Fresno State Athletics
National Media Experts Like the Bulldogs in 2005
5/24/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
May 24, 2005
FRESNO, Calif. - With 109 days until the kickoff to the 2005 Bulldog football season, the majority of the nation's media believe Fresno State will be one of the nation's top programs.
Three organizations have the Bulldogs ranked in the Top 20 and nearly every major media organization that offers preseason rankings has the Bulldogs ranked in the Top 30.
CBS Sportsline.com and Sports Illustrated's web site SI.com has the Dogs ranked No. 15 in its preseason poll. Pat Forde of ESPN.com ranked Fresno State No. 19. The Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll will not be released until August.
The reason for the optimism lies in the 17 returning starters from a team that won its final six games of the 2004 season, defeated No. 18 Virginia in the MPC Computer Bowl, and was ranked No. 22 in the final ESPN/USA Today Coaches and Associated Press polls.
The Bulldogs were 9-3 last season and averaged over 40 points per game, which ranked fifth-best in the nation. Fresno State's offense, which returns nine starting players, including record-setting quarterback Paul Pinegar, averaged over 52 points per game during the second half of the 2004 season.
Fresno State's offensive backfield (quarterbacks, running backs) is ranked as the seventh-best unit in the nation by The Sporting News. The Bulldog backfield trio has rushed for more than 4,000 yards and 40 career touchdowns. Bryson Sumlin, a 2004 second-team All-WAC selection, is the WAC's top returning rusher. Wendell Mathis, who was 5 yard shy of 1,000 yards last season, led the WAC with 6.9 yards per carry. Junior Dwayne Wright was a second-team All-WAC selection in 2003 after gaining more than 1,000 yards. Wright suffered an injury in Fresno State's 45-21 win over No. 13 Kansas State last year and is recovering from knee surgery.
Pinegar has won 75 percent of the games he's started in his career, which ranks second only to Mark Barsotti, who had an amazing record of 35-5-1 from 1988-91. Pinegar is well within reach of the school record for touchdown passes of 70 set by David Carr (1997-01). In his career, Pinegar has thrown for 6,801 yards and 54 touchdowns. At his current average, he would become just the second player in school history to throw for more than 9,000 yards in his career.
Pinegar will be featured on the cover of Athlon's Sports College Football Western preview, which will arrive to newsstands and bookstores in a couple of weeks. He was rated as the third-best senior quarterback prospect by NFL draft guru Mel Kiper Jr.
The Bulldog offensive line, which returns four of five starters, is rated No. 10. Led by junior All-America candidate Kyle Young, the Bulldog offensive line led an offense that average more than 40 points and 400 yards per game last season. Other key returning starters include senior Dartangon Shack, who replaces All-American Logan Mankins at left tackle for the second time in his career. Shack was a second-team All-WAC performer at left tackle in 2003. Ryan Wendell, who became just the second offensive lineman in WAC history to be named the league's freshman of the year, returns, as does two-year starter Chris Denman at right tackle.
Several other Bulldogs are getting some individual preseason national attention.
All-WAC defensive tackle Garrett McIntyre has been selected second-team preseason All-America by The Sporting News and rated as the nation's fourth-best defensive tackle. He is rated as the 69th best player in the nation regardless of position by ESPN.com.
McIntyre has also been tabbed the preseason WAC defensive player of the year by many magazines. McIntyre was named to the Lombardi Award Watch list for 2005. He is one of four WAC players named to the Academic All-WAC and first-team All-WAC teams.
Young is ranked the nation's sixth-best center and named to the Remington Award Watch List for the second straight year. The Remington Award is presented annually to the nation's top center.
Junior cornerback Richard Marshall is ranked as the eight-best cornerback by The Sporting News.
"It's great that our team and players are getting some well-deserved attention this early," said head coach Pat Hill. "They have worked very hard and represented themselves, their university and the Valley with great pride and class. They are continuing to excel in the classroom and as citizens in our community. We are looking forward to a great season. We have another tough and challenging schedule, but we wouldn't want it any other way."
The Bulldogs began their summer condition program Monday and will continue until fall football training camp starts in August. Season tickets for the 2005 season, including Family Value Plans, are available at the Bulldog Ticket Office at (559) 278-DOGS or online at www.gobulldogs.com.
