Fresno State’s Kevin Atkins turning six years, four (or five) coaches into one big season
High turnover happens in college athletics. Coaches and coordinators move up, move on. Some, to put it politely, are moved out. It can make it difficult, and Fresno State defensive tackle Kevin Atkins has in his career played for four defensive line coaches; five, if counting Tony Tuioti, who was on the Bulldogs’ staff for a couple of months in 2017 before leaving for a job at Cal, and Atkins does.
It was Pete Germano then Tuioti, Jamar Cain, Will Plemons and last season and this, Eric Schmidt.
But rather than a potential negative Atkins is using that as a positive in his Super Senior year of college football, taking a teaching point from every one of those coaches and putting together what is, after just five games, one of the most productive seasons for a Fresno State interior defensive lineman in more than a decade.
“Coming in with Coach Germano, it was a transition,” Atkins said. “You’re becoming a man. You’re playing against people who are older than you, probably stronger than you. But you have to have heart. You have to play with aggression. That’s what he taught me.
“Then I had Coach Cain. He taught me to have a motor – just go, go, go, go, go. He taught me to be aggressive and to keep going. No matter how tired you are, just keep going. Coach Plemons, he was a technician. He taught me all of the different techniques of pass rush and how to play different blocks.
“Now we come to Coach Schmidt. Coach Schmidt, he’s a smart coach. He can name a whole offensive formation and down and distance and tell you what they’re going to do before they run a play.”
Mash that together with uncommon quickness and speed for a 300-pound defensive tackle and there are answers for just about any occasion.
“If you have guys who are over-aggressive, it’s harder to power them, so you go to your finesse and quickness,” Atkins said. “People who try to deep set, you go to power. Then you have people you try to mix it up on.”
Bulldogs tackle racking up sacks, tackles for loss
The results thus far: aided and abetted by the Bulldogs’ defensive ends crashing off the edge, Atkins has 4.5 sacks and 6.0 tackles for loss. There have been years the Bulldogs did not get that type of production from an interior defensive lineman in a full season, 12 games.
And, Atkins has a good chance to add to those sacks and tackles for loss totals on Saturday night when No. 18 Fresno State matches up against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors in a Mountain West game in Honolulu.
Hawaii has an experienced offensive line, starting four seniors and one junior. But it is ranked ninth in the Mountain West Conference in tackles for loss allowed per game (6.6) and 11th in sacks allowed per game (3.0), and not all of them have been racked up by the Power Five conference opponents (UCLA or Oregon State) on the schedule.
In a 49-35 victory over FCS Portland State, Hawaii allowed 9.0 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks. The Vikings’ VJ Malo, an interior defensive lineman, had 3.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks in that game.
Atkins, one of the leaders on a defense that is in a rebound mode after allowing 461 yards in a 38-30 victory over UNLV, could take a step or two closer to the top of the Bulldogs’ charts.
Logan Harrell had the most sacks by a Bulldogs defensive tackle with 10.5 in 13 games in 2010, but it only takes 5.0 to get into the top five. Harrell also had the most tackles for loss with 17.0 in 13 games in 2011, and Malik Forrester is fifth on that list with 9.5 in 14 games in 2017.
A Super Senior audition for the NFL
Atkins seems certain to surpass career-highs of 5.0 sacks set in 2019 and matched last season and 7.0 tackles for loss set in 2019, perhaps as soon as Saturday. But that was the expectation when defensive coordinator William Inge and Schmidt arrived on the staff of coach Kalen DeBoer in 2020.
“Our initial impressions were that we saw someone who could really be stout in the middle, who played hard and his attention to detail was high,” Inge said.
“That’s something that was great. We knew if we could continue to add energy in his bucket when it came to preparation, to fundamental enhancement and improvement and continue to play hard, he was going to love the results even better as he continued to mature. That’s something that we really challenged him with.”
Atkins, taking advantage of a blanket waiver from the NCAA for an additional year of eligibility due to the coronavirus pandemic, didn’t need much prodding with a shot at the NFL looming.
In an abbreviated 2020, when the Bulldogs had no spring practices and no summer strength and conditioning workouts due to COVID-19 restrictions, Atkins showed plenty with 5.0 sacks in six games. He gained honorable mention on the Mountain West all-conference team, started an 18th game in a row and 27th in 32.
But he did not in his mind show enough and the Bulldogs, who lacked experience and depth coming into the season at those interior defensive line positions, have been the beneficiary.
“Last year, I was overweight, I wasn’t moving at my best and I just wanted to show that I’ve improved and I’m ready for the next level,” Atkins said. “I just wanted to come back and dominate. I want that tag of all-conference. That’s what I’m shooting for.”
No. 18 Fresno State vs. Hawaii Rainbow Warriors
When: Saturday, 8 p.m.
Where: Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex, Honolulu
TV: CBS Sports Network (Noah Eagle, Aaron Murray)
Find it fast: AT&T (Channels 643, 1643), Comcast (418, 732), DirecTV (221), Dish Network (158)
Radio: Bulldog Sports Network (Paul Loeffler, Pat Hill, Cameron Worrell)
Find it fast: Fresno (AM1340), Bakersfield (AM970), Visalia (AM1130), Modesto (FM92.9), Stockton (AM1280), Bulldogs app, iHeartMedia app
The coaches: Kalen DeBoer (7-4 in second season), Todd Graham (7-7 in second season, 102-68 overall)
The records: Fresno State 4-1, 1-0 in MW; Hawaii 2-3, 0-1
The series: Fresno State leads 29-23-1
Last meeting: Hawaii won 34-19 in 2020
The line: Fresno State -10