was robbed of a beautiful diving catch by a poor call by an official. Blame can't lay solely with Brandstater, but he missed several big plays while failing to make his reads.

Offensive Line: A-
Fourth quarter was so physically overpowering that any shortcomings from the first half take the back seat. Robbins proved why he should have been starting over Cunningham and Pacheco all year long when Popovich went down with injury. And Lepori and Bernardi possess unparalleled Bulldog Spirit. Solid game by Avon as well.

Defensive Line: A-
Banks had perhaps his finest game stuffing the middle and being imposing while doing it. Ike continues his late-season blossom, and Carter has taken over as by far the team's most dangerous D-linemen and should permanently move from linebacker. Team held Spartans to minus-5 yards rushing -- the second straight game holding a team to negative yards.

Linebackers: B+
Poor first quarter tackling, but credit the defense for staying strong despite being on the field the whole half as the offense struggled. Herron showed improvement in sticking to his assignment as he forced San Jose State QB Sean Flynn to fumble on an option pitch. Knox continues to impress.

Defensive Backs: B
San Jose State went deep many times and didn't complete anything besides the first quarter halfback pass for a TD. That said, Owens has been getting beat constantly, and Dunn did against the Spartans. Makes one wonder why the team's best cover corner, Jefferson, has been MIA at corner for weeks? Great, aggressive effort by Davis didn't go unnoticed.

Special Teams: B+
A strong effort besides West's botch fielding the opening kickoff, but he made up for it returning a punt for the 'Dogs first TD in the third quarter. Malone might end up one of best in school history averaging 43 yards per punt, including booming a 74-yarder out of the end zone in a critical field possession battle. Goessling nailed his only field goal attempt, and Spartans missed 2 of 3 field goals.

He's rated P.G.!

Check out P.G., Paul George, in only his second collegiate game throwing down on two St. Mary's players for SportsCenter's No. 1 play of the day. Crazy thing is, he had a dunk almost as good in his first game against Sac State.

Hill to Washington?

Fat chance if you ask me, but this guy doesn't seem to think so. The question is, has he ever even asked Pat Hill, or is he just going on a blind assumption?

http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/huskiesfan/archives/151226.asp

A moment captured forever

Fresno State's Ryan Mathews leaps over UCLA's Courtney Viney (the Edison High product who chose to attend UCLA over the hometown Bulldogs) on his way to a 25-yard touchdown in Fresno State's 36-31 win at the Rose Bowl.

Game Preview: No. 21 Fresno State (1-0) vs. No. 10 Wisconsin (2-0)

Quarterback
Tom Brandstater (6-5, 225) didn’t get off to the best of starts in the opener at Rutgers, completing just 11 of 24 passes. Still, he made big, clutch plays (including a long of 77 yards), resulting in 216 yards total. The most noticeable difference though between Brandstater now and Brandstater in his first year starting in 2006 is poise. He puts off a confident persona and looks like a leader on the field.. The Bulldogs didn’t show much of the variety expected from their offense this season, which should be an advantage. Plus, the X-factor or true freshman Ebahn Feathers (6-1, 210) remains. Will he make a cameo on Saturday?

After throwing just 10 passes for 75 yards in his starting debut against Akron, Allan Evridge (6-2, 212), a former Kansas State transfer, broke it open with 308 yards and a touchdown against Marshall last week. Evridge has completed 66.7% of his passes with 2 scores and 1 interception. In a come-from-behind blowout of Marshall, Evridge relied heavily on the short passing game with his tight ends, but also had a long of 42 yards.
Edge: Bulldogs

Running Back
Sophomore Ryan Mathews (5-11, 215) wasted no time proving last year was just a taste. He had ESPN analysts oohing and aahing on his way to 163 yards on 26 carries (6.3-yard average) and 3 touchdowns. Mathews’ big-play ability is pure instinct – the type of thing that can’t be taught. Still the Bulldogs will need more from co-starter (if you will) junior Lonyae Miller (5-11, 215), who had a 23-yard scamper, but just 6 yards on his other 4 carries. Junior Anthony Harding (6-0,215), has shown he will be deadly on draw plays this season. He had a long of 18 yards with 3 carries at Rutgers. While Mathews might be as talented as anyone Wisconsin has, the Badgers depth edges out Fresno State’s.

Just another area where these two teams are eerily similar. Wisconsin has three very good tailbacks, including junior P.J. Hill (5-11, 236), a guy similar to the running style of former Bulldog Dwayne Wright who’s already getting a little Heisman hype. Hill bombarded Akron for 210 yards and 2 touchdowns, but was held to just 57 yards on 18 carries (still with 2 scores) against Marshall. Still, the Badgers running game excelled behind sophomore Zach Brown (5-11, 207) and redshirt freshman John Clay (6-2, 237), a brute runner who might be the most talented of them all. All three already have more than 100 yards this season (Hill with 267, Clay 125 and Brown 123). And they’re all big backs. With fullback Chris Pressley (6-1, 259) leading the way, this unit plays straight up smashmouth football (sounds just like what Pat Hill talks about with his Bulldogs).
Edge: Badgers

Receiver
Many predicted it, and it all came true as junior Seyi Ajirotutu (6-3, 210) had that breakout game with 3 catches for 113 yards, including a 77-yarder where he broke wide open through a blown coverage to set up the game’s first touchdown. But the key play of the game was his 31-yard twisting, leaping backwards grab on third-and-23 to give the Bulldogs a first down inside the 5-yard line and set up the clinching score. It’s honestly tough to predict who will be the team’s leading receiver this season between Ajirotutu, junior Marlon Moore (6-0, 190), junior Chastin West (6-1, 215) and sophomore Devon Wylie (5-9, 170). West left the Rutgers game early with injury, and his status is unknown for Saturday. Moore, the most established standout of the group, was surprisingly quiet with 1 catch for 9 yards, but Wylie took his second career reception 31 yards to set up a scoreless-tie-breaking field goal. It’ll be a treat to see arguably the nation’s two best tight ends head to head. Look for Bear Pascoe (6-5, 260) to be more involved this week. Senior tight end Adam McDowell (), who was just converted from offensive line, will join Pascoe in double tight end sets to essentially give Fresno State 7 above average offensive linemen. And injury to junior Isaac Kinter will be a big blow to the team’s short-yardage passing game.

Everyone’s waiting to see the showdown between Bear Pascoe and the guy many call the best tight end in America, Wisconsin’s Travis Beckum (6-4, 235). Beckum is expected to return from injury to make his senior season debut at Bulldog Stadium, and while he’s faster than Pascoe, he’s nowhere near as physical or strong in the blocking game. The Badgers’ tight end dominance doesn’t end there though. Sophomore H-back Lance Kendricks (6-4, 227) leads the team with 4 catches for 102 yards, and is followed by junior tight end Garrett Graham (6-4, 237) and his 6 catches for 96 yards and the Badgers’ only 2 receiving touchdowns. A pair of talented sophomore wideouts, David Gilreath and Kyle Jefferson, couldn’t be much more different. Gilreath (5-11, 165) is a small, jittery runner, while Jefferson (6-5, 175) has the height to overmatch defenders. Yet, neither has become a standout-caliber receiver yet.
Edge: Bulldogs

Offensive Line
Junior center Richard Pacheco has his first start in the books (false start included), but the unit allowed Rutgers to apply all kinds of pressure in the first half. Partly to blame was bad field possession throughout the half, but it’s something to keep an eye on. Last year, sophomore Joe Bernardi shored up the line in his first start last season, and will be waiting to jump in if Pacheco struggles. The second half was a different story, as Fresno State completely wore down the Rutgers defense.

The Badgers’ line is as loaded with experience as Fresno State’s – and larger. The unit averages 6-6 and 319 pounds. The most inexperienced of the starters is sophomore center John Moffitt (6-4, 323) who started the final 6 games last season. Right guard Kraig Urbik (6-6, 332), an Outland Trophy candidate, has started 41 straight games for a group that’s combined for 114 career starts.
Edge: Even

Defensive Line
The front four wasn’t able to apply much pressure in the passing game at Rutgers. And that’ll be a challenge again this week against the large offensive line of Wisconsin. If the Badgers move to the passing game as they did last week against Marshall, the Bulldogs will need more bodies in the backfield. Jon Monga (6-2, 280) and sophomore Cornell Banks (6-3, 300) were the only two members of the defensive front combining for 1 tackles for a loss. Still, the unit engaged enough with their blockers to allow Fresno State’s linebackers and safeties openings to make plays.

End Matt Shaughnessy (6-6, 253) leads a veteran defensive front that includes 3 seniors. With 11.5 career sacks, Shaughnessy is a feared pass rusher who’s up for multiple honors. While he doesn’t yet have a sack this season, he’s got 5 quarterback hurries and 2 pass deflections. Senior tackle Mike Newkirk (6-3, 264) is the only Badger with multiple tackles for losses (2). Despite the talent, this hasn’t been much of a playmaking front four to this point in the season.
Edge: Badgers

Linebackers
Already the thinnest position on the team, the Bulldog took a big hit with the loss of sophomore Nick Bates (6-1, 210) to injury (reportedly up to 6 weeks). But many questions were seemingly answered with the young core of sophomores Chris Carter (6-2, 220) and Nico Herron (6-3, 240). Carter tied for the team lead with 8 tackles in his first game at linebacker, since being converted from defensive end. Herron made several big, physical plays as well. And the biggest standout might have been reserve redshirt freshman Kyle Knox (6-1, 215), who had 7 tackles (2.5 for losses) and the team’s only sack in his first collegiate experience. Sophomore Ben Jacobs (6-3, 240), the only returning starter, made a big play in pass coverage to prevent a touchdown, and seems to have already embraced the leadership role of the defense.

The Badgers’ biggest playmaker – hands down – has been junior Jaevery McFadden (6-3, 220), who leads the team with a whopping 20 tackles after 2 games. DeAndre Levy (6-3, 228) is tied for second on the team with 9 tackles. Fresno State’s offense will keep these linebackers busy, having to worry about Ryan Mathews out of the backfield, Bear Pascoe’s size at tight end and a bolting Devon Wylie on quick slants.
Edge: Badgers

Defensive Backs
So much for waiting more than half the year for an interception this season (as was the case the past two years). Junior free safety Marvin Haynes (6-1, 205) picked off two passes in the opener, including one on a flea flicker to the end zone. Junior corner A.J. Jefferson (6-0, 190) emerged as a playmaker in pass coverage, showing the timing ability to disrupt passes. Sharrod Davis (5-11, 190) also turned in a solid performance, with junior strong safety Moses Harris (5-11, 205) tying for the team-high 8 tackles. The most pleasant surprise to Bulldogs fans was the quick return from injury of reserve safety Lorne Bell (5-10, 200), who harassed Rutgers in its own backfield all day.

Oddly enough, for a Wisconsin defense built around speed, the secondary might be its least speedy unit, relatively. It’s definitely the youngest, with two sophomores, a junior and a senior starting. Sophomore corner Niles Brinkley (5-10, 177) already has 2 interceptions, and junior safety Shane Carter (6-2, 202) has the other for the Badgers. Reserve freshman corner Mario Goins (6-1, 186) is tied for second on the team with 9 tackles.
Edge: Bulldogs

Special Teams
Returning just two kicks in the opener, A.J. Jefferson didn’t get much of an opportunity to show off his skills that led the nation in kick return average (35.8 yards) last season. A bigger concern was Marlon Moore at punt returner – he made two questionable decisions to catch the ball deep in Fresno State territory, and on one ran side to side instead of getting up field. Redshirt freshman kicker Kevin Goessling (6-0, 190) connected from 36 yards on his lone attempt, and junior punter Robert Malone (6-2, 215) averaged 39.8 yards on 6 tries while battling bad field position. Although they weren’t blocked, Fresno State held Rutgers to 0 for 2 on field goal attempts.

The Badgers young crop of legs is off to an impressive start. Freshman punter Brad Nortman (6-3, 215) averages 50.2 yards on 4 tries, and has booted 2 punts 50-plus yards. Freshman kicker Philip Welch (6-3, 190) is 2 for 2 with a long of 45 yards. David Gilreath averages 31 yards per kick return after taking one 63 yards. The Badgers are getting solid play from this group right now, but it’s still not proven against tougher competition.
Edge: Even

Coaching
This is the perfect recipe for Pat Hill’s brand of football. The Bulldogs have now won three straight games against teams from BCS conferences. Fresno State stuck to a basic game plan in its opener, and showed hardly any of the unconventional looks seen toward the end of last year. That could catch Wisconsin off guard a bit if the playbook is opened up, although the Badgers did get plenty of scouting looks at Ryan Mathews.

What can you say negative about Bret Bielema. In just more than 2 years at Wisconsin, the former Wisconsin and Kansas State defensive coordinator is 23-5. Only two other Big 10 coaches have ever won 21 or more games in their first two seasons. The only knock is that he’s far less experienced as head coach than Pat Hill.
Edge: Bulldogs

Intangibles
Simple – the game’s at Bulldog Stadium. It’s the first Big 10 team to ever visit Fresno. Tied for the highest-ranked team to visit Fresno. A traditional powerhouse program. A sellout, standing-room-only crowd. The home opener. Jim Rome said on his show today these 45,000 fans at Bulldog Stadium will sound more like 90,000. If so, that’s going to affect the Badgers. The all-time series is 1-1, with Fresno State winning 32-20 at Camp Randall Stadium in 2001, and Wisconsin kicking the game-winning field goal with just more than 2 minutes left the following season to win 23-21 at Camp Randall.
Edge: Bulldogs


**Photos by Cary Edmondson

Rutgers Q&A with Bleed Scarlet blog

The author of the Rutgers Bleed Scarlet blog came up with the great idea of a Q&A exchange between our two blogs. Thanks for the insight on the Scarlet Knights!

Bulldog Bounce: What is the stadium atmosphere and fan tradition like at Rutgers?

Bleed Scarlet: The seats are very close to the field, so when the crowd gets into games, Rutgers Stadium can get loud. The stadium is currently in the middle of being expanded, so it's likely that there will be a lot of obvious unfinished construction work visible during the Fresno State game.

Some of the older season ticket holders have a "down in front" mentality and disapprove of other fans standing up and making noise. The younger fans and students on the other hand can get unruly at times. It's more of a pro-style atmosphere than a traditional college experience. You'll barely be able to hear the band (but you will hear the cannon), but expect a lot of 70s classic rock and Jock Jams to be played over the PA.

Will Ray Rice be replaced by a committee? How good might the Rutgers running game be in '08?

Right now it looks like Kordell Young and Mason Robinson will split carries this season. Neither has Rice's power or vision, or are as polished as he was last season, but both do have a little more speed than Rice did. Jordan Brooks is a bigger tailback and will see some time in short-yardage situations.

The overall running game will depend a lot on the play of the offensive line. Rutgers lost three starters from last season. So far in scrimmages, they've done well enough in pass protection, but have had some trouble opening holes in the running game. They've made no bones about the fact that they want to run behind their LT, Anthony Davis. The starting left guard was injured a few days ago, and it's unclear as to whether he'll be ready in time for the opener. One reason for optimism is that the team has a great offensive line coach, and it's not too difficult to find a productive runner when using a zone-blocking scheme.

Is Rutgers a team to reckon with now, or is there any worry things could return to how they were before Ray Rice?

Ray Rice was a major part of the team's success the past few seasons, but it wasn't solely on his shoulders. Explaining why Rutgers was so terrible for a good portion of a decade would take a lot of time. In summary: there were a lot of organizational challenges, and the former head coach was absolutely inept. Between facilities, academic support, and reputation, Rutgers is lightyears ahead of where it was before Greg Schiano arrived. Rutgers conceivably could fall back into mediocrity, but I don't expect that to happen, and there's no chance at this point of the bottom collapsing out from under the program.

What did Rutgers fans know about Fresno - the city and the school - before this game was scheduled?

We're familiar with Fresno State's reputation as a team that's not afraid to play anyone. I personally watched the ending of Fresno's game last year Texas A&M and thought that it was an absolute travesty. Most of us aren't that familiar with Fresno itself besides the fact that it's in California.

For Fresno State fans that are curious, Piscataway is about halfway between New York City and Philadelphia, but it's closer to NYC. It's a suburban town. Rutgers's campus is split in between two towns - Piscataway, and the more-urban New Brunswick. The latter is where you'll arrive if you come in by train (there is a shuttle bus that will take you to the stadium). New Brunswick is where any visitors will want to go after the game if they want to visit a nice restaurant or just go bar-hopping.

Rank the Fresno State players Rutgers fans are most concerned about and why?

In general, Rutgers fans aren't very familiar with any players on Fresno State's team. I have been reading what I can leading up to the game, and the Brandstater to Pascoe connection is getting the most press.

What has given Rutgers the worst matchup problems the past two years on both sides of the ball?

RU's biggest vulnerability on defense is to a power rushing attack. Coach Schiano likes to make his corners into safeties, safeties into linebackers, etc... to get the fastest personnel possible on defense. The end result is that the defensive line averages 270 lbs on a good day. This was a problem even in 2006 when the team was playing at a very high level.

Last season, the team did have some trouble opening holes in the running game early in the year, before a few changes were made to the starting lineup in October. Given the inexperience on the offensive line, rushing offense is again a concern entering this year.

The team's special teams were also terrible last season.

What West coast team does Rutgers' style most resemble?

We get a couple of Pac 10 games on Fox Sports Network, but overall I'm not very familiar with the specifics of each west coast team's attack. Personnel-willing, Rutgers likes to throw the football downfield, coupled with a power rushing game that keeps the chains moving and the opposing defense on the field. It's a variant of the classic Air Coryell offense favored by offensive coordinators such as Norv Turner.

Who are the go-to players when in need of a first down?

When the game is on the line, quarterback Mike Teel is going to throw the ball deep to receiver Kenny Britt. Britt is the most talented player on the team, and I'm surprised has has not received more preseason hype after a great 2007. Britt is the focal point of the offense, and everything goes through him if at all possible.

Does the Rutgers defense employ more zone or man?

It really depends on how exotic Schiano (who also serves as the team's offensive coordinator) wants to get with his blitzes, which he has no qualms about sending from every position. The team was very young at CB last year, so they played a lot of Cover-2 and Cover-3. When they did play zone, the CBs usually gave opposing receivers a large cushion. If that continues, they could be very vulnerable to possession receivers with steady hands.

Where does Fresno State rank as far as difficulty of teams on Rutgers' schedule?

West Virginia and South Florida rank first and second respectively. I'd say Fresno State is a little better than Pitt, which is not nearly as good as the Bulldogs offensively, but does have some playmakers on that side of the ball, to go along with a terrific defense. I'd also put Fresno State above Cincinnati, as long as Ben Mauk doesn't win his appeal with the NCAA.

Your prediction for the game?

Rutgers and Fresno State both should have prolific offenses this year, but Fresno State's experience on the offensive line gives them the edge there. I think Rutgers will have the better defense. That, combined with home-field advantage, will hopefully make for a narrow Rutgers win. 27-24. No Rutgers fan will be stunned if we lose though, or if Fresno State runs the table this year and crashes the BCS.