Fresno State Athletics
Dueling QBs Featured In Opener In Boulder
8/24/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug 24, 2001
By DAN ELLIOTT
Associated Press Writer
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) - For Fresno State quarterback David Carr, this season is a chance to burnish an impressive college record that could be a prelude to an NFL career.
For Colorado quarterback Craig Ochs, 2001 is a chance to build on a promising freshman performance that was a rare ray of hope in a disappointing 3-8 season.
Carr leads Fresno State into Boulder on Sunday night in the inaugural Jim Thorpe Association Football Classic, and Colorado coach Gary Barnett expects a good show. "You're going to see two of the top quarterbacks in the country," he said.
"David Carr will be one of the top three (quarterbacks) to go in the NFL draft next spring," Barnett said. "He's so good at finding the right receiver."
Carr threw for 2,729 yards with 23 touchdowns and 12 interceptions last season as the Bulldogs went 7-5. He has a career pass-completion rate of 60.6 percent, slightly better than the school record of 60.4 percent set by Billy Volek in 1997-99.
"David Carr has what it takes to be a great player in the NFL," said Fresno State coach Pat Hill, who coached tight ends and offensive linemen for the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens for five years. "He has all of the physical tools. He is smart and he is extremely tough."
The 6-foot-3, 225-pound Carr bench-presses 390 pounds and runs the 40-yard dash in 4.67 seconds.
Ochs, who became Colorado's starter in the fourth game last year, enters this season with more confidence and a stronger command of the offensive plan.
"He's made a light-year leap here with the offense," Barnett said. "He almost has as thorough an understanding as (offensive coordinator Shawn Watson) does - almost. Not there yet, but you can see it coming."
Ochs' ascension to starter was abrupt, in the second quarter of a 44-21 loss to Kansas State on Sept. 30.
"The biggest disadvantage was just coming in cold like I did, not getting very many reps in the fall camp, and then going from practically third string to first string in a week's span," Ochs said.
Barnett said he didn't try to rush Ochs into the lineup in the early part of last season because two experienced quarterbacks, Bobby Pesavento and Zac Colvin, had been battling for the starting position since the spring.
After an 0-3 start, Barnett gave Ochs a shot.
"He's been there since. It was pretty evident that he was special," Barnett said.
In eight games, Ochs passed for 1,778 yards with seven TDs and seven interceptions. In a season-ending 34-32 loss to No. 9 Nebraska, he completed 25 of 34 passes for 254 yards.
Ochs, 6-2 and 215 pounds, has impressed Fresno State's Hill. "He makes good decisions with the football. He makes things happen," Hill said.
Carr will be protected by Fresno State's biggest offensive line ever, averaging 6-4 and 310 pounds.
Barnett's biggest concern heading into the opener is his defensive line, which has been depleted by injuries and academic ineligibility.
The Buffaloes won't be surprised if Fresno State tries to grind out yards on the ground.
"I imagine our defensive line is an area they'll try to capitalize on," Barnett said.
