GameDay Tailgating

Published online on Friday, Oct. 23, 2009

Wylie out; Bernardi back: When the Fresno State football team took off for Las Cruces, N.M., on Friday morning, receiver Devon Wylie wasn't on the plane.

The electrifying receiver and punt returner will miss today's game against New Mexico State because of a hamstring injury suffered last week against San Jose State. It's an injury Wylie struggled with this summer as well.

Coach Pat Hill said Jamel Hamler, Marlon Moore and Chastin West will all have added duties in the slot receiver position. West will fill in at punt return and Desia Dunn will take Wylie's spot on kickoff, Hill added.

"He's a great matchup guy," Hill said of Wylie. "He's big on special teams. ... Chastin West has done a good job in punt returns. He's returned one for a touchdown. We're lucky we have good depth there."

Wylie is second on the team in all-purpose yards with 352. He has 242 receiving yards, 16 rushing and 94 on punt returns. He's also the second-leading receiver with 15 catches and has the most touchdown catches (four).

Hill said he had no estimate for how healthy Wylie is right now.

While Wylie is out, junior center Joe Bernardi is back.

Senior Richard Pacheco has been starting in Bernardi's place since he suffered a shoulder injury against Cincinnati.

"We didn't feel he was quite ready [the last two games]," Hill said of Bernardi. "He feels strong, feels he should be able to do everything out there."

Both Kyle Knox and Nico Herron will start at the outside linebacker spots for the Bulldogs, Hill said. Herron got 12 stitches on his lip after losing his helmet last week and taking a cleat to the face. Knox suffered a stinger last week but returned to the game.

Local Aggies: A couple of former local players are now calling Las Cruces their college football home.

Former College of the Sequoias running back Seth Smith and former Clovis High and Fresno City College quarterback/tight end Ronny Torres are both Aggies.

Smith has turned out to be the Aggies' top running threat this season.

Smith, an Oakland native, played for the Giants for two seasons, running for 580 yards and 14 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2007. After sitting out last season, he's run for 598 yards this season as a redshirt junior.

Torres, a junior, plays tight end and special teams for the Aggies.

He passed for 945 yards and six touchdowns at Clovis High in 2005.

BY THE NUMBERS

7: The Bulldogs haven't lost to New Mexico State in 15 all-time meetings, but the past three games have been decided by seven points or fewer (2008, 24-17; 2007, 30-23; 2006, 23-18).

6: Ryan Mathews has a Fresno State-record six straight games with at least 100 yards rushing.

34: Fresno State has 34 plays of 20 yards or more (and eight for 50 or more).

AUDIBLE

"You never know where it's going to go right now. ... Whenever there's a kickoff, I hold onto my [butt]. I think it's wild out there. It used to be just another play. Now it's an adventure."

-- Bulldogs coach Pat Hill, speaking about different kickoff strategies and the excitement they bring