Mountain West Champions
Fresno State 48 Air Force 15
By Chris Jackson Saturday November 24, 2012
FRESNO-13 years.
That’s how long it’s been since Fresno State has
won a conference title in football, and that was back when they were in the
WAC.
Great way for Coach DeRuyter to end the regular
season in his first season as the Bulldogs head
coach.
"I'm very, very proud of 22 exceptional seniors and the staff
that came together a year ago to work as one unit and a team," DeRuyter said.
"I'm very proud of what we were able to accomplish this season and especially
today against a good Air Force team. We just tried to win a Mountain West
championship, especially for these seniors."
They finished the regular season 9-3 and finished conference
play with a Mountain West record of 7-1.
This was a goal that all of Fresno and the San-Joaquin Valley
had in mind, and guess what, that goal happened and got fought with an
exceptional team with a first year head coach that is trying to build Fresno
into a Mountain West power. Winning the Mountain West in his first season is a
good way to show he can build them into a conference
powerhouse.
"Thomas (Boeh) made that clear in the interview process. We need a football program that
competes for championships. From day one that has been our focus. Our community
has been starving for it. It has been too long here. I thought we had a group
that if we could get them to buy in that we had enough talent to compete for a
conference championship. I'm just really excited about our staff and what our
guys have done."
Having a quarterback in Derek Carr helps build
powerhouse as he’s only a junior. He set the school record for
single-game completion percentage. Carr completed 28 of 32 passes (.875) for
452 yards and four touchdowns without throwing an
interception
Carr had great thoughts after the game and thoughts on his
preparation for the game, which ended in a 48-15 win for the
Bulldogs.
"I feel so blessed, thank the Lord. Hard work pays off and I am a firm believer in
that. You know personally how hard you work, but when it comes to fruition like
this when you get to hold this trophy or wear this hat you know you did
something right. I am going to enjoy this one, but we still have one more and we
haven't won double-digit games in awhile. We still have to get that 10th win and
the season isn't over, but I am definitely going to enjoy my ring."
"I prepare myself for every game like it is the Super Bowl. I am not going to let
anyone un-prepare me and if I do I am not doing my job and I am doing a
disservice to my teammates."
Coach DeRuyter loves the progression of the team after they were 4-9 last season,
which led to the firing of Pat Hill and the hiring of DeRuyter, and DeRuyter
helped them get a conference title.
"I think its been big. Anytime you come in with a transition there is a learning
process. We knew that we were making progress. We knew that our defense was
going to be pretty good even if they didn't look very good in the spring and
that our offense was going to be good and that we had play makers. The only way
that you win a championship is to make progress every week and I think we have
done that."
You can also thank the crowd at Bulldog Stadium, which got a sellout and the Red
Wave delivered with noise early to get the Bulldogs early momentum and make the
game over fast.
"I think our guys love playing in front of the Red Wave. There is something special
about Bulldog Stadium and it was something that we wanted to establish. We
wanted to put a good product on the field for the Red Wave. We get energy off of
the Red Wave. So to see our guys play in a stadium with a different buzz we were
able to feed off that energy."
The Red Wave had a say in helping the Bulldogs go undefeated at
home.
"It's huge. The fan support I've had by staying in town and being a local guy, said
linebacker Travis Brown. The community that surrounds Fresno has always held a
place that has been close to my heart. In just the community they have always
showed me love since Clovis West and Kaiser days even. I love the fans and I
love the community. I was raised here and I can't say enough about the fans and
community."
All these seniors couldn’t be happier winning the title on senior
day.
"This is the best season since I've been here, and the best season in at least over a
decade and to go undefeated at home is real big," said running back Robbie
Rouse.
"It means a lot for all of us. Especially after coming off of last season. With all
the adversity that was thrown at us with new coaches and us getting a new scheme
and us coming off of last season and how we all pulled together as a team. As
captains we got everyone together and were able to pull off this season and it
feels great."
These freshman are excited to, and freshman stud receiver Davante Adams shows his
emotions.
"It's great. Coming in this was my first year playing and I can't ask for much more.
We started pretty fast and things were just happening. Coach told me I was going
to be a big part of the offense and I wasn't nervous, but I was just getting
some jitters about it. Once we got the first game out of the way it was awesome
and it was a great feeling. I had a sick to my stomach feeling at first, just
being nervous, but once I got into the groove of things it was just great.
Finishing the season off like this, you really can't ask for more as a redshirt
freshman."
"Coach DeRuyter spoke about this many times just making sure those seniors game by game
are playing as hard as they can and we are playing for more than just ourselves
and knowing that the seniors only have a limited amount of games and we've
worked so hard for only 13 opportunities. DeRuyter made sure that we are going
to go out there and just keep fighting so those seniors can go out with a bang.
It's his first season and he knows how much it means to finish a career with a
good amount of wins and without a good amount of wins, but we always had a high
standard on how we wanted to play and he preached that from day one and the
seniors knew they only had a certain amount of opportunities, so we just had to
go out there and play every game like it's our last."
As a Bulldog supporter, you can’t ask for much more. All you can say is “what a
season.”
By Chris Jackson Saturday November 24, 2012
FRESNO-13 years.
That’s how long it’s been since Fresno State has
won a conference title in football, and that was back when they were in the
WAC.
Great way for Coach DeRuyter to end the regular
season in his first season as the Bulldogs head
coach.
"I'm very, very proud of 22 exceptional seniors and the staff
that came together a year ago to work as one unit and a team," DeRuyter said.
"I'm very proud of what we were able to accomplish this season and especially
today against a good Air Force team. We just tried to win a Mountain West
championship, especially for these seniors."
They finished the regular season 9-3 and finished conference
play with a Mountain West record of 7-1.
This was a goal that all of Fresno and the San-Joaquin Valley
had in mind, and guess what, that goal happened and got fought with an
exceptional team with a first year head coach that is trying to build Fresno
into a Mountain West power. Winning the Mountain West in his first season is a
good way to show he can build them into a conference
powerhouse.
"Thomas (Boeh) made that clear in the interview process. We need a football program that
competes for championships. From day one that has been our focus. Our community
has been starving for it. It has been too long here. I thought we had a group
that if we could get them to buy in that we had enough talent to compete for a
conference championship. I'm just really excited about our staff and what our
guys have done."
Having a quarterback in Derek Carr helps build
powerhouse as he’s only a junior. He set the school record for
single-game completion percentage. Carr completed 28 of 32 passes (.875) for
452 yards and four touchdowns without throwing an
interception
Carr had great thoughts after the game and thoughts on his
preparation for the game, which ended in a 48-15 win for the
Bulldogs.
"I feel so blessed, thank the Lord. Hard work pays off and I am a firm believer in
that. You know personally how hard you work, but when it comes to fruition like
this when you get to hold this trophy or wear this hat you know you did
something right. I am going to enjoy this one, but we still have one more and we
haven't won double-digit games in awhile. We still have to get that 10th win and
the season isn't over, but I am definitely going to enjoy my ring."
"I prepare myself for every game like it is the Super Bowl. I am not going to let
anyone un-prepare me and if I do I am not doing my job and I am doing a
disservice to my teammates."
Coach DeRuyter loves the progression of the team after they were 4-9 last season,
which led to the firing of Pat Hill and the hiring of DeRuyter, and DeRuyter
helped them get a conference title.
"I think its been big. Anytime you come in with a transition there is a learning
process. We knew that we were making progress. We knew that our defense was
going to be pretty good even if they didn't look very good in the spring and
that our offense was going to be good and that we had play makers. The only way
that you win a championship is to make progress every week and I think we have
done that."
You can also thank the crowd at Bulldog Stadium, which got a sellout and the Red
Wave delivered with noise early to get the Bulldogs early momentum and make the
game over fast.
"I think our guys love playing in front of the Red Wave. There is something special
about Bulldog Stadium and it was something that we wanted to establish. We
wanted to put a good product on the field for the Red Wave. We get energy off of
the Red Wave. So to see our guys play in a stadium with a different buzz we were
able to feed off that energy."
The Red Wave had a say in helping the Bulldogs go undefeated at
home.
"It's huge. The fan support I've had by staying in town and being a local guy, said
linebacker Travis Brown. The community that surrounds Fresno has always held a
place that has been close to my heart. In just the community they have always
showed me love since Clovis West and Kaiser days even. I love the fans and I
love the community. I was raised here and I can't say enough about the fans and
community."
All these seniors couldn’t be happier winning the title on senior
day.
"This is the best season since I've been here, and the best season in at least over a
decade and to go undefeated at home is real big," said running back Robbie
Rouse.
"It means a lot for all of us. Especially after coming off of last season. With all
the adversity that was thrown at us with new coaches and us getting a new scheme
and us coming off of last season and how we all pulled together as a team. As
captains we got everyone together and were able to pull off this season and it
feels great."
These freshman are excited to, and freshman stud receiver Davante Adams shows his
emotions.
"It's great. Coming in this was my first year playing and I can't ask for much more.
We started pretty fast and things were just happening. Coach told me I was going
to be a big part of the offense and I wasn't nervous, but I was just getting
some jitters about it. Once we got the first game out of the way it was awesome
and it was a great feeling. I had a sick to my stomach feeling at first, just
being nervous, but once I got into the groove of things it was just great.
Finishing the season off like this, you really can't ask for more as a redshirt
freshman."
"Coach DeRuyter spoke about this many times just making sure those seniors game by game
are playing as hard as they can and we are playing for more than just ourselves
and knowing that the seniors only have a limited amount of games and we've
worked so hard for only 13 opportunities. DeRuyter made sure that we are going
to go out there and just keep fighting so those seniors can go out with a bang.
It's his first season and he knows how much it means to finish a career with a
good amount of wins and without a good amount of wins, but we always had a high
standard on how we wanted to play and he preached that from day one and the
seniors knew they only had a certain amount of opportunities, so we just had to
go out there and play every game like it's our last."
As a Bulldog supporter, you can’t ask for much more. All you can say is “what a
season.”
QB Derek Carr to Return for Senior Season
By Chris Jackson Saturday November 24, 2012
FRESNO-Junior quarterback Derek Carr announced after the game
that he will return for his senior season.
Air Force coach Troy Calhoun already thinks Carr is NFL ready.
"He's NFL ready, without a doubt. I don't think he missed a throw today. He had only
two or three incompletions. He is NFL ready as NFL ready gets. Very, very
affective. I think he's got great command of their offense, and he has been
around it. There is linage and there is some pedigree there. Just the household
and the whole bit, that contributes to it."
Carr has thrown for 3742 yards and 36 touchdowns this season.
FRESNO-Junior quarterback Derek Carr announced after the game
that he will return for his senior season.
Air Force coach Troy Calhoun already thinks Carr is NFL ready.
"He's NFL ready, without a doubt. I don't think he missed a throw today. He had only
two or three incompletions. He is NFL ready as NFL ready gets. Very, very
affective. I think he's got great command of their offense, and he has been
around it. There is linage and there is some pedigree there. Just the household
and the whole bit, that contributes to it."
Carr has thrown for 3742 yards and 36 touchdowns this season.
Fresno State vs. Air Force Preview
Fresno State (8-3, 6-1 MWC) vs. Air Force (6-5, 5-2 MWC) 12:30 pm
By Chris Jackson Friday November 23, 2012
FRESNO-The conference title is on the line for Fresno, and
what’s going to happen? Will they choke under pressure or play good as they have
all year? Can they lead these seniors to a conference title in these senior’s
final game at Bulldog Stadium? Can they?
Senior back Robbie Rouse wants nothing more than a “dawg” fight
and that’s a fact, well who doesn’t really?
This senior class has fought their last breaths for this game.
All they want is a win, and a conference title. But don’t overlook Air Force
since their triple-option offense can give any defense
fits.
If this Bulldog squad wants a Mountain West title, they need to
make sure they can stop the Falcons ground attack. Air Force can attack you in a
number of ways through the running game.
The Falcons won’t just go to their running backs in the running
game, but they’ll go to their receivers. Watch out for them to target receiver
Ty MacArthur a lot. He has 411 rushing yards on 47 carries. And in their
playcalling, they like to take advantage of him in their outside running game
where they will get him in wide-back sweep plays and the Air Force
offensive-line blacks really good on the outside, so that’s really beneficial to
MacArthur. But MacArthue may also be used sometimes on the wide-back toss plays
and he can also be dangerous in the passing game. He has 379 yards receiving.
How often is it that you see a receiver have more rushing than receiving
yards?
Running the ball is a big part of the Air Force offense. There
is so many outside toss plays to the running backs. They will get so many great
run plays to Cody Getz and Jon Lee. Both have great speed that will work well to
the outside. Getz has 1131 rushing yards while Lee has 491. And Getz is not
afraid to run between the tackles, which doesn’t happen much in the sweep plays,
but he still manages to make it happen.
Wes Cobb, their fullback, adds an extra dimension to the Falcons
offense. He reads plays do well and has great speed for a fullback. He may not
be strong, but he’s explosive for a fullback and has great ballcarrier
vision.
Speaking of great awareness, quarterback Connor Dietz reads
plays real well on the triple-option plays. He knows when to hand the ball off
to Cobb, and when to run the option with one of their running
backs.
Fresno has more of the stakes in this game. They are playing for
the conference title, while Air Force is fighting for what bowl game they will
be in, but obviously and most importantly for this country, and it’s military
appreciation day.
22 seniors are looking for their goals and dreams and here’s the
list of seniors:
DE Matt Akers, LB #9 Travis Brown, TE #40 Michael Butler, WR #11
Rashad Evans, DB #19 Beau Fryer, RB #2 Milton Knox, RB #8 Robbie Rouse, FS #15
Terrance Dennis, DB #16 Phillip Thomas, DB #20 Cristin Wilson, RB #26 Michael
Harris, P #34 Andrew Shapiro, LB #39 Shawn Plummer, OL #55 Matt Hunt, OL #75
Trevor Richter, OL #78 Richard Helepiko, WR #86 Gerome Surrell, WR #87 Matthew
De Los Santos, LB #88 Tristan Okpalaugo, TE #89 Marcel Jensen, DE #91 Anthony
Williams, DE #95 Matt Akers.
Every single senior wants that title. Out of all those seniors
though, my senior career award goes to…..check it out in the postgame article.
Here’s the finalists:
LB #9 Travis Brown
WR #11 Rashad Evans
RB #8 Robbie Rouse
DB #16 Phillip Thomas
LB #88 Tristan Okpalaugo
· This game is a sellout. Thank you to all those Bulldogs fans that have supported them
at every single home game. And special thanks to the seniors, band, coaches, all
the players, students, and last but not least, everyone that has fought for this
country. It’s military appreciation day in Fresno.
Gametime Weather
12:00 pm: 64 degrees, clear, 3 mph
winds
1:00 pm: 67 degrees, clear, 3 mph
winds
2:00 pm: 69 degrees, clear, 4 mph
winds
3:00 pm: 70 degrees, clear, 4 mph
winds
Special Weather Statement
Issued by The National Weather Service
Hanford, CA
Fri, Nov 23, 2012, 8:31 PM PST
... PATCHY NIGHT AND MORNING DENSE FOG LIKELY IN
THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY THIS WEEKEND...
CLEAR SKIES AND NEARLY CALM WINDS WILL PROVIDE
FAVORABLE CONDITIONS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF NIGHT AND MORNING FOG IN THE SAN
JOAQUIN VALLEY THIS WEEKEND. THE MOST LIKELY OCCURRENCE OF DENSE FOG WILL BE
BETWEEN THE HOURS OF MIDNIGHT AND 10 AM.
MOTORISTS IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY SHOULD DRIVE
WITH CAUTION AND BE PREPARED FOR TRAVEL DELAYS DURING THESE HOURS.
By Chris Jackson Friday November 23, 2012
FRESNO-The conference title is on the line for Fresno, and
what’s going to happen? Will they choke under pressure or play good as they have
all year? Can they lead these seniors to a conference title in these senior’s
final game at Bulldog Stadium? Can they?
Senior back Robbie Rouse wants nothing more than a “dawg” fight
and that’s a fact, well who doesn’t really?
This senior class has fought their last breaths for this game.
All they want is a win, and a conference title. But don’t overlook Air Force
since their triple-option offense can give any defense
fits.
If this Bulldog squad wants a Mountain West title, they need to
make sure they can stop the Falcons ground attack. Air Force can attack you in a
number of ways through the running game.
The Falcons won’t just go to their running backs in the running
game, but they’ll go to their receivers. Watch out for them to target receiver
Ty MacArthur a lot. He has 411 rushing yards on 47 carries. And in their
playcalling, they like to take advantage of him in their outside running game
where they will get him in wide-back sweep plays and the Air Force
offensive-line blacks really good on the outside, so that’s really beneficial to
MacArthur. But MacArthue may also be used sometimes on the wide-back toss plays
and he can also be dangerous in the passing game. He has 379 yards receiving.
How often is it that you see a receiver have more rushing than receiving
yards?
Running the ball is a big part of the Air Force offense. There
is so many outside toss plays to the running backs. They will get so many great
run plays to Cody Getz and Jon Lee. Both have great speed that will work well to
the outside. Getz has 1131 rushing yards while Lee has 491. And Getz is not
afraid to run between the tackles, which doesn’t happen much in the sweep plays,
but he still manages to make it happen.
Wes Cobb, their fullback, adds an extra dimension to the Falcons
offense. He reads plays do well and has great speed for a fullback. He may not
be strong, but he’s explosive for a fullback and has great ballcarrier
vision.
Speaking of great awareness, quarterback Connor Dietz reads
plays real well on the triple-option plays. He knows when to hand the ball off
to Cobb, and when to run the option with one of their running
backs.
Fresno has more of the stakes in this game. They are playing for
the conference title, while Air Force is fighting for what bowl game they will
be in, but obviously and most importantly for this country, and it’s military
appreciation day.
22 seniors are looking for their goals and dreams and here’s the
list of seniors:
DE Matt Akers, LB #9 Travis Brown, TE #40 Michael Butler, WR #11
Rashad Evans, DB #19 Beau Fryer, RB #2 Milton Knox, RB #8 Robbie Rouse, FS #15
Terrance Dennis, DB #16 Phillip Thomas, DB #20 Cristin Wilson, RB #26 Michael
Harris, P #34 Andrew Shapiro, LB #39 Shawn Plummer, OL #55 Matt Hunt, OL #75
Trevor Richter, OL #78 Richard Helepiko, WR #86 Gerome Surrell, WR #87 Matthew
De Los Santos, LB #88 Tristan Okpalaugo, TE #89 Marcel Jensen, DE #91 Anthony
Williams, DE #95 Matt Akers.
Every single senior wants that title. Out of all those seniors
though, my senior career award goes to…..check it out in the postgame article.
Here’s the finalists:
LB #9 Travis Brown
WR #11 Rashad Evans
RB #8 Robbie Rouse
DB #16 Phillip Thomas
LB #88 Tristan Okpalaugo
· This game is a sellout. Thank you to all those Bulldogs fans that have supported them
at every single home game. And special thanks to the seniors, band, coaches, all
the players, students, and last but not least, everyone that has fought for this
country. It’s military appreciation day in Fresno.
Gametime Weather
12:00 pm: 64 degrees, clear, 3 mph
winds
1:00 pm: 67 degrees, clear, 3 mph
winds
2:00 pm: 69 degrees, clear, 4 mph
winds
3:00 pm: 70 degrees, clear, 4 mph
winds
Special Weather Statement
Issued by The National Weather Service
Hanford, CA
Fri, Nov 23, 2012, 8:31 PM PST
... PATCHY NIGHT AND MORNING DENSE FOG LIKELY IN
THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY THIS WEEKEND...
CLEAR SKIES AND NEARLY CALM WINDS WILL PROVIDE
FAVORABLE CONDITIONS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF NIGHT AND MORNING FOG IN THE SAN
JOAQUIN VALLEY THIS WEEKEND. THE MOST LIKELY OCCURRENCE OF DENSE FOG WILL BE
BETWEEN THE HOURS OF MIDNIGHT AND 10 AM.
MOTORISTS IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY SHOULD DRIVE
WITH CAUTION AND BE PREPARED FOR TRAVEL DELAYS DURING THESE HOURS.
Offense Looks to Get By Air Force LB Niklas
By Chris Jackson Tuesday November 20, 2012
FRESNO-The Bulldogs’ high potent offense may have some trouble
with Air Force linebacker Austin Niklas.
When was the last time quarterback Derek Carr and Fresno’s
offense have had trouble with a defense?
Um, can’t think of when. And Niklas may be the linebacker that
can give them trouble.
He has great play recognition and has great tackling ability. He
leads the team in tackles with 107 tackles and also has a team high in forced
fumbles, with three.
Coach DeRuyter said that Air Force has experience at some
positions, and that’s another thing that makes Niklas even tougher to get by
because of all his experience.
You still expect Derek Carr to lead the way. But he has to get
by Falcons junior cornerback Chris Miller, who is great in both man and zone
coverage.
But Austin Niklas isn’t Air Force’s only good linebacker. Don’t
forget about senior Alex Means, who is second on th team in tackles, with 84. He
also leads the team with ten tackles for loss. And there’s that experience coach
DeRuyter was referencing, but Fresno State has more experience on both sides of
the ball, and also more young talent, especially with freshman receiver Davante
Adams.
So don’t forget about these linebackers for Air Force, but
Fresno has some good linebackers of their own. They have seniors Travis Brown
and Tristan Okpalaugo (nominee for the Burlsworth trophy). Brown has 55 tackles
while Okpalaugo has 46 tackles and a team high 9.5 tackles for loss. He also has
three sacks and will be mixed in at defensive end every once in w hile, even
though he’s an outside linebacker, because of his athleticism and his pass rush.
Coach DeRuyter noticed his athleticism back when he played tight end in high
school and also played basketball and was an all-state high jumper his senior
year at Granada high school. He started out as a walk on for basketball at
Fresno and then became a football player after they shut down their track
program.
Among all these good defensive players for Air Force, it
shouldn’t be much of a problem for the Bulldogs offense., considering their
level of play in both the passing and rushing game.
· Senior back Robbie Rouse has rushed for 1405 yards and 12 touchdowns and he wants to
add to it on senior day on Saturday to try and bring home at least a share of
the conference title.
· Junior quarterback has thrown for 3290 yards and 32 touchdowns this season. He is
12thin the country in passing yards, and is in the top 10 in
quarterbacks in touchdowns.
Senior receiver Rashad Evans has 246 yards receiving and five touchdowns.
FRESNO-The Bulldogs’ high potent offense may have some trouble
with Air Force linebacker Austin Niklas.
When was the last time quarterback Derek Carr and Fresno’s
offense have had trouble with a defense?
Um, can’t think of when. And Niklas may be the linebacker that
can give them trouble.
He has great play recognition and has great tackling ability. He
leads the team in tackles with 107 tackles and also has a team high in forced
fumbles, with three.
Coach DeRuyter said that Air Force has experience at some
positions, and that’s another thing that makes Niklas even tougher to get by
because of all his experience.
You still expect Derek Carr to lead the way. But he has to get
by Falcons junior cornerback Chris Miller, who is great in both man and zone
coverage.
But Austin Niklas isn’t Air Force’s only good linebacker. Don’t
forget about senior Alex Means, who is second on th team in tackles, with 84. He
also leads the team with ten tackles for loss. And there’s that experience coach
DeRuyter was referencing, but Fresno State has more experience on both sides of
the ball, and also more young talent, especially with freshman receiver Davante
Adams.
So don’t forget about these linebackers for Air Force, but
Fresno has some good linebackers of their own. They have seniors Travis Brown
and Tristan Okpalaugo (nominee for the Burlsworth trophy). Brown has 55 tackles
while Okpalaugo has 46 tackles and a team high 9.5 tackles for loss. He also has
three sacks and will be mixed in at defensive end every once in w hile, even
though he’s an outside linebacker, because of his athleticism and his pass rush.
Coach DeRuyter noticed his athleticism back when he played tight end in high
school and also played basketball and was an all-state high jumper his senior
year at Granada high school. He started out as a walk on for basketball at
Fresno and then became a football player after they shut down their track
program.
Among all these good defensive players for Air Force, it
shouldn’t be much of a problem for the Bulldogs offense., considering their
level of play in both the passing and rushing game.
· Senior back Robbie Rouse has rushed for 1405 yards and 12 touchdowns and he wants to
add to it on senior day on Saturday to try and bring home at least a share of
the conference title.
· Junior quarterback has thrown for 3290 yards and 32 touchdowns this season. He is
12thin the country in passing yards, and is in the top 10 in
quarterbacks in touchdowns.
Senior receiver Rashad Evans has 246 yards receiving and five touchdowns.
Defense Looking to Stop Falcons Offensive Weapons
By Chris Jackson Monday November 19, 2012
FRESNO-Two players can make a difference for Air Force
on offense, and those are dual-threat quarterback Connor Dietz and running
back Cody Getz.
Quarterback Connor Dietz can both run
and pass the ball, and his
passing statistics don’t show how efficient he
can be at passing. He has thrown
for just 1095 yards but has completed 62.5
percent of his passes for seven
touchdowns, and that is good considering
that they run an option-style
offense.
Dietz has also
rushed for 653 yards on 131 carries for five
touchdowns.
Both of those passing and
rushing statistics show he can give a
defense fits. And he gave Michigan’s
defense fits in their close 31-25 loss in
Ann
Arbor.
Their passing is rated 121stin the
country, averaging
111 passing yards per game, but don’t forget, that
doesn’t show that their
passing game isn’t efficient, because it
is.
Air Force’s option-attack is one that
will confuse the opposing
defense. They will run option plays from the
shotgun and from the flexbone and
wishbone formations. You might think an option offense is easy to stop, but many
insiders consider it to be one of
the most difficult offenses to
stop.
Those rushing stats show that their option offense is tricky to
defend. They are second in the nation in rushing yards per game, averaging 335.5
yards on the ground per game.
Four players will get a good amount of carries for the Falcons,
and that includes
quarterback Connor Dietz. They will go to senior half-back
Cody Getz, senior speedster Wess Cobb, sophomore Jon Lee, and they will even
sometimes have top receiver Ty MacArthur get some
carries.
· Cody Getz leads the
squad with 1131 yards on 172 carries. He also has nine
touchdowns.
· Jon Lee has 491 yards
on 79 carries.
· Wes Cobb has 458
yards on 109 carries for eight touchdowns. He has that breakaway
speed that
many Mountain West coaches say can throw their defense “out of
whack.”
· Receiver Ty MacArthur has
411 yards rushing on 47
carries
Ty MacArthur is the Falcons’leading receiver. He has 379 yards
receiving on 22
catches. Surprisingly he has more rushing yards then receiving
yards when
he’s listed as a receiver. So don’t forget about him as he can be
dynamic in almost all phases on the offensive end. Just another thing coach
DeRuyter needs to worry about when the Mountain West title is on the line, and
all Fresno State has to do is win Saturday’s
game.
Drew Coleman can also be a tough
receiver to stop. He has 311
receiving yards on 13
catches.
With some of these offensive
weapons and an option-style
offense, don’t overlook Air Force because their
offense can give Fresno’s
defense fits.
FRESNO-Two players can make a difference for Air Force
on offense, and those are dual-threat quarterback Connor Dietz and running
back Cody Getz.
Quarterback Connor Dietz can both run
and pass the ball, and his
passing statistics don’t show how efficient he
can be at passing. He has thrown
for just 1095 yards but has completed 62.5
percent of his passes for seven
touchdowns, and that is good considering
that they run an option-style
offense.
Dietz has also
rushed for 653 yards on 131 carries for five
touchdowns.
Both of those passing and
rushing statistics show he can give a
defense fits. And he gave Michigan’s
defense fits in their close 31-25 loss in
Ann
Arbor.
Their passing is rated 121stin the
country, averaging
111 passing yards per game, but don’t forget, that
doesn’t show that their
passing game isn’t efficient, because it
is.
Air Force’s option-attack is one that
will confuse the opposing
defense. They will run option plays from the
shotgun and from the flexbone and
wishbone formations. You might think an option offense is easy to stop, but many
insiders consider it to be one of
the most difficult offenses to
stop.
Those rushing stats show that their option offense is tricky to
defend. They are second in the nation in rushing yards per game, averaging 335.5
yards on the ground per game.
Four players will get a good amount of carries for the Falcons,
and that includes
quarterback Connor Dietz. They will go to senior half-back
Cody Getz, senior speedster Wess Cobb, sophomore Jon Lee, and they will even
sometimes have top receiver Ty MacArthur get some
carries.
· Cody Getz leads the
squad with 1131 yards on 172 carries. He also has nine
touchdowns.
· Jon Lee has 491 yards
on 79 carries.
· Wes Cobb has 458
yards on 109 carries for eight touchdowns. He has that breakaway
speed that
many Mountain West coaches say can throw their defense “out of
whack.”
· Receiver Ty MacArthur has
411 yards rushing on 47
carries
Ty MacArthur is the Falcons’leading receiver. He has 379 yards
receiving on 22
catches. Surprisingly he has more rushing yards then receiving
yards when
he’s listed as a receiver. So don’t forget about him as he can be
dynamic in almost all phases on the offensive end. Just another thing coach
DeRuyter needs to worry about when the Mountain West title is on the line, and
all Fresno State has to do is win Saturday’s
game.
Drew Coleman can also be a tough
receiver to stop. He has 311
receiving yards on 13
catches.
With some of these offensive
weapons and an option-style
offense, don’t overlook Air Force because their
offense can give Fresno’s
defense fits.
3rd Quarter Defensive TD's Paves Way to Fresno State Victory
Fresno State 52 Nevada 36
By Chris Jackson Saturday November 10, 2012
RENO-Three defensive touchdowns was what Fresno State needed to
beat Nevada in Reno.
And guess what, the Bulldogs defense intercepted two passes off
Cody Fajardo and also forced two fumbles. What an exceptional performance on the
defensive side for the Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs’ defense held Fajardo to just 214 passing yards,
which was below the norm for him since he averages 258 passing yards per
game.
The three defensive touchdowns broke a Fresno State record,
which was originally back in 2004. They now have 30 takeaways this season, which
leads all of FBS.
"It feels great and I don't know if anything like this has ever
happened before, but it just shows our competitiveness," said senior safety
Phillip Thomas, who picked off his eighth pass of the season. "To know what we
are playing for, it feels great. The excitement in the locker room is at its
peak. We know we got one more, but we are excited about this one
tonight."
All that excitement is just the start. If they beat Air Force in
two weeks, they at least get a share of the Mountain West
title.
Defensive turnovers in the third quarter were the main story for
Fresno’s defense. They forced turnovers on Nevada’s first three possessions of
the third quarter. Their defense also scored two touchdowns within six minutes
of each other to break the game wide open and give the Bulldogs a 38-21
lead.
"Turnovers are a big deal in the win-loss column," Smith said. "If you have a winning
record, most of the time you are getting turnovers. We know we still have one
more game to go, but we felt like this was a big hurdle. We haven't always
played great on the road, so it felt good to get a great road
win."
The first turnover of the third quarter was on Nevada’s first drive. Donovan Lewis
knocked the ball out of Fajardo’s hand at the three-yard line and Tyeler Davison
returned it into the endzone for a three-yard fumble return for a
touchdown.
Those three turnovers might help seal the deal for at least a share of the Mountain
West title with the Bulldogs facing Air Force in Fresno on November 24. The
conference title might end in a three-way tie.
"We want to win championships here. Our kids bought into that
and that's what we got a chance to do now," head coach Tim
DeRuytersaid. The Bulldogs host Air Force
on Nov. 24 in their last game of the season for a shot at the league
title.
Running back Robbie Rouse also had a great game. He rushed for
261 yards on 36 carries and had two touchdowns. He capped it with a 39-yard touchdown
run in the 4th quarter where he broke five tackles on that
play.
"That last one for the touchdown, you can't say enough about
what kind of heart that guy has and to see him do it in a game that meant so
much, that's awesome," DeRuyter said of Rouse's 39-yard touchdown run in the
fourth quarter where he broke five tackles to find the end
zone.
"The guys got a bigger heart than anybody," DeRuyter added,
saying, "he plays so hard and our guys rally around him because they know if
they sustain that block he is going to keep on
going."
Fresno State finished with 500 yards of offense. Quarterback
Derek Carr threw for 220 yards and two
touchdowns.
Stats:
Passing-Nevada-Fajardo 21-39-2 214 TD Fresno State-Carr 17-35
220 2 TD Rushing-Nevada-Jefferson 19-95 3 TD, Fajardo 22-59, Hale 7-31, Wimberly
1-4, Knight 1-1 Fresno State-Rouse 36-261 2 TD, Carr 6-25
Receiving-Nevada-Turner 6-73, Wimberly 4-40, Bradley 3-28, Jefferson 2-24,
Arendse 1-16, Hale 3-12 TD, Sudfeld 1-11, Brock 1-10 Fresno State-Adams 9-120
TD, Evans 4-51, Jensen 3-42 TD, Rouse 1-7
Mountain West Standings
Team CONF OVR
Fresno State 6-1 8-3
San Diego State 6-1 8-3
Boise State 5-1 8-2
Air Force 5-2 5-5
Nevada 3-3 6-4
Colorado State 2-4 3-7
Wyoming 2-4 3-7
UNLV 2-4 2-9
New Mexico 1-5 4-7
Hawaii 0-6 1-8
By Chris Jackson Saturday November 10, 2012
RENO-Three defensive touchdowns was what Fresno State needed to
beat Nevada in Reno.
And guess what, the Bulldogs defense intercepted two passes off
Cody Fajardo and also forced two fumbles. What an exceptional performance on the
defensive side for the Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs’ defense held Fajardo to just 214 passing yards,
which was below the norm for him since he averages 258 passing yards per
game.
The three defensive touchdowns broke a Fresno State record,
which was originally back in 2004. They now have 30 takeaways this season, which
leads all of FBS.
"It feels great and I don't know if anything like this has ever
happened before, but it just shows our competitiveness," said senior safety
Phillip Thomas, who picked off his eighth pass of the season. "To know what we
are playing for, it feels great. The excitement in the locker room is at its
peak. We know we got one more, but we are excited about this one
tonight."
All that excitement is just the start. If they beat Air Force in
two weeks, they at least get a share of the Mountain West
title.
Defensive turnovers in the third quarter were the main story for
Fresno’s defense. They forced turnovers on Nevada’s first three possessions of
the third quarter. Their defense also scored two touchdowns within six minutes
of each other to break the game wide open and give the Bulldogs a 38-21
lead.
"Turnovers are a big deal in the win-loss column," Smith said. "If you have a winning
record, most of the time you are getting turnovers. We know we still have one
more game to go, but we felt like this was a big hurdle. We haven't always
played great on the road, so it felt good to get a great road
win."
The first turnover of the third quarter was on Nevada’s first drive. Donovan Lewis
knocked the ball out of Fajardo’s hand at the three-yard line and Tyeler Davison
returned it into the endzone for a three-yard fumble return for a
touchdown.
Those three turnovers might help seal the deal for at least a share of the Mountain
West title with the Bulldogs facing Air Force in Fresno on November 24. The
conference title might end in a three-way tie.
"We want to win championships here. Our kids bought into that
and that's what we got a chance to do now," head coach Tim
DeRuytersaid. The Bulldogs host Air Force
on Nov. 24 in their last game of the season for a shot at the league
title.
Running back Robbie Rouse also had a great game. He rushed for
261 yards on 36 carries and had two touchdowns. He capped it with a 39-yard touchdown
run in the 4th quarter where he broke five tackles on that
play.
"That last one for the touchdown, you can't say enough about
what kind of heart that guy has and to see him do it in a game that meant so
much, that's awesome," DeRuyter said of Rouse's 39-yard touchdown run in the
fourth quarter where he broke five tackles to find the end
zone.
"The guys got a bigger heart than anybody," DeRuyter added,
saying, "he plays so hard and our guys rally around him because they know if
they sustain that block he is going to keep on
going."
Fresno State finished with 500 yards of offense. Quarterback
Derek Carr threw for 220 yards and two
touchdowns.
Stats:
Passing-Nevada-Fajardo 21-39-2 214 TD Fresno State-Carr 17-35
220 2 TD Rushing-Nevada-Jefferson 19-95 3 TD, Fajardo 22-59, Hale 7-31, Wimberly
1-4, Knight 1-1 Fresno State-Rouse 36-261 2 TD, Carr 6-25
Receiving-Nevada-Turner 6-73, Wimberly 4-40, Bradley 3-28, Jefferson 2-24,
Arendse 1-16, Hale 3-12 TD, Sudfeld 1-11, Brock 1-10 Fresno State-Adams 9-120
TD, Evans 4-51, Jensen 3-42 TD, Rouse 1-7
Mountain West Standings
Team CONF OVR
Fresno State 6-1 8-3
San Diego State 6-1 8-3
Boise State 5-1 8-2
Air Force 5-2 5-5
Nevada 3-3 6-4
Colorado State 2-4 3-7
Wyoming 2-4 3-7
UNLV 2-4 2-9
New Mexico 1-5 4-7
Hawaii 0-6 1-8
Fresno State at Nevada Preview
By Chris Jackson Friday November 9, 2012
RENO-Not just another Saturday for Fresno. This is a Saturday
that determines if they will win the Mountain West or not. Here’s both team’s
previews:
Fresno State (7-3, 5-1 MWC)
· Offense
can determine this game. Both the running game and passing game are loaded for
the Bulldogs
· Run Game: Led by Robbie Rouse. He has rushed for 1149 rushing yards this season and
10 touchdowns. This is his 3rd season with 1000-plus rushing
yards.
· Pass Game: Led by junior phenom Derek Carr. He has passed for 3070 yards this season.
That is second in the FBS, only behind Marshall’s Rakeem Cato. Carr has a 30-5
touchdown to interception ratio, which is among the best in the country along
with Louisiana Tech’s Colby Cameron (24-0).
· Receivers: Led by freshman Davante Adams. He has broken a Mountain West conference record
for receiving yards in a season with 907 yards receiving and 10 touchdowns. But
there was a big loss last week as sophomore Victor Dean is out for the year
with a broken femur.
· Defense: Phillip Thomas will be the difference on defense. He has 61 total tackles along
with 7 interceptions and 3 sacks. He can run through the Nevada pistol
offense.
Nevada (6-3, 3-2 MWC)
· Offense: Quarterback Cody Fajardo can make the difference for the Wolf Pack. He has
passed for 1980 yards and 13 touchdowns. He’s also rushed for 655 yards on 111
carries.
· Run Game: The Nevada run game can be explosive, especially with running back
Stefphon Jefferson, who has rushed for 1341 yards and 16 touchdowns. When both
your quarterback and running back have that breakout speed, that adds an extra
dimension to your offense.
Can Nevada destroy Fresno’s Mountain West title hopes? Can
Fresno State keep their hopes alive?
Expect a close game in Reno. Cold temperatures bode better for
Nevada. It will reach 18 degrees by the end of the game. But that won’t deter
the Bulldogs. Derek Carr will keep targeting freshman receiver Davante Adams and
the Bulldogs defense has been very impressive. Take Fresno State by
7.
But for Fresno State to win, they cannot be confused by Nevada’s
pistol offense. Nevada will run a lot of option plays from that set. And with a
dual-threat quarterback in Cody Fajardo, he will give Fresno’s defense
fits.
Make it or Break it Game Saturday for Fresno
By Chris Jackson Thursday November 8, 2012
FRESNO-This isn’t just an ordinary game for Fresno State on
Saturday. This game can help determine if they will be the Mountain West
Champions.
With a loss, they could fall to 2nd place, especially
since San Diego State is playing a scrub game at Wyoming and will most likely
win.
And then there’s Boise. They have 3 remaining games. They are at
Hawaii Saturday and then home against Colorado State and at Nevada. They can win
all three, but Nevada is a test for everyone.
Nevada is tough to stop in both the running and passing games.
They average over 260 passing and rushing yards a
game.
“That balance is really difficult to defend,” said coach
DeRuyter. “It will be tough to defend their
offense.”
Stopping Nevada quarterback Cody Fajardo will be a tough task it
they want to stay atop the conference. Fajardo has 1980 passing yards and 655
yards. He has 13 passing touchdowns and 10 rushing touchdowns.
DeRuyter knows
this is a tough game and that the outcome of this season can determine the fate
of Fresno State’s season if they will be Mountain West champions or not. And
Nevada has given them fits in recent years as the Wolf Pack have won three
straight.
If the Bulldogs win this, the season finale on November against
Air Force will be the most important game of the
season.
“If we win Saturday, now the next game becomes that much more
important," DeRuyter added. "The Air Force game doesn't matter if we don't win
on Saturday.
Coach DeRuyter knows that from Saturday and on, they control
their own destiny.
“That's what's neat about going into November
(in first place) and having the ability to control your own destiny," said coach
Tim DeRuyter, whose Bulldogs are trying to win the program's first conference
title since 1999.
These last two weeks prove to be the most important final two
weeks of the season in recent memory. If they win both, they will at least share
the Mountain West title. They don’t want to lose to Nevada like they did in 2005
in the heart breaking loss that shattered their Mountain West title hopes and
that’s not that the 7-3 Bulldogs want.
FRESNO-This isn’t just an ordinary game for Fresno State on
Saturday. This game can help determine if they will be the Mountain West
Champions.
With a loss, they could fall to 2nd place, especially
since San Diego State is playing a scrub game at Wyoming and will most likely
win.
And then there’s Boise. They have 3 remaining games. They are at
Hawaii Saturday and then home against Colorado State and at Nevada. They can win
all three, but Nevada is a test for everyone.
Nevada is tough to stop in both the running and passing games.
They average over 260 passing and rushing yards a
game.
“That balance is really difficult to defend,” said coach
DeRuyter. “It will be tough to defend their
offense.”
Stopping Nevada quarterback Cody Fajardo will be a tough task it
they want to stay atop the conference. Fajardo has 1980 passing yards and 655
yards. He has 13 passing touchdowns and 10 rushing touchdowns.
DeRuyter knows
this is a tough game and that the outcome of this season can determine the fate
of Fresno State’s season if they will be Mountain West champions or not. And
Nevada has given them fits in recent years as the Wolf Pack have won three
straight.
If the Bulldogs win this, the season finale on November against
Air Force will be the most important game of the
season.
“If we win Saturday, now the next game becomes that much more
important," DeRuyter added. "The Air Force game doesn't matter if we don't win
on Saturday.
Coach DeRuyter knows that from Saturday and on, they control
their own destiny.
“That's what's neat about going into November
(in first place) and having the ability to control your own destiny," said coach
Tim DeRuyter, whose Bulldogs are trying to win the program's first conference
title since 1999.
These last two weeks prove to be the most important final two
weeks of the season in recent memory. If they win both, they will at least share
the Mountain West title. They don’t want to lose to Nevada like they did in 2005
in the heart breaking loss that shattered their Mountain West title hopes and
that’s not that the 7-3 Bulldogs want.
Derek Carr Named to District 8 Academic 1st Team
By Chris Jackson Thursday November 8, 2012
FRESNO-Bulldogs quarterback Derek Carr has been named to the
Academic All-District 1st team.
FRESNO-Bulldogs quarterback Derek Carr has been named to the
Academic All-District 1st team.
Receiver Victor Dean Out for Season
By Chris Jackson Monday November 5, 2012
FRESNO-This is not the bad news the Bulldogs wanted. But sophomore receiver Victor Dean is
out for the season.
Dean had surgery on his right leg Sunday and coach DeRuyter confirmed he will miss
the rest of the season because of a broken femur.
Luckily his injury doesn’t not seem career-threatening.
He had 389 yards receiving on 30 catches until his season ended due to the broken
femur.
FRESNO-This is not the bad news the Bulldogs wanted. But sophomore receiver Victor Dean is
out for the season.
Dean had surgery on his right leg Sunday and coach DeRuyter confirmed he will miss
the rest of the season because of a broken femur.
Luckily his injury doesn’t not seem career-threatening.
He had 389 yards receiving on 30 catches until his season ended due to the broken
femur.
3-Game Win Streak Benefits Bulldogs
By Chris Jackson Monday November 5, 2012
FRESNO-Confidence is what Bulldogs head coach Tim DeRuyter
likes. But he doesn’t want his players
overconfident.
It’s just obvious he doesn’t want his players overconfident, as
no coach would.
Playing at Nevada is no easy task, but confidence helps as
Fresno is riding a three-game win streak and has won five of their last six.
They have an average winning margin of 27 points during their win streak. They
beat Wyoming by 18 (42-14), New Mexico by 17 (49-32), and Hawaii over the
weekend by 35 (45-10).
There’s not just confidence for the Bulldogs, but there’s also
momentum. And if you want some energy against Nevada, this momentum they’ve
built up has helped as the Wolf Pack are 6-3 this
season.
"The guys have a lot of confidence and it doesn't matter who we play,” said coach
DeRuyter. We've won on the road and we've won at home and we can be very
explosive. Defensively we can create take-aways. Just having that confidence
will help us as we go into next week."
Momentum and confidence will also help stop Nevada’s high potent offense. The Wolf Pack
average 262 passing yards per game and 260 rushing yards per game. That’s what
you would expect out of a pistol offense.
The confidence can also hurt Fresno State. Being overconfident
can lead to less preparation and more mistakes. But DeRuyter doesn’t think that
will happen. And they sure got confidence early against
Hawaii.
"We came out not wanting to give them any momentum, no big plays, no quick start,”
said DeRuyter on the teams confidence in the early going. It was big to come out
and fire off like we did on them, it was good."
He also thinks there is lots of confidence going to Reno, even though Reno isn’t an
easy place to play.
"Yeah I mean Reno has been a tough place for us to play, just Reno in general ... but
we have some confidence in this defense and we are fired up about it. We are
anxious to play them. We are excited, we have the safeties and corners that can
run routes with them and I feel like our front seven and front eight are ready
to roll."
Their defense has been rolling all year. The Bulldogs defense is 32nd in
the country in points against per game (21.6).
If they can also force Nevada quarterback Cody Fajardo to throw interceptions, that
would build up their confidence even more and they would have a whole lot of
momentum. As a team, they have a combined 17 interceptions, which leads the
country. Their 17 interceptions has accounted for 290 yards. Those are 290 yards
teams wish they could have back.
If Fresno State builds even more momentum early in the game Saturday they can end
the week with an 8-3 record and remain in first place in the Mountain
West.
FRESNO-Confidence is what Bulldogs head coach Tim DeRuyter
likes. But he doesn’t want his players
overconfident.
It’s just obvious he doesn’t want his players overconfident, as
no coach would.
Playing at Nevada is no easy task, but confidence helps as
Fresno is riding a three-game win streak and has won five of their last six.
They have an average winning margin of 27 points during their win streak. They
beat Wyoming by 18 (42-14), New Mexico by 17 (49-32), and Hawaii over the
weekend by 35 (45-10).
There’s not just confidence for the Bulldogs, but there’s also
momentum. And if you want some energy against Nevada, this momentum they’ve
built up has helped as the Wolf Pack are 6-3 this
season.
"The guys have a lot of confidence and it doesn't matter who we play,” said coach
DeRuyter. We've won on the road and we've won at home and we can be very
explosive. Defensively we can create take-aways. Just having that confidence
will help us as we go into next week."
Momentum and confidence will also help stop Nevada’s high potent offense. The Wolf Pack
average 262 passing yards per game and 260 rushing yards per game. That’s what
you would expect out of a pistol offense.
The confidence can also hurt Fresno State. Being overconfident
can lead to less preparation and more mistakes. But DeRuyter doesn’t think that
will happen. And they sure got confidence early against
Hawaii.
"We came out not wanting to give them any momentum, no big plays, no quick start,”
said DeRuyter on the teams confidence in the early going. It was big to come out
and fire off like we did on them, it was good."
He also thinks there is lots of confidence going to Reno, even though Reno isn’t an
easy place to play.
"Yeah I mean Reno has been a tough place for us to play, just Reno in general ... but
we have some confidence in this defense and we are fired up about it. We are
anxious to play them. We are excited, we have the safeties and corners that can
run routes with them and I feel like our front seven and front eight are ready
to roll."
Their defense has been rolling all year. The Bulldogs defense is 32nd in
the country in points against per game (21.6).
If they can also force Nevada quarterback Cody Fajardo to throw interceptions, that
would build up their confidence even more and they would have a whole lot of
momentum. As a team, they have a combined 17 interceptions, which leads the
country. Their 17 interceptions has accounted for 290 yards. Those are 290 yards
teams wish they could have back.
If Fresno State builds even more momentum early in the game Saturday they can end
the week with an 8-3 record and remain in first place in the Mountain
West.
Bulldogs Receive Votes in Polls
By Chris Jackson Sunday November 4, 2012
FRESNO-The Bulldogs have received votes in both national polls
after their 45-10 win over Hawaii on Saturday.
They received two votes in the AP Poll and 4 votes in the USA
Today Poll.
FRESNO-The Bulldogs have received votes in both national polls
after their 45-10 win over Hawaii on Saturday.
They received two votes in the AP Poll and 4 votes in the USA
Today Poll.
Fresno State Moves to 1st in MWC with 45-10 Win Over Hawaii
By Chris Jackson Saturday November 3, 2012
Fresno State 45 Hawaii 10
FRESNO-The Bulldogs were beating Hawaii up front and just
destroying them in their killer deep-passing game to lead them to a share of
1st place in the Mountain West with San Diego State-the Aztecs won at
Boise State 21-19.
The defense was stellar for the Bulldogs. They allowed Hawaii to
just three rushing yards in the first half. They also sacked Warriors
quarterbacks five times. That was just one story of the blowout
game.
"I think Coach Toth came up with a really good plan with some tendencies they had
and they broke those a little bit, but our guys a conventional running team has
done a really good job,” said Bulldogs head coach Tim DeRuyter.. We've struggled
a little bit against the option and we have this coming up this week and we have
to do a better job. We didn't tackle great."
Well allowing just three rushing yards in the first half shows that your game plan
worked in the first half. And they didn’t need a game plan in the second half.
They were up 42-3 at halftime and they played second and third strings the whole
second half.
"We felt that the game was pretty much in hand and we have two more games to go,”
said DeRuyter.. That second group needs to get reps and when you can give them
the second units reps in live action and when they are called upon to go they
are more ready to go and I think Greg (Watson) has been doing a lot of great
things in practice and I think our offensive staff has a lot of confidence in
him running our base offense and not just package stuff. It was good for him and
our entire second offense. We didn't get a lot of points but we moved the ball
fairly effectively and we just have to get better at
it."
And coach DeRuyter doesn’t want his players to get too hyped up after the
victory.
"I think we preach to our players all the time that we don't look at the
scoreboard, we just play and we want to hold ourselves to the standard we set
whether its offense, defense and special teams. We know how well we can play and
it really doesn't matter what the score says. I thought we did a good job with
that in the first half. In the second half we slowed things down kind of like
the Colorado game where we try and get out of the game and give a lot of the
guys reps. I thought we did a great job in the first half doing some things and
then in the second half managing the clock and just trying to be
efficient."
The Bulldogs’ offense was dominant after the first two drives. Quarterback Derek
Carr seemed to be completing deep pass after deep pass. And some of his deep
passes were dropped-two of them were. If both of those passes would have been
caught, Fresno could have won 59-10.
Carr only played in the first half, but made the most of it. He threw for 304 yards
and four touchdowns. He kept throwing deep passes right through the Hawaii
secondary. And with those 304 yards passing, he surpassed 3000 passing yards on
the year. And Bulldogs fans still have another year with him, assuming he
doesn’t go pro. He is second in all of FBS in passing yards, just behind
Marshall quarterback Rakeem Cato.
"They're all tough, but that one was in particularly,” said Hawaii head coach Norm Chow..
We got beat by a very good football team. Derek
Carr,he's unbelievable ... they have a great scheme. They know how to attack us, they have
guys wide open and they made the
plays."
Running back Robbie Rouse made the most of his 13 carries. He rushed for 103 yards and a
touchdown. He seemed to get better as the game went
on.
Rouse now has over 1000 yards rushing for the third time in his career. He became the
first tailback in Bulldogs history to have three seasons with over 1000 rushing
yards.
Freshman receiver Davante Adams led the way among all Bulldogs receivers with 93 yards
receiving and one touchdown.
But the Bulldogs got a scare when sophomore receiver Victor Dean went down late in
the 1st quarter. He had a pass intended for him in the end zone. But
he didn’t get up and he had to be carted off the field with an apparent lower leg
injury.
"We were concerned on the sideline anytime we have a player down for an extended
period of time. Obviously there was an empathy from his teammates but as a coach
you try and get your guys to refocus on the task at hand while you have empathy
for Victor or anybody else that gets hurts. Probably sharpens the focus that
anybody is one play away from not being able to play the rest of the game or the
rest of the season, so you remind your players about that and go out and keep
charging. I think our guys did a great job rallying for that and keeping their
foot on the gas."
This just wasn’t a game for first year head coach Norm Chow to remember for Hawaii.
Or a season nonetheless.
But at least he’s not giving up hope just yet, even though they’re out of bowl
contention.
"Just keep fighting, like I said. We aren't panicking, we aren't flinching, we just
have to keep fighting. I don't know what else to do, I don't think our young
people know what else to do as well. I don't know where we are headed. All I
know is that we are going to work hard for next week and play a tremendous
football team. I just try to build a program, and try and do the best we can.
Just go back in the office tomorrow and try and get ready for the next
one."
Game Notes:
· Fresno State is now 7-3 on the year and 5-1 in the Mountain West. They are tied for
first with San Diego State. But Fresno would have the edge as they beat the
Aztecs earlier this season.
· This was the 200th game ever played at Bulldog
Stadium.
· With the loss, Hawaii is now 1-7 this season and they are no longer bowl eligible.
They are alos 0-5 in the conference.
Stats:
Passing-Hawaii-Schroeder 16-30-1 162, Higgins 4-5 56, Shutter 1-2 3, Iosefa 0-1 0 Fresno State-Carr 15-23
304 4 TD, Watson 3-10-1 25 Rushing-Hawaii-Iosefa 15-59, Gregory 10-30, Lister
1-14, Higgins 1-5 TD, Shutter 1-4, Schroeder 6-3 Fresno State-Rouse 13-102 TD,
Waller 15-43, Harris 2-14, Knox 4-7, McDade 1-0, Root 1-0, Carr 2-0, Watson 6-12
Receiving-Hawaii-Stutzmann 4-57, Bright 3-45, Iosefa 3-29, Davis 2-27, Lister
2-18, Hall 2-3, Ostrowski 1-16, Evans 1-11, Harding 1-11, Paclebar 1-3, Vele 1-1
Fresno State-Adams 6-93 TD, Rouse 4-38, Burse 2-87 TD, Root 1-47 TD, Jensen
1-31, Barnes 1-14, Evans 1-8, Waller 1-6, Johnson 1-5
Fresno State 45 Hawaii 10
FRESNO-The Bulldogs were beating Hawaii up front and just
destroying them in their killer deep-passing game to lead them to a share of
1st place in the Mountain West with San Diego State-the Aztecs won at
Boise State 21-19.
The defense was stellar for the Bulldogs. They allowed Hawaii to
just three rushing yards in the first half. They also sacked Warriors
quarterbacks five times. That was just one story of the blowout
game.
"I think Coach Toth came up with a really good plan with some tendencies they had
and they broke those a little bit, but our guys a conventional running team has
done a really good job,” said Bulldogs head coach Tim DeRuyter.. We've struggled
a little bit against the option and we have this coming up this week and we have
to do a better job. We didn't tackle great."
Well allowing just three rushing yards in the first half shows that your game plan
worked in the first half. And they didn’t need a game plan in the second half.
They were up 42-3 at halftime and they played second and third strings the whole
second half.
"We felt that the game was pretty much in hand and we have two more games to go,”
said DeRuyter.. That second group needs to get reps and when you can give them
the second units reps in live action and when they are called upon to go they
are more ready to go and I think Greg (Watson) has been doing a lot of great
things in practice and I think our offensive staff has a lot of confidence in
him running our base offense and not just package stuff. It was good for him and
our entire second offense. We didn't get a lot of points but we moved the ball
fairly effectively and we just have to get better at
it."
And coach DeRuyter doesn’t want his players to get too hyped up after the
victory.
"I think we preach to our players all the time that we don't look at the
scoreboard, we just play and we want to hold ourselves to the standard we set
whether its offense, defense and special teams. We know how well we can play and
it really doesn't matter what the score says. I thought we did a good job with
that in the first half. In the second half we slowed things down kind of like
the Colorado game where we try and get out of the game and give a lot of the
guys reps. I thought we did a great job in the first half doing some things and
then in the second half managing the clock and just trying to be
efficient."
The Bulldogs’ offense was dominant after the first two drives. Quarterback Derek
Carr seemed to be completing deep pass after deep pass. And some of his deep
passes were dropped-two of them were. If both of those passes would have been
caught, Fresno could have won 59-10.
Carr only played in the first half, but made the most of it. He threw for 304 yards
and four touchdowns. He kept throwing deep passes right through the Hawaii
secondary. And with those 304 yards passing, he surpassed 3000 passing yards on
the year. And Bulldogs fans still have another year with him, assuming he
doesn’t go pro. He is second in all of FBS in passing yards, just behind
Marshall quarterback Rakeem Cato.
"They're all tough, but that one was in particularly,” said Hawaii head coach Norm Chow..
We got beat by a very good football team. Derek
Carr,he's unbelievable ... they have a great scheme. They know how to attack us, they have
guys wide open and they made the
plays."
Running back Robbie Rouse made the most of his 13 carries. He rushed for 103 yards and a
touchdown. He seemed to get better as the game went
on.
Rouse now has over 1000 yards rushing for the third time in his career. He became the
first tailback in Bulldogs history to have three seasons with over 1000 rushing
yards.
Freshman receiver Davante Adams led the way among all Bulldogs receivers with 93 yards
receiving and one touchdown.
But the Bulldogs got a scare when sophomore receiver Victor Dean went down late in
the 1st quarter. He had a pass intended for him in the end zone. But
he didn’t get up and he had to be carted off the field with an apparent lower leg
injury.
"We were concerned on the sideline anytime we have a player down for an extended
period of time. Obviously there was an empathy from his teammates but as a coach
you try and get your guys to refocus on the task at hand while you have empathy
for Victor or anybody else that gets hurts. Probably sharpens the focus that
anybody is one play away from not being able to play the rest of the game or the
rest of the season, so you remind your players about that and go out and keep
charging. I think our guys did a great job rallying for that and keeping their
foot on the gas."
This just wasn’t a game for first year head coach Norm Chow to remember for Hawaii.
Or a season nonetheless.
But at least he’s not giving up hope just yet, even though they’re out of bowl
contention.
"Just keep fighting, like I said. We aren't panicking, we aren't flinching, we just
have to keep fighting. I don't know what else to do, I don't think our young
people know what else to do as well. I don't know where we are headed. All I
know is that we are going to work hard for next week and play a tremendous
football team. I just try to build a program, and try and do the best we can.
Just go back in the office tomorrow and try and get ready for the next
one."
Game Notes:
· Fresno State is now 7-3 on the year and 5-1 in the Mountain West. They are tied for
first with San Diego State. But Fresno would have the edge as they beat the
Aztecs earlier this season.
· This was the 200th game ever played at Bulldog
Stadium.
· With the loss, Hawaii is now 1-7 this season and they are no longer bowl eligible.
They are alos 0-5 in the conference.
Stats:
Passing-Hawaii-Schroeder 16-30-1 162, Higgins 4-5 56, Shutter 1-2 3, Iosefa 0-1 0 Fresno State-Carr 15-23
304 4 TD, Watson 3-10-1 25 Rushing-Hawaii-Iosefa 15-59, Gregory 10-30, Lister
1-14, Higgins 1-5 TD, Shutter 1-4, Schroeder 6-3 Fresno State-Rouse 13-102 TD,
Waller 15-43, Harris 2-14, Knox 4-7, McDade 1-0, Root 1-0, Carr 2-0, Watson 6-12
Receiving-Hawaii-Stutzmann 4-57, Bright 3-45, Iosefa 3-29, Davis 2-27, Lister
2-18, Hall 2-3, Ostrowski 1-16, Evans 1-11, Harding 1-11, Paclebar 1-3, Vele 1-1
Fresno State-Adams 6-93 TD, Rouse 4-38, Burse 2-87 TD, Root 1-47 TD, Jensen
1-31, Barnes 1-14, Evans 1-8, Waller 1-6, Johnson 1-5