Receivers set to carve out niche

Youngsters aim to boost Bulldog offense.

Published online on Friday, Aug. 17, 2007

Jason Crawley's eyes narrow and focus when he talks about the Fresno State receivers.

Their motto, as handed down by former Bulldogs Jaron Fairman, Paul Williams and Joe Fernandez: Feared, physical and aggressive playmakers, gamebreakers, difference makers. We apply pressure and never flinch.

"That's what we're going to be," said Crawley, a sophomore. "That's what we want to be known for."

Right now they're simply unknown.

The top four receivers on the Fresno State football team are four sophomores: Chastin West, Marlon Moore, Crawley and Seyi Ajirotutu. West is the returning statistical leader in a run-based offense that has never led the Western Athletic Conference in passing and has never had a receiver lead the WAC in receptions or receiving yards. West hauled in 33 passes for 365 yards and three touchdowns last season to lead the Bulldogs.

This season, without the senior leadership of Fernandez and Williams, the receiving corps is growing as a group, using one another as sounding boards and encouragement. They've fished together and barbecued with quarterbacks Tom Brandstater and Ryan Colburn to build chemistry, which Crawley and Moore said has translated onto the field.

Offensive coordinator Jim McElwain said the biggest change he's seen in the receivers between the spring and fall has been their conditioning and understanding of the offense's goals. They were each sent home with tasks this spring, the most important of which were to understand the concepts of the passing game, how the routes complement each other and how success is dependent upon receivers correctly executing secondary routes.

One sign of maturity Thursday: Moore went to a knee to catch the ball at the first-down marker. Inexperienced receivers are sometimes unaware of where the first-down markers are and can cost teams first downs and entire games based on that mistake.

One sign of trouble: dropped balls. There have been a number since the opening day of practice. Ajirotutu dropped a screen pass during Thursday's practice.

But at least they're getting open to drop those balls. McElwain praised the receivers' improvement in changing directions during their routes, helping create separation.

During practice receivers run routes through cones slowly, bobbing their heads, dipping their hips, planting their cleats into the turf to make a solid, quick cut.

In the spring, McElwain said the receivers were sometimes slow in grasping when to break routes and adjust to defensive coverages. McElwain said those things come only through experience, something the group is short on. West played in all 12 games last season, Moore played in seven, Ajirotutu in five, senior Shannon Dorsey in four and Crawley in three.

The first-year coordinator said the group has done better in those areas but that they've been unsure at times, and when you're unsure, you're slow.

"The key to being a great receiver is to play fast," he said.

He also added another key to being a great receiver -- get open.