Football Takes on No. 10 Oregon State

Complete Release in PDF Format
Depth Chart in PDF Format
Coach Hill Quotes from Monday's Press Conference
Fresno State vs. Oregon State -- The Last Time
Game 1 recap -- Fresno State 24, Colorado 22

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Aug. 27, 2001

Oregon State (0-0, 0-0) vs. Fresno State (1-0, 0-0)
Date: Sun., Sept. 2
Kickoff: 6:36 p.m. PDT
Site: Fresno, Calif.
Stadium: Bulldog Stadium (41,031)
Radio: KMJ (AM 580), 'Dog Talk at 4:30 p.m., Pregame Show at 5:30 p.m.
Play-by-play: Bill Woodward, Analyst: Vince Wesson
TV: ESPN2
Play-by-play: Rich Waltz, Analyst: David Norrie, Sidelines: Alex Flanigan
Series: Fresno State leads 6-4

This Week
Fresno State takes on Oregon State (No. 1 Sports Illustrated, No. 10 AP, No. 12 ESPN/USA Today) Sunday at 6:30 p.m. at Bulldog Stadium. The Beavers are the highest ranked team to ever play at Bulldog Stadium.

Last Week
The Bulldogs traveled to Boulder, Colo., and defeated the Buffaloes 24-22 in the Jim Thorpe Classic, the program's first ever victory over a Big 12 team. David Carr went 21-of-36 for 198 yards and one touchdown plus ran for another score to earn game MVP honors.

All-Time vs. Oregon State
Fresno State leads the all-time series 6-4. The two teams first met in 1981, a game won by Oregon State. The Beavers have visited Bulldog Stadium on four other occasions and have yet to emerge victorious, losing 24-14 in their last trip to Fresno in 1994. The last meeting between the two teams came in 1999, a 46-23 win by Oregon State in Corvallis, Ore. Fresno State has never lost to the Beavers at Bulldog Stadium (4-0).

Last Time vs. Oregon State
(Corvallis, Ore. - Sept. 11, 1999) - The Beavers and Bulldogs battled in a close game during the first half before Oregon State took over in the second half at Reser Stadium. At one point, Fresno State led 14-13, but Beaver running back Ken Simonton proved to be too much for the Bulldog defense in a 46-23 defeat. Simonton scored twice in the first half and finished the game with 178 yards rushing on 31 carries.

Home Sweet Home
The Bulldogs have won 15 consecutive home games. Since the 1997 season, Pat Hill's first as head coach, Fresno State is 19-3 at Bulldog Stadium and have outscored their opponents by a combined 754-370 for an average margin of victory of 34-17. In addition, the 'Dogs are drawing well, averaging 37,387 fans per game since 1997. Last season, the Bulldogs shattered their single-season ticket sales record with 30,400, more than 2,000 over the previous record, and the season average attendance record with 41,369. Fresno State anticipates its largest crowd in school history this week. The FS attendance record of 42,285 was set in last year's home opener against California.

Ticket Information
The Fresno State Athletics Ticket Office has approximately 3,000 tickets remaining for Sunday's game. With a sellout anticipated, those interested in purchasing tickets should do so as soon as possible. Fans may either phone the Bulldog Ticket Office at (559) 278-DOGS or go online to Fresno State's official athletics website, www.gobulldogs.com. Phone orders will only be taken for Oregon State and season tickets. Those fans wishing to purchase single-game tickets for a contest other than Oregon State should go to gobulldogs.com.

Back-to-Back Bowls
Fresno State made its second consecutive bowl appearance last season, which marked the first time since 1992 and '93 that the Bulldogs played in consecutive bowl games. Fresno State defeated USC 24-7 in the 1992 Freedom Bowl and lost to Colorado 41-30 in the 1993 Aloha Bowl. In 1999, the Bulldogs lost to Utah 17-16 in the EA Sports Las Vegas Bowl. Last season, the Bulldogs lost to Air Force 37-34 in the inaugural Silicon Valley Football Classic.

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?"

Success at Bulldog Stadium
Fresno State's 14-7 victory over SMU on Nov. 18 gave the Bulldogs their 15th consecutive victory at Bulldog Stadium, a winning streak which ranks third-best in the nation. FS has not lost at home since falling 27-24 to Nevada on Sept. 26, 1998. Since, Fresno State has posted home victories over teams such as Hawai'i (twice), Colorado State, BYU and TCU. Following are the top home winning streaks in the nation:

No  Team               Win Streak1)  Florida State              362)  Oregon                     203)  Fresno State               15

Racking Up the Points at Home
Fresno State has not only won consistently at home, it has done so quite convincingly. In 2000, the Bulldogs outscored their opponents 182-73 in their five games at Bulldog Stadium this year for an average score of 36-15. FS has scored 24 or more points in 14 out of its last 17 home games.

Taking the Attendance to Another Level
After tying for the conference championship and receiving a berth in the EA Sports Las Vegas Bowl, the Red Wave came out in droves to support the Bulldogs last season. In addition to setting program records for season tickets sold, Fresno State finshed 2000 ranked second among western schools and 22nd in the nation in percent of stadium capacity filled. In their five home games, the Bulldogs filled Bulldog Stadium (41,031) at 100.82 percent capacity. Fresno State ranked above perennial powers Kansas State (24th), Notre Dame (25th), and Georgia (30th). Following is a breakdown of where the Bulldogs rated regionally and in the WAC in percent of stadium capacity filled:

        - In the WAC -                   - In the West -No Name        G  % of Cap Rnk     No Name        G  % of Cap Rnk1) Fresno St   5   100.82   22     1) Oregon      6   108.14    62) UTEP        6    87.22   47     2) Fresno St   5   100.82   223) Hawai'i     6    74.20   65     3) Washington  6    98.81   284) TCU         6    70.94   68     4) Colorado    5    96.49   335) Tulsa       5    54.38   85     5) Oregon St   6    95.16   376) Nevada      5    53.95   87     6) BYU         6    93.26   397) San Jose St 4    34.37  1028) SMU         5    30.57  1069) Rice        5    27.40  111

WAC Coaching Leader
Pat Hill is the active WAC coaching leader in winning percentage with a record of 21-10 (.677). Here's how the other WAC coaches rank.

Ken Hatfield, Rice      34-33 (22)   .507      22-17 (5)     .564Mike Cavan, SMU         14-15 (3)    .483      14-15 (3)     .483June Jones, Hawai'i       6-8 (2)    .429        6-8 (2)     .429

Over the Hill
Under Pat Hill, the Bulldogs are 19-3 at home and 14-1 in WAC home games with 12 consecutive home WAC wins. The only WAC team to win at Bulldog Stadium was San Diego State, 20-19 in 1997. His .866 home winning percentage is the best in Fresno State history of coaches with more than three years experience. His conference home winning percentage of .933 is also best in school history. The Bulldogs' three home losses over the last four seasons combined to equal the number of home losses Fresno State suffered in 1996, the season before Hill took over as head coach. Last year, the Bulldogs had their second consecutive undefeated home season under Hill.

Reviving the Running Game
Last season, third-team running back Josh Levi became 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. With a healthy Paris Gaines, Levi and newcomers Therrian Fontenot and James Cummings, head coach Pat Hill feels that the running game will be in good shape. Gaines has rushed for over 1,300 yards and averaged 4.5 yards per carry in his career. He spent most of last season rehabilitating a knee injury suffered in the EA Sports Las Vegas Bowl. Fontenot is an explosive back who rushed for over 2,000 yards and 33 touchdowns as a senior in high school. Fontenot held the second-fastest 100 meters time in the state of California and placed second in the state meet in the 200 meters with a time of 21.1. He sat out last season fulfilling NCAA eligibility requirements. Cummings, a true freshman, ran for 2,246 yards and 24 touchdowns last season as a senior at Fresno's San Joaquin Memorial High School. The Bulldogs rushed for 89 yards last week at Colorado, with Paris Gaines leading the way with 43 yards and a touchdown.

All-WAC Back
Fresno State returns four players who have earned first-team All-WAC honors, with three of those coming on the defensive side of the ball. Senior defensive tackle Alan Harper is the only player in the WAC to have been selected first-team All-WAC for two years. The Bulldogs return to two players who were first-team All-WAC award winners in 1999, receiver Rodney Wright and safety Anthony Limbrick, but both spent considerable time injured last season. Here are Fresno State's returning players who have earned honors:

All-WAC First Team Defense
Alan Harper, DT (1999, 2000) Vernon Fox, SS (2000) Anthony Limbrick (1999)

All-WAC First Team Offense
Rodney Wright, WR (1999)

All-WAC Second Team Offense
Bernard Berrian, WR (2000) David Carr, QB (2000) Charles Smith, WR (1999)

All-WAC Honorable Mention Offense
Bernard Berrian, RS (2000) Jeremy Johnson, TE (2000) Joe Schey, LT (2000) Charles Smith, WR (2000)

All-WAC Honorable Mention Defense
Nick Burley, DE (1999, 2000) Justin Johnson,. LB (1999) Bryce McGill, FS (2000) Tierre Sams, CB (2000)

Freshman All-America (The Sporting News, Football Weekly)
Jeremy Johnson, TE (First Team)

GTE CoSida Academic District VIII
Joe Schey, LT (Second Team)

Tricks are For Kids
The Bulldogs have thwarted five 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 SMU last season, which the Bulldogs successfully stopped. Fresno State has stopped six of the last seven fake attempts dating back to 1997.

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 last week 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

Berrian Breakout
When wide receiver Rodney Wright went down with a calf strain last season, there were questions about how Fresno State would replace his big-play capability. With the emergence of Bernard Berrian, those questions were answered. Once Wright went down, Berrian joined Charles Smith as the Bulldogs go-to receiver. In his last seven games, Berrian posted 38 catches for 655 yards, an average of 17.2 per catch. In addition, the second-team All-WAC honoree proved to be as exciting a wideout as there is in the WAC. He had touchdown grabs of 47, 51, 55 and 71 yards plus a punt return of 88 yards for a touchdown. Berrian also racked up 100 receiving yards in five of the seven games he started. Against SMU, Berrian was on his way to another big week until spraining his ankle in the second quarter and missing the remainder of that game and the following week's contest at San Jose State. He returned for the Silicon Valley Football Classic, catching seven passes for 162 yards and touchdowns of 47 and 51 yards against Air Force. Here's a breakdown of what Berrian did as a starting receiver in 2000:

Team         No    Yds    Avg  TD   Longvs. Nevada    5    102   20.4   1*   55at UTEP       2     12    6.0   0     7vs. Tulsa     5    110   22.0   1    71vs. Hawai'i   8    123   15.4   1    42at TCU        6    121   21.2   1    55vs. SMU**     5     25    5.0   0    11vs. Air Force 7    162   23.1   2    51----------------------------------------Totals       38    655   17.2   6    71* does not include an 88-yard punt return for a touchdown** left game in second quarter with sprained ankle

Marque is OK
Sophomore wide receiver Marque Davis had his biggest game as a Bulldog last week, 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.

Tough Sledding
The Bulldogs are taking on one of the toughest schedules in school history. Fresno State's first three opponents of the 2001 season are against teams that are ranked in the nation's top 27 teams by both the Associated Press and USA Today's Coaches Poll. The Bulldogs kicked off the 2001 season at Colorado (No. 27 in both polls) and this week host Oregon State (No. 11 AP, No. 12 ESPN/USA Today Coaches, No. 1 Sports Illustrated). Next week, the Bulldogs travel to Wisconsin (No. 22 AP, No. 23 ESPN/USA Today Coaches). During the season, Fresno State will play four teams that won bowl games last season (Oregon State, Wisconsin, Colorado State and Boise State).

Road Woes
Fresno State has not been as successful as coach Pat Hill would like in the road. All four of Fresno State's regular season losses last season were on the road. The 'Dogs were 2-4 on the road last year season and are 8-17 on the road under Hill, including 5-7 in WAC road games. Fresno State is 0-2 in neutral site game under Hill. The Bulldogs are averaging just 19.7 points per road game under Hill, while scoring 34.6 points per game at home.

In Case You Missed It
Fresno State received votes in both the preseason Associated Press and the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll. . .The number of touchbacks Brett Visintainer had in the Colorado game (four) equaled his number of touchbacks for the entire 2000 season. . .In 2000, Fresno State failed to produce a first-team all-conference offensive player for the first time since 1978. . .only two of David Carr's 10 interceptions last season came at home. He completed .672 of his pass attempts in Bulldog Stadium. . .Fresno State has not had a 100-yard rusher in a game in the last a4 games. The last Bulldog to rush for morethan 100 yards in a game was Josh Levi with 124 vs. SanJose State (Nov. 20, 1999). . .Over the last three games of last season, Fresno State committed just 15 penalties for 104 yards (5-35 avg.). The 'Dogs had 13 penalties for 89 yards in the season opener vs. Colorado. . .Fresno State finished second in the WAC in quarterback sacks averaging 3.2 per game last season. The Bulldogs had four in the season opener against Colorado. . .Jason Simpson had his best day as a Bulldog, averaging 51.5 yards per punt with a career-long of 55. . .Colorado receiver Rowan Holloway's punt return for a touchdown was the first by a Bulldog opponent since the 1998 season. . .The Colorado win was the first road season opening win for the 'Dogs since the 1992 season, a 42-21 win at Pacific. . .Fresno State is 3-2 in openers under Pat Hill. . .the last time Fresno State beat a ranked opponent was Oct. 18, 1997, at No. 17 Air Force 20-17.

Against the Pac
The Bulldogs are 14-21 all-time against Pac-10 opponents but 17 of those losses have been on the road. Fresno State is 6-4 at home against Pac-10 opponents and owns with three-game home winning streak against the Pac-10 (California in 2000, Oregon State in 1993 and '94.)

Ranking the Losses
Of Fresno State's last 10 losses dating back to 1999, nine were 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.

Ranked Opponents at Home
Oregon State will be the highest ranked team to ever play in Bulldog Stadium. The highest ranked team was Colorado State, ranked No. 14 in the Associated Press and USA Today coaches polls in 1994. The Rams beat the Bulldogs 44-42.

Smith Out
Senior receiver Charles Smith will not play against the Beavers after spraining the MCL in his right knee in a scrimmage on August 13. Smith will be evaluated by the Fresno State medical staff on weekly basis but is likely to miss at least the first three games. Other than that, the Bulldogs are in good health heading into this weekend.

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's was injured causing him to miss five games. Smith moved past Jamie Kimbrough for fifth place on the FS career receptions chart. He now has his sights on Henry Ellard, who is fourth with 138 receptions. They are also Fresno State's top two returners and rank in Fresno State's career top 10 list for receptions and yards.

                 ------CAREER------   ----------2000----------                 Rec   Yards   Avg.   TD  Rec  Yards  Avg.  TDCharles Smith    131   1,798   13.7   16   33   526   15.9   6Rodney Wright    119   1,662   13.9   11   33   389   11.8   2Totals           245   3,374   13.8   27   66   915   13.8   8
Fresno State Career ReceptionsNo Name                        Rec   Yards   Avg.   TD4. Henry Ellard (1979-82)      138   2,974   21.4   255. Charles Smith (1998-)       134   1,832   13.7   166. Jaime Kimbrough (1995-98)   116   1,092    9.4    67. Rodney Wright (1998-)       119   1,662   13.9   11
No Name                        Rec   Yards   Avg.   TD5. Malcolm Seabron (1990-93)    90   1,874   20.8   186. Charles Smith (1998-)       134   1,832   13.7   167. Rodney Wright (1998-)       119   1,662   13.9   11

Counting on Carr
Senior quarterback David Carr, who was named second-team All-WAC in 2000 after impressively guiding an injury-riddled offense, picked up where he left off in the opener against Colorado. Carr was named the MVP of the Jim Thorpe Classic, leading the Bulldogs to a 24-22 win. He threw for 198 yards and one touchdown and ran for another score. He is on track to break the school record for career pass completion percentage. His current total of .619 is better than Billy Volek's school record of .604, set from 1997-99. Carr's emergence was noticable not only on the stat chart but with his leadership in the field. Carr threw for 2,729 yards and 23 touchdowns, the fourth most in a season by a Bulldog quarterback. Before last season, Carr had completed 27-52 passes for 281 yards and one touchdown and two interceptions in his career. Carr could be the best all-around athlete to play quarterback for the 'Dogs ever. He bench presses 390 pounds, power cleans 300 pounds and squats 500 pounds. At 6-3, 225 pounds, he runs a 4.67 40-yard dash.

Carr Comments
David Carr is being considered on the of premier quarterbacks in the nation. Here's what a few people are saying about Fresno State's starting quarterback. "Physically, David Carr will probably be the best quarterback in the 2002 NFL Draft. If he produces on the field this year, he could be the first quarterback taken." - ESPN Draft Expert Mel Kiper, Jr.

"I was in the league for five years and David Carr has what it takes to be a great player in the NFL. He has all of the physical tools, he is smart and he is extremely tough," Fresno State head coach Pat Hill.

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 lbs, Fresno State's line is expected to be a strength, providing Carr with time to throw and open holes for the Bulldog backs. Four of the five starters started at various times last season. Oneof 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.

No Holding Harper
Senior defensive tackle Alan Harper has been one of the most dominating defensive players in the WAC for the last two 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. Over the last two seasons, he has 31 tackles for losses for 102 yards and eight sacks for 47 yards. Harper was selected by the media as the 2001 Preseason WAC Defensive Player of the Year.

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.

Preseason Palaver
Fresno State has been the unanimous selection to win the 2001 WAC football championship. Here's what the preseason publications and WAC media said about the Bulldogs. Athlon Sports
1. Fresno State WAC Defensive Player of the Year: Alan Harper

Lindy's
1. Fresno State WAC Offensive Player of the Year: David Carr
Nationally Ranked Players (by position): No. 19 Carr
First-team All-WAC: Carr, Jeremy Johnson, Schey, Burley, Harper, Fox

Preview Sports
1. Fresno State
First-team All-WAC: Harper, Fox, Carr, Michael, Jeremy Johnson

The Sporting News
1. Fresno State
First-team All-WAC: Harper, Carr, Schey, Sams, Fox
Nationally Ranked Players (by position): No. 11 Carr, No. 14 Harper

Street and Smith's
1. Fresno State
WAC Defensive Player of the Year: Alan Harper
Honorable Mention All-America: Harper, Fox, Berrian, Carr

WAC Media
Preseason Selection: 1. Fresno State
WAC Defensive Player of the Year: Alan Harper

'Dog Bones (Team)

FS is 19-3 under Pat Hill at home, including 15 consecutive wins.
FS is 15-1 in its last 16 WAC home games.
Fresno State has won 19 straight games when leading at halftime. Under Pat Hill, the Bulldogs are 24-2 when leading at the half.
FS has thrown 57 touchdowns and only 15 interceptions since the 1999 opener.
The Bulldogs have not been shutout in the last 127 home games dating back to Oct. 25, 1980, vs. Utah State (14-0). Fresno State has scored in 151 of the last 152 home games.
FS is 18-5 under Pat Hill when the 'Dogs throw more touchdown passes than their opponents.
FS is 22-5 under Pat Hill when the 'Dogs have less turnovers than their opponents.
FS has outscored its opponents 879-581 over the last 30 games (29-19 per game average).
The 'Dogs allowed a school record-low 13 quarterback sacks in 1999 just 20 in 2000.
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, 1999) return this season.
The FS defense had 122 tackles for losses for -459 yards in 2000.
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.
FS has produced two quarterbacks (Trent Dilfer and Billy Volek) who set NCAA records in the last seven years. Both are in the NFL, Dilfer with the Seattle Seahawks and Volek 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% in 1999 to 35% in 2000. The Bulldogs were 5-of-15 vs. Colorado on third downs.
Only two Fresno State starters are not from California. Defensive end Jake Probst is from Midway, Utah, and safety Vernon Fox is from Las Vegas.
Fresno State was 2-2 on national television (Fox Sports Net) last season and are 1-0 this year.
Fresno State played in front of a crowd higher than 40,000 for all but three games last season.
The Bulldogs played in front of stadium record-setting crowds in the 2000 season opener vs. Ohio State (96,583) and the home opener (42,285) vs. Cal in 2000.

'Dog Bones (Individual)

Kicker Asen Asparuhov has made 10-of-18 field goal attempts (.556) during his career.
Asparuhov kicked a career-high three field goals vs San Jose State (11-25-00).
Asparuhov kicked a 43-yard field goal against Colorado, tying his career high.

Safety Devon Banks had a career-high 14 tackles in his first career start vs. UCLA in 1999.
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 was selected WAC Special Teams Player of the Week (10-14-00) after an 88-yard punt return for touchdown vs. Nevada.
Berrian has four 100-yard receiving games in the last six games.
Berrian was named second-team All-WAC by the league's coaches.
Berrian owns five of the top 50 receiving yardage games in school history and had a career-high162 yards vs. Air Force in the 2000 Silicon Valley Football Classic..

David Carr ranked 37th in the NCAA in total offense (219.8/game) and 20th in pass efficiency (135.4).
Carr threw for a career-high 391 yards and five touchdowns vs. Air Force in the Silicon Valley Football Classic.
Carr was selected second-team All-WAC in 2000.
Carr has just one interception in his last 114 pass attempts and three in his last 183 attempts over the last seven games.
Carr was the only offensive player to started every game last season.
Carr had 394 total yards vs. Air Force in the Silicon Valley Football Classic, the seventh-best total in Fresno State history.
Carr was named the MVP of the Jim Thorpe Classic as the Bulldogs beat Colorado 24-22. Carr threw for 198 yards and one touchdown and ran for another touchdown.

All-WAC strong safety Vernon Fox has at least one tackle in 31 consecutive games.
Fox led the team with 103 tackles in 1999.
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 suffered a torn ligament in his right knee in the 1999 EA Sports Las Vegas Bowl. He has 1,368 rushing yards in his career.

All-WAC defensive tackle Alan Harper has at least one tackle in 33 straight games, the longest streak on the Fresno State defense. He was awarded a blackshirt every game but one last season.
Harper ranked second in the WAC in 1999 in tackles for a loss with 15 for -47 yards. He had 16 for minus 61 yards last season, also second-best in the WAC.
Harper was voted the WAC Preseason Player of the Year by the media.

Tight end Jeremy Johnson was fourth on the team in receiving yards with 285 on 27 receptions.
Johnson was named a first-team Freshman All-American by The Sporting News.

Josh Levi, who was fourth on the depth chart at the beginning of the 2000 season, led the Bulldogs in rushing with 397 yards in 2000.
Levi rushed for a team season-high 93 yards on 20 carries against Hawai'i (11-4-00).

Free safety Anthony Limbrick, who broke his right thumb vs. Ohio State and missed the season, was rated as the ninth-best safety in the nation by Lindy's prior to the 2000 season.

Freshman safety Bryce McGill ranked second on the team in sacks with six for -36 yards last year.
McGill was the WAC Defensive Player of the Week after making 13 tackles, one for a loss of 20 yards and forced a fumble against San Jose State (11-25-00).

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.
Sams led the team with four interceptions last season and is the second-fastest Bulldog with a 4.34 40-yard dash time.

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.

1999 All-WAC receiver Rodney 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 a career-high 13 receptions for 174 yards and two touchdowns against Cal (9-23-00).
Wright had three receptions for 92 yards in the 2000 season finale against San Jose St. (11-25-00).
Wright needs 42 yards for 1,700 yards in his career and 69 receptions to break the Fresno State career record. He had 74 receptions as a sophomore in 1999, earning first-team All-WAC honors.

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