Fresno State Athletics
Special Teams Should Be Solid Once Again For 'Dogs
8/26/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 22, 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 continues 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. |
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 nothing 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."
Special Teams
Starters Returning/Lost: 1/1Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 1/1While the Bulldogs lost the services of All-WAC kicker Brett Visintainer, the pattern of special teams guru John Baxter has been to reload All-WAC specialty players with All-WAC caliber replacements.
Clint Stitser is expected to be the next in a long line of excellent Bulldog kickers. After a storied high school career, Stitser has patiently waited for his opportunity while working hard in the weight room and classroom. He carries a perfect 4.0 GPA and has shattered some Bulldog strength records for a kicker.
Punter Mike Lingua returns for his third season as the starting punter. Despite the nickname "Leg" for his power, Lingua has been most effective with his placement and the accuracy of his punts. He averaged less than 37 yards per punt in 2004, but his hang time and accuracy allowed the Bulldogs to hold teams with very short returns. Fresno State's opponents had just 27 total yards in punt returns during the regular season and averaged 2.7 yards per return, the fewest allowed in the entire nation.
Fresno State needs to replace long snapper Duncan Reid, who was flawless last season. The leading contender is walk-on Ken Amendola.
