Answers to key questions as Fresno State football prepares for season opener

Fresno State got its fall football schedule on Thursday and put on full pads for the first time in practice on Friday, and suddenly the season started to feel a little more real.

The Bulldogs get Hawaii on Oct. 24, at home, in what is set as an 8-game season, pending approval from state, county and local officials.

“We have a game and we know who we’re playing now,” coach Kalen DeBoer said. “It’s another element to the excitement our guys have. It’s real in their minds now. It’s really happening.”

Between here and there, though, there are a lot of questions to be answered with a starting quarterback obviously is at the top of the Bulldogs to-do list coming off a 4-8 season that fell apart late, ending on a four-game losing streak.

Here are some questions, and some answers:

What happens to quarterback competition?

DeBoer and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb set up spring practices so that fourth-year junior Jake Haener and third-year sophomore Ben Wooldridge could compete for the starting job, and at that time there was no need to rush a decision.

After those 15 practices there would have been a summer of player-run workouts and the start of fall camp – one or the other would emerge to take the first snaps of the season. But with Fresno State two weeks from getting into game prep, a decision will have to be made quickly to maximize the reps of QB1.

Haener, who played in four games at Washington in 2018 before sitting out last season as a transfer, has an experience edge.

“We’re really looking into every rep as a staff in great detail,” DeBoer said. “The great thing about it is, you’ve got two guys that even though they weren’t the quarterback last year, they’ve been here and they know the system and know the guys and you can tell they’ve taken advantage of opportunities on their own to work with the skill players whether it’s receivers, tight ends or running backs.

“I’m really encouraged by how far along we are in the communication between the quarterbacks and the rest of the offense.”

Will the Bulldogs put some bite in run game?

The offensive line managed to maintain some healthy rushing numbers last season despite struggling with injuries – four different players starting at least one game at left guard, three started a game at left tackle, three at center and three at right guard.

Fresno State still averaged 4.9 yards per rush and tied for second in the conference with 27 rushing touchdowns, and it has a lot of those offensive line pieces back and healthy heading into the season including center Matt Smith and right tackle Syrus Tuitele.

But those numbers hide one glaring weakness – third-and-short.

Fresno State picked up a first down on only 11 of 23 rushing plays when needing one to three yards to keep a drive alive, ranking 11th by percentage in the Mountain West.

The Bulldogs gained 103 yards, but that total was juiced by a 53-yard touchdown run by wideout Jalen Cropper on a third-and-2 in a victory at Hawaii. Take that one out of the equation, and Fresno State on third-and-short rushing plays averaged just 2.3 yards.

Improvement undoubtedly would aid a first-year starting quarterback and improve the Bulldogs’ third-down conversion rate (it was 37.7 % a year ago, ninth in the conference), which has proven to be a telling statistic.

Fresno State converted third downs at 40% or better three times over the past 10 seasons and they just happen to be the years it won MW championships – 2018, 2013 and 2012.

Will Zoom translate to the football field?

The Bulldogs made the most of the technology available to them while out, and DeBoer is confident in his staff’s ability to teach. But in installing a new defensive scheme, time on the field in walk-thoughs, 7 on 7s and team periods matters.

“It’s so much better,” DeBoer said. “You always listen when you have those zoom meetings, but the question is, ‘Are you really processing it and putting yourself in that spot?’”

Uncertainty and indecision will not help a defense that was hit hard by injuries in the secondary a year ago and ranked 11th in the Mountain West in passing defense, even playing one third of its games against teams ranked 79th (New Mexico State), 88th (UNLV), 92nd (San Diego State) and 125th (Air Force) in passing offense.

Fresno State has made dramatic improvements when changing defenses in the past under defensive coordinator Nick Toth in 2012 and defensive coordinator Orlondo Steinauer in 2017.

The Bulldogs in 2012 allowed 23.8 points and 338.8 yards per game, down from 35.2 and 435.8 the previous season. In 2017 they allowed 17.9 points and 320.6 yards per game, down from 30.9 and 416.1 the previous season.

Both of those teams, however, had spring practices to work in the new scheme. Is there enough time for the players to gain a comfort level in the new 4-2-5?

“Being uncomfortable is the name of the game this year,” DeBoer said. “There’s no doubt that the ability to adapt is huge, but I definitely think we’ll be ready.

“I’ve told the guys, ‘Everyone is going to forget everything we’ve been through when it’s Week One, Week Two, of the season. It’s going to be whether you won or lost.’ So, we need to do everything we can to prepare ourselves and feel confident and be ready.”

Does Fresno State have most dynamic receivers in Mountain West?

Fresno State has great depth and dynamic play-making ability in its receivers’ room with Chris Coleman returning to a group that includes Zane Pope, Emoryie Edwards, Cropper, Keric Wheatfall, Jamal Glaspie, Patrick Elima-Jeune, Josh Kelly and Erik Brooks.

The Bulldogs did not have a wideout ranked in the top 20 in the MW in receiving yards per game last season, but still could make an argument this is the best group in the conference.

The most intriguing piece in that mix could be Wheatfall.

The junior college transfer had an injury-plagued first season at Fresno State, missing two full games and playing only parts of two others. He caught 17 passes, but when on the field and healthy he was a critical piece for former quarterback Jorge Reyna and could be for the next quarterback, once that competition is settled.

Wheatfall had seven of those 17 receptions on third downs and five on third-and-10 or more, and each one of those plays resulted in a first down.

He was on the receiving end of pass plays that converted a third-and-24 (Sacramento State), three third-and-10 plays (New Mexico State, UNLV and Colorado State) and a third-and-11 (UNLV).

Despite limited playing time for Wheatfall, no receiver in the Mountain West last season converted more third-and-long pass plays into first downs.

Who replaces Justin Rice for Fresno State?

After the season was postponed in August due to the coronavirus, linebacker Justin Rice transferred to Arkansas State. The senior from Modesto was the top returning tackler on the team, the preseason defensive player of the year in the conference and the Bulldogs lack ready depth at, really, all of the linebacker positions.

How do they fill that spot?

Jacob Hollins, the Central High grad and Illinois transfer, is at the top of the list and could be just as productive as Rice was a year ago when racking up 112 total tackles. But the Bulldogs at the start of camp are investing some time in evaluation at every position – with no spring ball, this is the first the staff is seeing this team on the practice field.

“The schemes are one thing, but figuring out who runs those schemes the best from each position is a part of what we’re going through,” DeBoer said.

“It’s our first time seeing them. The meetings our staff has, watching the film, especially on the defensive side are very long because every detail is being discussed. We’re making sure they’re on the same page as coaches with the scheme and how we’re teaching, and also the evaluation of who is doing a great job in certain positions.”