Fresno State football at Utah State: Things to watch including Aggies’ QB run game

Utah State is struggling, obviously. Coach Gary Andersen was let go after a dismal 0-3 start. The Aggies are ranked 11th in the Mountain West Conference in rushing offense and passing offense, and 12th and last in scoring offense at just 9.7 points per game.

They have scored four touchdowns in three games.

Utah State has allowed only 13 tackles for loss, tied with 3-0 San Jose State for third fewest in the conference, so it’s not going backward a lot.

Its offense just isn’t going forward with much efficiency.

But within that mess there is something that could play well for the Aggies against Fresno State on Saturday at Maverik Stadium. (11:30 a.m., Fox Sports 2)

Utah State had one touchdown drive in a 34-9 loss at Nevada, going 61 yards on eight plays including runs by quarterback Jason Shelley that went for 12, 20 and 8 yards.

There has to be some question whether interim coach Frank Maile will stick with Shelley – he has completed just 56% of his passes, is averaging 3.7 yards per attempt and has thrown two interceptions. But if Shelley is running the offense against the Bulldogs, those quarterback runs could be something to kick start a struggling offense.

Fresno State in all three of its games has been hurt by quarterbacks rushing the football, whether on designed runs or just ditching the pocket and racing 71 yards for a touchdown as UNLV quarterback Max Gilliam did last week in the Bulldogs’ 40-27 victory over the Rebels.

Gilliam, looking to pass on a second-and-10 play, saw absolutely nothing to his right, cut inside a pass rusher and just took off up the sideline. Another Fresno State defender didn’t get anywhere near him until he was just about to the end zone.

In all three of the Bulldogs’ games the opponent’s leading rusher has been a quarterback, not a running back, starting with Hawaii and Chevan Corderio. The sack-adjusted rushing yardage for quarterbacks …

• Chevan Cordeiro – 9 for 133, 14.8 ypp, 2 TDs
• Todd Centeio – 11 for 91, 8.3, ypp
• Max Gilliam – 10 for 139, 13.9 ypp, 1 TD

There are five explosive rushing plays of 20 or more yards in there, and that sack adjusted rushing yardage includes eight runs on third-down plays ranging from a third-and-3 to a third-and-10 and on every single one of them the opposing quarterback picked up a first down.

That is something the Bulldogs will have to pay attention to with Shelley, who in the best stretch of his college career at Utah in 2018 used his legs to complement whatever he could get done in the passing game.

Shelley led the Utes to three wins in a row, putting up more than 30 points in each of them, and he was a critical piece in the running game. He rushed the ball 12 times in a 32-25 victory over Oregon, eight times in a 30-7 victory at Colorado and 10 times in a 35-27 victory over BYU.

Here are three more things to watch …

BAD WEATHER – SNOW WHAT?

There is a 20% chance of rain or snow on Saturday in Logan, Utah, with a high of 36 degrees and a low of 23, but inclement weather isn’t likely to change much for the Bulldogs.

The last time Fresno State played a game in the snow was the 2018 Mountain West Conference championship game at Boise State, a 19-16 victory in overtime. Coach Kalen DeBoer, then the offensive coordinator, didn’t let the averse weather have much impact on his play calls.

The Bulldogs that season ran the ball on 53.2% of their plays, but it was closer to 50% in that game even with the passing game potentially affected by the snow coming down.

Fresno State ran the football 33 times and had quarterback Marcus McMaryion throw it 32 times, more than it had in six games that season including victories over San Diego State and San Jose State in their two previous games. McMaryion didn’t take many shots down the field, but was 20 of 32 (62.5%) for 170 yards including a 15-yard touchdown pass to Michiah Quick.

DeBoer said if there is precipitation of any kind he would rather see snow than a cold rain. “I’ve been a part of that and that’s no fun,” he said.

But, the bottom line is just finding a way to win the football game.

“It’s the things we emphasize, such as being physical and just the toughness you have to endure — not just what you’re facing with your opponent, but block out the other factors that are involved,”DeBoer said.

“You still need to have a great week of preparation because it comes down to confidence and the way you execute. But there does have to be another level of focus and there are some things you do maybe with wet-ball drills and so forth throughout the week just to get those guys in that mindset that this is something they could be dealing with on Saturday.”

RIVERS’ TD WATCH

Fresno State running back Ronnie Rivers has 43 career touchdowns and is just one away from tying the school record set by Anthony Daigle, a former teammate of Rivers’ father.

Will it come Saturday? On a run, or a pass?

Here is a cheat sheet for anyone inclined to make a friendly wager. Rivers’ career touchdowns …

• Run of 1 to 5 yards – 15
• Run of 6 to 10 yards – 9
• Run of 11 to 15 yards – 2
• Run of 16 to 20 yards – 2
• Run of 21 or more yards – 6
• Pass of 1 to 5 yards – 1
• Pass of 6 to 10 yards – 0
• Pass of 11 to 15 yards – 1
• Pass of 16 to 20 yards – 2
• Pass of 21 or more yards – 5

Rivers’ longest touchdown run is 76 yards in a 50-20 victory over Hawaii in 2018 and his longest touchdown reception is 34 yards from Jorge Reyna in a 35-28 loss to Nevada last season.

MORE SERIES FOR WOOLDRIDGE?

DeBoer has said that Jake Haener is the Bulldogs’ starting quarterback, but backup Ben Wooldridge played four series in the victory at UNLV in competitive game situations.

When Wooldridge entered the game for the first time Fresno State was down 10-6 in the second quarter, and he played one series. When he returned the score was tied at 27 in the third quarter, and he ended up playing three series in a row.

In a season that can be impacted by COVID-19 at any time, it makes sense to develop ready depth at every position and the Bulldogs went into the season with none. Two seasons in a row they have gone in without a single career start in their quarterback’s room.

But it also could decelerate the progress of Haener, who they picked as the starter coming out of fall camp.

And, after playing a winless UNLV and a winless Utah State, do they go into a stretch against 3-0 San Jose State, 2-1 San Diego State and 3-0 Nevada without a clear plan at quarterback?

Here is a snapshot of some quarterback stats …

Passing

• Haener – 54 of 86 (62.8%), 8.9 ypa, 5 TD, 3 Int
• Wooldridge – 8 of 16 (50%), 7.3 ypa, 0 TD, 0 Int

Third-down passing

• Haener – 16 of 21 (76.2%), 12.8 ypa, 11 FD
• Wooldridge – 0 of 2

Passes since last interception

• Haener – 69
• Wooldridge – 16

Drives, points produced

• Haener – 33, 77
• Wooldridge – 5, 20

Sacks taken, drop backs

• Haener – 11, 97
• Wooldridge – 0, 16

Efficiency rating

• Haener – 149.63
• Wooldridge – 111.43

“Initially, against Colorado State, it was, ‘We need to get Ben in the game. We just need to get him in and get a drive or two under his belt,’” DeBoer said. “I think we kept it to one drive against Colorado State and we wanted to do the same thing, maybe even a couple more drives, and with the success he had in both the Colorado State game and the first drive he came in against UNLV, it definitely warranted I think an opportunity.

“I just went through and really in three of the past four years, other than 2018, I’ve become more comfortable with having a couple of different quarterbacks on the field throughout the course of a game. I don’t like having it to be where you have to quarterbacks that are equal. I think it’s Jake’s team right now. He’s the starting quarterback. But I think showing a little bit different type of player – our offense doesn’t really change as far as the play calls when those guys are in there – but I think what happens when those plays are called maybe does and that’ll be even more than the defense to handle than it is for us.”

Wooldridge did lead the Bulldogs to scores on his initial drives in his two games – a field goal against Colorado State and a touchdown at UNLV.

Both drives, though, were pushed along by penalties. Colorado State had a 15-yard personal foul following an incomplete pass that would have left the Bulldogs in a third-and-6. UNLV had a 15-yard roughing the passer penalty on an incomplete third-down pass play and rather than punt with the ball from their 35-yard line they had a fresh set of downs.

FRESNO STATE-UTAH STATE

Where and when: Maverik Stadium, Logan, Utah, 11:30 a.m.

TV/Radio: FS2/ESPN940AM

Fans: Following the recommendation of local and state officials, no fans will be in attendance due to an increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Utah.

Records: Bulldogs 2-1, Aggies 0-3

Series: Bulldogs lead 17-13-1

Last meeting: Utah State rolled up 525 yards of offense and kicked a game-winning field goal as time expired to win 37-35 at Bulldog Stadium.

Coaches: Kalen DeBoer (2-1), Frank Maile (1-0)

Line: Bulldogs -10