Will Pat Hill ever lead the 'Dogs to a BCS bowl?

That was the question posed to me when I opened up my Bark Board inbox tonight (thanks for the feedback SMELLMO).

It's not something I just sit around thinking about. Actually, it's something I've grown to expect. Haven't you?

I mean, Pat Hill came roaring in here about 10 years ago, and I was a scared high schooler, afraid what might happen to the program once Jim Sweeney left? But I soon found out Hill took everything Sweeney did and turned up the dial (pun intended).

He said, why not us? Why can't we be the next Florida State? Let's paint the Valley red. He held car sale after car sale. Spoke at event after event. He stopped stocking the team will JC guys and built a solid foundation from the ground up -- all the while telling us what he was planning. He coaches the same way. He has no problem telling opponents his team is gonna run right at 'em. Because if you execute, they can't stop you. He doesn't coerce players into becoming Bulldogs, he gives 'em the no-nonsense lowdown of what to expect and they either buy in or they don't -- he tells them they have to earn it. He said shutup and hit somebody. He said anyone, any time, anywhere. He aimed as high as possible. Didn't settle from less. Demanded good grades and put an emphasis on school from Day 1.

That's my attitude. Maybe it's just how I was raised, but my pride for Fresno runs deep. Pride for the whole Valley. I stand up when people from LA or SF or SD try to talk down at us. And much of that pride comes from Fresno State. That's our national stage most of the year. Showing how much we care about our great city, and getting a national audience to tune in on fall Saturdays (or whatever day of the week we play).

Brian Billick and Jeff Tedford were the other two finalists when Hill got the job. And I say, with 100% confidence, Hill was the best choice. Sure, Tedford would have been good too. Billick maybe?

But I guarantee no one would have matched Hill's vision for what Fresno State football can be, and no one would have worked as tirelessly to get it there. He's been telling us all along what he wants to do, and he's done a lot of it. There's no reason not to believe he won't finish the job.