Football Has Week Off to Prepare for Tulsa

Oct. 28, 2002

Fresno State (4-5, 2-2 WAC) vs. Tulsa (1-7, 1-3 WAC)
Date: Saturday, Nov. 9
Kickoff: 4 p.m. PST
Site: Fresno, Calif.
Stadium: Bulldog Stadium (41,031)
Radio: KMJ (AM 580)
'Dog Talk at 1:30 p.m.; Pregame Show at 3:30 p.m.
Play-by-play: Bill Woodward; Analyst: Vince Wesson; Sidelines: Ron Shapley
TV: KFRE
Play-by-play: Ralph Wood; Analyst: Randy Rosenbloom

This Week
Fresno State is off this week and will look to regroup from back-to-back losses. The Bulldogs next play Tulsa on Nov. 9 at Bulldog Stadium at 4 p.m.

Last Week
Hawai'i strung together 22 points in the fourth quarter to post a 31-21 comeback victory over Fresno State at Bulldog Stadium. Timmy Chang passed for a career-high 462 yards and two touchdowns, the second of which came on a 4th-and-4 play with 2:25 left that gave UH a 24-21 lead. Paul Pinegar tried to lead a late Bulldog charge but threw an interception in the end zone with 53 ticks left on the clock. It marked the second year in a row Hawai'i scored 22 points in the fourth quarter to spur a comeback against Fresno State.

All-Time vs. Tulsa
Fresno State owns a 3-0 lead in the all-time series, including a victory in the only game played at Bulldog Stadium. Even though Tulsa entered the WAC in 1996, the two teams first met in 1999, a 24-14 victory at a soggy Skelly Stadium. In the lone meeting in Fresno, the Bulldogs took out TU 34-12 behind David Carr's four touchdown passes.

Last Time vs. Tulsa
TULSA, Okla. - Sept. 22, 2001: David Carr threw for 314 yards and three touchdowns and the Fresno State offense racked up 513 yards en route to a 37-18 victory at Skelly Stadium. The 11th-ranked Bulldogs kept steady pressure on the Golden Hurricane all day and built a 37-3 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Josh Levi rushed for 107 yards while Bernard Berrian caught nine passes for 169 yards as Fresno State improved to 4-0 on the season.

Bulldogs After Byes
Fresno State lost to Oregon State earlier this year after a bye week, the first time under head coach Pat Hill the Bulldogs failed to post a victory after a week off. Nonetheless, Fresno State is 5-1 all-time since 1997 after bye weeks, including a 37-18 win over Tulsa last year. Here is how the Bulldogs have fared when they have had extra time to prepare:

  Date             Opponent           Location              Result

Sept. 21, 2002 at Oregon State Corvallis, Ore. L, 59-19
Oct. 13, 2001 at Colorado State Fort Collins, Colo. W, 25-22 (ot)
Sept. 22, 2001 at Tulsa Tulsa, Okla. W, 37-18
Oct. 5, 2000 at Rice Houston, Texas W, 27-24
Sept. 23, 2000 California Bulldog Stadium W, 17-3
Oct. 2, 1997 Utah Bulldog Stadium W, 27-13
Not Many Losing Streaks
Fresno State's loss to Hawai'i last week was its second in a row in the WAC. Since Pat Hill became the Bulldogs' head coach in 1997, Fresno State has yet to lose three conference games in a row. The Bulldogs lost two WAC games in a row last year but rebounded to beat Rice 52-24 at home en route to an 11-3 overall record.


Finishing With a Flourish
Although the Bulldogs may be reeling from two conference losses in a row, history dictates their mood may be improving soon. Since 1997, when Pat Hill took over, Fresno State has been one of the WAC's best teams in the latter part of the season. A perfect example of this came in 2001, when after suffering consecutive losses to Boise State and Hawai'i, the Bulldogs posted five wins in a row to end the campaign. Here is a breakdown of Fresno State's strong finishes under Hill:

Year   Started    Finished   Final Record   Note1997     2-4        4-2          6-6        First non-losing season since 19931998     1-5        4-1          5-6        Only losing season under Hill1999     4-3        4-1*         8-5        WAC co-champs; played in Las Vegas Bowl2000     3-3        4-1*         7-4        Played in Silicon Valley FB Classic2001     6-2        5-0*        11-3        Played in Silicon Valley FB Classic* Record reflects finish to regular season and does not include bowl game

Injury Report
Fresno State has suffered a rash of injuries this year, but one group that seems to have been especially hard hit is the defensive line. Three of the Bulldogs' top defensive ends - Brian Morris, Clarence Denning and Ryan Smith - are all out for the rest of the year, Morris and Smith with injuries and Denning because he quit the team. Against Colorado State, star defensive end Nick Burley fractured his left thumb, but he will continue to play with a cast. The defense also lost Kendall Edwards, the team's best cornerback, for the year during the San Diego State game with a torn ACL. Fresno State emerged from the Hawai'i game relatively unscathed. No Bulldogs came out with any new injuries.
Bulldogs vs. the BCS Conferences
Fresno State is 4-4 in its last eight games against teams from BCS Conferences. However, the Bulldogs have not had the same degree of success in 2002 as they did last year. The team has lost all three games against BCS opponents this season, including a two-point nailbiter at No. 23 Wisconsin and a four-point loss at No. 13 Oregon. The Sept. 21 game at Oregon State game was the final contest against a BCS school in the regular season. Since Pat Hill has taken over at Fresno State, the Bulldogs have played 17 games against BCS opponents. Hill lost the first nine games against BCS teams, all on the road, by an average margin of 14 points. Four of those were decided by less than a touchdown and one was in overtime (at Oregon in 1997).
Close Calls
Fresno State has suffered two blowout losses this year, something that is very rare since the Bulldogs began their string of three consecutive bowl appearances in 1999. Since then, Fresno State has lost 12 games by 10 points or less, including last week's loss to Hawai'i. On only seven occasions have the Bulldogs lost by more than 10 points, the last being the Boise State game two weeks ago. Five games in 2002 have been determined by a final margin of four points or less.
Over the Hill
Even though Hawai'i walked out of Bulldog Stadium with a victory over Fresno State, the Bulldogs are still very difficult to beat at home. Hill's charges are 27-5 at home and 20-3 in WAC home games with wins in 17 of the last 19 conference games at Bulldog Stadium. Only three WAC teams have ever won at Bulldog Stadium: San Diego State (1997), Boise State (2001) and Hawai'i (last week). Hill's .844 home winning percentage is the best in Fresno State history of coaches with more than three years' experience. His conference home winning percentage of .870 is also best in school history. The Bulldogs' five home losses over the last five-plus seasons is only two defeats more than the number of home losses Fresno State suffered in 1996, the season before Hill took over as head coach.
Still Tough at Home
Fresno State may have lost to Hawai'i on Friday night, but the Bulldogs have still proven themselves as one of the WAC best home teams. Since Pat Hill took over, Fresno State has won 27 of 32 games at Bulldog Stadium, including 23 of its last 26. Under Hill, the Bulldogs have outscored their opponents by a combined 1,127-595 for an average margin of victory of 35-19. In addition, the Bulldogs are drawing well, averaging 38,569 fans per game since 1997. Fresno State sold over 30,000 season tickets for the 2002 season, the third consecutive season the Bulldogs have surpassed the 30,000 mark. In the 2001 home opener, Fresno State established a Bulldog Stadium attendance record by attracting 42,410 for a game against Oregon State. The Bulldogs then broke and tied the attendance mark when 42,881 invaded the stadium the final five home games of the year.
Pinegar Presses On
The learning process of Paul Pinegar continues with every week. The redshirt freshman quarterback has passed for a 538 yards and four touchdowns in his last two games, but has also thrown four interceptions and been sacked nine times. The Woodland, Calif., native has started seven games in 2002 - including the last five in a row - and has racked up 1,771 yards passing along with 13 touchdowns. He has also thrown just seven interceptions. In his first seven games as Fresno State's starter in 2000, David Carr had very similar numbers. He passed for 1,515 yards, had 13 TD passes and nine interceptions before becoming one of the best in program history.
Depth Chart Changes
Due to injuries and position changes, Fresno State's depth chart has seen some alterations over the past three weeks. Most notable is at strong safety, where Bryce McGill moved to outside linebacker prior to the Rice game to fill in at that injury depleted position. Redshirt freshman James Sanders, second on the team in tackles, has replaced McGill at strong safety. Also moving up on the depth chart is walk-on freshman Garrett McIntyre, who has seen significant time at defensive tackle. With season-ending injuries to defensive ends Brian Morris and Ryan Smith, redshirt freshman Doug Roush and Asa Taylor have stepped in as the backups.
Penalty Problems
After cutting down on penalties against Colorado State and SMU, Fresno State's penalty problems have flared up in the past two weeks. The Bulldogs were flagged a season-high 13 times last week against Hawai'i for 107 yards, this coming just one week after Fresno State was whistled for 10 penalties for 75 yards against Boise State. The 13 flags last week were the team's most since been whistled for 12 in the Oregon State loss. The Bulldogs also allowed UH three first downs via penalty, bringing their total to 21 opponent first downs by penalty in 2002, including 13 in the season's first four weeks.
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 37 punts and kicks, including punt last week that was recovered and returned for a touchdown. 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      3         5        72001      5         1        62002      1         2        3--------------------------------Totals   18*       19       37* includes instances when Fresno State tackled the punter
before he could get kick away.

Many Happy Returns
Fresno State's special teams have established themselves as one of 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 13 touchdowns on special teams and has racked up three safeties. Below is a breakdown of the Bulldogs' special teams scoring history:

6 punt returns for TDs (last: Oct. 4, 2002, by Adam Jennings vs. Colorado State)
2 kickoff returns for TDs (last: Sept. 8, 2001, by Bernard Berrian at Wisconsin)
5 blocked punts/FGs returned for TDs (last: Oct. 25, 2002 vs. Hawai'i)
3 team safeties (last: Oct. 4, 2002, vs. Colorado State)

Spreading the Wealth
Even though he has been operating without Bernard Berrian for nearly the entire season, quarterback Paul Pinegar has had no problem finding open receivers. Against Colorado State on Oct. 4, he completed a pass to 10 different receivers, a season high. Last week, Pinegar spread it around to nine receivers, with Jermaine Jamison and Marque Davis serving as his two big targets. Either Jamison or Davis have been the team's leading receiver in seven of their nine games in 2002. Last week Jamison hauled in two passes for 50 yards while Davis had the Bulldogs' lone TD reception.
On the Road Again
Entering the 2001 season, Fresno State had not been as successful as head coach Pat Hill would have liked on the road. But last year, that all changed. The Bulldogs went 6-1 away from Fresno in 2001, a program record for road wins in a season. Included in those road wins were victories over Colorado, Wisconsin and Colorado State. This year, however, Fresno State has not found the same degree of success away from Bulldog Stadium. The team is just 1-4 on the road in 2002, including a 67-21 pounding at the hands of Boise State last week. Under Hill, the Bulldogs are averaging just 23.8 points per road game while piling up 35.2 per game in Bulldog Stadium.
On the Road Again, Part 2
Fresno State will play seven road games for the second consecutive season. Fresno State racked up the most frequent flyers miles in the nation last season and has long road trips this year to Madison, Wis. (Wisconsin), Houston (Rice) and Ruston, La. (Louisiana Tech). In addition, the Bulldogs will have a long road to hoe. The team began their season Aug. 23 and plays their regular season finale Dec. 5.
Pinegar in Step With Carr
Paul Pinegar has been solid as Fresno State's first freshman quarterback since Trent Dilfer in 1991. He has started seven games, leading the Bulldogs to victories over Rice, SMU and 22nd-ranked Colorado State. A look at his numbers show an eerie similarity to Pinegar's predecessor at quarterback, David Carr. Here is a breakdown of the two QBs numbers through their first seven career starts:

        Record   A     C    I    Pct   Yards   TD   Lg     YPGPinegar    4-3   234   133   5   .568   1,642   12   77   234.6Carr       4-3   215   127   9   .591   1,515   13   50   216.4

Berrian to Redshirt
Three weeks ago, Bernard Berrian announced he will be redshirting the 2002 season. The senior All-American wideout sprained his knee in the season opener at Wisconsin on Aug. 23 and hasn't played since. Coming into 2002, Berrian was tabbed as one of the top seniors in the nation by ESPN's NFL Draft expert Mel Kiper, Jr. Next season, he has a shot at becoming Fresno State's all-time leading receiver. Here is a glimpse at what the Bulldogs have coming back in 2003:

Berrian in Fresno State HistoryCareer Receptions                       Career Receiving YardageNo Name (Years)                 Rec     No Name (Years)                  Yards1. Rodney Wright (1998-01)_____ 222     1. Charlie Jones (1992-95)______ 3,3442. Brian Roberson (1993-96)____ 188     2. Rodney Wright (1998-01)______ 3,2743. Charlie Jones (1992-95)_____ 187     3. Brian Roberson (1993-96)_____ 2,9564. Charles Smith (1998-01)_____ 171     4. Henry Ellard (1979-82)_______ 2,9475. Larry Willis (1983-84)______ 142     5. Charles Smith (1998-01)______ 2,3686. Henry Ellard (1979-82)______ 138     6. Larry Willis (1983-84)_______ 2,2607. Bernard Berrian (1999-)_____ 136     7. Bernard Berrian (1999-)______ 2,181
All-Purpose BerrianWAC Record1. Bernard Berrian (2001)___________ 2,776   2. LaDainian Tomlinson, TCU (2000)__ 2,1983. Marshall Faulk, SDSU (1993)______ 2,174
NCAA All-Purpose Yardage (WR only)1. Troy Edward, La Tech (1998)__ 2,7842. Bernard Berrian (2001)_______ 2,776
2001 NCAA Leaders1. Bernard Berrian (WR)__________ 2,7762. Mewelde Moore, Tulane (RB)____ 2,2593. Levron Williams, Indiana (RB)_ 2,201

The Blackshirt Award
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 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. Thus far in 2002, Nick Burley has earned three blackshirts (Wisconsin, SDSU, CSU), Jason Stewart two (CSU, SMU) and Cameron Worrell (Wisconsin) and Marc Dailey (SMU) have picked up one each. Blackshirt recipients for the Hawai'i game are pending.
Isn't That Special
Fresno State features two of the top specialists in the nation this year in senior placekicker Asen Asparuhov and senior punter Jason Simpson. Asparuhov, a candidate for the Lou Groza Award as the nation's top kicker, established a new school single-season record for field goals with 23. He made national news after the Bulldogs defeated Colorado State last year, when he kicked a field goal at the end of regulation and another in overtime to help Fresno State defeat the Rams 25-22. The Plovdiv, Bulgaria, native is 13-of-18 on field goals this year, although he has not attempted one for the last two games. Asparuhov is coming off a year in which he established a new Fresno State record for scoring with 129 points. The senior is 15th in the nation in field goals per game at 1.4. Simpson is currently first in the WAC and 54th in the nation with a 40.4 per game punt average after finishing 18th in the country a year ago.
WAC Coaching Leaders
After suffering back-to-back losses, Pat Hill has dropped into third place in winning percentage among Western Athletic Conference coaches with more than two years of experience. Hill is now 41-30 (29-13 WAC), a percentage of .577, just behind Hawai'i's June Jones (.600) and Rice's Ken Hatfield (.583). Here's how the other top WAC coaches rank in career winning percentage.

Overall (years)         Record           Pct     Current School  PctJune Jones, Hawai'i____ 27-18 (3)       .600     27-18 (3)      .600Ken Hatfield, Rice_____ 159-113-4 (23)  .583     44-51-1 (9)    .464Jack Bicknell, La Tech_ 21-23 (3)       .477     21-23 (3)      .477

The Brothers Davis
Brothers Marque and Rodney Davis have become integral parts of the Fresno State offense, helping the Bulldogs to wins in three of the last four contests. Marque has been especially productive the past five weeks, catching 20 passes for 414 yards and four touchdowns, three of which have been in excess of 65 yards. He has also racked up the only two 100-yard games of his career during that span. Rodney, a transfer from Fresno (Calif.) City College, has paced the Bulldog rushing attack by averaging 96.8 yards per game, fourth-best in the WAC. He had another solid game last week, rushing for 140 yards and a touchdown. Both Rodney and Michael had good games against SMU, against which they both scored touchdowns, the only time that has happened in 2002. The Davises are from Dos Palos, Calif., and led Dos Palos High School to multiple section titles and a place among the best high school football teams in California.
Hurly Burley Man
Fresno State possesses one of the WAC's most dominating defensive players in senior end Nick Burley. The Lombardi Award candidate and 2003 Hula Bowl selectee was a first-team All-WAC selection last year after starting all 14 games, making 42 tackles, including 13 tackles for loss and eight sacks. He combined with former Bulldog Alan Harper (selected in the fourth round of the NFL Draft by the New York Jets) to make up a defensive line that totaled a WAC best 49 sacks. This year, Burley has eight tackles for loss and five sacks, both team highs. In fact, his presence on the defensive line has allowed the Bulldogs to become one of the nation's most sack-happy teams. Since 2000, Fresno State has posted 112 sacks, the second-number in the nation during that time.
Ranking the Losses
Of Fresno State's last 17 losses dating back to 1999, 16 have come to teams that have either been nationally ranked, played in a bowl game or were bowl eligible (or in the case of Boise State, on track to being bowl eligible). Of Fresno State's three losses last year, one came during the bowl game to Michigan State while the two others (Boise State, Hawai'i) were against bowl eligible teams. Three of the Bulldogs' losses this year have come to Wisconsin, Oregon and Oregon State, teams which are either ranked or have been ranked at some point this year. Fresno State's may have played its last ranked opponent of the season Oct. 4 against No. 22 Colorado State, although Boise State is receiving votes in the latest national rankings. The Bulldogs' only loss to a non-ranked, non-bowl team since 1999 came Oct. 14, 1999, a 24-14 defeat at the hands of SMU.
The Bodyguards
Quarterback Paul Pinegar will be more thankful than anyone Fresno State has the biggest and strongest offensive line in school history this year. At an average of 6-5 and 320 pounds, this year's line is the largest in the nation from tackle to tackle. All five players started last season and the group was rated the seventh-best offensive line in the nation prior to the season by The Sporting News. The Bodyguards did a good job of protecting David Carr last year, allowing just 31 sacks in 542 pass attempts. This year, the line has allowed 22 sacks in 332 pass attempts, including a season-high five sacks last week against Hawai'i. The offensive line is allowing an average of 2.4 sacks per game in 2002.
Filling Carr's Shoes
Coming out of preseason camp, the undaunting task of filling David Carr's shoes was won by redshirt junior Jeff Grady, who opened the season by going 21-of-42 with 262 yards and three touchdowns. But he suffered a deep bruise of his left hip in that game, meaning redshirt freshman Paul Pinegar had to take over in his place. Against San Diego State and Oregon, Pinegar threw for a combined 397 yards in leading the Bulldogs to a win over the Aztecs and a narrow loss to the Ducks. Grady then started against Oregon State but suffered a right hip pointer, and since Pinegar has been solid, compiling a 4-3 record overall record as a starter.
Fresno State - A.K.A. "Quarterback University"
The Bulldogs have three quarterbacks in the NFL for the 2002 season, tying Michigan and Florida State for the most of any college. Neither Michigan nor Florida State has had a quarterback taken in the top 10 picks of the NFL draft since 1990, while Fresno State has produced two. Here are some other QB University Notes (since 1990):

Each of Pat Hill's two starting quarterbacks are in the NFL (Billy Volek and David Carr).
Fresno State is one of three schools (Washington State and Tennessee) to have a quarterback as a No. 1 NFL draft pick and another taken in the Top 10. Of those, only Fresno State's quarterbacks are both still active.
Fresno State is one of five schools (Tennessee, Washington State, Oregon and Houston) to have two quarterbacks selected among the top 10 NFL draft picks. Of those, only Oregon and Fresno State's quarterbacks are both still active.
Fresno State's Trent Dilfer is the only top 10 drafted quarterback since 1990 to win a Super Bowl.
There have been 17 quarterbacks taken in the top 10 picks of the NFL draft since 1990, and Fresno State has produced two of them.

Fresno State's three current NFL quarterbacks
David Carr, Houston Texas (No. 1 NFL Draft pick)Trent Dilfer, Seattle Seahawks (No. 6 NFL Draft pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers)Billy Volek, Tennessee Titans (free agent signee entering his third year in the league)
Tricks are For Kids
The Bulldogs have thwarted seven 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 San Jose State on Nov. 23, 2001, which the Bulldogs successfully stopped. Fresno State has stopped eight of the last nine fake attempts dating back to 1997.
Trouble at the Start
One of the stark difference between the 2001 Bulldogs and this year's edition is the problems Fresno State has had in 2002 in its first possession of the first and second halves. The Bulldogs have yet to score a touchdown on their opening drives of either half this year. In fact, the only points the team has posted on opening drives came against Colorado State, when Asen Asparuhov kicked a field goal. This is compared to last year, when Fresno State recorded 18 scores coming out of the locker room, 17 of which were touchdowns. This year, out of 18 opening drives to a half, 13 have resulted in punts, two in interceptions, one in a field goal, one in a missed field goal and another when Fresno State took a safety.
On the Road Again
Entering the 2001 season, Fresno State had not been as successful as head coach Pat Hill would have liked on the road. But last year, that all changed. The Bulldogs went 6-1 away from Fresno in 2001, a program record for road wins in a season. Included in those road wins were victories over Colorado, Wisconsin and Colorado State. This year, however, Fresno State has not found the same degree of success away from Bulldog Stadium. The team is just 1-4 on the road in 2002, including a 67-21 pounding at the hands of Boise State last week. Under Hill, the Bulldogs are averaging just 23.8 points per road game while piling up 35.2 per game in Bulldog Stadium.
On the Road Again, Part 2
Fresno State will play seven road games for the second consecutive season. Fresno State racked up the most frequent flyers miles in the nation last season and has long road trips this year to Madison, Wis. (Wisconsin), Houston (Rice) and Ruston, La. (Louisiana Tech). In addition, the Bulldogs will have a long road to hoe. The team began their season Aug. 23 and plays their regular season finale Dec. 5.
The Brothers Davis
Brothers Marque and Rodney Davis have become integral parts of the Fresno State offense, helping the Bulldogs to wins in three of the last four contests. Marque has been especially productive the past five weeks, catching 20 passes for 414 yards and four touchdowns, three of which have been in excess of 65 yards. He has also racked up the only two 100-yard games of his career during that span. Rodney, a transfer from Fresno (Calif.) City College, has paced the Bulldog rushing attack by averaging 96.8 yards per game, fourth-best in the WAC. He had another solid game last week, rushing for 140 yards and a touchdown. Both Rodney and Michael had good games against SMU, against which they both scored touchdowns, the only time that has happened in 2002. The Davises are from Dos Palos, Calif., and led Dos Palos High School to multiple section titles and a place among the best high school football teams in California.
Hurly Burley Man
Fresno State possesses one of the WAC's most dominating defensive players in senior end Nick Burley. The Lombardi Award candidate and 2003 Hula Bowl selectee was a first-team All-WAC selection last year after starting all 14 games, making 42 tackles, including 13 tackles for loss and eight sacks. He combined with former Bulldog Alan Harper (selected in the fourth round of the NFL Draft by the New York Jets) to make up a defensive line that totaled a WAC best 49 sacks. This year, Burley has eight tackles for loss and five sacks, both team highs. In fact, his presence on the defensive line has allowed the Bulldogs to become one of the nation's most sack-happy teams. Since 2000, Fresno State has posted 115 sacks, the second-number in the nation during that time.
Ranking the Losses
Of Fresno State's last 17 losses dating back to 1999, 16 have come to teams that have either been nationally ranked, played in a bowl game or were bowl eligible (or in the case of Boise State, on track to being bowl eligible). Of Fresno State's three losses last year, one came during the bowl game to Michigan State while the two others (Boise State, Hawai'i) were against bowl eligible teams. Three of the Bulldogs' losses this year have come to Wisconsin, Oregon and Oregon State, teams which are either ranked or have been ranked at some point this year. Fresno State's may have played its last ranked opponent of the season Oct. 4 against No. 22 Colorado State, although Boise State is receiving votes in the latest national rankings. The Bulldogs' only loss to a non-ranked, non-bowl team since 1999 came Oct. 14, 1999, a 24-14 defeat at the hands of SMU.

'Dog Bones (Team)

FS is 27-5 under Pat Hill at home, including wins in 22 of the last 25 games.
FS is 20-3 in its last 23 WAC home games.
Under Pat Hill the Bulldogs are 32-5 when leading at the half, including wins in seven of the last eight.
The Bulldogs have 23 sacks this year.
Under Hill, Fresno State is 6-0 in WAC openers, with the last four openers having been played on the road.
Fresno State's 2001 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 in 2001, the largest attendance ever to witness a Bulldog victory.
FS has thrown 118 touchdowns and only 31 interceptions since the 1999 opener.
The Bulldogs have not been shutout in the last 134 home games dating back to Oct. 25, 1980, vs. Utah State (14-0). Fresno State has scored in 158 of the last 159 home games.
FS is 27-7 under Pat Hill when the Bulldogs throw more touchdown passes than their opponents.
FS is 33-6 under Pat Hill when the Fresno State has less turnovers than their opponents.
Fresno State is +53 in turnover margin since Pat Hill became head coach, including +3 this season.
Fresno State had a 100-yard rusher against Tulsa, Louisiana Tech and Colorado State in 2001, the first time since the 1996 the Bulldogs had that happen in three consecutive games. The Bulldogs have had a 100-yard rusher four times this year.
Fresno State has produced eight first-team All-WAC defensive players over the last three seasons.
This season marks the the second consecutive year Fresno State is playing 13 regular season games and seven road games.
The Bulldogs have led the WAC in scoring in three of the last nine years, including a nation's best 40.5 average in 1992. They averaged 40 points per game in 2001, which ranked fourth in the nation in scoring offense.
FS has produced three quarterbacks (Trent Dilfer, Billy Volek and David Carr) who set NCAA records in the last 10 years. All are in the NFL, Dilfer with the Seattle Seahawks, Volek with the Tennessee Titans and Carr with the Houston Texans.
FS has produced two first-team All-WAC punters (Jason Simpson, 2001; Jeff Roberts, 1998) and two kickers (Asen Asparuhov, 2001; Jeff Hanna, 1999) since the 1998 season.
Nearly every Fresno State starter is from California. Only kicker Asen Asparuhov, a native of Plovdiv, Bulgaria, and Victor Taifane, from American Samoa, are not California natives.
Fresno State is 9-10 in its 19 national television appearances over the last three seasons, including 2-5 in 2002.
Fresno State played in front of above-capacity crowds in five of its first nine games this year (at Wisconsin, at Oregon, at Oregon State, vs. SMU, at Boise State).
For the second consecutive year in 2001, Fresno State set a stadium attendance record in the home opener. Last year, 42,410 fans jammed Bulldog Stadium, surpassing the former record of 42,285, established against California in the 2000 opener. But in the last five games, the 42,881 that have attended established and tied yet another attendance record due to additional seating added to Bulldog Stadium.
Fresno State has sold out 12 of the last 15 games at Bulldog Stadium with an average attendance of 41,317, which is above the stadium's capacity of 41,031. The non-sellout games this year have all been played on non-Saturdays.
Fresno State is 17-4 in its last 21 games when the starting running back scores a touchdown.
The Bulldogs are 12-5 in their last 17 games when scoring first.
Fresno State's first score in 25 of the last 30 games has been a TD.
Pat Hill needs two more wins to tie Darryl Rogers for fourth-most (43) by a head coach in program history.
Fresno State's losses to Boise State and Hawai'i last year were the team's first back-to-back WAC defeats since 1998. The Bulldogs have yet to lose three conference games in a row under Pat Hill.
Fresno State won six road games last year, most in program history. The Bulldogs won their first away game of 2002 last week at Rice.
Last year, FS marked up its first 10-win season since 1991 and went to a bowl game for the third consecutive season, just the second time in program history that has happened.
Fourteen of Fresno State's 19 seniors from last season graduated, with five of the remaining players one semester from graduating. In addition, two are two semesters from receiving their degrees.
The Bulldogs' first three games this year were decided by a combined total of eight points.
Four of Fresno State's first five contests were away from home. The team did not play a home game the entire month of September.
Fresno State has been inside the opponent's 25-yard line, or "compete zone," 27 times this year, scoring 16 touchdowns and nine field goals. The opponent has been inside Fresno State's compete zone 42 times, scoring 20 touchdowns, 12 field goals while failing 10 times.
The Bulldogs have turned the ball over 12 times in 2002, but on only four occasions has the opponent scored a touchdown on the possession following that turnover. Fresno State has also allowed a field goal after a turnover.
Fresno State has defeated Colorado State in each of the last three meetings, all taking place since the 1999 season.
Fresno State's win at Rice was its second in a row in the state of Texas and improved the Bulldogs' overall record in the Lone Star State to 4-11-1.
The Bulldogs have not scored a touchdown on their opening drive of the first or second half this year. They did kick a field goal to open the first half against Colorado State and recorded a safety to open the second half against Oregon.


'Dog Bones (Individual)

#35 David Adamo, 6-2, 235, Sophomore, Linebacker, Fresno, Calif. (Math)

Has five starts at linebacker and has been very solid.
Has 38 tackles on the year.
Moved to middle linebacker for the Colorado State game to fill in due to injuries.
Missed the Oregon State game with a dislocated elbow but made a sooner-than-expected return to the lineup at Rice.


#32 Asen Asparuhov, 6-5, 215, Senior, Kicker, Plovdiv, Bulgaria (Computer Science)

Second in the WAC and ranks 15th in the NCAA in field goals per game (1.4).
Lou Groza Award Candidate and has been rated the sixth best kicker by The Sporting News.
Has made 44-of-61 field goal attempts (.721) during his career, including 23-of-30 (.767) last year. His 23 field goals last year set the Fresno State single season record.
Has made 13-of-18 field goal attempts in 2002 (.722), including a 4-for-4 day on Sept. 21 at Oregon State. His misses this year have come from 55, 52, 50, 43 and 33 yards.
Was named a semifinalist for the 2001 Lou Groza Award, presented annually to the nation's top placekicker.
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.
Nailed a career-long 52-yarder at Oregon State.
Set a school record in 2001 for points points by a kicker (129).
Has made over 82 percent (.823, 28-34) of his field goal attempts under 40 yards in his career.
Has not attempted a field goal for the last two games.


#20 Juan Bautista, 5-7, 185, Senior, Cornerback, Fresno, Calif. (Health Science)

Was awarded a scholarship during fall camp of 2002 and was the unanimous selection by his teammates as the special teams captian for the 2001 season.


#2 Bernard Berrian, 6-2, 190, Senior, Receiver, Winton, Calif. (Communications)

Was named to the 2002 Playboy All-America team.
Has elected to redshirt the 2002 season after spraining his knee in the first quarter of the season opener at Wisconsin. He will return at 100 percent next year.
No. 5-rated player for the 2003 NFL draft by ESPN's Mel Kiper, Jr.
Had the type of game an all-purpose wideout dreams about against Nevada in 2001. He had 166 receiving yards, 79 rushing yards on one carry, a 70-yard punt return for a touchdown and a 49-yard kickoff return. All told, he set a school record for all-purpose yards with 357.
Finshed the season ranked first in the nation in all-purpose yardage (2,776) and second in all-purpose yards per game (199.3).
Had 300 all-purpose yards against Wisconsin in 2001, including a 96-yard kickoff return for touchdown.
Was named first-team All-America by the American Football Coaches Association in 2001.
Was 10th in the nation in punt returns at 14.2 and 28th in kickoff returns at 24.9. He returned both a punt and kickoff return for a touchdown last year.
Was named first-team All-WAC in 2001 as both a receiver and a return specialist.
Shattered the WAC record for all-purpose yardage in 2001 with 2,776 yards, the second highest total in NCAA history by a receiver.
Ranked 13th in the NCAA in receiving yards per game (97.7) and 31st in the nation in receptions per game (5.85) in 2001.
Averaged 17.5 yards per game every time he touched the ball last season.
Had 1,364 receiving yards, third most in Fresno State history and 13 touchdown receptions, second most all-time.


#90 Nick Burley, 6-4, 250, Senior, Defensive End, East Palo Alto, Calif. (Child and Family Studies)

Selected to participate in the 2003 Hula Bowl.
Named to the Lombardi Award Watch List.
Has earned three blackshirts in 2002 - against Wisconsin, San Diego State and Colorado State.
Rated the nation's 15th-best defensive end in the preseason by The Sporting News.
2001 first-team All-WAC selection.
Has 19 career sacks.
Has four fumble recoveries and one interception with a 27-yard return for touchdown.
Played all of last season with a cast on his left thumb, and is having to wear one again this year due to an unrelated injury.
Could have had three interceptions last season without the cast, but couldn't hold onto the ball.
The Bulldogs' defensive leader against San Diego State with nine tackles, one sack and one fumble recovery. He earned a blackshirt for his performance.
Is fourth on the team with 48 tackles and five sacks despite being double-teamed, and sometimes even triple-teamed, all year.


#31 Marc Dailey, 6-1, 230, Junior, Middle Linebacker, Fresno, Calif. (Criminology)

Started all 14 games at middle linebacker last season, recording 86 tackles, third most on the team.
2001 honorable mention All-WAC selection.
Earned a blackshirt for his 15-tackle performance against SMU. He was named WAC Defensive Player of the Week for the performance.
Missed the Oregon State and Rice games due to a personal emergency.


#1 Marque Davis, 6-0, 185, Junior, Receiver, Dos Palos, Calif. (Sociology) Pronounced: Markay

Had a monster game at Rice, catching six passes for a career-high 133 yards and one touchdown.
His 34 catches and 553 receiving yards are both team bests.
Is the only Bulldog to catch a pass in every game this year.
Fourth on the team in 2001 with 29 receptions for 368 yards and four touchdowns despite missing two games with an ankle injury suffered against Colorado State.
Has two 100-yard receiving games in the last five contests.
Four of his touchdowns have been in excess of 65 yards, the last coming against Boise State on Oct. 18.
Has one blocked punt and on another occasion tackled the punter before he could punt the ball in 2001.
Brother Rodney is the Bulldogs' starting running back.


#22 Rodney Davis, 5-9, 210, Junior, Running Back, Dos Palos, Calif. (Undeclared)

Leads the team in rushing yards (871), ranks fourth in the WAC and 41st in the nation in yards per game (96.8).
Had a career-high 201 yards and two touchdowns vs. SMU.
Racked up 140 yards last week in the loss to Hawai'i.
Has three 100-yard receiving games in 2002, including in two of the last three contests.
Caught 13 passes for 96 yards.
Brother Marque is the Bulldogs' starting wide receiver.


#39 Kendall Edwards, 5-11, 200, Junior, Cornerback, Riverside, Calif. (Chicano and Latino Studies)

Fresno State's top cornerback who suffered a torn ACL vs. San Diego State and will miss the season.


#7 Therrian Fontenot, 5-11, 180, Sophomore, Running Back, Lawndale, Calif. (Chicano and Latino Studies)

Fastest player on the team (4.3 in 40-yard dash) who can break a game open.
Had 266 yards and averaged 4.4 yards per carry last season in a limited role.
Returned to the lineup in a limited role against Oregon State, carrying the ball four times. He did catch a screen pass, which he turned into a 21-yard gain.


#15 Jeff Grady, 6-2, 200, Junior, Quarterback, Huntington Beach, Calif. (History)

Completed 21-of-42 passes for 238 yards three touchdowns and two interceptions in his first career start, which came in the opener at 23rd-ranked Wisconsin.
Suffered a bruised hip vs. Wisconsin and missed the San Diego State and Oregon games.
Returned to the starting role against Oregon State, going 15-of-36 for 191 yards, but sustained a hip pointer in his right hip midway through the game. He has served as the backup since.
Played in 10 games in his career before earning his first start vs. Wisconsin.
Honor student who will contend for academic awards.


#81 Alec Greco, 6-3, 230, Junior, Tight End, Auburn, Calif. (Entrepreneurship)

Possesion receiver who had a career-long 50-yard reception at Oregon.
Started 12 games last season and caught 24 passes for 214 yards and three touchdowns.
Started 26 games in his career, playing in all 33 games over the last three seasons.
Has scored seven touchdowns in his career.
Has 15 receptions for 198 yards and two touchdowns this season.


#18 Adam Jennings, 5-9, 185, Redshirt Freshman, Receiver, Granite Bay, Calif. (Undeclared)

Second on the team with 27 receptions for 227 yards.
Leads the team, ranks third in the WAC and 33rd in the NCAA in punt returns (12.5 per return).
Returned a punt 59 yards for a touchdown in the Bulldogs' victory over Colorado State.
Emerged as one of the team's top play-makers during spring drills, for which he earned the "Bulldog Award," presented to the player who turns in the best performance during the practices.


#74 Logan Mankins, 6-4, 305, Sophomore, Left Tackle, Catheys Valley, Calif. (AgriculturalEducation)

2001 first-team Freshman All-American.
Started every game at the critical left tackle position last year as a freshman and allowed just two sacks.
Played through the Sept. 21 contest at Oregon State despite battling the flu all week.
Has started 23 consecutive games at left tackle.


#5 Bryce McGill, 5-11, 210, Junior, Linebacker, Bakersfield, Calif. (Communication and Journalism)

Led the team with eight solo tackles vs. Wisconsin, plus forced a fumble and recovered a fumble.
Named the Special Teams MVP of the Silicon Valley Football Classic after blocking a punt.
Rated as the nation's 19th-best safety by The Sporting News, but has since moved to linebacker to help out at the injury-riddled position.
Has 15 career sacks, the last coming against Rice.
Has 47 tackles, fifth-most on the team, with eight tackles for loss and three sacks.
Lined up as a linebacker against Rice to stop its triple option attack. He had 13 tackles and one sack in his first experience at that position.
Is expected to remain at outside linebacker for the time being.


#72 Rodney Michael, 6-4, 305, Senior, Center, Tehachapi, Calif. (Sociology)

Named to the Outland Trophy watch list prior to the season.
Has already graduated and is working on his master's degree.
Rated as the 21st best center in the nation by The Sporting News.
Leads the offensive line that is rated as the nation's seventh-best unit byThe Sporting News.
A consensus preseason All-WAC selection.
Has started 46 games in his career, including 34 consecutive, the longest streak on the team.


#13 Paul Pinegar, 6-4, 215, Redshirt Freshman, Quarterback, Woodland, Calif. (Undeclared)

Earned his first start on 24 hours notice and guided Fresno State to a 16-14 win over San Diego State on Aug. 29. He completed 21-of-35 passes for 196 yards and one touchdown.
Was solid again at Oregon, going 16-of-36 with 201 yards and two touchdowns in a 28-24 loss.
Fresno State's first freshman starting quarterback since Trent Dilfer in the 1991 season.
Ranks fourth in the WAC and 49nd in the nation in passing efficiency at 130.2.
Has two 300-yard games this year, including a career-high 371-yard performance in a loss at Boise State, in which he also threw a career-high three touchdowns.
Played the entire Rice, Colorado State and SMU games without tossing an interception.


#30 Matt Rivera, 5-9, 195, Freshman, Running Back, Fresno, Calif. (undeclared)

A walk-on redshirt who earned a spot at running back through hard work and production.
Is the best blocking back on the team.
Is a threat to come out of the backfield, and he has caught 11 passes for 90 yards.


#23 James Sanders, 5-11, 190, Redshirt Freshman, Strong Safety, Porterville, Calif. (Undeclared)

Received his first career start vs. Rice and has started each game since.
One of the team's best looking freshmen, he is tied for second among Bulldogs with 55 tackles.
Picked off the first pass of his career at Oregon State.


#75 Joe Schey, 6-6, 330, Senior, Right Tackle, Diamond Bar, Calif. (Sociology)

Did not allow a quarterback sack all last season and has not allowed one in 24 consecutive games.
Had started 31 consecutive games before sitting out last week against Boise State with a sprained left knee. He is expected to return to the lineup this week against Hawai'i
Named to the Verizon Academic All-District second team in 2001.
Has a 3.27 grade point average and is on track to graduate in December.
A consensus preseason All-WAC selection and rated the 18th best tackle in the nation by The Sporting News.


#48 Jason Simpson, 6-1, 195, Senior, Punter, Garden Grove, Calif. (Administration-Leisure Studies)

Averaging 40.4 yards per punt, best in the conference.
Has placed 15 of his 52 punts inside the 20-yard line, including three inside the five last week.
First-team All-WAC in 2001 who is rated as the nation's ninth-best punter in the preseason by The Sporting News.
Entering his third year as the starting punter.
Averaged a WAC-best 43.5 yards per punt in 2001, 18th best in the NCAA
Placed 20 punts in 2001 inside the 20-yard line.


#91 Jason Stewart, 6-1, 285, Senior, Nose Tackle, Bakersfield, Calif. (Sociology)

Entering his third season as a starter and is tied for second on the team in tackles with 55.
Honorable mention All-WAC in 2001.
His tackle total is third-best on the team. He has also racked up seven tackles for loss.


#67 Fitu Tu'ua, 6-5, 325, Junior, Left Guard, Oceanside, Calif. (Criminology)

Second-team All-WAC selection in 2001.
Started 23 games in his career, including 19 of the last 20.
Selected preseason All-WAC by several publications.


#29 Raymond Washington, 6-0, 191, Reshirt Freshman, Cornerback, Long Beach, Calif. (Undeclared)

With the injury to Kendall Edwards, Washington should see more time at cornerback.
Blocked a 31-yard field goal attempt as time expired vs. San Diego State to preserve a win for Fresno State.
WAC Special Teams Player of the Week after his heroics in the San Diego State game.


#40 Sam Williams, 6-5, 245, Senior, Outside Linebacker, Clayton, Calif. (Sociology)

Missed three games after an injury during the Oregon State game but returned against Boise State.
Second-year starter who was selected defensive team captain.
Emerged late last season and earned honorable mention All-WAC honors despite only starting the last seven games.
Has 39 tackles and was the team leader at the time of his injury.


#24 Cameron Worrell, 5-11, 205, Senior, Free Safety, Chowchilla, Calif. (undeclared)

Earned his first blackshirt after getting eight tackles, forcing a fumble, getting a tackle for a loss and a sack against Wisconsin.
A walk-on to the team who earned a scholarship in 2001 and earned the starting spot at free safety.
Has four career interceptions, the last coming against No. 22 Colorado State on Oct. 4.
Leads the team in tackles with 75, pass breakups with five and interceptions with three.

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