Milestones to markers, 10 things to watch in what could be big year for Bulldogs
Fresno State has not put together back-to-back seasons with 10 or more wins since 1988 and ‘89 under coach Jim Sweeney, but, now, before kickoff of the season opener against Idaho, anything seems possible.
A berth in a New Year’s Six bowl game?
Why not? The Bulldogs have a schedule that includes two middling Power Five programs in Minnesota and UCLA, two of the top Group of Five teams this season in Boise State and San Diego State and one of the better Group of Five programs over the past three or four seasons in Toledo.
Three of those five games are on the road, but no one said it was easy ... or a cinch.
The Bulldogs with some high-profile wins could make a run, and here are some things to look for along the way ...
Get lucky much?
Fresno State fumbled the football 18 times last season, which is a lot; tied for 80th and toward the bottom third in the nation. And, yet, the Bulldogs were a Top 10 team in the nation in fumbles lost (18 fumbles, six lost, 33.3 percent).
That might not merit much more than a shrug, but there is no question that it had a positive impact on the Bulldogs’ 10-4 season.
Of those 12 fumble recoveries, five came inside the Bulldogs’ 25-yard line and four inside the 20. Lose possession of the football there and the defense is in a tough spot, on the field and backed up, and as strong as that defense was last season opponents did score on 33 of 39 trips inside the Bulldogs 20-yard line.
Three of those fumble recoveries also came inside an opponent’s 20-yard line and two inside the 10, when the Bulldogs were threatening to score.
KeeSean watch
Senior wide out KeeSean Johnson will go into the season needing just 54 receptions and 1,222 receiving yards to set school records in those statistical categories.
Assuming Johnson plays in all 12 regular-season games, he needs to average 4.5 receptions per game and 101.8 yards per game.
If there is a conference championship game in the future, that becomes 4.2 receptions per game and 94.0 yards per game.
Add in a bowl game, and it is 3.9 receptions and 87.3 yards.
Johnson last season averaged 5.5 receptions and 72.4 receiving yards per game.
The volume figures to be there – Johnson also goes into the season with at least one reception in 36 consecutive games, the longest streak in the nation.
He is the only wideout in the nation with a catch in 30 or more games in a row.
Will the streak ever end?
Fresno State in 2017 ran its streak of kickoff returns without a touchdown to a mind-boggling 121 games and 490 returns.
A.J. Jefferson (still) has the last kickoff return touchdown in a 2008 game against Nevada, taking one 92 yards for a score in a 41-28 loss at Bulldog Stadium.
Jamire Jordan did have a 71-yard return last season against Nevada, which is the Bulldogs’ longest return since the Jefferson TD.
Since Nevada is a common theme there, the Bulldogs play the Wolf Pack in Reno on Oct. 6 and, yes, they ranked last in the league in opponent kickoff returns last season.
Fresno State has had nine punt return touchdowns since that Nevada game in 2008, though none in the past three seasons.
Side bet
Coach Jeff Tedford is 92-61 entering his 13th season as a college head coach – 82-57 in 11 seasons at Cal and 10-4 in his first season at Fresno State. Will No. 100 come this season?
Game No. 8 is Oct. 27 against Hawaii.
Game No. 9 is Nov. 3 at UNLV.
Game No. 10 is Nov. 9 at Boise State.
Game No. 11 is Nov. 17 against San Diego State.
Game No. 12 is Nov. 24 against San Jose State.
2,170 the hard way
Fresno State last season churned out 2,170 rushing yards and did it with only six plays that went for 20 or more yards, the fewest in the Mountain West Conference since 2011 when New Mexico had only four plays of 20-plus yards.
That Lobos’ team averaged 3.4 rushing yards per attempt, scored an average of 12.0 points per game and went 1-11, beating a UNLV team that went 2-10.
Adjustments required
Fresno State last season became only the second team in FBS history to win 10 or more games one season after losing 10 or more games and coaching acumen, halftime adjustments, no doubt played into that.
Tedford and his staff did it better than anyone in the Mountain West.
Coming out of halftime, when given a few minutes to tweak this and adjust that, the Bulldogs were the only team in the conference to score 100 or more points while allowing 50 or fewer points in the third quarter. They also had the highest differential between points scored and points allowed.
They put up 101 while allowing only 44, plus-57.
| Air Force | 75 | 76 | -1 |
| Boise State | 69 | 48 | +21 |
| Colorado State | 68 | 96 | -28 |
| Fresno State | 101 | 44 | +57 |
| Hawaii | 62 | 129 | -67 |
| Nevada | 78 | 82 | -4 |
| New Mexico | 62 | 33 | +29 |
| San Diego State | 87 | 44 | +43 |
| San Jose State | 41 | 103 | -62 |
| UNLV | 95 | 93 | +2 |
| Utah State | 68 | 80 | -12 |
| Wyoming | 47 | 38 | +9 |
Long-term plan
Jordan Mims and Ronnie Rivers rushed for 627 and 480 yards as freshmen, both ahead of the pace Robbie Rouse set on his way to becoming the Bulldogs’ all-time leading rusher.
Rouse rushed for 479 yards in his first season, then put up three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons to finish with 4,647 rushing yards.
100 x 2?
Linebacker Jeffrey Allison led the Bulldogs with 126 total tackles last season including 79 solo stops, the most solo tackles by a leading tackler at Fresno State since linebacker A.J. Gass had 150 and 82 in 1996.
Gass also is one of three Bulldogs to lead the team in tackles while racking up 100 or more, a group Allison can join this season.
Ben Jacobs had 113 and 47 in 2008 and 106 and 60 in 2009. Gass had 150 and 82 in 1996 and 123 and 76 in 1997. Ron Papazian had 148 and 84 in 1993 and 139 and 79 in 1994.
Allison, the top returning tackler in the Mountain West, had six games with 10 or tackles and will go into the 2018 season with a streak of two in a row after racking up 10 in the Mountain West championship game at Boise State and 13 in the Bulldogs’ Hawaii Bowl victory over Houston.
Breaking third down
So, the Bulldogs didn’t break many big runs. They also didn’t fare very well on short-yardage runs, which could be a larger issue when trying to extend drives.
On third-and-short (1 to 3 yards), Fresno State last season moved the chains on only 22 of 40 attempts, which was one of the lower percentages in the conference and barely ahead of a 2-11 San Jose State and a 3-9 New Mexico.
As the Bulldogs sort through a deep group of talented running backs, which might get the call on those short yardage runs?
Mims had the most success, in terms of moving the chains. He had 11 carries for 43 yards on third-and-short, with nine of those plays resulting in a first down.
Things to watch? The ‘Dogs, obviously ...
Fresno State is scheduled to play two games this season on FS1, two on CBSSports Network and seven on an ESPN Network.
Here is the channel guide on the various carriers serving the Fresno area ...
AT&T Uverse
- CBS Sports Network: 643, 1643
- ESPN: 602, 1602
- ESPN2: 606, 1606
- ESPNEWS: 604, 1604
- ESPNU: 605, 1605
- FS1: 652, 1652
Comcast (Fresno)
- CBS Sports Network: 418, 732
- ESPN: 32, 724
- ESPN2: 33, 725
- ESPNEWS: 402, 726
- ESPNU: 420, 788
- FS1: 35, 731
DIRECTV
- CBS Sports Network: 221
- ESPN: 206
- ESPN2: 209
- ESPNEWS: 207
- ESPNU: 208
- FS1: 219
Dish Network
- CBS Sports Network: 158
- ESPN: 140
- ESPN2: 144
- ESPNEWS: 142
- ESPNU: 141
- FS1: 150