Grading the 'Dogs (0-2) at No. 10 nebraska (2-0)

Quarterbacks: B+
For Fresno State standards in recent years, this was an 'A' performance. But for sophomore Derek Carr, in just his second career start, it's clear he's capable of much more fine tuning. Carr was 20 of 41 for 254 yards and a touchdown in the loss. But most impressive, Carr seemed to will his team forward, even after the Bulldogs lost the lead for the first time during the third quarter. Carr's first quarter TD scamper, where he leaped over a nebraska defender near the sideline and reached out in mid air to get the ball over the goal line inside the pylon, was No. 2 on SportsCenter's Top 10 plays. Fresno State fans should appreciate the cool, calm, collected Carr when he steps to the line reading defenses and when he drops back or rolls out to pass. It's a true joy to see, especially from an inexperienced QB.



Running Backs: A
One of the most surprising tidbits of the young season is the amount of carries junior Robbie Rouse is getting. Rouse was the undoubted incumbent starter at the position, but there's such talented backups, who all shared in first-team reps during camp, that we expected to see more touches from them. ucla transfer Milton Knox is yet to get a carry. And A.J. Ellis has just one on the year. But a quick look at the stat sheet explains why. Against nebraska, Rouse had 36 carries for 169 yards (4.7 per carry). He didn't have a single carry for negative yardage. And he caught 3 passes for 28 yards. Against a nebraska defense considered one of the nation's best. Rouse's 36 carries were the most against nebraska since Ricky Williams in 1998.

Receivers: B-
Quite a bit of improvement for the receivers from the season opener to now. But there's still a ways to go. The hot reads aren't coming as smoothly as they should, something that'll have to be done if the Bulldogs truly are going to go from good to great. Isaiah Burse has had a rough first two games -- definitely isn't playing like himself. This group has a lot of big play ability. We saw the special 26-yard TD catch in double coverage to redshirt freshman Josh Harper, and the 55-yard toss to sophomore A.J. Johnson, but are still waiting for Jalen Saunders to get going. Rashad Evans showed off the hands and provided the security blanket with 6 catches for 63 yards.

Offensive Line: A
It was downright painful to listen to some of the local media the past week as they gave blame to the offensive line for the cal loss. While the line came up short, most media members were way off in their assessments, failing to recognize the strength of the run blocking. This week it was made painstakingly obvious. With starting center Richard Helepiko out with injury, and another key lineman going down at the start of the game in left guard Matt Hunt, Trevor Richter stepped in for his first career action and didn't skip a beat. Richter even pancaked one of the vaunted nebraska blackshirts on a key drive. Right tackle Cody Wichmann, in his first start, showed vast improvement from the cal game when he was forced into action. And how about Leslie Cooper, filling in for Helepiko at center and matching up with nebraska All-American Trevor Crick. At times, Cooper dominated Crick, answering his spin move and stopping him in his tracks. With Carr often rolling out to pass, the line gave Carr plenty of time and allowed zero sacks (we'll see how many times that happens to nebraska all year).

Defensive Line: C-
Though Fresno State was impressive most of the game in shutting down nebraska's offense, the Bulldogs were done in by allowing a handful of big plays. Against a one-dimensional QB in Taylor Martinez, the Bulldogs likely would have won if they were able to remain assignment sound and contain the edge when Martinez kept the ball and ran. The most costly came on third down and 3. A stop would have given the Bulldogs the ball back with plenty of time to go after the winning score, but instead, Martinez scampered right around the tackle and broke a long, game-clinching TD run. Give Logan Harrell and Chase McEntee credit for shutting down everything up the middle, but the edge of the line was inconsistent at best. Matt Akers had the only sack of the game for either team, and Tristan Okpalaugo showed some promising tenacity. But the Bulldogs have to improve in this area before games against utah state and nevada.

Linebackers: C-
Though Kyle Knox was tied for the team lead with 8 tackles, he looked a step slow reacting to nebraska's option attack most of the game. Knox was caught out of position numerous times, something you don't want out of the senior leader of your defense. This group really has to work as one with the front four to become the type of defense capable of shutting down mobile QBs.

Defensive Backs: C-
The Bulldogs cannot afford any more injuries at the safety position. Sophomore Derron Smith went down after a potentially game-changing play in the first half and missed about a quarter of action. That left Terrance Dennis and Zak Hill as the two safeties -- both are liabilities in coverage right now, though Hill has showed much improvement. Dennis tied for the team lead with 8 tackles, and is a big hitter, but has got to improve in man coverage. The Bulldogs were again burned over the top by an inaccurate QB. What happens when they play quarterbacks who can throw well (Kellen Moore anyone)? Smith's early interception could have led to a double-digit lead for Fresno State, but was negated when he didn't protect the ball, flailing his arm behind him without tucking it in, and got hit hard and fumbled it right back to nebraska. He'll learn from the mistake, but the Bulldogs just hope he's healthy.

Special Teams: C
For the second straight week, special teams negated a great play -- or plays -- by giving up a crushing play. Devon Wylie opened up the scoring by returning a punt 67 yards for a TD. But the Bulldogs gave up a 100-yard kickoff return that completely shifted the momentum nebraska's way after Harper's big TD grab. That return may very well have cost Fresno State the win. On a positive note, Kevin Goessling got out of that brutal Candlestick wind and returned to normal, with three field goals of 22, 36 and 37 yards. Hold your breath though, punter and kickoff specialist Andrew Shapiro (who hasn't been much of a specialist when it comes to kickoffs) was injured on the 100-yard return. Goessling came in for the final kickoff and booted it deep into the end zone for a touchback, but the 'Dogs need Shapiro for punts.

Coaching: B
Give Pat Hill and staff huge credit for designing a gameplan to render nebraska's pass rush useless. From the get-go, Fresno State rolled Carr out of the pocked, relieving pressure off of the offensive line and buying lots of time in the passing game. The Bulldogs dominated nebraska's defense for a quarter or more, but the problem, as is often the case with Hill's teams, was in-game adjustments. nebraska's adjustments outweighed Fresno State's and the Huskers fought back and eventually took the lead.

Grading the 'Dogs (0-1) vs. cal (1-0)

Quarterback: C+
In his first career start, Derek Carr was impressive, making a couple of throws that Fresno State fans haven't seen from their QBs in years, if ever. More impressive than anything was how calm and poised Carr remained in the pocket throughout the game, despite pressure, dropped passes and at least one costly missed hot read by his receiver, who ran an in instead of an out. Carr had a high completion percentage (21 of 33) but didn't get to throw downfield as often as the coaches probably should have allowed. The one bad throw he made was the interception, where the indented target had no chance at the ball over top. But overall, Carr should have fans stoked that he's the new QB because he showed plenty of flashes of what's to come.

Running Backs: B+
Make no mistake about it, cal could not stop Robbie Rouse from running the football. He ate up chunks of yards en route to 86 yards on 17 carries (5.1 yards per attempt). Of course you still have the fans who complain about Pat Hill running too much, but this is one instance where he didn't run nearly enough. Because there's no argument the run was working better than the screen passes the offense kept calling. Fresno State never established a consistent running game, and all signs suggest they easily could have. It might have cost them the game, preventing the team from keeping its defense off the field and controlling time of possession to create sustained drives.

Receivers: D+
Part of the reason the receivers weren't successful was the coaches not putting them in position to win their matchups. But no matter how well Carr played, the Bulldogs were hurt by the lack of playmaking from their playmakers. TE Ryan Boschma dropped a wide open pass in his chest for a would-be first down. Rashad Evans got two hands on a low-thrown ball and dropped what would have been another first down. And Isaiah Burse dropped a hot read thrown right at the point where cal blitzed from that very well could have resulted in a long TD. Those plays were all drive killers, and kept the 'Dogs from taking control and building confidcence in their offense. The two bright spots were Devon Wylie's 56-yard catch and run and R-Fr Josh Harper's first career TD.

Offensive Line: C-
The offensive line looked very strong in the running game, but had more trouble pass protecting (as was predicted). When center Richard Helepiko left the game with injury, R-Fr Cody Wichmann got his first-ever game action at right tackle. Wichmann missed the block that led to Carr being stripped and cal picking up the fumble for a defensive TD. This unit gave up four sacks, continuing last year's downward trend of the offensive line. But keep in mind, two of those sacks were a slide by Carr on a bad spot where he could have run for the gain and risk being hit, and another was a play where Carr tripped over his center's foot and fell backward.

Defensive Line: C
While the unit got stronger as the game went on, and put more hurries on cal QB Zach Maynard, this group can do a better job finishing plays and applying pressure with the front four. Star DT Logan Harrell had a sack and two tackles for loss, and true freshman Donavon Lewis (Clovis West High) had a sack in his first college game. But there weren't many other bright spots. DE Matt Akers didn't have the same burst getting to the backfield as he showed in fall camp and Donavaughn Pritchett was less effective containing the QB than he was last season. DE Tristan Okpalaugo and redshirt freshman DT Tyeler Davison both got their first significant reps as Bulldogs -- expect good things from them before the year's over. DE Nat Harrison, who was supposed to have a breakout year, had virtually no impact on the game.

Linebackers: C+
Travis Brown tied for the team lead with 8 tackles and the entire unit was very active all over the field and in blitz packages. Sophomore Jeremiah Toma, in his first career start as Ben Jacobs' replacement, was uber impressive. He displayed better ball instincts and much more quickness than the Bulldogs previously had at the position. Toma finished with five tackles and Kyle Knox had four, including one for a loss, after an blindsided hit forced him to the sideline for a few plays. This group was a big reason why cal RB Isi Sofele averaged just 3.4 yards per attempt.

Defensive Backs: D-
There were two positives that can be taken away by this group. Sophomore L.J. Jones intercepted cal's first pass of the game and it led to a quick Bulldogs TD. And junior Terrance Dennis, who entered the game as the third-string strong safety behind Cristin Wilson and Zak Hill, broke out and left no doubt he deserves to start in place of the injured Phillip Thomas. Dennis, the son of former Bulldogs player Terry Dennis (1983-84) and cousin of former usc star Hershell Dennis, had five tackles and at least four big hits. Standout CB Jermaine Thomas gave up a couple big passes, including a long TD in blown coverage, raising concern he's still not fully recovered from last season's injury. The 'Dogs don't seem to have much to lose by playing tighter man coverage and getting physical with opposing receivers, because the cushion coverage wasn't working either.

Special Teams: C
Any time you miss a clutch 35-yard field goal, it can't be a great special teams performance, but the Bulldogs' Cody Wichmann blocked cal's first two PATs. Chalk up the missed field goal to that insane Candlestick wind, and expect a better performance vs. nebraska.

Coaching: F
Typically the fans who whine about playcalling make educated fans want to pull their hair out, but this time the criticism is fair. The Bulldogs seemingly pounded their collective heads into a wall the entire game. The screen pass never proved effective, yet, even on the final possession of the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs were still throwing to receivers behind scrimmage and still getting nowhere. That, coupled with the lack of recognition by coaches that cal was susceptible to Fresno State's running game, is beyond frustrating.

Q&A Battle at the Bay with California Golden Blog

As we continue to break down Fresno State, position by position, here at Bulldog Bounce, it's time to split our focus to the opponent as well for Saturday's opener at Candlestick Park. Fresno State and cal fans have long had a hate-hate relationship on message boards over the years, rarely agreeing on anything. So we thought it'd be fun to keep it respectful -- as it should be -- and really dive in to the mindset of some of cal's most educated fans.

And don't forget to see the Q&A we answered over at California Golden Blog.

Bulldog Bounce: Fresno State has long fought the perception that it can't compete with the state's Pac-12 schools. And now the 'Dogs are 2-0 vs cal, have won 2 straight vs ucla and are 1-1 vs usc, while stanford still wants no part of the schedule. Do cal fans respect Fresno State as a university and a football program?

Norcalnick:
I don't want to devalue Fresno State's last win over Cal, but it was a Tom Holmoe coached team. It's like getting a win over San Jose St! As for Cal fan's perception of the Fresno State program? I think you'll find universal respect for the attitude and ethos that Pat Hill has instilled in the Valley, and if they are being honest they know Fresno has a solid chance to beat the Bears. I know the bloom has come off a bit on Hill over the past few years because of the Boise problem, but that doesn't mean he isn't a good coach in the right situation. Actually, sounds similar to how most Cal fans feel about Jeff Tedford. As for Fresno St. as a university? I can't say I know anything about Fresno State beyond 'it's a state school', but let's just say we Cal grads can be a little insufferable about our academic reputaton.

Atomsareenough:
We certainly respect the Fresno State football program. In fact, there's been quite a bit of hand-wringing over the fact that the Bulldogs might very well take this game, because they're a good team, but the fact that they get little respect from the rest of the college football world means that even if the Bears do manage to come away victorious, we won't get a lot of credit for it. Playing you guys is a high risk, low reward proposition for a BCS conference team. As a resident of California I think most of us recognize that the Cal State system is a valuable and important aspect of the state's higher education system. I can't say that I know a ton about the Fresno campus in particular, though.

Bulldog Bounce: Pat Hill expressed desire to play 1-2 in-state games vs Pac-12 schools each year. Would cal fans enjoy playing Fresno State regularly?

Norcalnick:
Probably not. Fairly or unfairly, there isn't much upside to playing Fresno State. Beating them gets you less respect than it should, and losing obviously isn't any help. Plus, for better or for worse, Cal's last trip to Fresno in 2000 was evidently a disaster both on the field and in the stands, and I'm told alumni have basically begged our AD to never schedule a road game in Fresno ever again.

Atomsareenough:
No offense, but I'm doubtful. As Nick said, and as I mentioned in my answer to Question 1, it's not a very good value proposition for Pac-12 teams. Maybe if Fresno State were part of a BCS-qualifying Mountain West or something, the equation might change. Then again, I don't know if too many Bay Area- or SoCal-residing Berkeley folk really relish the idea of a regular road trip to Fresno. Many don't have very fond memories of the last trip down there.

Bulldog Bounce: What type of offense will cal run with Zach Maynard at QB? Any indication schemes will change much?

Atomsareenough:
From all reports so far, it's the same pro-style Jeff Tedford Cal offense that we've seen, though they've usually added a couple of new wrinkles every year. Perhaps Maynard's running ability might result in a few more designed QB run plays. Mostly though, we're hoping it means that when the original playcall is busted, Maynard can pull the ball down and scramble for some extra yards rather than having to throw the ball away or take a sack.

Bulldog Bounce: What is the defense's gameplan likely to be? Will cal focus on stopping the run? Will it be an aggressive blitzing scheme?

Kodiak:
Cal's defensive gameplan will probably be aggressive and oriented towards shutting down Robbie Rouse while putting a lot of pressure on Carr. We have two solid corners in Anthony and Williams (both former US Army All-Americans) and Coach Pendergast doesn't mind leaving his defensive backs on an island. He'll mix things up, though. There will be plenty of pressure, plenty of blitzes, and plenty of zone blitzes. I think he'll throw a variety of looks to try to confuse Carr into making mistakes. There's a big emphasis this year on having the secondary (and the defense as a whole) cause more turnovers. So, the corners and safeties will be attacking the ball more. The downside of this aggressive defensive is that Fresno State will have their chances to pop some big plays if they can handle Cal's pressure. We have some young players scattered throughout the defense, so double-moves, play-action, and misdirection could result in big payoffs. Of course, the classic tight end down the middle on 3rd and long is apparently something that Cal will traditionally leave wide open.

Berkelium97:
Our second-year defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast loves to make opposing QBs uncomfortable. With four new starters on the Fresno State O-line and a new QB under center, you can bet Clancy will design all sorts of pressure packages. Cal runs a 3-4 defense, so trying to identify that fourth or fifth potential pass rusher is always tough for a QB, particularly one making his first start. It's not immediately clear whether this pressure-heavy scheme will pick up where it left off last season. We lost a first round pick in defensive lineman Cameron Jordan and we are breaking in two new starting outside linebackers. We also lost our defensive anchor Mike Mohamed to the NFL Draft. There is plenty of talent and experience in the front seven, so the shuffling of roles should not have a major impact on our defense. Still, we cannot immediately expect to be as productive and disruptive as last season.

BUlldog Bounce: How would you rank each FBS football program within the state looking at the past decade as a whole, 2000-2010?

Norcalnick:
1. USC
2. Cal
3. Fresno St.
4. UCLA
5. San Diego St.
6. San Jose St.
7. UC Davis
8. Stanfurd

At first I had UCLA over Fresno St., and then I looked at UCLA's record, realized they had only one season with more than 7 wins, laughed at how hard the southern branch had fallen, and moved Fresno up. I guess you could argue Fresno should be above Cal based purely on W/L records, but I think it's disingenuous to suggest that the WAC is the same as the Pac-10.

Atomsareenough:
Mine is similar to Norcalnick's ranking, but I'll be a little more objective and say that Stanfurd (yes, that's how it's spelled) probably deserves to be closer to #5 or #6 based on the turnaround they've seen the past few years.

Bulldog Bounce: Which matchup within the game favors cal most? Which favors Fresno State most?

Norcalnick:
I think Cal's front seven vs. Fresno St.'s offensive line is Cal's biggest advantage. Cal has a ton of depth in their defensive line and linebacking corp, and that could be decisive if Fresno St.'s relatively inexperienced line isn't ready. I think Logan Harrell vs. Cal's interior line is Fresno St.'s biggest advantage. Cal didn't have a ton of success running on the inside last year and there are some question marks at the guard position.

Kodiak:
Anything involving running water or electricity favors Cal. Anything involving the best porn 'stache favors Pat Hill and FSU. On the field, Fresno State's best match-up is probably Logan Harrell against Justin Cheadle. Until proven otherwise, Cal's offensive line is still a question mark. Cheadle, in particular, had trouble standing his ground last year against dominant defensive tackles. I'd guess that they'd have to double-team Harrell all day. Cal's best match-up is Coach Clancy Pendergast's defensive scheme against an inexperienced David Carr. Coach Pendergast likes to bring pressure from different areas, different looks, and different players. If Carr doesn't make the right read or holds onto the ball too long, he could have a rough day.

Bulldog Bounce: What do you expect from Isi Sofele? How does he compare to other recent backs at cal?

Kodiak:
He's short, but he's not small. Although he had the rep as a speedster when he came in, he's put on some muscle and has been compared to trying to tackle a human bowling ball. He's been working hard to change his running style to be more upfield than juking/dancing. If the Oline can hold up, he should be fine. He may not have Jahvid Best's unworldly speed, Shane Vereen's balance/vision, Marshawn Lynch's power, but he could be similar to a Justin Forsett type of back who does a lot of things well. I expect that he'll platoon with Covaughn Deboskie-Johnson and CJ Anderson. Whichever runner emerges as the most consistent will likely end up taking most of the snaps.

Berkelium97:
This is an issue that has worried Cal fans all offseason. Typically, our second running back gets around 100-150 carries and is an integral part of the offense. Although he was our second string last season, Sofele was not as involved with the offense mostly due to Vereen's extreme durability and reliability. We simply do not know what to expect from him. We have tremendous confidence in our running backs coach Ron Gould, but we have not seen Sofele take on as much responsibility as he will this season. He will be productive, however. He's small, he's shifty, and he breaks tackles. When he is not running the ball, Covaughn DeBoskie Johnson will run. CDJ has played a bit of garbage time in years past, but this offseason he obviously did his homework and is in the best shape since he's been at Cal. Again, having only seen him in garbage time, we do not have a great idea what to expect from him against first-team defenses. Behind CDJ is a new face in CJ Anderson, who will mainly be brought in for short-yardage situations. As you might expect, he's the low-running, bruising type of back (something we have not really had at Cal since Marshawn Lynch back in 2006). Whether he will be productive remains to be seen. The biggest question in our running game, however, is blocking. We fired our abysmal offensive line coach after last season and rehired Jim Michalczik, whose offensive lines at Cal from 2002 to 2008 ranged from solid to dominant. We're looking forward to some much-improved run blocking and pass protection.

Bulldog Bounce: Which cal offensive and defensive players should most concern the Bulldogs?

Atomsareenough:
On offense: I'd say Keenan Allen and Zach Maynard. Maynard because I think the Bulldogs are going to have a hard time knowing what to expect from him. Heck, we barely know what to expect ourselves at this point. Fresno State is going to be the first team play Cal with Maynard, and they'll have the least film to go on, so it will be tough to gameplan for him. Allen should concern you because he is a very exciting talent and if he's healthy he can be a gamechanger. He tantalized us last year but then was banged up for most of the season. We're hoping for big things out of him this year.

On defense: Mychal Kendricks, and pretty much the entire D-line. We're really excited about our D-line, especially the young players who are raw but oozing with potential. Mychal Kendricks is the team's leader on D now that Mike Mohamed is gone. He's moving to ILB and will captain the defense. We need a big year out of him.

Bulldog Bounce: Would you like to predict a score?

Atomsareenough:
Sure. I think it's going to be a competitive game, but Cal will come out on top, 34-21.

Berkelium97:
Bears 21, Bulldogs 10

Position Breakdown 2011: Quarterbacks

Returners: Derek Carr, Greg Watson, Kelly O’Brien
Newcomers: Marcus McDade
Lost: Ryan Colburn

Derek Carr: New Carr Key to ‘Dogs Offense
R-So, 6-3, 205
Bakersfield (Bakersfield Christian HS)

Fresno State fans have been waiting for 2011 for a long time – for two years since another quarterback with the iconic Carr name landed on campus and hit the Bulldogs’ practice field. Even as a true freshman, it was clear Derek Carr was outperforming others at his position in practice (even if Pat Hill denied it back then). And he’s much more fine-tuned now than he was then. But there’s always something to say for actual game experience, which Carr doesn't have much of, completing 10 of 14 passes for 112 yards in limited action as a true freshman. He might surpass that total in the first half of his first start against cal on Sept. 3. It’s easy to see what makes Carr a special talent. Line him up next to a group of other QBs and watch the night-and-day difference in ball speed as he turns the entire field, sideline to sideline, into his personal playground. A quick sideline pass looks much easier than it actually is. It’s a dangerous pass that can be devastating if a defender jumps the route for a pick-six, which is why not every QB can throw those routes. But Carr excels at it with his velocity, and the decision-making should come with experience. Carr is the type of QB who can develop into a guy who carries teams on his back. And that’s what is needed at QB to win at the highest level. He’s got the maturity, game knowledge, leadership , respect of teammates and is the fastest starting QB in school history (4.6 40-yard dash). And believe this – if players are impressed and excited with a teammate’s ability, there’s a good reason why.



Greg Watson: Watson it for me?
R-Fr, 5-11, 200
Rancho Cucamonga (Rancho Cucamonga HS)



While the Bulldogs are stoked about the starting QB, developing a viable backup is a concern. Coaches recognized something in Greg Watson right away when the undersized newcomer arrived on campus last fall and decisively beat out junior college transfer Kelly O'Brien for the backup job as Carr was redshirting. But Watson still has a long ways to go. The good news is he showed progress toward the end of fall camp, completing some nice deep balls with touch in the first scrimmage. But he struggled to accurately hit open receivers in the early stages of camp, and also had too many passes batted down by taller defensive linemen. Watson has solid speed, and can scramble to make plays, but if he’s ever to be a starter for the Bulldogs he has to develop his passing game a great deal. And judging by his Twitter posts, the maturity level needs to rise as well. Read on to learn about the fierce competition he’ll have for the backup job come spring 2012.


Kelly O’Brien: Trying to Reach New Heights
R-So, 6-7, 200
Manhattan Beach (Foothill JC)



Kelly O’Brien faces a similar issue to Watson – he throws many more inaccurate passes than pretty completions. And O’Brien, with far less mobility and speed than Watson, will be third in line unless that changes. O’Brien has the arm to go deep, but gets into trouble with the short and mid-range passing game, often throwing with low velocity and little crispness. But his physical size, lineage (his dad Ken O'Brien is a former NFL starting QB) and flashes of ability make him a player worth developing. Unfortunately though, neither Watson nor O’Brien are ready to start now if need be. That means the 'Dogs desperately need Carr to stay healthy behind an inexperienced offensive line.


Marcus McDade: The Quarterback of the McFuture
Fr, 6-3, 190
Stockton (St. Mary’s HS)



From the first day of fall camp, it was painstakingly obvious who the second most talented QB on the roster is – and for now he’s taking fourth-string reps. But that won’t last long. Marcus McDade is poised with confidence in his cannon arm and is physically built as well as any freshman QB since Pat Hill has been head coach. Coming out of high school in 2010, McDade played a major role in "The Ride," an online reality show about high school QBs. He was ranked fifth nationally in arm strength, and signed with Fresno State. But he didn’t meet all the university requirements and had to go to prep school for a year. After interest from miami and virginia, McDade stuck to his original commitment and stayed in the Valley. And from everything we saw in fall camp, he’s got the tools to be the next Bulldogs starter in 2013 or 2014 after likely redshirting this year. McDade does still have a ways to go adjusting to the decision-making piece of the game, making a few questionable throws that resulted in interceptions in camp, but his tool set is similar to Carr’s as far as arm strength, velocity, speed and physique. Expect McDade to push for the No. 2 job next season.



Position Rating:

Position Breakdown 2010: Quarterbacks

The 2010 position preview series begins with the guys who are so comfortable with their masculinity, they go back-of-the-hand to nuts on every play to get their hands on the football. We'll call them quarterbacks.

These force-your-voice-to-be-deep-and-raspy signal callers have a proud and productive history under Fresno State coach Pat Hill, a trend that didn't take a year off in 2009. Yes, the spotlight was 7 yards behind the quarterbacks all season (followed quickly by it being 65 yards in front of them), but even with front row seats to the Ryan Mathews show, Ryan Colburn and Derek Carr flashed exciting glimpses as to what the 2010 air assault could bring.

In addition to those glimpses, the Bulldogs have been working hard behind the scenes to add yet another dimension to the offense. This addition, known largely as the wildcat, isn't just for show. Multiple players can fill this role capably for Fresno State, while a couple can do so spectacularly.

Throughout our position-by-position previews, we'll break down each player, provide our individual thoughts on each player and provide a general outlook for what to expect from each facet of your 2010 Bulldogs. -- DaCo

Returners: Ryan Colburn, Derek Carr, Tyler Stirewalt

Newcomers: Kelly O'Brien, Greg Watson

Lost: Ebahn Feathers

Ryan Colburn: Improved Colburn ready to surprise

Sr, LH, 6'3", 220

Visalia (Central Valley Christian HS)

This is not last year's Ryan Colburn. Entering the 2009 season, Colburn had attempted just five career passes and was neck-and-neck in a fall camp battle with Derek Carr for the starting job. Exiting 2009, Colburn had completed 181 of 298 passes (61%) for 2,459 yards, 19 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Entering 2010, Colburn has a python's grip on the starting role and has increased vocal leadership, respect and the confidence of his teammates. Throughout fall camp, Colburn has been encouraging teammates with "good jobs" while composing himself with the on-field poise of a team leader. And he's complemented those intangibles with his play, making what coach Pat Hill called "NFL throws" in the camp's first scrimmage. He also showed he still has that "Bulldog Football" mentality, making a crackback block on a screen pass despite the fact he was wearing a yellow, don't-hit-me practice jersey.

DaCo on Colburn: Subtract Derek Carr from the mix and Ryan Colburn is viewed as a potential breakout star for this team. This is a guy who has earned and deserves massive respect for not only his work ethic and leadership, but his actual on-field ability. Colburn is nothing short of a great person and is easy to root for. Beyond that,he has shown seriously impressive offseason growth. His improvements leave no doubt he's capable of leading this team to a first-place WAC finish.

FSDogs1 on Colburn: Personality wise, Colburn is practically the perfect Bulldog. His love for the community, pride for what being a Bulldog stands for and his chip-on-the-shoulder mentality are ideal qualities for a likeable, winning QB. Expect him to throw for more yards, more touchdowns and at least 25% less interceptions as a senior.

Derek Carr: Everyone's favorite Carr still waiting to be unveiled

So, 6'3", 205

Bakersfield (Bakersfield Christian HS)

The star QB waiting in the wings looks like he will stay in the wings for at least one more year, barring any injuries. It remains obvious to practice regulars that Carr has the strongest arm and best accuracy on the team. But Colburn has proven to be a viable option as a starter, so there's no reason to sit him on the bench for a year when Carr is eligible to redshirt. But that'll be the key to the quarterback situation this year -- finding a capable backup not named Carr so that Carr can redshirt and preserve three years of eligibility for the post-Colburn era. In limited action as a true freshman, Carr completed 10 of 14 passes for 112 yards. Fans should be chomping at the bit for the near future with a guy who can make throws most college QBs can't and has had the privilege of growing up under the tutelage of an older brother who was the NFL's No. 1 overall draft pick in 2002.

DaCo on Carr: It should come as no surprise after watching Derek Carr play that his favorite player is Brett Favre. He's energetic, he's youthful, just cocky enough and has a cannon for an arm. Carr has also mastered a complicated pro-style offense before this 2010 season, and physically, is the baseball equivalent to a 5-tool player. He is the best quarterback on this team still, which is saying something. His pre-snap reads, throwing versatility and natural instincts for the game are mind-boggling. And he still has a redshirt year to make even more growth.

FSDogs1 on Carr: As exciting as Carr's potential is, and as confident as he is, he needs to continue working as hard as he has been and focus on being the Bulldogs go-to QB when he's called upon. With a guy with his ability, it's important to not let the future-pro thoughts turn into a hinderance the way it did with some Bulldogs in the disgusting 2006 season.

Tyler Stirewalt: Our Tyler Stirewalt is better than yours

R-Fr, 6'2", 200

San Bernardino (Aquinas HS)

It's still a bit early to tell what direction the coaching staff is leaning with Tyler Stirewalt, a walk-on who redshirted last season. Pat Hill has made a habit of develping walk-ons at Fresno State, but that hasn't included the QB position. Stirewalt is in uncharted territory there, but performed well in camp relative to the newcomers. He showed more comfort not only in his mechanics, but also in his command of the offense, and showed nice zip on the ball. But he never got to show his stuff against the first-team defense.

DaCo on Stirewalt: Stirewalt received one of the first double-takes of the year this camp after ridding himself of the 2009 Stirewalt. I've got to give him some credit for working so hard to improve, despite the fact he will knowingly be pushed to the side his entire career. Having a quarterback who can provide quality reps for the young and talented receivers gives him some value.

FSDogs1 Stirewalt: Stirewalt's offseason improvement was a pleasant surprise during fall camp, but I still get the feeling the coaching staff expects newcomer Kelly O'Brien to develop into the better of the two.

Kelly O'Brien: O'Brien to fill backup role, be introduced to weight room

So, 6'7", 200
Manhattan Beach (Foothill JC)

While finding a capable starter is far from an issue, finding a No. 2 who can step up and allow Derek Carr to redshirt is mission No. 1. Kelly O'Brien, son of former New York Jets star Ken O'Brien, was brought in from the JC ranks to be an immediate help. But he had a rough start to fall camp, throwing as many balls into the ground as into receivers' hands. That started to change as camp went on and O'Brien showed soft touch on the deep ball and an improved short and intermediate game. Unfortunately, he didn't take any first- and second-team reps early in camp -- which would have allowed for a more telling scouting report. And on a side note, O'Brien is skinny. Really really skinny.

DaCo on O'Brien: O'Brien, like all the other QBs not named Colburn or Carr, showed rapid improvement in camp. The deep ball is no doubt his best throw, yet all of his throws have improved to the level of good enough. Still, O'Brien does get lost at times when his targets are in traffic. His ability to fill out his role as the No. 2 QB is promising, but not guaranteed.

FSDogs1 on O'Brien: After three days of fall camp, the nerves sat in for the QB situation behind Colburn and Carr. But O'Brien showed strong in the first scrimmage and his improvement brightens the outlook he'll develop further.

Greg Watson: Greg Watson > Ebahn Feathers

Fr, 5'11", 200

Rancho Cucamonga (Rancho Cucamonga HS)

Greg Watson is easily the most intriguing QB prospect on the roster, especially with highly-regarded Marcus McDade not qualifying this fall. Watson is similar in size to the departed Ebahn Feathers, but less of a distraction and already a better passer. He still needs work on the passing fundamentals, as does O'Brien, but the ability to make big plays came out in the first scrimmage on his 65-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Saunders. It would be nice to see more of what Watson is capable of on the run.

DaCo on Watson: Anyone who attended practice this camp noticed the elephant in the room. No Mark Mangino wasn't observing practice from the berm, but Greg Watson does have a striking resemblance to Ebahn Feathers in appearance, if only the first time you see him. Watson showed some of the best growth on a day-to-day basis, and really is intriguing. He has solid arm strength and can run when needed, though he appears content to throw for now.

FSDogs1 on Watson: With all the different "wildcat" QB combos the 'Dogs have shown early, it's surprising not to see Watson take on more of that role. He has worked on certain option packages, but I'd like to get a better gauge on his running ability.

"WildCat": The WildCat, now with more 'it works'

Perhaps the most forgotten man on the entire Fresno State roster might be responsible for some of the biggest plays the 2010 season could offer. Rashad Evans, the true freshman phenom at receiver two years ago, will once again fill that role. But Evans also filled the role of scout team MVP as a QB a year ago, performing his impersonating duties as Diondre Borel and other scrambling QBs a little too well. While Evans is guaranteed a prominent role in this formation, the Bulldogs have several other thrilling prospects as well. Among them is Isaiah Burse, a true freshman wide receiver and high school state-champion quarterback with immediate impact potential. Running backs Robbie Rouse, A.J. Ellis and Michael Harris also possess the ability to make plays out of this formation, which has been a focus this camp. When used, expect a wide array of potential plays, rather than the fake handoff, off-tackle runs used in games to date.

DaCo on the WildCat: Historically, I haven't been the biggest fan of the wildcat formation. But, I am starting to really become intrigued by its possibilities on this team, if only situationally. Rashad Evans is simply lethal out of this thing, and Isaiah Burse adds a great passing element to the position. This formation has gone from useless in this program to one of the more advanced wildcats around, with the potential to make a house call on any given play.

FSDogs1 on the WildCat: Last season, the Bulldogs seemingly had the tools to put together a successful wildcat package, but it was too predictable because they never passed out of the formation. Plus, Ryan Mathews' 6 yards per carry were much more of a sure thing than whatever Ebahn Feathers was trying to do. This year there is no Mathews, meaning the formation could become more vital to the offense. Or not?

Position Rating:

Fall Scrimmage Reflections

Why, oh why, Pat Hill, did you decide to close fall camp to the public so soon? We here at the Bounce are bummed about it, but feel confident we saw enough live practice to gain valuable insight into the season (check for our position-by-position breakdowns in the coming days).

As for Saturday's fall scrimmage, there were more takeaways than a Richard Marshall career. And it's tough not to feel optimistic about the effort on display. Check out the categories below...

Give him a 'Dog bone decal now!

• QB Ryan Colburn for leading the offense on a commanding first possession and being the Mr. Encouragement of the team with his "Good job ____" quotes. Oh, and for the crackback block he delivered after a bubble screen to Jamel Hamler despite wearing a yellow jersey so defenders knew not to hit him.
• QB Derek Carr for taking advantage of his late scrimmage snaps by zipping passes in places others can't and being on the money on the bulk of his throws (if only we can get those WRs to hang on to them now...).
• QB Greg Watson for not wearing one of those sissy-looking yellow don't-hit-me jerseys.
• WR Josh Harper for having perhaps his best showing of camp, making the redshirt decision that much more tough on coaches.
• WR Jalen Saunders for burning the heck out of CBs twice on go routes, culminating with a 65-yard TD from Greg Watson (his other burn notice ended in an incompletion when he was underthrown by Ryan Colburn).
• RB Robbie Rouse for being really good at football.
• RB A.J. Ellis for showing he's going to be a heck of a weapon catching passes out of the backfield.
• TE Michael Butler for reeling in a ridiculously good pass from Derek Carr deep downfield in traffic, and holding on after a big hit.
• C Joe Bernardi for making forming a hog circle and making the young linemen dance in front of 1,000 fans during warm-ups.
• G Matt Hunt for easing our worries about next year's starting line.
• DE Tristan Okpalaugo for picking off a pass at scrimmage the way opposing D-linemen used to against Tommy Brandstater (sigh...).
• DT Cornell Banks for being our best hope for a dominant interior lineman.
• LB Pat Su'a for starting and looking the part, making us wonder who the better prospect is between Su'a and Jeremiah Toma (go future Fresno State LB stars!).
• LB Ofa Fifita for reminding us of Dwayne Andrews (he's a beast).
• CB Sean Alston for being possibly the most impressive player of the evening, sticking with giant Victor Dean on the fade-to-the-corner-of-the-end-zone route that works every time and batting the pass away, and then for picking off a pass in zone coverage later on. Alston just might be the most under-the-radar stud of this recruiting class, and showed great progress the past 3-4 days of camp.
• CB Jermaine Thomas for being the team's best CB so much so that the Bulldogs' QBs didn't throw his way all night.
• CB Isaiah Green for turning in a heck of an effort, and being a sure tackler, after being sidelined with a minor injury much of the week.
• S Derron Smith for once again impressing as a true freshman, with a would-be pick 6. And he even got CB Desia Dunn to tweet about him live from the sideline.
• P Andrew Shapiro for booming a 48-yarder with serious hang time after having a punt blocked. Consistency will be key for him.

Fall Camp Notebook '010: Day 1

First of all, let me just start off by saying, "WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" It's college football time! And now for our regularly scheduled Fresno State camp breakdown...

Unfortunately, today was the most disappointing practice I've seen in years. The guys need to step it up and show some character tomorrow.

QB: Maybe the most disappointing position of all. Two guys return who we know are very capable in Ryan Colburn and Derek Carr. Neither were particulary "on" today, with Colburn overthrowing guys and Carr getting picked off in 1-on-1 drills. We know they'll look better soon, but the scary part was the backups. If Carr is going to redshirt this season, a capable No. 2 must emerge. Today, it was walk-on Tyler Stirewalt who looked most capable. Lauded JC transfer Kelly O'Brien, tall and lanky son of former Jets star Ken O'Brien, showed messy footwork and a propensity to throw into the ground. True freshman Greg Watson showed quick footwork, but struggled with accuracy (bringing back memories of now-departed Ebahn Feathers).

RB: It was great to see senior Cal transfer Tracy Slocum (Clovis East HS) dressed and competing in jersey No. 22. The next most noticeable thing was the impressive size of true freshman Emery Schexnayder -- he's big. It's tough to imagine Schexnayder won't get looks this season in short-yardage situations. Walk-on fullback Dylan Cruz, who redshirted last season, showed off tailback-esque footwork in agility drills.

WR: The wideouts presented another messy situation. With so many of last years standouts gone, possibility the most talented crop of freshmen in school history arrived. But they've got work to do. Dropped passes were the name of the game all morning for newcomers and vets alike. The two brightest spots were likely greyshirt freshman Alex Jefferies and Devon Wylie. Jamel Hamler and Victor Dean didn't get a ton of balls thrown their way. True freshman Josh Harper looks more game-ready than any of the newcomers, but had a bad drop. And, as reported by Guy Haberman, Davon Dunn had a clearinghouse issue and isn't expected to participate until sometime the next couple days.

TE: With Pete Alamar replacing John Baxter as assistant coach, expect to see a whole lot more of Ryan Skidmore -- sure to be a welcome target for the quarterbacks.

OL: The usual suspects all return and will be the team's strength. Only glaring mistake of the day was a Lars Bramer snap over the QB's head.

DL: Happy to learn of Nebraska transfer DT Quintin Toailoa -- keep an eye on him in the coming days. DE Matt Akers seems to be dropping on the depth chart, while redshirt freshman Nat Harrison is on the rise. DT Mark Roberts also got second-team reps today, after falling to third team last season.

LB: Loaded with depth and talent. Surprised to see Daniel Salinas, who had solid experience as a true freshman last season, working out with the newcomers in the morning. He's got starter potential in the next two years, as does Jeremiah Toma. Toma is still getting plenty of first-team MLB reps, swapping in and out with Ben Jacobs.

DB: 1-on-1s showed several highlights, including Desia Dunn running step for step with Jamel Hamler to bat down a corner route. Lorne Bell picked off Derek Carr on a poor route run by Matt Lindsey (who's now wearing No. 2). Defensive coordinator Randy Stewart singled out L.J. Jones after a couple mistakes, likely picking on him because he's got such huge upside. But by far the biggest head-scratcher of the day was Zak Hill getting first-team reps, while Phillip Thomas took second team (note to coaches: that's a horrible gameplan). Thomas showed he can line up at corner in nickel packages during spring camp.

Out with the old, in with the Spring Camp

We apologize, oh loyal readers, for the huge gap since our last blog post. The blog is currently undergoing a makeover with improvements planned for the fall. However, the start of Fresno State football Spring Camp is just too fun to ignore.

During the blog makeover, don't forget you can follow our micro-blogs on the BulldogBounce twitter page. We've been out in force for the first three days of spring practice and we're sharing the knowledge below:

• QB: Despite getting picked today in drills, Derek Carr has outplayed Ryan Colburn (a pretty unanimous thought amongst those at the Bounce). Colburn had some nice, crisp throws toward the sideline today in 11-on-11s, but Carr was on fire hitting wideouts for TDs in the back of the end zone on touch passes. In Friday's 11-on-11s, Colburn was picked off on a nice play by Jermaine Thomas before Carr nailed A.J. Johnson in blanket coverage for a TD. Makes us wonder if the coaches really will consider starting the guy who plays the best in practice...? Oh, and Kelly O'Brien, the incoming JC recruit, is incredibly skinny.
  
• RB: It looks like a two-'Dog race for the starting job between Robbie Rouse and Mike Harris, who looks bigger and faster than last season and has been flatout making plays. A.J. Ellis seems a distant third, but did have an eye-popping TD on a screen pass he took down the sideline, outrunning the defense to the end zone. That said, don't count out Cal transfer Tracy Slocum (formerly of Clovis East), who has been watching practices this week -- Bulldog Bounce first broke news months ago when we heard talk of Slocum transferring in, and now it looks to be true. And it wouldn't make sense for the 'Dogs to bring in a guy with just one year of eligibility remaining unless they think he can factor in right away.
  
• FB: Former LB/former TE Austin Raphael is working out at fullback now, with preferred walk-on Dylan Cruz as the competition.
  
• WR: It's the usual suspects (Devon Wylie and Jamel Hamler) doing big-time damage. This offense is just unreal in the open field, and Rashad Evans is healthy again and shiftier than ever. Not enough people realize yet the type of WR A.J. Johnson could be, and Alex Jefferies was looking like a potential weapon too until he got a little banged up Friday and was sidelined today. J.J. Stallworth continues to have trouble holding on to passes.
  
• TE: Great to see David Gory healthy and catching passes, wouldn't be surprised to see him end up starting. Ryan Skidmore is still a great receiving target, but his blocking isn't there yet. Hopefully they're working on blocking assignments with Tapa too after the debacle in last year's bowl game. Michael Butler had a nice catch on a pass from Carr on Friday.
  
• OL: With the whole starting crew back, we know what to expect. Andrew Jackson is really, really good. Devan Cunningham has shown a lot of growth the past couple years and Kenny Wiggins should turn in another All-WAC season. So far though, Joey Bernardi might be having the most impressive spring. Reserve C Douglas Spacht, who frustrated with his lack of development the past couple years, is nowhere to be seen (shouldn't be a big loss). Richard Helepiko and Lars Bramer are competing for the backup center spot. Bramer's added some size, but both are works in progress right now. Marcel Jensen is getting second-team reps at left tackle.
  
• DL: Interesting to see Ibe Nduke moved to D-end (body type, around 6-foot, seems more suited for the FB switch we expected last season). By sight, Donnie Pritchett brings back memories of Nick Burley (only larger). Pritchett is taking second-team reps at D-end. Chris Lewis has wowed at times with his quickness off the ball and disrupted several plays over the first three days of camp. Young DT Andy Jennings has progressed much quicker than expected, stood out in individual drills today while matched up with Max Devlin and received praise from Pat Hill for breaking up a running play in 11-on-11s. Look for a bigger Logan Harrell and quicker Mark Roberts. Chris Carter still seems to be in a league of his own though.
  
• LB: Most interesting thing of camp so far has been seeing Jeremiah Toma getting first-team reps at MLB alongside Travis Brown and Kyle Knox. On multiple days, Toma has been inserted in place of Ben Jacobs on the second series run by the first-stringers. Daniel Salinas and Damion Whittington have also seen reserve reps at MLB.
  
• CB: Desia Dunn and Isiah Green are getting first-team reps, with L.J. Jones and Jermaine Thomas second-team. That said, Thomas and Jones might end up being the team's best corners and the position should be an upgrade from last year.
  
• S: As expected, Lorne Bell and Phillip Thomas are working first-string. With Terrence Dennis injured, Zak Hill and Justin Webber are second-team (at least until the newcomers join in the fall). Hill remains a huge liability for the defense, but Webber has made a couple nice plays.

Fresno State of Affairs: Quarterbacks

It's never too soon to look ahead to next year -- especially when us Bulldog Bouncers are always thinking years in advance when it comes to Fresno State football. So we'll examine each position, whether fans can expect an improvement or a drop off next year and touch on the up and comers. As always, we encourage your opinions as well.

Key Losses: None
Fresno State of Affairs 2010: Slightly Improved

Once again this will be the most magnified position at Fresno State in the offseason. But this year it won't be because there's no experienced starter -- it'll be because people are questioning whether the incumbent is a better starting choice than the much ballyhooed youngster? And whoever does get the nod will have more responsibility now that Ryan Mathews is headed to the NFL, and the Bulldogs will be less reliable on the run.

Senior Ryan Colburn (6-3, 220) started all 13 games for the Bulldogs in 2009, throwing for 2,459 yards and 19 touchdowns while completing 61% of his passes. The one downside -- and it's a big one -- were his nine interceptions, many of which came at the most inopportune times. Namely, there was the double overtime pick that cost the Bulldogs a win at Wisconsin, the game-opening pick-six against Boise State and the pick near the 5-yard line that ended a go-ahead drive at Cincinnati. As a second-year starter though, it's likely Colburn will improve his decision making and ball security. Taking that into consideration, Colburn still proved to be an upgrade from Tom Brandstater the previous three seasons. Colburn's competitive spirit, leadership and presence among teammates makes him an ideal leader. But the question remains, is there an even better option waiting in the wings?

It's now clear that all the hype about Derek Carr (6-3, 190) during his true freshman season was merited. While Carr got few opportunities to prove himself in game situations (especially late in the year), he displayed more tools and ability than any other quarterback on the roster in fall camp. Carr finished the season having completed 10 of 14 passes (two of which were drops) for a 71% completion percentage and a total of 112 yards in five games. It's unfortunate he didn't get more live game looks, because now Colburn has the decided experience advantage and it would be tough to justify starting over developing a quarterback. Still, Carr can be expected to develop quicker than the average prospect -- he's a special talent. And even if he's not the starter again in 2010, it'll be fascinating to see how coach Pat Hill handles his situation (please Hill, if you're not going to start Carr, redshirt him so he can start the next three years instead of two).

The X-factor of the group remains in sophomore Ebahn Feathers (6-0, 210), who has now become somewhat of a mystery regarding his status in the program. The most attentive fans noticed he wasn't on the sidelines for the home finale win over Louisiana Tech or the road finale win at Illinois. Word on local radio shows was that Feathers had some personal matters to take care of, and he said on 1430 ESPN it wasn't a matter of grades. However, Feathers did dress for the New Mexico Bowl, but didn't play. Assuming he's back at the quarterback position next season (we have no reason to believe otherwise right now), Feathers still poses a huge threat as a runner, but needs to prove how bad he wants playing time by putting in the offseason work on his passing skills. Feathers played in seven games in his first season of action, running for 57 yards (5.2 per carry) and a touchdown and passing for 7 yards and a score while completing 2 of 3 attempts.

In the two games Feathers didn't dress, he was replaced on the sideline by walk-on Tyler Stirewalt (6-1, 190), who saw no action. Stirewalt isn't likely to see playing time unless an emergency situation comes up, but did show he can hold his own against the scout team during the Spring Game.

Rounding out the depth chart looks like it will be verbal commitment Marcus McDade (6-3, 195) out of St. Mary's High in Stockton (it won't be official until he signs on National Letter of Intent Day Feb. 3). McDade was rated by one scouting service as the fifth strongest high school arm in the country (see video). It would be ideal for the Bulldogs, and for McDade, if he greyshirted this year, redshirted in 2011 and then had two or three years to potentially start once Carr graduates.

Grading the 'Dogs (6-4, 5-2) at Nevada (7-3, 6-0)

Nevada 52, Fresno State 14

Short version:

Long version:
Quarterbacks: D+
Who cares if Ryan Colburn throws for a career-high 362 yards if he turns the ball over three times in critical game situations? Colburn again threw a pick at a crucial moment, trying to throw out of bounds near Darren Newborn but failing. The result was a 10-point halftime deficit, when the Bulldogs could have had a field goal and made it a one-score game at the half. Then Colburn fumbled near the 5-yard line on a keeper, and later again fumbled in the red zone under pressure. His turnovers made for as much as a 17-point swing in the outcome.

Running Backs: C
With national star Ryan Mathews leaving the game on a cart after a concussion in the second quarter, the running game was just average. Lonyae Miller had 5.5 yards per carry and 79 all-purpose yards, but Mathews finished with 8 carries for 32 yards, Robbie Rouse 5 for 19 yards and Anthony Harding 2 for 3 yards.

Receivers: B-
The Bulldogs' biggest advantage on the field was the wideouts vs. Nevada's secondary. But even with a prolific day on the stat line, Seyi Ajirotutu fumbled in the open field on a crucial possession -- a dagger in the team's collective heart. Jamel Hamler had the early 57-yard TD, Marlon Moore had a 61-yard grab and 103 yards on the day and Chastin West had 7 catches for 77 yards.

Offensive Line: F
What in the world? Who knew the 'Dogs o-line, which has been flatout dominant all year, was even capable of playing this poorly? Colburn was sacked 6 times and the running backs averaged a season-low 3.2 yards per carry. Losing star Andrew Jackson was obviously going to make an impact, but shouldn't be the difference in the unit falling from dominant to dominated. Might make sense to start Joey Bernardi at center and Matt Hunt at right guard this week.

Defensive Line: F
Another day at the park for Nevada rushing the ball down Fresno State's collective throat. 461 yards. Most of it up the middle. The d-line sure wasn't overpursuing, as the 'Dogs were more concerned with containing Colin Kaepernick than applying pass rush. So what gives? Why weren't more tackles made around the line of scrimmage? It's either a scheme problem or a personnel problem. Besides Chris Carter, no one seems to play with the all-out motor and tenacity needed at this position.

Linebackers: F
LBs racked up many more tackles than the front four, but were still caught not stuffing gaps throughout the day, and not making tackles on initial contact. Ben Jacobs led the team with 11 tackles, and Shawn Plummer had the team's only tackle for loss. Losing Kyle Knox to injury hurt bad, and this team needs Travis Brown and/or Daniel Salinas to step up and rip away a starting job quickly.

Defensive Backs: D
It's not that this unit played poorly in pass coverage. The Wolf Pack was held to 45 yards through the air. But despite Moses Harris and Lorne Bell getting 7 tackles apiece, even this unit wasn't there enough to support the tackling and assignment woes of the front seven. Credit Bell for bringing the physicality, but Harris had a subpar performance.

Special Teams: D
Not wanting to be left out, special teams also had to contribute to the woes. First, a block in the back negated a good A.J. Jefferson kick return and led to the Bulldogs' first punt, a wobbler by Robert Malone. Malone's only two bad punts of the year came in this game, as he averaged just 31 yards. Then, Jefferson fumbled away a later punt return.

Coaching: F
The coaching staff has done some great things this year with new wrinkles on offense and a more open, less predictable style of playcalling. Unfortunately, the defense is same ol', same ol' with a 4-3 scheme that is eaten up by Nevada and Boise State annually. Would it hurt to try something else? At least try it! Boise State was successful playing six guys near scrimmage against Nevada last year. Pat Hill said after last season's beatdown by the Wolf Pack, the 'Dogs needed to find a way to stop the pistol read-option. Umm...? And, then, to top it all off, the 'Dogs are being blown out in the third quarter and the starting quarterback turns the ball over three times and freshman phenom Derek Carr still doesn't come in to get some experience in a perfect passing situation? My head hurts from being scratched so much.

Time to talk Colburn

It was still the first quarter of Friday night's 51-34 loss to No. 10 Boise State when the Red Wave (which was mostly clad in white) made me cringe. Quarterback Ryan Colburn threw an incomplete pass and the fans, his own fans, Fresno State's own fans, booed. Not all of 'em, but dozens of them at least. And they should all be ashamed.

Colburn's not an NFL player making $2 million a game. He's a college kid, and he's playing his heart out for the Valley's team. And how can you not root for a guy who's hurt this much by a loss? If that doesn't show how much Colburn cares, I don't know what would?

Now that that's settled, let's analyze how he's doing (no boos allowed). After throwing for just 10 yards in the first half Friday, including two interceptions, Colburn finished 14 of 29 for 187 yards and two scores. Very underwhelming stats, but considering the poor first half he finished quite strong. Plus, he out-passed Boise State's Kellen Moore.

On the year now, Colburn is 41 of 74 (55.4%) with 637 yards, 6 touchdowns and 6 interceptions.

So you tell us Red Wave, has Colburn done enough to earn a stronghold on the starting quarterback job? Was it a mistake for coach Pat Hill not to play Derek Carr, or even Ebahn Feathers in passing situations?

Q&A with OBNUG

You might have noticed our exclusive interview with the folks at OBNUG, Boise State's very active, heavily commented blog, yesterday. Check it out for all the Boise State perspective your inquiring mind desires.

But today, we return the favor and get some insight into the heads of the Broncos fans as we head into Week 3 -- which for us means rivalry week!

Bulldog Bounce: Which Fresno State player scares Boise State most?
OBNUG: Speaking for Bronco Nation as a whole, I would have to say nobody, because Boise State fans can tend to be a little full of ourselves. Speaking for myself, I am most afraid of Ryan Colburn. I think that Colburn is the one player who can make the biggest difference in the game on Friday. Boise State's defense can play bend, don't break with the best of them, so a decent rushing day for Fresno might not lead to the impact you'd expect. However, if Colburn is on his game (think early against Wisconsin), we might be in for a different story.

Bulldog Bounce:Which Boise State player should Fresno State be most afraid of? OBNUG: It's hard to pick just one, since Boise State has done so well this season playing as a team. QB Kellen Moore can tear a defense apart. WRs Austin Pettis and Titus Young can turn small gainers into long TDs. CB Kyle Wilson can shut down an entire side of the field. But I'm going to go with DT Billy Winn on this one. He has been phenomenal so far this season. Winn helps set the tone for the defense with his penetration and line play, and he causes headaches for opposing offensive lines with his quickness and versatility. In the Broncos' new 3-3-5 look, Winn could line up as a stand-up defensive end, or even as a linebacker. His pass-rushing skill are top notch, but his specialty is run defense. He'll make some noise in the backfield unless Fresno gameplans to stop him.

Bulldog Bounce: Do you miss Tom Brandstater?
OBNUG: Only every day. I would have much more confidence in the outcome of this game if Brandstater were under center. Can't he get a medical redshirt for incompetence or something?

Bulldog Bounce: Are Boise State fans happy with their non-conference scheduling, or is there a buried sense of inner-questioning about how the Broncos would fare with a schedule like Fresno State's?
OBNUG: I think we're kind of over it. Our schedule picks up next season with games against Oregon State and Virginia Tech, so the AD has shown a willingness to start scheduling better teams. In the meantime, I can't complain about the success our team has seen using the scheduling tactics the university employed. Would the Broncos have made a BCS championship game with a tougher schedule? No. Would they have not gotten screwed over so many times by the bowl selections if they hadn't cleaned up on cupcakes? Maybe. Would they have had their incredible winning percentage and national recognition with more BCS teams on the sched? Probably not.
P.S. Don't tell anyone I said this because my official stance as a Bronco fan is supposed to be: "Boise State deserves a BCS game every season, regardless of who is on their schedule. College football is unfair. Mark May is a boob. Potatoes!"

Bulldog Bounce: Where does Kyle Wilson rank among the Broncos all-time greats?
OBNUG: His 2008 season was one of the best of all-time, so if he can replicate his success from last fall, I think you have to consider him to be Boise State's all-time best cornerback. He has had more national recognition than anyone before him, and he'll probably go higher in the draft than any other Bronco defensive player. Boise State has had great cornerbacks before, but none with the NFL talent of Wilson.

Bulldog Bounce: Why is it Fresno State often has the more celebrated players and bigger NFL prospects but can't beat Boise State regularly?
OBNUG: Coaching is a big part of it. Execution, game management, and game planning are huge on the college level, and it can really make a difference in the outcome of a game or a season. I'm not saying that Pat Hill is a bad coach. Actually, yes. That's exactly what I'm saying.
I also think that, for whatever reason, the desire has been greater for the Broncos. I'm not sure if it is a motivation thing or what, but Boise State always seems to give greater effort than Fresno when the two teams take the field. Sources: My biased point of view, and I think Rod Gilmore said this once.

Bulldog Bounce: Why can't Dan Hawkins win at Colorado when he was so good at Boise State?
OBNUG: Karma, most likely.

Bulldog Bounce: Be honest, should the Broncos be forced to wear something other than blue uniforms in their home games?
OBNUG: No more than North Texas should be required to wear something other than green.

Bulldog Bounce: How many yards will the Broncos allow rushing on Friday? How many points will they allow?
OBNUG: Rushing yards allowed: Less than 100. Points allowed: Less than 25.
I think that Fresno will be forced to pass once the Broncos' get their offense rolling. That will cut into the rushing totals, but I don't really see the Bulldogs getting much push in the ground game anyway. The 25 point threshold is generous, in my opinion, judging by how the BSU defense has played so far this year. Throw in factors like special teams, turnovers, and late game defensive strategy changes, and I think 24 or so could be a possibility. In my heart of hearts (where all my homerism is kept), I think it will be in the teens - if that.

Bulldog Bounce: What's Boise State's best tradition?
OBNUG: You mean, besides the age-old sledgehammer thing? I can tell you what the most grating tradition is: the "Boise! ... State!" cheer. It used to be that Bronco fans would break out the cheer to inspire the team, shouting back and forth across the stadium and creating a really cool echo effect. Now, we do it in a Carl's Jr. if we some guy wearing a BSU shirt. It's bad.

Bulldog Bounce: If the Mountain West wanted to expand, would Boise State want to go with or without Fresno State?
OBNUG: As a fan, I would like to see Boise State and Fresno continue to play at least once every other year. I don't think that BSU necessarily wants the Bulldogs in the MWC with them, if only because Fresno hasn't exactly provided ideal competition the past eight years. I think the university would be quite ambivalent. However, as fans, I would probably grow tired of the annual Boise State - UNLV game and long for the days of Pat Hill's fu manchu and Fresno quarterbacks choking away big games. If I already miss Tom Brandstater this much, then I don't know what I would do without my annual dose of Fresno fan shtick.

Bulldog Bounce: First word that comes to mind with the following:Red Mile - Tom Hanks movie sequel.
Bulldog Stadium - Upsets.
Ryan Dinwiddie -Demigod.BCS - Playoff.
the color orange - Homeland Security threat level.
White Out - Snow.
Chris Petersen - President of the United States of America.
Derek Carr - Metrosexual.

Grading the 'Dogs (1-0) vs. UC Davis (0-1)

Quarterbacks: B
Didn't get to see much of the aerial attack, but Colburn's 92-yard TD to Moore provided some fun. How fitting to see Feathers jet for a 20-yard TD his first carry. Carr only got to throw twice with Hill not wanting to run up the score.

Running Backs: A
What's to fault? Six backs got into the action (even with Harding sidelined), including a freshman and two redshirt freshmen, and the 'Dogs racked up 310 yards and 5 TDs on 6 yards per carry. Mathews' 60-yard outburst was the highlight, but Rouse's 75 yards were eye-opening for many in Bulldog Stadium.

Receivers: A
Sure looked like new assistant Keith Williams has these guys prepared. Moore's 92-yard catch and run down the sideline was picture perfect, and the screen pass should be back in action.

Offensive Line: A
Better than expected. Protected the QBs all night and plowed ahead for the running game. At least 10 linemen saw playing time.

Defensive Line: B+
No sacks, but allowed just 45 yards rushing and harrassed the opposing QB throughout, leading to bad decisions and inaccurate passes. Brought the attitude back and led the charge.

Linebackers: A-
Herron's 94-yard TD was a highlight that will be long remembered. Freshmen Brown and Salinas got some valuable experience, though Brown made a couple rookie mistakes.

Defensive Backs: B+
No picks from this unit, but boosted aggressiveness from Dunn and Jefferson was the thing to look for. Green missed a tackle and gave up a huge play, but Bell's crushing hit makes up for it.

Special Teams: B-
Blocked punt by Wylie, punt returns by Wylie and kickoff for a touchback by Shapiro were beauties, but West running up to field a punt and botching it for a turnover was not a smooth move.

Coaching: A-
Gotta love Hill coaching with killer instinct and wanting to put up as many points as possible in the first half. Would have liked to seee Colburn stay in longer and get more than one half of seasoning to prep for Wisconsin road trip.

60% of the time, Pat Hill makes sense every time

As Ron Burgundy infamously said in Anchorman, "That doesn't make sense." After reading Pat Hill's quote from today's Official Sports Report announcement that junior left-hander Ryan Colburn will start at quarterback in the opener against UC Davis -- I'd like to second that.

Here's the quote:

"As I met with the quarterbacks I made it very clear I don't want them looking over their shoulder," said Hill. "I don't want them thinking they have to impress us. They need to execute the offense and let the game come to them. I also made it clear that because of our talent at quarterback if the team is struggling or for some reason the quarterback productivity is lacking, I will not hesitate to bring in the back-up if I feel he can change the game and win for us. I would have done that in the past if I felt we had that type of player on the sideline."

Wait a minute. Let me get this straight. So Hill doesn't want Colburn looking over his shoulder thinking he has to impress the coaches, but he won't hesitate to bring in Derek Carr if Colburn's not productive? Umm...is there a difference between "impressing" coaches and being "productive?" Isn't productivity what impresses coaches?

It's one of the two -- either Hill is sticking with Colburn through thick and thin, or he's sticking with him as long as he keeps playing well. After reading that quote, I still don't know which option Hill's choosing?

Then, consider that last nugget of the quote:

"I also made it clear that because of our talent at quarterback if the team is struggling or for some reason the quarterback productivity is lacking, I will not hesitate to bring in the back-up if I feel he can change the game and win for us. I would have done that in the past if I felt we had that type of player on the sideline."

Hmm...so I remember Colburn being on the team last season as the back-up. And he never came in. So I deduce that Hill didn't feel Colburn could come in a change the game and win for Fresno State when Tom Brandstater was playing poorly. But Colburn can a year later? I'd like to know what changed?

(To inject my personal opinion here, I'd argue there's a strong possibility Colburn could have come in and changed the game for Fresno State at times last year. He just never got the opportunity -- ever. And that's caused him to be an unknown this season.)

QUARTERBACKS

Returning lettermen: 1

Incoming: 2

Lost: 2 (Tom Brandstater, Matt Faulkner)

It’s the most visible position on a football team, yet presents the most invisible outlook at Fresno State. It’s hard to say, just five days before the season opener, if the coaches even know who’s going to start yet. On one hand, the position Pat Hill is in to choose his guy is not enviable. On the other hand, it’s refreshing to have so many options that seem to be good ones. While no one can predict with certainty who will take that first snap on Saturday against UC Davis, laying out the evidence makes for interesting debate and office talk.

Junior Ryan Colburn (6-3, 220) is the only quarterback who’s actually played in a college game, but hasn’t thrown a pass in a game since 2007 – when he threw for 48 yards in garbage time at Oregon. Overall, the left-handed Colburn is 4 for 5 for 52 yards. One can’t help but question why Pat Hill didn’t get Colburn into more game situations last season in preparation for life after Tom Brandstater? If Hill would have played Colburn more last year he’d have more experience and coaches would be more knowledgeable of his in-game capabilities, which would have made for an easier decision this fall as to who gets the starting nod. The biggest plus going for Colburn is his familiarity with the playbook and his teammates – he’s been around some of them for three-plus years.

True freshman Derek Carr (6-3, 190), who graduated high school a semester early to participate in spring camp and get a running start, is the other candidate. He worked with offensive coordinator Jeff Grady upon arrival to learn the offense – but as the younger brother of former all-everything Bulldog David Carr, he’s been somewhat familiar with it all his life. Coming in under the tutelage of David, Hill says Derek is further along than his big bro, the former No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft. Carr is hands down the most talented incoming signee Hill’s ever had at the position, but he’s also just 18 years old and has never even dressed for a college game.

As far as the attributes go, both Colburn and Carr should develop into upgrades over Brandstater (yes, the same Brandstater who threw for 100-plus yards for the Denver Broncos Sunday). It’s not a knock on Brandstater, so much as a compliment on Colburn and Carr’s potential. And playing quarterback for Fresno State is always a privilege – Hill’s four starters since taking the head coaching job in 1997 are Billy Volek (San Diego Chargers), David Carr (New York Giants), Paul Pinegar and Brandstater. In practice and scrimmage situations, there’s no doubt Colburn and Carr have each thrown a better deep ball than Brandstater – especially the corner end zone routes. Hill admits as much, saying the Bulldogs haven’t had this kind of deep-ball capability since the David Carr years of 2000-01.

In the first few days of fall camp, the two looked fairly even, with Colburn getting a slight edge for his command of the huddle. But that seemed to change around the time the team got into full pads. Carr started making the “wow” throws with more consistency and Colburn was turning the ball over more often. Carr also assumed more of a presence amongst teammates and offers an element of confidence that seemed to be missing in recent years. Carr is the faster of the two, but Colburn is more physically mature and has great strength. Both can run option plays, but Carr is more likely to take it toward the sideline, where Colburn can go up the gut. Carr also has greater zip on his passes.

From an outside perspective looking in, it boils down to this – if Hill picks a quarterback with his heart it’ll be Colburn, the elder statesman who’s paid his dues and patiently awaited his turn. He at least deserves a shot right? But if Hill picks with emotions aside, it’ll be Carr, the youngster who is already as good as anyone but offers much higher upside as a potential four-year starter. Both are likely to see time in the opener. If Colburn is the guy, and assuming he keeps the role next season, the Bulldogs must redshirt Carr at some point to preserve at least three years with him at the helm – it would be dumb not to.

The one guy who already knows his role is redshirt freshman Ebahn Feathers (6-0, 210), another quarterback that many fans would like to see start. The knock on Feathers is he hasn’t progressed far enough throwing the football to be a starter yet. But he’s darn fast, running a 4.38 40-yard dash coming out of high school, and will have special packages as a change-of-pace guy for the Bulldogs. Feathers is the type of guy opponents can’t afford not to prepare for, and can break a huge play at any time – he had several long runs in the spring game. The happy, go-lucky Feathers is potentially deadly in the option game, and adds an element never before seen in Fresno State’s offense. All three quarterbacks are Valley products in Colburn (Central Valley Christian in Visalia), Feathers (Washington Union in Fresno) and Carr (Bakersfield Christian).

Freshman walk-on Tyler Stirewalt (6-1, 190) was brought in to fill out the roster and provide a scout team leader. But the Bulldogs seemed to get a bonus as he showed off a strong arm with zip in fall scrimmages, and threw a touchdown pass to Austin Raphael in the first scrimmage.

Rating: 7 of 10