Fresno State Athletics
Bulldogs Prepare for First Scrimmage
8/8/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 8, 2001
FRESNO, Calif. - Less than a week into the Fresno State football camp, the Bulldogs are ready for their first scrimmage. Head coach Pat Hill will take his team through a two-hour scrimmage at 9 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 9, at Bulldog Stadium.
"The guys are excited about getting into the scrimmage," Hill said. "They have worked really hard and are looking forward to some live action. The morale of this team is the best I've seen since I have been at Fresno State. We have some positions that are open and in some positions the competition is very tight. We will have a lot of guys flying around the field tomorrow trying to impress the coaches and make their mark."
The Bulldogs return nine starters on offense, including WAC Offensive Player of the Year candidate David Carr. The Fresno State defense, which returns 15 starters, is led by defensive tackle Alan Harper, who is a candidate for the Lombardi Award as the nation's top interior lineman and was recently selected as the WAC preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
Fresno State was the landslide winner in the WAC media preseason poll, taking 18 of 24 first place votes. The Bulldogs are coming off a 7-5 season and second straight bowl appearance. The Bulldogs own a 15-game home winning streak, which is the third longest streak in the nation.
Fresno State opens the home season on Sept. 2 vs. Oregon State, which today was selected No. 1 in the nation by Sports Illustrated for its preseason edition due out later this week. The Beavers are coming off an 11-1 record and a 41-7 win over Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl.
"It's very exciting to have the No. 1 team in the nation coming to Bulldog Stadium," said Hill. "From a team standpoint it is very exciting and I know our fans will be anxious to see a team ranked No. 1 in the nation."
The Bulldogs will open the season on Aug. 26 at Colorado in the Jim Thorpe Association Classic. Season tickets are available through the Bulldog Ticket Office at (559) 278-DOGS or online at gobulldogs.com.
