Fresno State Athletics
Bulldog Spring Game on ESPNU
4/1/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
April 1, 2005
FRESNO, Calif. - The Fresno State football program will be getting some unprecedented national exposure during the spring after reaching an agreement with ESPN to show the annual Spring Game, held at Bulldog Stadium on April 8. The game is open to the general public at no charge and has been moved to 7 p.m. ESPNU will show the game via tape delay on Saturday, April 9, at 1 p.m. PT.
"We are very pleased to work with ESPN to obtain this type of national exposure for the university," said Associate Athletics Director Randy Welniak, who oversees the Bulldog football program. "Fresno State is one of the selected programs to have its spring game as a national television showcase. There's no doubt that the tremendous 2004 season and win over Virginia in the MPC Computers Bowl has a lot of people talking about the Bulldogs heading into the 2005 season."
Fresno State won the final six games of the 2004 season, including an exciting 37-34 overtime win over No. 18 Virginia in the MPC Computers Bowl. In that six-game stretch, Fresno State's average margin of victory was 33.8 points per game. The Bulldogs were ranked No. 22 in the final collegiate football polls.
"This is a great opportunity to show the nation what kind of football team we will have in 2005," said head coach Pat Hill, who welcomes back 45 lettermen and 17 starters from last season's squad. "I think we will have a great team with a lot of great players coming back. I hope the community to come out to the Spring Game next Friday and show the nation what great fans we have in our Red Wave."
It is expected Fresno State will begin the 2005 season ranked in the Top 25. ESPN's initial poll had the Bulldogs ranked No. 15 heading into next season.
Craig Coshun and former Seattle Seahawks quartertback Kelly Stouffer will be the ESPNU announcers for the Spring Game.
Several key players are returning for Fresno State, including Paul Pinegar, a three-year starter at quarterback. Pinegar was named the MVP of the MPC Computers Bowl after throwing for a bowl record five touchdown passes. He enters his senior season ranked in the Fresno State record books in the top five in passing yards (6,801) and touchdown passes (54).
The Bulldog offense, which returns nine starters, ranked No. 4 in the nation last season in scoring offense averaging over 40 points per game. Leading the charge will be the rushing trio of Bryson Sumlin, Wendell Mathis and Dwayne Wright. They have combined to rush for more than 4,000 career yards and nearly 60 touchdowns for Fresno State. The Bulldogs will return four of five starting offensive linemen, led by second-team All-WAC performers Kyle Young and Dartangon Shack and guard Ryan Wendell, a 2004 Freshman All-American and WAC Co-Freshman of the Year.
On defense, Fresno State welcomes back first-team All-WAC defensive tackle Garrett McIntyre, who should be the leading candidate for WAC Defensive Player of the Year. McIntyre has 18 career sacks and 30 tackles for losses. McIntyre is one of seven defensive starters returning to the team, that also includes cornerback Richard Marshall, a second-team All-WAC choice in 2004 and leading tackler Dwayne Andrews, a junior who earned honorable mention All-WAC honors in 2004.
The Bulldog special teams will be bolstered with the return of two-year starter Mike Lingua at punter and talented Clint Stitser, who saw limited action last season.
Fresno States 2005 schedule will once again be challenging, as the Bulldogs have road games at Oregon and two-time defending national champion USC. Fresno State's non-conference scheduled includes home games against Weber State Sept. 10 in the season opener and against defending MAC Champion Toledo, Sept. 27, at Bulldog Stadium.
The Bulldogs will also host three-time WAC champion Boise State on Nov. 12 and Louisiana Tech, one of the teams to beat Fresno State in 2004, on Dec. 3.
Fresno State will hold a scrimmage Saturday, April 2, at Central Valley Christian High School in Visalia beginning at noon. That scrimmage is free of charge and open to the public.
Tickets for the 2005 season are available at the Bulldog Ticket Office (559) 278-DOGS or on-line at www.gobulldogs.com.
