No. 18 Football Looks to Bounce Back At Hawai'i

Oct. 22, 2001

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No. 18 Fresno State (6-1, 2-1) at Hawai'i (4-2, 3-2)
Date: Fri., Oct. 26
Kickoff: 7 p.m. PDT
Site: Honolulu, Hawaii
Stadium: Aloha Stadium (50,000)
Radio: KMJ (AM 580), 'Dog Talk at 5 p.m., Pregame Show at 6:30 p.m.
Play-by-play: Bill Woodward, Analyst: Vince Wesson, Sideline: Ron Shapley
TV: ESPN
Play-by-play: Pam Ward, Analyst: John Cooper, Sideline: Alex Flanagan
Series: Fresno State leads 18-14-1

This Week
Fresno State (No. 18 AP, No. 19 ESPN/USA Today) travels to the island to take on Hawai'i on Friday at 7 p.m. The Bulldogs enter the game 6-1 (2-1 WAC) while the Warriors have won three consecutive games and are 4-2 (3-2 WAC). The game will be televised nationally by ESPN.

Last Week
The Bulldogs suffered a 35-30 loss to Boise State, handing FS its first loss of the season and dropping the team from the top 10. Fresno State had the ball inside BSU's 10-yard-line with under a minute to play, but David Carr was sacked and fumbled on fourth down, ending the Bulldogs' comeback bid. Broncos quarterback Ryan Dinwiddie was 20-of-32 for 297 yards and four touchdowns in the upset win.

All-Time vs. Hawai'i
Fresno State owns a 18-14-1 lead in a series that has been dominated by the home team. Of Fresno State's 18 wins in the series, only six have come in Honolulu, where the Warriors own a 11-6 all-time lead in the series. Hawai'i has held a distinctive advantage at home since 1967, defeating Fresno State in nine of the 10 games played in that time span. In the Bulldogs' last trip to Aloha Stadium, they fell 31-24 in double overtime, a game that gave UH a share of the conference crown. Fresno State's last win in Honolulu came in 1994, a 31-16 victory.

Hawai'i vs. Fresno State - The Last Time
(FRESNO, Calif. - Nov. 4, 2000) - Fresno State racked up 466 total yards and 45 unanswered points in a 45-27 victory at Bulldog Stadium. David Carr threw for 257 yards, had two touchdown passes and ran for two others to help spark the Bulldogs after the fell behind 14-0 before their offense even touched the football. Josh Levi ran for a season-high 93 yards in the win.

Bulldogs in the Rankings
Fresno State remained in the top 25 in both polls, falling to No 18 in the Associated Press rankings and No. 19 in the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll. Following are some Fresno State rankings factoids:

Last week's No. 8 ranking in the AP poll was the program's highest ever.
Fresno State has been ranked for seven consecutive weeks in the Associated Press poll.
This year marks the first time since the 1993 season Fresno State has appeared in the rankings.
The highest Fresno State has ever ended the season in the rankings is No. 16, which came after the 1985 season, in which FS went 11-0-1 and defeated Bowling Green 51-7 in the California Bowl.

Tough to Beat at Home
Fresno State's loss to Boise State snapped its 17-game home winning streak, at the time the nation's third longest. However, since Pat Hill took over, Fresno State has still won 21 of 25 games at Bulldog Stadium, including 17 of its last 19. Since Hill took over prior to the 1997 season, the Bulldogs are outscoring their opponents by a combined 866-447 for an average margin of victory of 35-18. In addition, the 'Dogs are drawing well, averaging 37,981 fans per game since 1997. Fresno State has sold a record 32,855 season tickets for this season and attracted Bulldog Stadium record crowds of 42,881 in its last two home games, which eclipsed the previous record of 42,410, established in the 2001 season opener against then-No. 10 Oregon State.

Racking Up the Points at Home
Fresno State has not only won consistently at home, it has done so quite convincingly. Since the 2000 season opener, the Bulldogs have outscored their opponents 280-157 over eight games at Bulldog Stadium, good for an average score of 35-20. This year, FS has kept the trend going by outscoring its opponent by a combined score of 112-82. The Bulldogs have scored 24 or more points in 17 out of their last 20 home games.

Taking the Attendance to Another Level
After showing up in record numbers last year, Fresno State fans got 2001 off to a rocking start when 42,410 crammed Bulldog Stadium (41,031) to watch FS defeat then-No. 10 Oregon State 44-24 in the home opener. Currently, the Red Wave is filling Bulldog Stadium at 104.13 percent of capacity, a number places at places FS second in the west and seventh in the nation in percent of stadium capacity filled. Last year, Fresno State ranked second among western schools and 22nd in the nation, filling Bulldog Stadium at 100.82 percent capacity. This year, with a record of nearly 32,000 season tickets sold and a team that is ranked among the top 15 in the nation, Fresno State is on pace to break last year's gaudy attendance numbers. Following is a breakdown of where the Bulldogs rate regionally and in the WAC in percent of stadium capacity filled this year:

Bulldogs vs. the BCS Conferences
Through the first three games of the 2001 season, Fresno State proved it is as good as teams from the power conferences. The Bulldogs opened the year with a 24-22 win at Colorado of the Big 12, which afterward won five consecutive games and climbed to No. 14 in the polls. The next week, FS took out 2000 Pac-10 co-champ and then-10th-ranked Oregon State 44-24. The following week, the Bulldogs traveled to Madison, Wis., and defeated the Big Ten's Wisconsin Badgers, winner of two of the last three Rose Bowls, 32-20. Fresno State has one non-conference games left - Dec. 1 against Utah State (Division I-A independent).

SI Recognizes Hill
Fresno State head coach Pat Hill was selected the 2000 Bowl Coach of the Year by Sports Illustrated: "Fresno State's Pat Hill kept his players focused after they fell behind Air Force 34-7 in the Silicon Valley Bowl, and when the Bulldogs pulled to within 37-34 he disdained a 33-yard field goal attempt with 14 seconds to go and called for a fake kick. The ensuing pass fell incomplete, but what kid wouldn't want to play for a coach like that?"

WAC Coaching Leader
Pat Hill is the active WAC coaching leader in winning percentage with a record of 23-11 (.676). Here's how the other WAC coaches rank.

                     Overall (years)  Pct.    Current School (years)   Pct.Ken Hatfield, Rice    151-106-4 (22)  .588         38-42-1 (8)        .475Mike Cavan, SMU            19-29 (5)  .396           19-29 (5)        .396June Jones, Hawai'i         8-10 (2)  .444            8-10 (2)        .444

Over the Hill
Under Pat Hill, the Bulldogs are 21-4 at home and 17-2 in WAC home games with wins in 14 of the last 15 home conference contests. Only two WAC teams have ever won at Bulldog Stadium: San Diego State in 1997 and Boise State last week. Hill's .840 home winning percentage is the best in Fresno State history of coaches with more than three years experience. His conference home winning percentage of .895 is also best in school history. The Bulldogs' four home losses over the last five seasons is only one defeat more than the number of home losses Fresno State suffered in 1996, the season before Hill took over as head coach. Prior to Friday's loss, Fresno State had won 17 games in a row at home, at the time the third-longest home winning streak in the nation.

Reviving the Running Game
With a healthy Paris Gaines in the backfield, the Bulldogs ground attack is back at full throttle. Fresno State racked up 247 yards rushing against Louisiana Tech on Sept. 29, its most in a single game since Nov. 20, 1999, when it had 351 against San Jose State. Gaines had his most memorable day as a Bulldog, posting 203 yards and three touchdowns, two of which came on the ground. His effort was the 10th best rushing performance in Fresno State history and was the first 200-yard game since Jaime Kimbrough had 212 against San Jose State in 1998. Gaines hasn't rested on his laurels since, piling up 111 against Colorado State and 97 more last week against Boise State, snapping the Bulldogs' streak of three consecutive games with an 100-yard rusher. Gaines now has 636 yards on the season, surpassing his total for all of last year. The improvement of the running game was much needed after last year, when third-team running back Josh Levi was Fresno State's rushing leader with 397 yards. That was the lowest total by FS leading rusher since 1983 when Calvin Scruggs led the 'Dogs with 343 yards.

Tricks are For Kids
The Bulldogs have thwarted six consecutive fake field goal or fake punt attempts over the last two seasons, denying either a first down or touchdown. The last team to attempt a fake field goal on the Bulldogs was Tulsa on Sept. 22, which the Bulldogs successfully stopped. Fresno State has stopped seven of the last eight fake attempts dating back to 1997.

Big-Time Bryce
Each game, it seems as if sophomore free safety Bryce McGill makes his presence felt. Not only is he second on the team in tackles with 49, but he has done the intangibles that help the Bulldogs win. In the season opener at Colorado, his vicious hit on CU quarterback Craig Ochs led to a fumble which Fresno State recovered. He had a game-high 11 tackles and an interception against Oregon State. In FS's WAC opener at Tulsa, he picked off two passes, the second of which set up a touchdown in FS's 37-18 victory. Two weeks ago at Colorado State, he had six tackles, including one for loss in the Bulldogs' 25-22 overtime win.

Block Party
Fresno State's special teams have thrust themselves into the nation's elite in blocking punts and kicks. Since Pat Hill took over as head coach prior to the 1997, the Bulldogs have blocked 28 punts and kicks, including an extra point at Colorado that ended up being the difference in the game. Following is a breakdown of Fresno State's kick blocking prowess since 1997:

      Blocked   Blocked        Punts   PAT & FG   Total1997      3         1        41998      2         4        61999      4         6       102000      2         5        72001      0         1        1--------------------------------Totals   11        17       28

All-Pupose Berrian
Wide receiver Bernard Berrian has proven to be one of the most valuable players for Fresno State this year. In addition to his explosiveness as a wideout, the junior also serves as one of the nation's best punt and kickoff return men. His significance was never more evident than against Wisconsin, when he caught eight passes for 102 yards, had 16 yards rushing on two carries, posted 29 yards on two punt returns and electrified the Bulldogs with 153 kickoff return yards, including a 96-yarder for a touchdown. All told, the Winton, Calif., native left Camp Randall Stadium with 300 all-purpose yards. Berrian has totaled at least 180 all-purpose yards in four of Fresno State's seven games this year and comes into this week the nation's 28th best punt returner and 14th best kickoff returner.

Who's Better, Who's Best?
Entering the 2001 season, big things were expected of the Fresno state wide receiving corps. After three games, none of the wideouts have disappointed. The threesome of senior Rodney Wright, junior Bernard Berrian and sophomore Marque Davis have seemingly taken turns serving as stars of the game. Following is a breakdown of the big games each has posted in 2001:

    Player           Opponent       Key Statistics

Marque Davis at Colorado 8 rec., 95 yds., 1 TD
Rodney Wright Oregon State 7 rec., 182 yds. (career high), 2 TDs
Bernard Berrian at Wisconsin 8 rec., 102 yds., 1 TD, 300 all-purpose yds
Bernard Berrian at Tulsa 9 rec., 169 yds., 2 TDs
Rodney Wright La Tech 8 rec., 74 yds, 3 rushed, 37 yds.
Rodney Wright at Col. State 8 rec., 120 yds.
Rodney Wright Boise State 14 rec., 179 yds., 1 TD
Marque is OK
Sophomore wide receiver Marque Davis had his biggest game as a Bulldog against Colorado in the season opener, pulling in eight catches for 95 yards and a touchdown. The last of those eight catches may have been the biggest - a 16-yard gain on 3rd-and-14 with less than two minutes remaining and Fresno State attempting to salt the clock away. The Dos Palos, Calif., native was redshirted last year after missing nearly all of last year after sustaining an abdominal injury after the Ohio State game. Against CU, Davis surpassed his career receiving statistics. Prior to the Colorado game, he had six receptions for 37 yards and one touchdown in his career. He missed the Boise State game with a sprained ankle but is expected to return this week.


Whom to Cover?
David Carr hasn't just limited his pass distribution to wide receivers. He has spread the wealth around the field to a variety of different Bulldogs. In all, 11 different players have caught passes this year, including six for touchdowns. His favorite target has been Rodney Wright, who has 50 receptions for 700 yards.
Conference Countdown
For the first three weeks of the 2001 season, the Bulldogs beat a team from a BCS Conference. After beating a Big 12 opponent (Colorado 24-22) in the first week, the Bulldogs hosted a Pac-10 team (Oregon State, W 44-24) in week two. The Bulldogs made it a trifecta, winning at Wisconsin 32-20. The Bulldogs left conference play last week to pick up a 25-22 overtime win at Colorado State. Fresno State has one more non-conference opponent - Utah State (Division I-A independent) on Dec. 1.
Tough Sledding
The Bulldogs have taken on the toughest schedule in school history, with the first three opponents of the 2001 season - Colorado, Oregon State and Wisconsin - against teams that were ranked in the nation's top 27 teams by both the Associated Press and USA Today's coaches poll at the time of the game. And FS hasn't been afraid to take on nationally prominent teams on the road. All told, the Bulldogs play seven road games this season, more than any other team currently ranked in the top 10. Listed below are other top teams and the number of road games they will play this year:

No. Road Games        Team(s) (Non-Conference Road Games)7---------------------Fresno State (3)6---------------------UCLA (2)5---------------------Oklahoma (1), Miami (Fla.) (3), Florida (0)                      Texas (1), Virginia Tech (1), Oregon (1),                      Tennessee (1), Michigan (1)4---------------------Nebraska (0)

Hitting the Road
Entering the 2001 season, Fresno State had not been as successful as head coach Pat Hill would have liked on the road. But this year, that has changed. The Bulldogs are 4-0 away from Fresno this year, including wins at Colorado, Wisconsin and Colorado State. Overall, Fresno State is 11-17 on the road under Hill, including wins in its last five contests. FS still finds scoring on the road more difficult than at home. The Bulldogs are averaging just 22.0 points per road game while piling up 34.6 per game in Bulldog Stadium.
Honorable Bulldogs
Fresno State players have dominated the WAC player of the week honors this year. It started after the Bulldogs' victory over Oregon State, when Rodney Wright and Jason Simpson received offensive and special teams honors, respectively. The trend continued this week, when Asen Asparuhov received the special teams player of the week award after his field goals helped the Bulldogs defeat Colorado State on Saturday. Here is a list of the Fresno State players who have received either national or WAC player of the week honors this year:

Player                 Award(s)Asen Asparuhov---------WAC special teams player of the week (Colorado State)Bernard Berrian--------WAC offensive and special teams player of the week (Wisconsin)David Carr-------------USA Today, CNN/SI national player of the week (Oregon State),                       WAC player of the week (Tulsa)Paris Gaines-----------WAC player of the week (Louisiana Tech)Jason Simpson----------WAC special teams player of the week (Oregon State)Rodney Wright----------WAC player of the week (Oregon State)

In Case You Missed It
The Bulldogs have not lost two consecutive WAC games since 1998 when the team lost to TCU and Utah back-to-back ... Paris Gaines just missed compiling three consecutive 100-yard rushing games by posting 97 against Boise State ... Fresno State has scored on its first possession of the second half in five consecutive games (four TDs, one FG) ... Rodney Wright moved up to No. 4 on Fresno State's career receiving yards list, passing Larry Willis. He now has 2,348 ... Wright has three 100-yard receiving games this year and seven in his career ... the Boise State loss marked Fresno State's first WAC home loss since Nov. 15, 1997, a 20-19 defeat at the hands of San Diego State ... the Colorado State game marked the second time in his career Asen Asparuhov won a game with a field goal. His 43-yarder with five seconds left last year against Rice lifted FS to victory. Coincidentally, that was Fresno State's last fourth quarter comeback victory prior to the CSU win ... Wright is ninth in the nation in total receiving yards per game (100.0 per game) ... Twelve of Brett Visintainer's 39 kickoffs this season have been touchbacks, more than he had during the entire 2000 season (four) ... only three of David Carr's 13 interceptions the last two years have come at home. He has completed .665 of his pass attempts in Bulldog Stadium in that time ... Jason Simpson ranks third in the nation in punting with an average of 45.8 ... Fresno State is now 3-4 all-time in overtime games, including wins in three of the last four ... Alec Greco has caught touchdown passes in the last two games. He had three all of last year ... Sam Williams' interception against Boise State was the first of his career ... Rodney Wright attempted an option pass against BSU, the first time a FS non-quarterback attempted a pass since holder Jason Simpson threw incomplete on a fake field on the final play of the Silicon Valley Football Classic last year.
Ranking the Losses
Of Fresno State's last 11 losses dating back to 1999, nine have come to teams that have either been nationally ranked or played in a bowl game. Three of Fresno State's losses last season were to ranked opponents (No. 16 Ohio State, No. 15 UCLA, No. 17 TCU). Of the last 10 losses, the only loss to a non-ranked non-bowl team was to SMU 24-14 on Oct. 14, 1999. That was also the last loss Fresno State suffered to a team with a losing record. Last week, the Bulldogs fell to Boise State, winners of the last two Humanitarian Bowls.
Smurfs
Despite their diminutive stature, the duo of Charles Smith and Rodney Wright were the most explosive receiving combo in the nation in 2000 until Wright was injured, causing him to miss five games. Smith missed the first three games this year but has become a vital part of the offense since returning. They are also Fresno State's top two returning receivers and rank in Fresno State's career top 10 list for receptions and yards. Last week, Smith moved into sixth place on the career receiving yards list. He needs only 49 yards for 2,000.

                 ------CAREER------   ----------2001----------                 Rec   Yards   Avg.   TD  Rec  Yards  Avg.  TDRodney Wright    168   2,348   14.0   15   50   700   14.0   4Charles Smith    146   1,994   13.7   16   12   160   14.6   0Totals           314   4,342   13.8   31   62   860   13.9    4
Fresno State Career ReceptionsNo Name                        Rec   Yards   Avg.   TD2. Charlie Jones (1992-95)     187   3,344   17.9   253. Rodney Wright (1998-)       168   2,348   14.0   154. Charles Smith (1998-)       146   1,994   13.7   16
No Name                        Rec   Yards   Avg.   TD3. Henry Ellard (1979-82)      138   2,947   21.4   255. Rodney Wright (1998-)       168   2,348   14.0   154. Larry Willis (1983-84)      142   2,260   15.9   146. Charles Smith (1998-)       146   1,994   13.7   16

Carr's Bodyguards
Quarterback David Carr is more thankful than anyone that Fresno State will have the biggest and strongest offensive line in school history. With an average of 6-4 and 307 pounds, Fresno State's line is expected to be a strength, providing Carr with time to throw and open holes for the Bulldog backs. All five started at various times last season. One of the two newcomers to the group is the biggest player on offense, right guard Victor Taifane, who was a two-year starter at West Hills College, but missed the Tulsa game due to an injured elbow. The Bodyguards have been doing an good job in protecting their quarterback - Carr has been sacked just 15 times in 271 pass plays, only once every 18.1 attempts.
Carr's Bodyguards II
Not only has the offensive line done an excellent job in protecting David Carr, they have opened gaping holes in the defensive fronts for the running game. Fresno State is averaging a WAC-leading 460.6 total yards per game, which is eighth best in the nation.The Bulldogs are 55th in the NCAA and third in the WAC in rushing offense at 154.1 yards per game. Fresno State ball carriers are averaging 4.2 yards per attempt, second best in the WAC. Juniors Joe Schey and Rodney Michael are making a great case for All-WAC honors and freshman left tackle Logan Mankins is a leading candidate for WAC Freshman of the Year. Mankins would only be the second offensive lineman in league history to ever win that honor. From his critical left tackle position, Mankins has not only been protecting Carr's blindside, but done so in a dominating fashion. He has only allowed two sacks all season. Fresno State has played against one some of the best defensive linemen in the country, including Wisconsin All-American Wendell Bryant, limiting him to two tackles and one sack.
No Holding Harper
Senior defensive tackle Alan Harper (www.gobulldogs.com/alanharper), an All-America candidate, is on both the Lombardi Awards and Outland Trophy watch this season. He has proved to be one of America's premier defensive linemen. Through the first five games, he leads the WAC in quarterback sacks with seven for -35 yards and tackles for losses with 13 for -56 yards. Harper now has 16 quarterbacks sacks in his career, an amazing feat for a player who is double-teamed nearly every play. Harper has climbed into NFL draft expert Mel Kiper, Jr.'s Big Board and is currently rated the No. 12 prospect for the 2002 NFL draft. Harper has been one of the most dominating defensive players in the WAC the last two-plus seasons, earning first-team All-WAC honors each year. Harper has the potential to become the best defensive lineman in school history. He had a career-high 10 tackles vs. TCU last season. Harper was selected by the media as the 2001 Preseason WAC Defensive Player of the Year. Harper has been awarded a Bulldog blackshirt in 15 of the last 16 games. A blackshirt is awarded by the FS defensive coaches for totally dominating their position in the previous game.

Alan Harper           2001     Career   WAC Rank   NCAA RankTackles for Losses   13-56     40-146     1st         9thQuarterback Sacks     7-35      17-88     1st         3rd

Getting Defensive
Through the first five games of the season, Fresno State's defensive front was operating on all cylinders. However, the unit has taken a hit the past two weeks, allowing in excess of 100 yards rushing to both Colorado State and Boise State. Nonetheless, through seven games the defense is still posting a WAC-best 28 sacks and 58 tackles for loss. FS enters this week's game at Hawai'i allowing an average of 123.6 yards per game on the ground. In addition, the Bulldogs held Oregon State's Ken Simonton, a Heisman Trophy frontrunner at the beginning of the season, to just 42 yards and 2.8 yards per carry.
Fantastic Fox
There's more to playing defensive back than making interceptions. Senior safety Vernon Fox, who has not had an interception since the 1998 season, was selected first-team All-WAC by the league's coaches in 2000, an award that was applauded by the Bulldog coaches who felt it came a year too late. Fox was one of six players in the WAC with more than 100 tackles in 1999, leading the 'Dogs with 103, yet was left off both the first and second teams. Fox had 64 tackles in 2000, fourth on the team, plus had six tackles for losses and three quarterback sacks. Fox graduated with a 3.46 GPA in sociology and is enrolled in graduate school at Fresno State.
Getting His Kicks
No player has improved more on the Bulldog team than junior punter Jason Simpson. In his first season, Simpson averaged 38.0 yards per punt and was very good at placing the ball, stopping 18 punts inside the 20 yard line. This season, Simpson has improved his average by nearly 10 yards per punt to 45.8, which ranks tops in the WAC and third in the NCAA.
Blackshirts and Bad 'Dogs
Fresno State has a unique way of honoring strong defensive efforts during games. Every week after defensive coordinator Dan Brown reviews game film, he makes note of the Bulldogs players who thoroughly dominated their position during the game. These players then receive plain black shirts to wear during practice the following week. Players not receiving blackshirts wear their normal practice uniform. Listed below is the game-by-game blackshirt list:

Game             Blackshirt Playersat Colorado......Alan Harper, Jason Stewart, Nick Burley, Maurice Rodriguez,                 Vernon Fox, Devon Banks, Bryce McGill, Tierre SamsOregon State.....Alan Harper, Jason Stewart, Nick Burley, Jake Probst,                 Clarence Denning, Maurice Rodriguez, Vernon Fox, Devon Banks,                 Bryce McGill, Tierre Sams, Kendall Edwardsat Wisconsin.....Alan Harper, Jason Stewart, Nick Burley, Marc Dailey,                 Devon Banks, Vernon Foxat Tulsa.........Jason Stewart, Maurice Rodrguez, Brian Morris, Marc Dailey,                 Alan Harper, Bryce McGillLouisiana Tech...Alan Harper, Jason Stewart, Bryce McGill, Kendall Edwards,                 Marc Daileyat Colorado St...Alan HarperBoise State......none as of Monday afternoon
Bad 'Dogs: Marque Davis (at Colorado), Rodney Wright (Oregon State),           David Carr (at Colorado State), Asen Asparuhov (at Colorado State)


The Wright Path
Senior receiver Rodney Wright scored his first career rushing touchdown against Tulsa on Sept. 22. Wright has now scored a touchdown via rushing and receiving. He also has scored a touchdown recovering a blocked punt for a touchdown (vs. Nevada, 1999). Wright has thrown a touchdown pass (vs. Rice, 1999) and caught a two-point conversion for a score (vs. Rice, 2000). Fresno State is 8-2 in games when Wright scores a touchdown.
The Wright Path, Part II
Rodney Wright has become the go-to receiver for quarterback David Carr. In his last three games, Wright has exploded with 30 catches for 373 yards and a touchdown. Last week against Boise State, he was all over the field, making a career-high 14 catches for 179 yards and a touchdown. The 14 catches were the fifth-most productive day in Fresno State history. Since the season opener at Colorado, Wright has averaged 8.2 receptions per game for 114.3 yards. The Bakersfield, Calif., native now has seven 100-yard receiving games, including his last two in a row. Following are Wright's career 100-yard receiving efforts:

Oct. 14, 1999     at SMU             5 rec., 123 yds., 2 TDOct. 23, 1999     UTEP               7 rec., 156 yds., 1 TDNov. 20, 1999     San Jose State     7 rec., 139 yds., 1 TDSept. 23, 2000    California         13 rec., 174 yds., 2 TDSept. 2, 2001     Oregon State       7 rec., 182 yds., 2 TDOct. 13, 2001     at Colorado State  8 rec., 120 yds.Oct. 19, 2001     Boise State        14 rec., 179 yds., 1 TD

Just Win, Baby
Pat Hill is not into statistics or scoring margins. In the five years he has been the head coach, he has never been accused of running up a score. The Tulsa game is a perfect example of Hill's philosophy. Leading 31-3 heading into the fourth quarter, Fresno State ran the ball 11 of their remaining 15 plays, including seven consecutive running plays by freshman running back Therrian Fontenot to end the game. The Bulldogs, leading 37-18, finished the game on the Tulsa 18-yard line. Fresno State has had 12 21-point plus victories in Hill's tenure, but the Bulldogs' offense has scored in the fourth quarter in only five of those games.
Injury Report
Nose tackle Jason Stewart missed the Boise State game with a concussion suffered in the Colorado State game. He will be re-evaluated this week.
'Dog Bones (Team)

FS is 21-4 under Pat Hill at home, including wins in 17 of the last 18 games.
FS is 16-2 in its last 18 WAC home games.
Fresno State snapped its string of 21 consecutive victories when leading at halftime against Boise State. Under Pat Hill the Bulldogs are 26-3 when leading at the half.
The Bulldogs have picked off nine passes this year, 11th in the nation.
Fresno State's victories over No. 23 Wisconsin and No. 10 Oregon State were the first time in program history it had defeated ranked opponents on back-to-back weeks.
The win over the Badgers was also the program's first over a Big Ten team.
A crowd of 78,506 watched Fresno State play Wisconsin, the largest attendance ever to witness a Bulldog victory.
FS has thrown 74 touchdowns and only 18 interceptions since the 1999 opener.
The Bulldogs have not been shutout in the last 130 home games dating back to Oct. 25, 1980, vs. Utah State (14-0). Fresno State has scored in 154 of the last 155 home games.
FS is 22-5 under Pat Hill when the 'Dogs throw more touchdown passes than their opponents.
FS is 26-5 under Pat Hill when the 'Dogs have less turnovers than their opponents.
FS has outscored its opponents 1,055-693 over the last 35 games (30-20 per game average).
The 'Dogs allowed a school record-low 13 quarterback sacks in 1999 just 20 in 2000. They have allowed 15 this year.
Fresno State had an 100-yard against Tulsa, Louisiana Tech and Colorado State, the first time since the 1996 season that has happened.
Fresno State has produced six first-team All-WAC defensive players over the last two seasons. Three of those (Vernon Fox, Alan Harper and Anthony Limbrick) return this season.
The FS defense had 122 tackles for losses for -459 yards in 2000. This year, they have already accumulated 58 for -211.
This season marked the third year in a row the Bulldogs have played three of their first four games on the road.
The 'Dogs have led the WAC in scoring in three of the last nine years, including a nation's best 40.5 average in 1992. They are averaging 32.9 points per game this year, including a 30-plus point outbursts in five of the last six games.
FS has produced two quarterbacks (Trent Dilfer and Bill Volek) who set NCAA records in the last seven years. Both are in the NFL, Dilfer with the Seattle Seahawks and Volek is with the Tennessee Titans.
FS has produced a first-team All-WAC punter (Jeff Roberts, 1998) and kicker (Jeff Hanna, 1999) since the 1998 season.
Fresno State's third down conversion percentage dropped from 50 percent in 1999 to 35 percent in 2000. This year, the Bulldogs are converting third downs at a 41 percent clip (43-of-106).
Only two Fresno State every down starters are not from California. Defensive end Jake Probst is from Midway, Utah, and safety Vernon Fox is from Las Vegas. Kicker Asen Asparuhov is a native of Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Fresno State was 2-2 on national television (Fox Sports Net) last season and are 5-1 this year (ESPN, ESPN2 and Fox Sports Net).
Fresno State has played in front of above-capacity crowds in five of its seven games this year (vs. Oregon State, at Wisconsin, vs. Louisiana Tech, at Colorado State, vs. Boise State)
For the second consecutive year, Fresno State set a stadium attendance record in the home opener. This year, 42,410 fans jammed Bulldog Stadium, surpassing the former record of 42,285, established against California in the 2000 opener. But last game, the 42,881 that attended the Louisiana Tech game established yet another attendance record.
Fresno State has sold out seven of the last eight games at Bulldog Stadium with an average attendance of 41,877, 846 more than the stadium's capacity of 41,031.
After both Colorado (11-of-21) and Oregon State (8-of-17) converted third downs at or near a 50 percent clip, the Bulldogs held Wisconsin to only 5-of-15 on third downs, including 1-for-7 in the second half. FS has held its past three opponents to a combined 24-for-64 (38 percent) on third downs.
Fresno State is 6-2 in games when Rodney Wright catches a touchdown pass. The only two losses were in 1999 to SMU and last week to Boise State.
The Bulldogs are 13-4 when David Carr throws a touchdown pass, including wins in seven of the last nine games he has thrown a touchdown.
Fresno State is a combined 12-2 when either Josh Levi (5-0) or Paris Gaines (7-2) rush for a touchdown in a game.
Fresno State has converted on four of the last five two-point conversion attempts, including three in a row.
Fresno State is 30-of-33 in the "compete zone," scoring on 91 percent of the time inside the 25-yard line. The 'Dogs have scored 19 touchdowns in 33 (58 percent) attempts inside the "compete zone."
The Bulldogs are 8-2 in their last 10 games when scoring first.
Fresno State's first score in 15 of the last 16 games, including the last 11, has been a touchdown. Fresno State had a safety against Rice for the only non-touchdown first score.
The Bulldogs have won five consecutive road games for the first time since the 1988-89 seasons.
Fresno State has not scored after its last four takeaways.


'Dog Bones (Individual)

Kicker Asen Asparuhov has made 24-of-36 field goal attempts (.667) during his career, including 15-of-20 (.750) this year.
Asparuhov made a career-high four field goals against Colorado State, including a 48-yarder as regulation time expired to send the game into overtime and a 41-yarder to win it in the extra stanza. The game winner was selected the No. 6 Play of the Week by ESPN's Chris Berman.
Asparuhov's 48-yarder against Colorado State was the longest of his career. He was named the WAC Special Teams Player of the Week.

Safety Devon Banks has intercepted two passes this year.
Banks was selected first-team All-WAC by The Sporting News after the 2000 season.

Junior cornerback Juan Bautista was awarded a scholarship during fall camp and was the unanimous selection by his teammates as the special teams captian for the 2001 season.

Receiver Bernard Berrian had back-to-back monster games against Wisconsin and Tulsa. Against UW, he totaled 300 all-purpose yards (153 on kickoff returns, 102 receiving, 29 on punt returns and 16 rushing), then came back Sept. 22 to establish career highs in receptions (nine) and receiving yards (169) while scoring two touchdowns.
Berrian has seven 100-yard games in his last 14 contests.
Berrian was named second-team All-WAC last year by the league's coaches.
Berrian owns seven of the top 50 receiving yardage games in school history and had career-highs with nine receptions for 169 yards against Tulsa on Sept. 22.

David Carr was named the national player of the week by USA Today and CNN/SI after throwing for 340 yards and four touchdowns against No. 10 Oregon State (9/2/01).
Carr has thrown just two interceptions in 210 pass attempts and has thrown just five in his last 326 attempts over the last eight games. He has thrown 18 touchdowns and just three interceptions in his last five games.
Carr had 389 total yards against Colorado State, the sixth-best single-game effort in school history.
Carr is ranked No. 3 on Mel Kiper's Jr.'s "Big Board" for prospects for the 2002 NFL draft. He is the highest rated offensive player on the board.
Carr is ranked sixth in the nation in total offense (311.7), 15th in passing efficiency (151.0) and 10th in points responsible for (16.3).
Carr has five 300-yard games in 2001 - Colorado State (398), Oregon State (340), Tulsa (314), Louisiana Tech (319) and Boise State (345).

All-WAC strong safety Vernon Fox has at least one tackle in 37 consecutive games.
Fox has started 32 consecutive games, the longest streak on the team.
Fox led the team with 103 tackles in 1999 and was fifth last year with 68. He is fourth on the team this year with 36.
Fox, an Academic All-America Candidate, graduated in May with a 3.46 GPA in sociology. He has begun work on a master's degree.

Running back Paris Gaines rushed for 203 yards against Louisiana Tech, the most of his career and the highest total by a Bulldog since Jaime Kimbrough had 212 against San Jose State in 1998.
Gaines backed up his game against Louisiana Tech with a 111-yard effort at Colorado State, the first time in his career he had back-to-back 100-yard games. He is averaging 137.0 yards per game over the last three games.

All-WAC defensive tackle Alan Harper has at least one tackle in 38 straight games, the longest streak on the Fresno State defense. He has been awarded a blackshirt every game since the 2000 season opener but one.
Harper is ranked No. 12 on Mel Kiper Jr.'s "Big Board" for the top prospects for the 2002 NFL draft.
Harper is first in the WAC in sacks (seven) and tackles for loss (13).
Harper was voted the WAC Preseason Player of the Year by the media.
Harper is on the watch lists for both the Lombardi and Outland Trophy Awards.

Tight end Jeremy Johnson suffered a broken bone in his left wrist against Wisconsin and will miss the rest of the season.

Freshman Logan Mankins has started every game at the critical left tackle position and has not allowed a sack since giving up one at Colorado. "He has been very impressive for a first-year player. He is very athletic and very physical to do what he has done against the caliber of opponents we have played," Offensive Line Coach Dennis Wagner.

Bryce McGill is second on the squad with 49 tackles, including six for loss, three sacks and a team-high three interceptions.

Cornerback Tierre Sams ran a 10.46 100 meters in high school, which at one point was the fastest time by a high school in the nation.

Junior right tackle Joe Schey was named to the Verizon Academic All-District second team. He has a 3.3 GPA in sociology.
Schey was selected preseason All-WAC by Lindy's and The Sporting News.

Safety Cameron Worrell was a walk-on to the team who earned a scholarship after fall camp.

Rodney Wright was selected the WAC Offensive Player of the Week after his eight receptions for 182 yards and two touchdowns vs. Oregon State (9/2/01).
A 1999 All-WAC receiver, Wright missed six games with a torn calf in 2000. He ranked fourth in the nation in receptions per game (7.5) before the injury.
Wright had seven receptions for a career-high 182 yards against Oregon State (9/2/01).
Wright is averaging 124.3 yards per game over the last three games.
Wright had a career-high 14 catches against Boise State (10/19/01).
Wright is averaging 14.0 yards per reception this season.
Wright posted 179 receiving yards against Boise State and now has 2,348 in his career. He needs 19 receptions to move into second place on the Fresno State career record ledger. He had 74 receptions as a sophomore in 1999, earning first-team All-WAC honors.

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