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SEASON PREVIEW SEASON PREVIEW FRESNO STATE FOOTBALL ASPIRATIONS HIGH FOR BULLDOGS' FINAL GO-AROUND IN WAC ............................................................. 2011 SEASON PREVIEW Fresno State enters its 15th season under the direction of head coach Pat Hill. Hill, the second-winningest coach in Bulldog history with 108 career wins, has taken the Dogs to a bowl game 11 times in his 14-year tenure. Fresno State looks to make its fifth-straight bowl appearance in 2011, as the Dogs return 12 starters (four offense, five defense, three special teams) from their 2010 team that went 8-5 and finished second in the Western Athletic Conference with a 5-3 league record. "I really like our football team," Hill said. "We had a great spring. They are very hungry. There will be a learning curve and they won't have much a chance to get warmed-up." The learning curve Hill is talking about is the inexperience. Fresno State will be young in 2011 and the Dogs are expected to have just five senior starters this fall. This season also marks the last year for the Bulldogs in the WAC, as Fresno State will join the Mountain West Conference in 2012. The Dogs look to leave the WAC on good standing by shooting for their first conference championship since 1999. "I've spent half my coaching career in the WAC (19 of 38 years)," said Hill, who ranks second in WAC history with his 11 bowl appearances. "We are going to be as good of a member of the WAC that we can. We have a highly competitive conference. "The WAC has been a petry dish and we have grown tremendously. The WAC represents a conference that will fight. We will focus on our move to the Mountain West after the season. Hopefully, the Mountain West will be another platform for our growth." As always, the Fresno State motto "Anybody, Anytime, Anywhere," holds true this year. Fresno State's schedule includes games vs. Cal in San Francisco and at Nebraska in the first two weeks of the season while the Dogs host Ole Miss and Boise State in back-to-back weeks at the start of October. The tough non-conference slate will test the young Bulldog team, but will have them firing on all cylinders come conference play. Fresno State has won seven out of its last 10 games against BCS conference teams. With wins over Cincinnati and Illinois last season, the Bulldogs along with Utah, TCU and Boise State, were the only programs from non-automatic qualifying BCS leagues to defeat two BCS league opponents. THE DEFENSE Hill's teams at Fresno State have always been able to hang their hats on solid defense. "You have to win with defense," he said. "That's the thing that separates the great from the good is the ability to play defense. We are getting better on the defensive side of the ball. We have a lot of young people that have great athletic ability." Fresno State's defense returns five starters, three of which received All- WAC accolades a year ago. However, gone from last year defense is defensive end Chris Carter. Carter was the WAC Defensive Player of the Year after he led the nation with 11 sacks. The Bulldogs as a team finished tied for ninth in the nation last year with nearly three sacks per game and 37 total on the year. Senior Logan Harrell (6-2, 280, DT) returns to lead defensive front. The defensive tackle was right behind Carter last with 10.5 sacks and he received first team All-WAC honors. Harrell has big expectations entering his final season. "Everyone wants to take the title," Harrell said referring to the Bulldogs competing for the WAC championship. "It's going to be a battle with every team that we play. It's going to be an exciting year to see what this team will achieve this season." At linebacker, returning starters Kyle Knox (6-3, 220, OLB) and Travis Brown (6-2, 230, OLB) are both coming off of strong seasons in 2010. Brown was a second team All-WAC selection after recording 79 tackles, nine tackles for a loss and one interception. Knox, a two-year starter, had 74 tackles a year ago. Junior safety Phillip Thomas and senior Isaiah Green are the two returning starters in the Bulldog secondary for defensive coordinator Randy Stewart. The Bulldogs also get cornerback Jermaine Thomas back. Thomas started eight games in 2010 before suffering an injury that caused him to miss the rest of the season. Also, look for cornerback L.J. Jones to also make a big impact in the secondary. THE OFFENSE Sophomore quarterback Derek Carr is set to begin his career as Fresno State's starting quarterback. The 6-3, 205-pound native of Bakersfield played in five games for the Bulldogs as a true freshman in 2009, completing 10-of-14 passes for 112 yards. He then redshirted in 2010. Derek is the younger brother of former Bulldog great, David Carr, who was the 2001 Unitas winner and No. 1 overall pick in the 2002 NFL Draft. Carr is surrounded by plenty of talent to distribute the ball to. Junior running back Robbie Rouse rushed for 1,129 yards and eight touchdowns last year and starting fullback Austin Raphael returns to help open up holes for Rouse. The Bulldogs have a host of talented wide receivers for its pro set offense. Sophomore Jalen Saunders caught 30 passes for 462 yards and three touchdowns while starting seven games a year ago. Rashad Evans (39 receptions, 424 yards, four touchdown), A.J. Johnson (20 reception, 241 yards, one touchdown) and sophomore Isaiah Burse (13 receptions, 190 yards, two touchdowns) are all looking to build off solid 2010 seasons. Speedy senior wide out Devon Wylie missed most of the 2010 season with an injury, but his deep-threat presence will open up the passing game underneath as well as the running game. On the offensive line, left tackle Bryce Harris returns for what will be his third year as a starter. Harris was a second team All-WAC selection a year ago, but is the only returning starter up front. Senior Leslie Cooper and sophomore Matt Hunt both picked up experience last year, as injuries moved them into starting roles for part of the season. Cooper started six games and Hunt started two, which was the same number of starts center Richard Helepiko received. Cooper and Hunt are the projected starters at guard this year. Sophomore Austin Wentworth and redshirt freshman Cody Wichman are competing for playing time at right tackle. SPECIAL TEAMS Fresno State's special teams have been regarded among the nation's best units. Not only are the Bulldogs exceptional at blocking kicks, but they are also a threat to put points on the board every time they take the field. Since Pat Hill took over in 1997, Fresno State has scored 39 touchdowns on special teams and has racked up three safties. Since 2002, Fresno State has blocked 49 kicks and that figure leads the nation. Look for Burse, Saunders, Evans and Wylie to all contribute to the punt and kickoff return units. The Bulldog kicking game is locked down by place kicker Kevin Goessling and punter Andrew Shapiro. Goessling, a senior, was named to the preseason watch lists for the Lou Groza Award and to the College Football Performance Award. Goessling has made 50 of his 62 field goal attempts over the past three seasons and his leg will be a vital weapon for the Dogs this season. In 2008, he hit a Fresno State record 58-yard field goal as time expired to beat Utah State. Last year, Shapiro averaged 37.4 yards per punt and downed 21 of his 59 punts inside the 20-yard line with just one touchback. Senior Bobby Shepard will handle the long snapping duties. TRAVIS BROWN 34 DEREK CARR KEVIN GOESSLING LOGAN HARRELL 2011 2012 35 BRYCE HARRIS ROBBIE ROUSE DEVON WYLIE