Fresno State big enough
to live through injuries
on the line
It's become a rite of late summer that a Fresno State offensive lineman gets hurt in preseason camp.
But this year's loss of junior left guard Matt Stevenson for a couple of games to a recurring shoulder problem isn't as debilitating to the Bulldogs as last year's season-ending knee injury to all-everything left tackle Logan Mankins.
And Fresno State feels it has enough depth to ride out the loss of one or two O-linemen this time around. Senior Manoa Pouono, who started last year, is among the candidates to replace Stevenson in the starting lineup when the 'Dogs visit Washington to open the season Sunday.
While coach Pat Hill is excited about his team's talent throughout, Mankins, he said, is special.
"This guy's the best (offensive lineman) I've been associated with," Hill said. "Losing him was devastating to us."
With junior right guard Dartagnon Shack, sophomore center Kyle Young and sophomore right tackle Chris Denman, Fresno's line seems young. But it gained valuable experience and came together as a unit at the end of last year.
There's depth at running back, too, where Dwayne Wright rushed for 1,038 yards and Bryson Sumlin added 509 as sophomores last fall. Big things are also expected from UCLA transfer Wendell Mathis.
The only reason Wright and Sumlin might not match their 2003 numbers this time around is a healthy Paul Pinegar. The junior quarterback appears poised for a turnaround season now that his injury woes are behind him. Last year he could barely throw the ball because of a painful chest injury. He still managed 1,773 passing yards in 10 games.
Stellar receivers Bernard Berrian and Marque Davis are gone, but big target Jermaine Johnson (6-3, 200), a junior, and sophomore Joe Fernandez, son of former NFL receiver Mervyn Fernandez, topped the depth chart going into camp. Hill also likes junior Adam Jennings and sophomore Paul Williams.
Senior Steven Spach and sophomore Roshon Vercher are the likely starters at tight end and fullback.
"Last year we played with one hand behind our back. We have to be balanced and score points," Hill said.
On defense, Fresno State has four returning starters on the line in seniors Brian Morris and Claude Sanders, junior Garrett McIntyre and senior Donyell Booker. McIntyre is undersized for tackle at 6-3, 250, but is one of the best in the Western Athletic Conference regardless. So is Morris, who had 15 1/2 tackles for loss last year while playing end.
Junior strong safety James Sanders could develop into one of the best in the nation. His 93 tackles of a year ago included 8 1/2 for loss, and he intercepted two passes on the way to first-team All-WAC honors.
Senior linebacker Todd Garcia and junior cornerbacks Raymond Washington and Awan Diles are also returning starters.
"The DBs are the strength of our defense," Hill said. "We really feel this is the best group of corners we've had. (Therrian) Fontenot's battling. Richard Marshall, Marcus McCauley. They are some very good corners. Hopefully we can play more coverages, man-to-man, disguises, add to the arsenal of the defensive looks and re-route receivers."
Senior kicker Brett Visintainer and junior punter Mike Lingua also return as starters, and Jennings is a special-teams standout, on coverage as well as returns.
Hill said this team could be better than the 2001 club that stormed through its tough nonconference schedule, gaining national notoriety, only to falter against Boise State and Hawaii once the WAC schedule got going.
"This team, on paper is as good as any we've had. It could be the best. We'll know after game six where we are," Hill said.
The sixth game is at Boise State. If the Bulldogs win that one, the Hawaii game at Fresno on Nov. 13 could be for the league championship.
"We're like a front-loaded loan. Most teams start slow and build as the year goes along. We're on a high level from the beginning and have to maintain it," Hill said.
Fresno State Bulldogs
Basic offense: Pro Set
Basic Defense: 4-3
2003 Record: 9-5 (6-2 WAC)
2003 results
Date Opponent Result Oct. 11 at Texas-El Paso W, 38-35 Aug. 30 at Tennessee L, 24-6 Sept. 5 Oregon State W, 16-14 Sept. 13 at Oklahoma L, 52-28 Sept. 20 Louisiana Tech W, 16-6 Sept. 27 Portland State W, 42-16 Oct. 4 at Colorado State L, 34-10 Oct. 11 at Hawaii L, 55-28 Oct. 25 Rice W, 31-28 Nov. 1 at SMU W, 20-11 Nov. 8 at Nevada W, 27-10 Nov. 15 San Jose State W, 41-7 Nov. 21 Boise State L, 31-17 Nov. 29 at Texas-El Paso W, 23-20 Dec. 30 UCLA W, 17-9*
*Silicon Valley Football Classic
Lettermen Ret./Lost: 47/12
Starters Ret./Lost: 19/5
Head coach: Pat Hill (55-35)
2004 schedule
Date Opponent Sept. 5 at Washington Sept. 11 at Kansas State Sept. 18 Portland State Oct. 2 at Louisiana Tech Oct. 9 Texas-El Paso Oct. 23 at Boise State Oct. 30 Southern Methodist Nov. 6 at Rice Nov. 12 Hawaii Nov. 20 Nevada Nov. 27 at San Jose State
