Bulldogs’ running back rotation against San Diego State and more need-to-know notes

When Fresno State went to San Diego State last season and ran over, around and through the Aztecs, running back Ronnie Rivers was not available to play.

He had started five of the first six games but suffered an elbow injury the previous week in a victory over New Mexico, so it was Josh Hokit who had the big runs and Jordan Mims who had the most runs when the Bulldogs racked up 199 rushing yards at a healthy 5.2 yards per play in a 27-3 victory.

The Bulldogs deployed a rotation similar to what they have used this season – and they are likely to do so again Saturday when they can clinch a division title in the Mountain West.

By percentage, Mims and Hokit a year ago had a similar number of carries on first, second and third downs with similar success (Hokit averaged 5.5 yards per play, and Mims 5.3), and Hokit got the work at the goal line and on a third-and-2 that he took for a 26-yard touchdown, the second of his three scoring runs.

Fresno State in that game needed only two third-and-short runs against a defense that finished the season third in the Mountain West against the run.

“We popped a couple with Josh on some short-yardage plays last year and then there was really no one left, but I think Josh can be just fine, I think Rivers can be just fine, I think Mims can be just fine,” offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer said. “They’re all really good running backs. We just have to block for them and let them get a feel for where those openings are.

“UNLV’s speed back, Lexington Thomas, he popped some big ones (in last week’s victory over San Diego State). I think it’s a matter of whether you can break through the front six that are in there with their three down and three linebackers and then make the next level miss, and that’s what he did.”

About that air quality

Fresno State officials are monitoring the air quality and forecasts for Saturday, but the game is expected to be played. According to the NCAA guidelines, serious consideration should be given to rescheduling a game if the air quality index hits 200 or above.

Here are the guidelines, from the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports:

• At AQIs of over 150, outdoor activities should be shortened, and exertion should be minimized by decreasing the intensity of activity. Sensitive athletes should be moved indoors.
  
  
• At AQIs of 200 or above, serious consideration should be given to rescheduling the activity or moving it indoors. Prolonged exposure and heavy exertion should be avoided. Avoid all outdoor physical activity for sensitive individuals .
  
  
• At AQIs of 300 or above, outdoor activities should be moved indoors or canceled if indoor activity is not an option.
  
  

Time and TV

San Diego State (7-3, 4-2 Mountain West) at Fresno State (8-2, 5-1), 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Bulldog Stadium, CBS Sports Network

Line play

Fresno State sophomore right tackle Syrus Tuitele returned to the starting lineup at Boise State after missing two games with an ankle injury.

“I feel fluid, kind of; all in one motion,” he said. “I feel like myself again.”

That’s to the Bulldogs’ benefit, going up against the Aztecs and their 3-3-5 defense. Fresno State has seen a 3-3-5 and three-down fronts already this season, but San Diego State under coach Rocky Long plays it at a different level.

“A lot of the stunts they do, they’re not a lot different than others,” Tuitele said. “They just run a lot more. They run them constantly. That’s their bread and butter, their movement. When I was watching film, they moved nearly every play. The key to this game is to be patient, have good eyes, make sure we don’t chase.”

Continuity

Fresno State has started five different offensive line combinations in 19 games, and if Tuitele starts with left tackle Christian Cronk, left guard Logan Hughes, center Markus Boyer and right tackle Micah St, Andrew, it will be their fourth game as a unit.

That will be the most starts for any of those lineups.

“The continuity is obviously the biggest thing,” offensive line coach Ryan Grubb said. “It’s not like San Diego State has a bunch of guys that are way bigger than you. That’s not what it’s about. They’re athletic. They attack and they move everywhere. You just have to be on point with what the center’s calls are and everybody stick together.”

Big play threat

San Diego State throws the football an average of 24.2 times per game, 10th in the Mountain West, and has completed only 55.4 percent of those passes.

But the Aztecs do hit big every once in a while. In a 27-24 loss to UNLV last week, wideout Tim Wilson Jr. had catches of 35, 34 and 31 yards.

The Bulldogs are much more proficient throwing the football and have 18 plays of 30 or more yards this season, but no single receiver has had three of them in one game.

KeeSean Johnson leads Fresno State with six receptions of 30 or more yards, but all have come against different teams.

The only Fresno State receiver with multiple 30-yard pass plays against one opponent is a running back — Mims had 55- and 47-yard receptions from quarterback Marcus McMaryion in a 49-27 victory over Toledo back in September.

That has to hurt

The Aztecs have three offensive linemen who have started 23 consecutive games, the longest steaks in the position group.

Two of those players are not expected to play against the Bulldogs and they are at two of the most critical positions on the line — left tackle Tyler Roemer has been suspended indefinitely from the team and center Keith Ismael is out with an injury.

The backups on the depth chart are sophomore Kyle Spalding at left tackle and junior Nick Gerhard at center. Spalding has played in 13 games with no starts and Gerhard has played in 17 games and made three starts.

Quick hitters

▪ The Aztecs will be the second team Fresno State will have played that is ranked in the top five in the conference in passing defense.

Wyoming was the first, and McMaryion in that game hit 22 of 32 passes (68.8 percent) for 287 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.

▪ McMaryion is one of four quarterbacks in the nation completing better than 70 percent of their passes: Ian Book (Notre Dame) 74.5 percent, Jack Abraham (Southern Miss) 72.3 percent, Kyler Murray (Oklahoma) 70.9 and McMaryion at 70.6.

Of the four, McMaryion has thrown the most passes with 313 attempts. That is 57 more than Abraham, 66 more than Murray and 109 more than Book.

▪ San Diego State in its loss to UNLV last week played 17 true or redshirt freshmen and only 12 seniors.

▪ If the Bulldogs win, they would have a ninth regular-season victory and a West Division title, triggering bonuses for Tedford in the amounts of $250,000 and $150,000. Fresno State last season paid its coach $1.24 million in performance bonuses.

▪ Fresno State is leading the MW in turnover margin at plus 1.5 per game (22 turnovers gained, seven lost) and San Diego State is ranked 11th at minus-.50 per game (11 turnovers gained, 16 lost).

The Bulldogs, with the seven turnovers lost, could have their fewest in any year going back to 2000. They had 13 last season and in 2001.

▪ With a reception against the Aztecs, the Bulldogs’ Johnson will have at least one catch in 27 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the nation and tied for second longest in MW history.

Casey Flair (UNLV) and Jovon Bouknight (Wyoming) each caught a pass in 47 consecutive games. The conference leader is Dominic Rufran (Wyoming) at 49 games.

▪ San Diego State has only 29 red zone possessions in 10 games, 11th in the conference. It also has a touchdown percentage of only 55.2, 10th in the MW.

▪ The Aztecs did not allow an explosive rushing play of 20 or more yards in their first six games of the season and have allowed only three all year.

▪ Fresno State has scored 126 points in the third quarter of its 10 games. San Diego State has scored 88 points in the second halves of its 10 games, 26 in the third and 62 in the fourth.

This story was originally published November 16, 2018 at 1:16 PM.