Fresno State Athletics
2022 Position Spotlight: Quarterbacks
8/25/2022 4:24:00 PM | Football
QUARTERBACKS OUTLOOK
This is the position to watch as 2022 Mountain West Preseason Offensive Player of the Year Jake Haener is reunited with "Quarterback Whisperer" Jeff Tedford.Â
Haener looks to solidify his name in the Fresno State record books and put his name on the radar for the 2023 NFL Draft in his final college season, and Tedford has a habit of producing NFL quarterbacks. It sounds like a match made in heaven.Â
In addition to Haener, the QB room returns two and adds three.Â
Who's back: Haener returns for his third season as the Bulldogs' starting quarterback. He started all 13 games and threw for 4,096 yards to lead the team to 10 wins for the first time since 2018. He was the first Bulldog quarterback to eclipse 4,000 yards since Derek Carr, and Haener's single-season yards and touchdowns ranked fourth-best in the record books.Â
The Danville native has earned a lot of preseason hype. In addition to being named the MW Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, he was also named to the Davey O'Brien Award watch list, Maxwell Award watch list, Manning Award watch list, Golden Aem Award watch list, Reese's Senior Bowl watch list and the Walter Camp Player of the Year watch list.Â
Additional Returners: Logan Fife, Jaylen HendersonÂ
Who's new: Fresno State added a pair of division I transfers and a freshman to the room.Â
Matt Robinson, originally from Southern California, returns to the Golden State after playing the past four seasons at Illinois. He saw action in nine games and recorded one start. With two years of eligibility and Big 10 experience, Robinson could be a contender for the back-up position.Â
Alec Trujillo returns home to the Valley after spending two seasons at San Jose State and last season at Iowa Central Community College. Trujillo is San Joaquin Memorial's all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns, touting a three-star pedigree out of high school. He joined the program in December, reuniting with former high school teammates Josh Kelly and Mac Dalena.Â
Joshua Wood is the only true freshman in the group. He was the No.11 ranked recruit from the state of Washington. Wood was a three-year varsity starter at Graham-Kapowsin High School. He led his squad to an undefeated 14-0 season and a state championship his senior year. Graham-Kapowsin finished the 2021 season as the No. 3 high school football team in the country. Although Wood could redshirt this season, he has been turning heads in fall camp.
What to watch: Haener could put together one of the best seasons in school history, and the Bulldogs have a lot of great ones from Kevin Sweeney to Trent Dilfer, Billy Volek, David Carr, Paul Pinegar, Tom Brandstater, Ryan Colburn, Derek Carr and Marcus McMaryion.Haener in his first 19 career games at Fresno State is averaging 321.9 passing yards and if he maintains that pace over a 13-game season he would become the fourth quarterback in school history to surpass 10,000 career yards and he will do it in considerably fewer games than Derek Carr (12,842 yards in 44 games), Sweeney (10,808 in 45) or Pinegar (10,136 in 49).
"Fresno State Athletics - For The V: The Central Valley" - Bulldog student-athletes, coaches, and staff proudly wear the "Green V" to show their pride in representing the Central Valley. Stories of why the Bulldogs play for the "Green V" will be shared throughout the next year with #ForTheV. To become a Bulldog Foundation member or join "The Green V Society," please visit bulldogfoundation.org.Â
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