Fresno State Athletics
Wide Receivers Steal the Show
8/13/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 13, 2011
FRESNO, Calif. - The Fresno State football team opened its practice facility for the first scrimmage of the 2011 season. The Bulldogs wide receivers put on quite the show for a couple hundred fans Saturday night.
Quarterback Derek Carr marched the first string offense down the field to start the scrimmage. He found Austin Raphael and J.J. Stallworth for big gains in the air before handing the ball off to junior Robbie Rouse for the first touchdown of the evening.
"The wide receivers played really well tonight," said Carr. "Fans should expect big plays and good things to come from the wide outs. We have a lot of speed on offense and have high expectations for ourselves."
Carr connected with six different wide receivers throughout the hour and half scrimmage. The excitement grew from the crowd and receivers with each catch.
Redshirt senior Devon Wylie grabbed a 16-yard pass from Carr with one hand on the sideline. Carr also connected with A.J. Ellis for 22 yards and junior Milton Knox carried the ball for three yards for the ensuing touchdown.
Freshman Josh Harper dazzled the crowd with huge catches from Carr and Greg Watson. Harper snatched the ball out of seemingly thin air from Watson for a 17-yard gain.
"Those young guys and walk-ons played really well tonight," said head coach Pat Hill. "Josh Harper obviously stood out with his size, strength and great hands. He is an outstanding player. Tonight was very basic stuff for us and we are going to work hard on the passing game next week."
Senior kicker Kevin Goessling showcased his talents to the crowd as he made some impressive field goals. Goessling made field goals from 46-yards and 47-yards.
Junior Beau Fryer had the lone interception of the night for the defense. The Bulldogs defense combined for two fumble recoveries and three broken up passes.
The `Dogs continue fall camp through Aug. 21. The remainder of the preseason camp is closed to the public.
The `Dogs kickoff the 2011 season against Cal at Candlestick Park on Sept. 3. Tickets are still on sale for the season opener. Call 278-DOGS or log on to gobulldogs.com for tickets.
Fans can buy season, mini-plans and single game football tickets at www.gobulldogs.com, by calling 559-278-3647 or visiting the Bulldog Ticket Office at Bulldog Stadium.
"We Are You Team!" - The Fresno State Bulldogs open their 2011 season against the California Golden Bears at Candlestick Park in San Francisco on Sept. 3, 2011. Tickets are available through the Bulldog Ticket Office by calling 559-278-3647 or visiting www.gobulldogs.com. You can always stay connected with Fresno State Athletics on Facebook and Twitter (@FSAthletics).
