WAC Media Preview in Review

July 30, 2009

SALT LAKE CITY - The 2009 WAC Football Media Preview ended Thursday afternoon and after the league commissioner, nine head coaches and over 20 student-athletes finished conducting numerous interviews, they were headed home a for a few days rest before teams report to fall camp next week.

For the Fresno State Bulldogs that day is Wednesday, August 5, when the players will report and begin their orientation, meeting and completing necessary paperwork. The team will have its first practice on Thursday, August 6. Fresno State will hold its media day on Friday, August 7.

Here are some of the highlights to come out of the 2009 WAC Media Preview:

One of the NCAA rules changes for the 2009 season will be in how the penalties for flagrant personal fouls are administered. Starting this year, there will a video review by the WAC office each Monday of any flagrant fouls called the preview games and the league office may issue further penalties in the form of a suspension if necessary. "College football is a violent game and we have to do what we can to protect the safety of the players," said WAC Commissioner Karl Benson. "We don't want to be the NFL Monday morning committee that doles out fines, but with the number of severe injuries that happen, we will work to keep a safe environment."

Head coach Pat Hill is genuinely excited about the new offensive schemes and formations his team is expecting to run this season because of the offensive weapons, including three speedy quarterbacks. "We've never had speed like we have now at the quarterback position. This gives us great flexibility and options. You are going to see some new formations and sets because of the depth we have at running back and receiver. We are going to be able to run some things that we've never been able to do before. It's not like we going to a `spread offense', but are going to best use the talents of our players and this year we have some players who can bring some new dimensions to our team, so there will be some option and spread packages that will be fun. In Ebahn Feathers we have a guy who can run a sub-4.4 40 yard dash at 215 pounds. He's an exciting, exciting player. We've never had that dimension at quarterback before. Ryan Colburn is 235 pounds and he runs better than any quarterback we've had in a long time. He likes to run power, like what Florida does with Tim Tebow. Derek Carr runs well, too, and in his final scrimmage he completed 17 of 18 passes. We have a lot of talented receivers and running backs who are versatile and if they stay healthy, there are going to be a lot of different looks and formations. We will be getting them the ball. I'm very excited about the skill level of this offense. If we stay healthy, we will be very exciting and explosive." Hill also praised his team for hard work in the off season, improving the team's overall speed and becoming more lean. Hill calls this the fastest team he's ever had.

Moses Harris and Marlon Moore spent time with other WAC players and were interested to see how their teams plan and prepare. One school only held three team meetings all last year, which was shocking to Harris, who said the Bulldogs have a team meeting almost every day. One of the WAC teams does not have a weekly scripted offensive "game plan".

The Bulldogs will be logging nearly 15,000 miles in their first three road games (Wisconsin, Cincinnati and Hawaii). By the end of the season, no other mainland WAC team will travel as many miles (over 23,000). The Dogs conclude the season with a road game at Illinois on Dec. 5.

Moses Harris on his desire to win the WAC: "I'm a senior and I don't want leave Fresno State without a WAC championship. We've pushed and pushed and pushed and just come up short. We don't want to come up short this year. Getting picked third (in the WAC preseason polls) is a good motivation for us. We want to prove people wrong."

When Fresno State announced its intentions to stop printing media guides in February, many schools, including almost half of the WAC school, joined the trend. WAC schools no longer printing media guides are: Boise State, Idaho, Nevada and New Mexico State. In addition, Michigan, Ohio State and Wisconsin also recently announced the decision to no longer print media guides.

New Mexico State will have a new helmet for the 2009 season. Instead of the white helmet with maroon stripe and the maroon Aggies script on the side, the team will don a maroon helmet with NM State in block lettering on each side. Boise State will wear new look uniforms Nike uniforms.

Hill on chemistry and leadership: "I'm very happy with where we are from a chemistry and leadership stand point. Other than talent, those are two of the most important things to make a good football team. When guys believe in one another and are accountable that goes a long way. We came out of the spring with great chemistry. We are looking forward to next week and getting started."

Fresno State's non-conference schedule appears the toughest of any WAC team on paper, with three long road trips to three BCS conference schools, including a trip to defending Big East Champion Cincinnati. Here's a look at the other WAC schools' non-conference schedules:
Boise State: Oregon, Miami (Ohio), at Bowling Green, UC-Davis
Hawaii: Central Arkansas, at Washington State (game played in Seattle), at UNLV, Navy, Wisconsin
Idaho: at Washington, San Diego State, at Northern Illinois, Colorado State
La Tech: at Auburn, at Navy, Nicholls State, at LSU
Nevada: at Notre Dame, at Colorado State, Missouri, UNLV
New Mexico State: Prairie View A&M, UTEP, at New Mexico, at San Diego State
San Jose State: at USC, Utah, at Stanford, Cal Poly
Utah State: at Utah, at Texas A&M, Southern Utah, at BYU

Best Quote: "I can't imagine going up to Coach Hill when I'm tired at practice and asking him to blow the whistle and call everybody up," Bulldog receiver Marlon Moore, when learning from one the WAC players that it was his job during practiced to tell his head coach when the team was ready for practice to end.

There are a variety of excellent ticketing plans for the 2009 season, including:

Premium Seating (contact the Bulldog Foundation Office: (559) 244-5600 for details)
Public Season Tickets for as low as $160
Family Plans for $320 (includes four season tickets)
$89 Mini-plan (Boise State game and any two other home games)
$99 New Alumni Season Ticket Plan (available for Fresno State graduates from 2005-2009)

We are Your Team! For season tickets, mini-plans or premium seating for the exciting 2009 Fresno State football season, click on the tickets icon at the top of this page.

Fresno State Athletics

WAC Media Preview in Review

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Players Mentioned

Ryan Colburn

Ebahn Feathers

Moses Harris

Marlon Moore

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