Fresno State Athletics
'Dogs Get Boost At Quarterback From Pinegar
7/15/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
July 15, 2005
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FRESNO, Calif.- Never in Fresno State history has so much been said or written about a team that has yet to play a game. The reason for the hype heading into the 2005 season lies among the 19 returning starters from a team that won its last five games in overwhelming style and then claimed a thrilling bowl victory in overtime.
The Bulldogs closed out the 2004 season by averaging over 52 points over the final six games of the season and capped that run with a win over No. 18 Virginia in the MPC Computers Bowl.
Back from the that offense are nine starters, including a record-setting quarterback, four of five starters on the line and a trio of running backs who have amassed more than 4,000 yards and 40 career touchdowns.
As if that wasn't enough, the Bulldog defense returns eight starters from a unit that led the WAC in nearly every statistical category, including total defense and scoring defense. Despite playing in the high-octane, pass-happy WAC, the Bulldogs were the only team in the league to allow less than 20 points per game and ranked fourth nationally in pass efficiency defense. The Bulldogs gave up just nine touchdown passes the entire season.
 | The following feature is the first of a weekly position breakdown of the Fresno State football team. Each Friday, a new position will be highlighted, leading up until the start of the 2005 football season. This Week: Quarterbacks |
All of this excitement and optimism is compounded with a challenging schedule that includes games against three teams that won 2004 conference championships, including the two-time defending national champion USC Trojans, which are expected to begin the 2005 campaign ranked No. 1.
"There's noting wrong with having high expectations," said head coach Pat Hill. "We like the fact that people think we are going to be good. It has taken some time for us to get the level where people think we are going to be good year in and year out. That's a sign that the program is reaching a level that we want. We have some very good players coming back and some really good leaders back as well. I feel really good about this team. They showed a lot of maturity and stability during spring drills and I expect that to continue when we report to camp prior to the season."
Quarterback
Starters Returning/Lost: 1/0Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 1/0Fresno State is fortunate to have a three-year starter returning at quarterback for the 2005 season. As a starting quarterback, Paul Pinegar can best be described a "winner." He has won 75 percent of the games he's started, second only to Mark Barsotti in school history. By guiding the Bulldogs to a win over No. 18 Virginia in the MPC Computer Bowl, he became just the seventh quarterback in NCAA history to lead a team to three consecutive bowl victories.
Should he do it again in 2005, he would be the only player ever to win four bowl games. In addition to winning, he has put up some eye-popping statistics. His 54 career touchdowns equals Kevin Sweeney's total heading into his senior season. If he reaches his three-year average of 2,267 yards in 2005, he will become just the second Bulldog in history to pass for more than 9,000 career yards. That would rank him among the top 50 passing yardage leaders in NCAA history.
Pinegar is bigger, stronger and faster than ever heading into his senior season and he showed off his great touch and leadership in the Bulldogs' dramatic come-from-behind victory over Virginia in the MPC Computer Bowl. He was selected the game MVP after throwing a bowl-record five touchdown passes. Hill expects Pinegar's leadership qualities to take the team a long way.
"Paul is a proven winner," Hill said. "He will be the key for us this season, no doubt about it. Paul has won a lot of big-time games for us. He's beaten Georgia Tech, UCLA and Virginia, and he's won in hostile environments like Washington and Kansas State. He won't be rattled. He's a leader and a winner."
Backing up Pinegar will be a talented redshirt freshman Tom Brandstater and junior Jordan Christensen.
