Fresno State Athletics
Bulldog Football Covered Weekly In The Dog Zone
6/26/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Fresno State fans are encouraged to tune into the 1430 ESPN Dog Zone show, which will air every Friday throughout the summer from 4-6 p.m.
Anything and everything related to Fresno State athletics will be discussed and fans also have an opportunity to voice their opinion during the show.
Additionally, the final segment of the show features Director of Athletics Thomas Boeh in the Bulldog Business Report. Starting at 5:30 p.m., Boeh and host Paul Swearengin tackle a variety of significant topics in today's ever-changing world of intercollegiate athletics. Boeh will also take questions from listeners during the show.
Archived Bulldog Business Report segments are included as part of the All-Access menu on the following page:
Junior kicker Clint Stitser appeared as a guest on the June 23 Dog Zone show. Stitser, who suffered a freak injury midway through last season after being touted as a Lou Groza Award candidate, is healthy and ready to return for 2006. A busy man this summer, Stitser has shattered all of the Fresno State strength benchmarks for specialists, owning a bench press of 380 pounds and he can squat 500 pounds.
In addition to attending summer school, lifting weights and kicking hundreds of balls in practice, he is also serving an internship in his major, business, working in the private client financial services division for Wells Fargo. Already perfect in the classroom with a 4.0 GPA in the Craig School of Business, Stitser is preparing for what lies ahead in the 2006 season.
The following responses are from Stitser's interview:
How's the injury coming along?
Clint Stitser: "I'm 100% and ready to go. I started kicking at full strength at the end of May and right now I have all of my strength back. It's been a long, hard process, but I feel really good right now. I'm as strong as ever."
You've had some ups and downs at Fresno State. After sitting for two years, then getting your chance to play, only to return to the sidelines, what was going through your mind?
CS: "I'm a football player and I wanted to be out to help my team win. I first thought it was a pulled muscle, but after a couple weeks I couldn't even kick a Nerf ball, so we did some more tests and the MRI said it was more serious than we thought. I knew then it would be a long road back. Then I had to just help (Kyle) Zimmerman get ready to play. It was hard because I've worked hard to get myself ready. There are some things you can control and things you can't. In football, you can never control getting hurt. It was a freak accident. All I could control was getting healthy and ready for this season."
Why is there a perception that kickers are not "real" football players?
CS: "I don't know. That gets old. I'm a football player and my coaches and teammates treat me like anyone else on the team. I like to hit people. I like to play football. That's why I came to college. If I wasn't a kicker, I'd be playing another position in college football."
What are your expectations for this season?
CS: "We are very hungry, I can tell you that. Losing at Nevada was a killer, not only for me personally because I'm from Reno, but for our team. We have a lot to prove to a lot of people. We are working really hard and I can't wait until we play Nevada again. We get them at home on national television. It should be a great game and it's a great way for us to start the season. We have great schedule; Nevada and Oregon to start the year at home is tremendous. I've heard great things about the fans and all the crazy tailgating at LSU, so I'm looking forward to that. That's one thing as a player that we actually get to see when we arrive at a visiting stadium, we get to the see the fans tailgating and have a good time. That adds to the excitement of the game and the atmosphere. It gets you ready to play."
What do you think about playing at Bulldog Stadium?
CS: "Coming down the ramp before the game is awesome. It's a great experience. That's why I decided to come to Fresno State, because of the fans and interest in the program. Our fans are great and so loud and supportive and it makes for a great home field advantage."
Did you surprise yourself with how well you kicked last season?
CS: "I've always been confident in my abilities. I think any kicker, or any player for that matter, has to be. I missed some kicks I should have made. I always think I should make every one. That's my job. It would have been nice to finish the year strong and been able to help the team. That was a bad situation, sitting on the sideline and not being able to help. I'm looking forward to this year. I want to stay healthy and finish the season strong."
You obviously have a strong leg. What's the longest field goal you've ever kicked?
CS: "I kicked a 57-yard field goal in high school. That's the longest in a game. In practice under pressure I've hit from about 64-yards. I feel confident in my ability to kick long field goals."
- Editor's Note: Stister's 57-yard field goal is a Nevada state record and was made in a snow storm in the final seconds to win a state playoff game.
After going through your internship this summer, are you anxious to start working in the financial sector?
CS: "I'd like to kick footballs for a living first. After that, we'll see what happens. It's been a great experience...a learning experience. This has been a really busy summer, with workouts, going to summer school and the internship. I'm looking forward to school starting in the fall and things will return to normal."
Join the State - Fresno State! Get tickets online 24/7 at www.gobulldogs.com or by calling the Bulldog Ticket Office (559-278-DOGS), Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Ticket Office is located at the south entrance of the stadium off Bulldog Lane. Fresno State's 2006 home schedule- which kicks off Sept. 1 against Nevada- features opponents such as Oregon, Colorado State, Hawai'i, New Mexico State and Idaho.
