SB Nation - Ben Jacobs

Bowl Games Gameday Thread: Saturday, December 19th, 2009

Drew K — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:30:15 -0000

Let me begin by introducing myself and just give a brief history of my interest in college football. I began watching football in general at a very young age and my passion for the sport has just increased more and more as the years have gone by. I did not start paying very close attention to college football, religiously like I do now, until I was a freshman in college, but had always watched games here and there since I was a teenager. I went to school at a private University in Oklahoma not too far from Norman and naturally found myself rooting for the OU Sooners being that my school did not have a football team of it's own. I still have a lot to learn about the sport as the game is constantly evolving. I believe that one can never know enough about something and there is always something new to learn. My role on this site will be to continue posting the offseason discussions for Niners Nation and to help carry us through the bowl season in looking at some of the key players that will be playing in these games. The main objective I think is to provide more insight for those that don't follow as regularly and give a more clear picture as to who we should be looking at for now and for the future. This will help in the process of scouting and preparing for the 2010 NFL Draft.

Bowl Season for college football has approached us as quickly as the year has passed us by. The first set of Bowl Games kick off with two games beginning today. The first of the two begin with The New Mexico Bowl which will be played at University Stadium in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The second of the two will be The St. Petersburg Bowl, which will be played at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. The two teams that will match-up in the New Mexico Bowl are going to be the Fresno State Bulldogs (8-4, 6-2 WAC) vs the Wyoming Cowboys (6-6, 4-4 MWC). The two teams facing off in the St. Petersburg Bowl will be the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (8-4, 3-4 Big East) vs the UCF Golden Knights (8-4, 6-2 C-USA). Both of these games will be broadcast on ESPN. Further down I will be analyzing the games in a little more depth with some of the key players in each game to watch, as well as some of the key stats on both sides.

FRESNO STATE BULLDOGS VS. WYOMING COWBOYS

UCF GOLDEN KNIGHTS VS. RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS

Now that we have that out of the way we can focus in on the games.

NEW MEXICO BOWL GAME PREVIEW:

The Bulldogs finished in third place of the WAC with an overall record of 8-4 and were 6-2 in the conference. In their second appearance of The New Mexico Bowl, the Bulldogs look to be favored in this one against the Cowboys. This will be Fresno State's third straight bowl game and the eighth postseason game in the last decade.

Key players to watch for the Bulldogs:

Ryan Mathews RB (Junior):

Mathews led the nation in rushing yards per game, topping Heisman Trophy finalists Toby Gerhart (Stanford) and Mark Ingram (Alabama) with 151.3 yards per game. Mathews averaged 6.8 yards per carry and scored 17 touchdowns on the season. Before a mid season concussion Mathews led the nation in rushing yards as well.

Ryan Colburn QB (Junior):

Ryan Colburn has the skill-set to be an amazing QB. Colburn’s size will be a positive attribute as he can sit in the pocket and take a hit. If pressured, Colburn has the ability to take off and scramble; he has no problem lowering the shoulder to plow into a defender.

Seyi Aijirotutu WR (Senior):

Has emerged as a big-play threat and will contend for All-WAC honors as a senior. Seyiis a great athlete with range and ability to stretch a defense. He can go up and get the deep passes and is coming off his best season as a Bulldog averaging 16.9 yards per reception in his career.

Ben Jacobs LB (Junior):

7.7 Tackles a game Jacobs leads the defense coming in to this one. Jacobs flies to the ball on every snap and should be fun to watch today.

Chris Carter DL (Junior):

One of the top returning defensive players in the WAC ... coming off a season in which he split time at linebacker and finished the year as a defensive end ... earned Second-Team All-WAC honors at end ... an explosive player who puts great pressure on offensive tackles

Kevin Goessling K (Sophomore):

Probably one of the single most accurate kickers in college football right now. I would not be surprised at all if I saw Goessling playing on Sundays someday soon.

Led by Coach:

Pat Hill (76-51-0 11th year)

The Wyoming Cowboy's finished the season the same way they started it...at .500. They went 6-6 overall and 4-4 in the MWC which placed them 5th overall. This will mark the first time since 2004 that the Cowboys have been involved in a bowl game.

Key players to watch for the Cowboys:

Austyn Carta-Samuels QB (Freshman):

Carta-Samuels led the Wyoming offense to three fourth-quarter touchdowns and a total of 24 fourth-quarter points as the Cowboys came back from a 21-point deficit to win on the road at San Diego State. He is mobile out of the pocket and make plays when he is forced to.

David Leonard WR (Junior):

A tall possession receiver, Leonard can go above the defensive secondaries to get the ball. He made the 2009 All-Mountain West Team and I look for him to be the primary target for Carta-Samuels in this match-up.

Fred Givens DL (Senior):

Givens lost his starting job before the season started, but has won that job back for good reason. He will be the guy in the middle that will be key in shutting down Mathews and the Bulldogs rush game. Short and stout he should be able to create some push in the middle.

Mitch Unrein DE (Senior):

Unrein is perhaps the one player in the league who is flying under the radar and will have a chance to become a household name for those watching this weekend if he can play the way he has all year.

Led by Coach:

Dave Christensen (1st year HC)

Kickoff time and networks:

Time: 4:30 PM ET/ 1:30 PM PST

Television:ESPN & ESPN-HD

Radio: ESPN Radio

Satellite: Sirius

Past Winners:

December 20th, 2008-- Colorado State- 40, Fresno State 35

December 21st, 2007-- New Mexico- 23, Nevada 0

December 23rd, 2006-- San Jose State 20, New Mexico 12

ST. PETERSBURG BOWL GAME PREVIEW:

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights finished the reglarseason with an (8-4, 3-4 Big East) record. Rutgers had been regarded as one of the worst teams in Division I-A in the last couple decades, posting several losing seasons in a row and raising discussion of possibly reducing the team to Division I-AA competition up until now. This will be a good opportunity for the Scarlet Knights to prove that they belong still in Division I-A.

Key players to watch for the Scarlet Knights:

Tim Brown WR (Senior):

You have to appreciate the name although I don't think there is any relation to thee Tim Brown. Brown happened to be the best friend of UConn's Jasper Howard (the player who was murdered earlier in the season on campus). Brown is a bit small but an explosive quick player. Brown is only the 4th player in Rutgers history to record 1000+ yards receiving. Kenny Britt the only other notable player to accomplish this out of the other three.

Joe Martinek RB (Junior):

Besides Brown, Martinek is probably the next best thing the Scarlet Knights have going for them on offense. The 6'0 215 LB. Junior RB has 1300+ career rushing yards and 13 career TD's. He will need to be a big contributor in this game to give Rutgers a chance in this one.

Anthony Davis OT (Junior):

Davis is a big mobile Tackle and as far as the Niners are concerned, we should all be keeping an eye on this one. On my original list before some of the others climbed the board for me, Davis was in my top five. He has fallen off the radar a bit, but it will be interesting to see how well he does against the Golden Knights. He is projected by some to now go in the 2nd round of the 2010 NFL Draft. 6'6" 325 Lbs.

Kevin Haslam OG (Senior):

Great at run blocking Haslam stands 6'7" and weighs 300 Lbs. Get's off the snap fast and pulls really well. Again, another interesting possibility we should keep an eye out for in this matchup.

Ryan D’Imperio, Rutgers ILB (Senior):

D'Imperio will be the anchor of this defense in this one serving as one of the team captain's. Earlier in his career, the now Senior, had to have several surgeries to repair a severe leg injury. As a junior last season, the veteran middle linebacker started all 13 games and ranked fifth in the BIG EAST with more than seven tackles for game and 10thin the league with nearly a tackle for loss per contest. He has a lot of football knowledge and plays the game very smart. I am not sure if he will be drafted and if he is not, I think he should work out with some team and try and make it as an undrated free agent. We will see how he performs this evening.

Led by Coach:

Greg Schiano (54-55 9th year)

The UCF Golden Knights have the same record as their opponent with exception to conference record at (8-4, 6-2 C-USA). Although UCF has never won a bowl game and are in fact 0-2 in their postseason bowl record, it would not surprise me if the Golden Knights manage to get their 1st bowl win against Rutgers. Rutgers are favored but it is college football and anything can happen as the polls have been drawing closer in this one.

Key players to watch for the Golden Knights:

Brynn Harvey RB (Sophomore):

Harvey rushed for nearly 1100 yards with 14 TD's this year. He has been their bell cow this year and they have made it to a bowl game on large part to this young and very talented athlete.

Josh Robinson CB (Freshman):

Give this kid a few years and you are going to be looking at one dynamite CB. If he continues to get better, he could be at the top of the list as an NFL prospect. Robinson has 6 INT's with 84 return yards. He could make it difficult on the opposing QB today.

Since UCF's players play so well as a team, the statistics are pretty spread out and there is not many players besides Harvey and Robinson that really stand out as a possible recruits in to the NFL in the future. But it should be fun to watch the offensive line and Harvey have success against the Scarlet Knights this evening. And someone else may make showcase themselves to the nation tonight and jump their way on to some teams board.

Kickoff time and networks:

Time: 8:00 PM ET/ 5:00 PM PST

Television: ESPN Mark Jones- Play-by-Play, Bob Davie- Color Analyst, Rob Stone - Sideline Reporter
Internet: ESPN360.com
Radio: Rutgers Football Radio Network
Affiliates: WOR 710-AM (New York City); WCTC 1450-AM (Central Jersey); 97.5 FM "The Fanatic" (Philadelphia and South Jersey)
Student Radio: WRSU 88.7 FM
Satellite Radio: Sirius/XM
National Radio: ESPN Radio

Past Winners:

December 20th, 2008-- South Florida 41, Memphis 14

This will mark the 2nd year for this specific Bowl Game.

Bulldog Bounce Q&A on Boise State vs. Fresno State

Kevan Lee — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:11:08 -0000

If you really want the inside scoop on Fresno State, you'll have to ask a Fresno fan - preferably a Fresno fan not wearing a David Carr jersey.

The gang at Bulldog Bounce, Fresno's preeminent Blogspot blog, did the honors. I will be returning the favor later today or tomorrow. Visit the Bounce for tons of good Fresno info, as well as some solid previews of Friday's game.

Check out the BB interview after the jump, featuring a statement I'm sure Bronco fans will love (can you find it?).

What is the single weakest position on your team?

Secondary. The starting unit is talented, and safeties are deep, but corner depth is a concern. A.J. Jefferson is probably more talented than any corner in the WAC (besides maybe Kyle Wilson), but he hasn't lived up to the potential yet. This being his senior year, he'll make the NFL on kick return talent alone, but excelling on defense can set him apart and boost him into the Richard Marshall, Marcus McCauley realm for talented 'Dogs corners.

Who is the most important player on your offense?

QB Ryan Colburn. We know what to expect from all the other skill position talent surrounding Colburn, but what was lacking the past three years was a QB who could step up and take over a game and be a game-changer. It's too early to say for sure whether Colburn is that, but signs from the Wisconsin game point to yes. And that has the Red Wave excited.

Which would you rather have: Ryan Colburn throw for 300 yards or Ryan Mathews run for 100? Why?

Ryan Mathews run for 100. If Mathews does that, it means the 'Dogs are finally having success on the ground against Boise State, which means Fresno State will probably be leading or close to it. Colburn doesn't have to throw for 300 yards for the 'Dogs to win, but the running game has to have an impact. That said, even if Mathews doesn't reach 100 yards, Miller, Harding, or Rouse might. The combination of those guys is what's important.

Do you miss Tom Brandstater?

No. No offense to Tommy B., he was a heck of a Bulldog with his toughness and effort, but just not one of the better QBs under Pat Hill. The offense was limited under him, and it's a shame a change wasn't made earlier -- if for no other reason than seeing what the guy behind him the past two years (Colburn) was capable of.

How do you see the Fresno offensive line doing against Boise State's defensive line?

A week ago, I would have said this is the biggest question mark. But the O-line has wowed with its pass blocking, despite that looking like a concern in fall camp. The run blocking has been very strong also, but the unit matches up better with big, bulky defenders like Wisconsin's. The quicker defensive linemen and linebackers are what can cause this group problems.

Is MLB Ben Jacobs as good as advertised?

A former 'Dog All-WAC defender once told us, when Jacobs was a freshman, that he'd develop into an All-American by his senior year. Because of his lack of speed relative to the nation's best linebackers, that might not happen, but Jacobs is as good as there is at the position in the WAC and has become more aggressive, leaner, and a tad quicker.

What has surprised you about the Fresno State defense this fall?

This is the third straight year there's been talk of bringing back the Bulldog Football mentality, which is hard-hitting, punch-mouth football. We saw signs it was back in fall camp, but we had to see it in games to believe it. If it's there on Friday, we'll be completely sold on the idea. It takes all 11 guys on the field selling out to that philosophy to carry it out, with Ben Jacobs, Chris Carter and Lorne Bell leading the way. Unfortunately for the 'Dogs, the team's hardest hitter (Bell) is out with an injury Friday.

What strategies might the Bulldogs employ to slow down the Boise State passing game?

Fresno State will be more concerned about executing properly what it always tries to do on defense than scheming particularly for Boise State. The passion and intensity has to be there, and guys have to stick to assignments rather than trying to make the big play on their own and getting out of position.

How do you feel about having Pat Hill on your sideline in a close game. Do you think Hill is better than Chris Petersen, worse, or about the same?

Xs and Os, Petersen is better. That's hard to argue right now. Personality-wise, vision-wise and marketing-wise, Hill's a master. He personifies the Fresno and Central Valley chip-on-the-shoulder attitude like no one else in college football can. That might not be a perfect fit for every program, but it definitely is for ours.

I've felt a pessimistic vibe coming from Fresno fans this year. Do Fresno fans believe that the Bulldogs can win on Friday? Are they resigned to losing?

Depends who you ask. There is a wide spectrum of opinions in the fan base -- some way off base and uneducated, some educated but still off base and some valid.

Since you're asking us, absolutely Fresno State can win on Friday.

I'd say Fresno State has had more talent every single year since these two teams have been in the WAC together, but Boise State has this almost mystic aura of continually pulling out Ws, albeit not always against respectable competition. I personally have gone into every one of these FSU-BSU games thinking the 'Dogs were going to win (save for 2006) and have been stunned every time. This is the first year where I can legitimately imagine a possible loss. I don't think a lot of Boise fans realize Fresno State still sees itself as the premier program, though there's no debating the success Boise has had head-to-head.

What's more motivation: revenge for last season's blowout loss at Boise or simply beating Boise?

Just winning for this year's sake. Last year was last year, and honestly one of the strangest games I've ever seen. It was 13-10 at the half -- who can explained what happened thereafter? You play to win the game.

Lightning round. I say a word, you say the first word that comes to mind.

A.J. Jefferson.

Touchdown

The WAC.

Fresno vs. Boise

Trent Dilfer.

Role model.

Sledgehammers.

"Be the hammer not the nail" (don't steal that too boise)

Nonconference schedules.

Anywhere, anywhere, anytime.

Ryan Colburn.

Refreshing.

Kellen Moore.

Woodchuck (honestly, that's what came to mind).

Boise State fans.

Grandeur.

For more Fresno insight and analysis, check out the Bulldog Bounce all this week.

Top 5 Mid Major - Big Ten Games of 2009: #5 Wisconsin v. Fresno State

grahamfiller10 — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 03:11:51 -0000

Some of the Big Ten's most egregious losses came to Mid-Major opponents in 2008. Consider:

Michigan fell to Toledo, and I know 2008 was an aberration, but it was still quite shocking.
By losing to a hungry Western Michigan team in Detroit, Illinois cemented its reputation as overrated and soft.
Indiana was blown out early by Ball State and nipped by CMU, putting everyone on notice that a decent MAC team eclipses a Big Ten cellar dweller.

In partnership with Mid-Major Madness (MMM), SBN's haven for non-BCS coverage, we present to you the top five match-ups between Big Ten and Mid-Major football teams. At number five stands an important game for the U Dub diehards. Can the Badgers overrun an experienced and fearless Fresno team? Will Pat Hill's mantra of "play anyone, anywhere" pay off with a huge upset in Madison?

Game Hype

MMM: The Bulldogs will head up to Madison, Wisconsin in week two of the 2009 season to play arguably their toughest game of the season. This will be a match-up of two very tough teams that could both use a big out-of-conference win to start the season with some momentum.

For the Bulldogs being the underdog is nothing new; head coach Pat Hill is regarded as one the best in the business at using the underdog status to motivate his to team to big upset victories. More significantly, because Hill's teams have somewhat underachieved the last few seasons, he'll be feeling the heat this year and a big win early on in the season could really help reduce some of that tension.

The Bulldogs look to have a much-improved team from their 2008 campaign in which they finished with a disappointing 7-6 record. The biggest question for them is who will be able to fill the hole left by the three-year starting quarterback, Tom Brandstater. If they can find someone to effectively run the offense and utilize its arsenal of weapons, including electrifying running back Anthony Harding, they'll have a shot at pulling off the upset. Playing on such a big stage so early in the season will be a lot to ask a young quarterback to do, but unfortunately Fresno has no real alternative. This game will a good barometer of Hill's ability to develop young talent and get them ready to execute on a grand stage.

TRE: Bielema's struggles at Wisconsin have led to great drinking game ideas. Idea 1: Every time an announcer says "hot seat" or some variation during a UW game, drink. Idea 2: Every time the cameraman zooms in on Bielema looking confused, angry, or lost in the clouds, drink.

This season must feel, for UW fans, like standing on a slanted roof. On one side is the former glory of the last 10-12 years and on the other side is the strange possibility of being a mediocre team for a second straight season. It seems like the Badgers could fall either way.

What do Foxy Brown and I have in common? You can find both of us at the hot spot...

Another quick thought - This isn't the same Fresno team that almost took out Reggie Bush's USC team in '05. But this also isn't the 1 loss Badgers from three years ago.

Key Matchup

Badger QB vs. Bulldog Defense

MMM: The Badgers yet again have another dilemma regarding the starting quarterback role. It seems as if they enter every season not knowing who is going to jockey their offense. The leading candidate during this off season has been Dustin Sherer, due to his [limited] experience in running the Badger offense. However Sherer did not exhibit the most impressive play during the 2008 season where he threw for only 6 touchdowns to 5 interceptions. Sherer seemed unstable during 2008, but that can be written off to inexperience.

Pat Hill's defense looks very impressive heading into the 2009 season. They have major playmakers returning and will most certainly improve greatly from a season ago. The most notable returnee is Ben Jacobs who will anchor one of the toughest linebacking cores in the WAC. Jacobs led the Bulldogs in 2008 with 113 tackles and Hill knows his young stud will produce even more in 2009. The Bulldogs biggest problem on defense in 2008 was blown coverage's. This will be different in 2009, as the once juvenile secondary has matured considerably. Moses Harris is going to be a major force in the revamped unit. Harris recorded 75 tackles along with 2 forced fumbles last year. Fresno's defense must create more turnovers and an experienced defense will help accomplish this.

TRE: I agree completely. If the vaunted run game is slowed early, the entire state of Wisconsin is going to be staring at Sherer. Can Wisconsin run play action and get Sherer out of the pocket? Will Garrett Graham play like the possible All-American candidate we know he is? And will Bielema tinker with Sherer's loopy mechanics before the season begins?

Significance

MMM: There is no question that Pat Hill's team is capable of pulling great upsets. The team has done so throughout his tenure and certainly posses the talent to do so again this year. This game will be an excellent indicator for Fresno's 2009 season. If they win, it will go along way towards giving them the courage and confidence needed to be successful during conference play. They are set to play Boise St. the following week and a big win in Madison could really give them the extra boost need to beat their in-conference rival.

TRE: Big Ten v Fresno = Big Midwest favorite, usually. Even the horrendous Wisconsin team from last year went undefeated during its out of conference regular season match-ups. However, a closer look at those games show that both Fresno and Cal-Poly (?!) came within a few plays of pulling upsets. This is the most vulnerable Wisky team of the Bielema years and a loss here spreads more Anti-Big Ten grumbling throughout America.

Predictions

MMM: Both teams are fairly similar talent wise, making this an even battle. Ironically enough they both have similar problems in the quarterback position and whichever team addresses the issue first will be victorious on September 12.

Playing at home, the Badgers will have a distinct advantage. Sherer should show much improvement from 2008 as he is now more acquainted with Bielema's offensive schemes. It is the perfect opportunity for him to break out of his shell and show the Badger faithful his true talents. He will need to minimize his turnovers and if he can do so should lead his team to victory. This will be a hard fought match by both teams that will come down to the wire. Wisconsin 17, Fresno State 14.

TRE: Coach B has made it clear that he isn't modifying the offense or stepping away from the power running. If the big backs get their pads pointed downfield, this game will be over. I see some surprise on the Fresno sideline when Clay runs over some smaller defenders early in the game. Wisconsin 24, Fresno State 14.

Extra Coverage from MMM: A Fresno State season preview where MMM drops this bomb:

"The Bulldog fans are now beginning to see through the mask put up by Hill's upset wins and are beginning to question his coaching ability."

Well then...Here is a list of BCS teams that Hill has beaten during his reign at FSU -

'00 - Cal

'01 - Wisconsin, Colorado, Oregon State

'02 - Georgia Tech

'03 - UCLA, Oregon State

'04 - Washington, Kansas State, Virginia,

'07 - Kansas State, Georgia Tech

'08 - UCLA, Rutgers

2009 MMM Fresno State Bulldogs Preview

aGent37 — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:00:10 -0000

Head coach Pat Hill will have to put up a quite impressive record during the 2009 season in order to insure he's not on the hot seat in 2010. During Hill’s tenure the Bulldog’s have upset many of the nations biggest programs, however at the end of last season they ended up in the middle of the Western Athletic Conference standings. Hill, as of late, seems to lack the consistency needed to turn Fresno St. into a premier program.

The Bulldogs entered the 2008 season with a high level of talent and even higher expectations from their loyal fan base. The team had all their weapons come back and yet finished with a mediocre 7-6 record, including a bowl loss to Colorado State. The Bulldog fans are now beginning to see through the mask put up by Hill’s upset wins and are beginning to question his coaching ability.

The Bulldogs will be faced with several speed bumps along the road prior to the kickoff of the 2009 season. First off, Hill needs to find someone to take over the quarterback role that was filled by Tom Brandstater for the past three years. This means that Hill will call upon an inexperienced QB to run the offense, which usually leads to a sloppy and inefficient offense. The upside for the offense is that they have their leading rusher, Anthony Harding, returning for his senior year. Last year Harding ran for an impressive 822 yards on only 147 carries. My guess is that Harding will get a lot more touches this year and if he runs as he did during 2008, could have a breakout season.

The defense looks to be much improved from the 2008 season. Last seasons young defensive unit has greatly matured and returns many promising starters in 2009. The biggest strength for the Bulldog’s D looks to be their linebacking core that showcases junior Ben Jacobs, who led the team in 2008 with 113 tackles. Hill has also installed a wonderful secondary that should be able to hold their own, even in the pass heavy WAC. Mosses Harris will anchor the secondary and if he puts up similar numbers to his 2008 season (75 tackles 2 forced fumbles) the Fresno defense should be one of the best in the WAC.

The question still remains, can Pat Hill, on the shoulders of a rookie QB, pull off a few of his infamous upset wins and put together a season good enough to hoist the WAC trophy?

Prediction: 8-5

WAC media weigh in on preseason picks; will Boise State be unanimous number one?

Kevan Lee — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 13:58:54 -0000

WAC media arrive at the Salt Lake City ~~Anniversary Inn~~ Airport Hilton today to begin a three-day WAC Football Preview with the biggest news sure to be news we all already know: Boise State is going to be the preseason favorite. The only drama is if they'll be a unanimous choice.

To find out, I've compiled the available WAC preseason polls from the members of the media who know how to blog (not as many as you might think), and as far as I can tell, no one is picking against the Broncos. Of course, I have yet to see Mike Prater's poll.

After the jump, check out the media picks that have hit the web thus far, and add your own WAC predictions in the comments. (Please, no picking Fresno No. 1.)

(Note: This list will be updated as more WAC picks become available. If I missed one, please send it my way.)

(Note #2: My favorite media pick thus far is Troy Oppie's choice of Utah State as the number two team in the conference. His reasoning: "I'm Keith Hernandez!")

Dave Southorn, Idaho Press-Tribune

Boise State
Nevada
Louisiana Tech
Fresno State
Hawaii
San Jose State
Utah State
Idaho
New Mexico State

OPOY: Colin Kaepernick, QB, Nevada

DPOY: Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State

Phil Dailey, Idaho Press-Tribune

Boise State
Nevada
Fresno State
Louisiana Tech
San Jose State
Hawaii
Utah State
Idaho
New Mexico State

OPOY: Kaepernick

DPOY: Wilson

Brian Murphy, Idaho Statesman

Boise State
Nevada
Louisiana Tech
Fresno State
Hawaii
San Jose State
Utah State
New Mexico State
Idaho

OPOY: Kaepernick

DPOY: Wilson

OPOY: Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State

DPOY: Duke Ihenacho, S/LB, San Jose State

OPOY: Kaepernick

DPOY: Wilson

Andrew Marden, CBS Fresno

Boise State
Nevada
Fresno State
Hawaii
New Mexico State
San Jose State
Louisiana Tech
Utah State
Idaho

OPOY: Moore

DPOY: Ben Jacobs, LB, Fresno State

Monson & Graham, AM1280 Salt Lake

Boise State
Nevada
Louisiana Tech
Fresno State
Utah State
San Jose State
Hawaii
New Mexico State
Idaho

OPOY: Moore

DPOY: Kevin Basped, DE, Nevada

Teddy Feinberg, Las Cruces Sun-News

Boise State
Louisiana Tech
Nevada
Fresno State
San Jose State
Hawaii
New Mexico State
Utah State
Idaho

OPOY: Moore

DPOY: D'Anthony Smith, DT, Louisiana Tech

Jared Eborn, Deseret News

Boise State
Nevada
Fresno State
San Jose State
Louisiana Tech
Utah State
Hawaii
Idaho
New Mexico State

(OPOY and DPOY not available)

Darrell Moody, Nevada Appeal

Boise State
Fresno State
Nevada

(Other picks not available.)

The wildest WAC preseason poll yet

Kevan Lee — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:07:53 -0000

One's Andrew Marden. The other is the guy who picked Marty Tadman as preseason DPOY last year. (via blogs.amctv.com)

View full size photo »

(UPDATE: Marden did not intend the graphic on his post to be his preseason poll, as readers pointed out would have meant he picked teams alphabetically. His updated post lists BSU, Nevada, and Fresno as his top three. How boring. I now stand by 75 percent of what I wrote.)

With WAC media days only a little more than a week away (July 28-30, to be exact), conference journalists are beginning to leak their picks for WAC preseason polls and players of the year.

We've seen the picks of Press-Tribune reporters Dave Southorn (humorous, albeit blah) and Phil Dailey (insanely predictable) and KBCI's J Bates gave us a Twitter peek at his (inspired Ihenacho choice). But the most fun one yet, by far, is that of Fresno-area newsman Andrew Marden.

Boise State
Fresno State
Hawaii
Idaho
LaTech
Nevada
New Mexico State
San Jose State
Utah State

(Note: Marden picked Kellen Moore for offensive player of the year, and he picked Fresno LB Ben Jacobs for defensive player.)

Just so I have this straight, Marden is picking perennial underachievers Fresno State to finish second in the conference, he has Hawaii at third despite their only returning two defensive starters, Idaho at fourth despite the presence of the Akeystache, Nevada two spots below the Vandals, New Mexico State not at the very bottom, and up-and-coming Utah State finishing dead last. This sounds crazy.

But it also sounds like a lot of fun.

Marden gets the inanity of picking a preseason order for teams who have yet to even hit the practice field. His style beats the style of pretty much every other preseason media poll that we will see between now and next week. I don't need a beat writer to recite verbatim the predicted order of finish from every preseason magazine on the shelf; I need Andrew Marden to spark my imagination and give me something to talk about on a slow news Monday in mid-July.

And to top it all off, Marden may be more correct than those who chose to take the easy way out. If I've learned anything about the WAC in the past decade or so, it is that the only sure thing in the conference is Boise State winning (and Fresno screwing the pooch). The rest is a crapshoot. Hawaii finishing second last year? Never should have happened. Nevada losing to New Mexico State? Only in Chase Holbrook's wildest dreams. Yet these things happened, and if you had called it in the preseason, you would have looked as crazy as Marden does today.

To be sure, the OBNUG preseason poll will look a lot more like Marden's and a lot less like the status quo (expect ours on Monday). That's just how the WAC rolls, and if the preseason poll is supposed to be a reflection on how things will finish, it only makes sense to have the poll make as least sense as possible.

First Look At Fresno State's "Mere Tuneup"

Nestor — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 02:00:06 -0000

No matter how many Fresno State fans drive down the I-5 this weekend, the game is setting up as Bruins being huge underdogs in their own home stadium. The ESPN game preview is in fact calling it nothing more than a “mere tuneup” for Fresno State:

When Fresno State scheduled a road game against UCLA, the Bulldogs and coach Pat Hill probably didn't figure it would look like a mere tuneup heading into the WAC season.

If UCLA plays anything like it did for the last two games, it would be hard to imagine any other outcome.

There is not much we can say in response given how our team has performed in last two games. And it doesn’t seem to far off the mark from our off season projection when we marked this game as a “tossup” writing that “the prospects for the Bruins in this game depends on how the offense is performing under Olson or Craft or Forcier with a brand new OL.” Well the results from last two weekends are not too encouraging to say the least. So Craft and his team-mates are going to have their hands full against a team that will be looking to make some kind of statement with their first ever victory against UCLA at the Rose Bowl.

Fresno State is coming into the game after a thrilling 55-54 double OT win against Toledo in which Toledo gambled and lost. Toledo went for two rather than kick the extra point following their TD. Toledo offense rolled up 598 yards of balanced offense with 297 yards coming via their ground attack.

As mentioned earlier today Fresno is also coming into this game missing two of their best DL. So the game presents an opportunity for the Bruin OL to build upon its improved performance against Arizona, particularly if we get Ray Cater back in full speed and have Bell available for action.

We don’t need to go over our offensive statistics since we have been barraged with all the gory statistics from last two weeks. As for Fresno State here are few numbers that kind of jumped out to me:

FSU opponents have been averaging 4.68 yards per rushing attempts (557 yards in 119 attempts
FSU’s passing defense has been pretty decent holding opposing QBs to a very average 52.7 percent completion rate

FSU’s defense is headlined by their MLB Brandon Jacobs. From Kevin Pearson’s notes at PE.com:

BEN JACOBS (6-3, 240, So.): The Bulldogs middle linebacker, Jacobs leads the team with 28 tackles, including three for a loss. He has also recovered a fumble and blocked a kick this season.

The numbers highlighted above indicate that FSU has a solid secondary. That was the assessment in this preview by Rivals.com before the season:

STRONGEST AREA: The secondary returns cornerback Damion Owens, strong safety Moses Harris and free safety Marvin Haynes from a team that ranked third in the WAC in pass-efficiency defense, though Haynes still must beat out senior Jake Jorde to keep his starting job. Owens, Harris and Haynes have two years of starting experience each. The only hole is at the second cornerback spot, where standout kick returner A.J. Jefferson gets first dibs at replacing departed three-year starter Damon Jenkins.

We have talked all week about how the pressure is on Craft to produce this weekend. Hopefully the return of Bell and Carter will give him a decent ground game to work with this week. The key for Craft and UCLA’s offense will be gain 4-5 yards in first down so that they can get themselves in manageable 2nd and 3rd situations. Otherwise, if the offense gets itself into 3rd and long often, it will be another long afternoon at the Rose Bowl.

Meanwhile, on offense here are the key players per Pearson’s notes:

QB TOM BRANDSTATER (6-5, 225, Sr.): Brandstater is a highly regarded NFL prospect who is among the best quarterbacks the Bruins will see this season. He is big and smart, throwing for five touchdowns and one interception this season. He is averaging 224 passing yards per game.

TE BEAR PASCOE (6-5, 260, Sr.): Pascoe is likely one of the best tight ends UCLA will see this year. He leads the team with 11 receptions and is an adept blocker and will certainly create some tough matchups for the Bruins.

In addition to those two tailback Ryan Matthews is having a decent start to the season. He has rushed for 304 yards in 61 carries averaging 5 yards per carry (3TDs). More from Rival.com’s season preview, which once again headlines Pascoe:

STAR POWER: How good a tight end is senior Bear Pascoe? Ask Texas A&M. Pascoe scored three touchdowns in the Bulldogs' 47-45 triple-overtime loss to the Aggies last season. Pascoe finished with 45 catches for 553 yards and four touchdowns. He could emerge as one of the nation's top tight ends this season.

IMPACT NEWCOMER: Fresno State has so much experience on offense that it will be tough for any first-year guy to get much playing time, but the Bulldogs' leading scorer still could end up being a redshirt freshman. We're referring to Kevin Goessling, the favorite to win the kicking job.

IT'S HIS TIME: Wide receiver Chastin West was one of Fresno State's most promising underclassmen after catching 33 passes for 365 yards as a freshman two years ago, but he missed 2007 with an injured left knee. If West can stay healthy for an entire season, he has star potential.

STRONGEST AREA: Fresno State was 14th in the nation in rushing offense and capped the season by running for 286 yards in the Humanitarian Bowl against a highly regarded Georgia Tech defense. And the Bulldogs delivered that big performance against the Yellow Jackets without leading rusher Ryan Mathews, who finished the season with 866 yards and 14 touchdowns. Mathews, Lonyae Miller and Anthony Harding are back after combining for 1,878 yards and 25 touchdowns last season. They will be running behind a veteran line that features left tackle Bobby Lepori, right guard Andrew Jackson and right tackle Kenny Avon.

WEAKEST AREA: Although Fresno State's line boasts plenty of experience, the departure of Ryan Wendell leaves a big hole at center. The Bulldogs are counting on senior Adam McDowell or sophomore Joe Bernardi to fill the void. This offense doesn't have many weaknesses, but the situation at center does offer cause for concern.

It will be interesting to see how the defense stacks up against Pascoe given the success Gronkowski and Pitta enjoyed against us last two weekends. One thing that could potentially help Walker is that Fresno State runs more of a traditional pro set offense and their QB doesn’t have the same mobility as Tuitatama.

Another data point that stuck out to me re. Fresno St

Once they get into the red zone they are deadly (91.67%) while their opponents convert 76.92% of red zone opportunities.

The obvious challenge for next weekend is for UCLA to play a mistake free football game and play solid special teams. We can’t afford to give FSU’s offense short field like we did to Arizona time after time last weekend. You can check out more numbers on Fresno State here and here.

Obviously we will have post more notes on FSU next couple of days. Meanwhile, we would love to hear your thoughts on how the Bruins can pull of this upset in this “tuneup” game for Fresno State.

GO BRUINS.

SB Nation - Ben Jacobs

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Dave Southorn, Idaho Press-Tribune

Phil Dailey, Idaho Press-Tribune

Brian Murphy, Idaho Statesman

J Bates, KBCI channel 2 Boise

Tropy Oppie, KBCI channel 2 Boise

Andrew Marden, CBS Fresno

Monson & Graham, AM1280 Salt Lake

Teddy Feinberg, Las Cruces Sun-News

Jared Eborn, Deseret News

Darrell Moody, Nevada Appeal

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First Look At Fresno State's "Mere Tuneup"