Fresno State quarterback Jake Haener will not play at UConn, two other starters also out

Fresno State coach Jeff Tedford is optimistic the Bulldogs will have quarterback Jake Haener back at some point this season and said on Monday that his availability and that of safety Evan Williams and right tackle Dontae Bull would be evaluated week-to-week.

All three players sustained injuries in a 45-17 loss at No. 7 USC before a bye week — Haener an ankle, Williams a knee and Bull a groin pull.

“Jake is going to be week-to-week with a high-ankle issue,” Tedford said. “Dontae Bull will miss this week and Evan will be out this week, as well. All of those guys are really week-to-week, nothing really long-term. We just have to see how the recovery comes.”

None of the three will travel when the Bulldogs play at UConn on Saturday. Linebacker Raymond Scott also is out with an injury.

Sophomore Logan Fife is expected to start at quarterback with senior Steven Comstock or redshirt sophomore Crishawn Gordon likely taking over at free safety. Sophomore Braylen Nelson is listed on the depth chart as the starter at right tackle, backed up by redshirt freshman Rolan Fullwood.

Fife put together a solid run against the Trojans after Haener went out with what was diagnosed as a sprain, rolling the ankle while being sacked by defensive tackle Solomon Byrd on the Bulldogs’ opening drive of the third quarter.

“I think he caught my leg and rolled it and I heard a little pop,” Haener said coming off the field after the game.

Logan Fife steps up off strong USC showing

Fife ran four series against the Trojans and Fresno State generated 231 total yards, averaging a healthy 7.2 yards per play. The Bulldogs averaged 6.8 for the game and have been at 7.0 or higher in only 10 games over the past four years plus three games this season.

Fife misfired on his first passing attempt, throwing low and away to running back Jordan Mims circling out of the backfield, but he hit 11 in a row after that including eight that went for first downs and plays of 26 yards to tight end Raymond Pauwels Jr. and 32 yards to running back Malik Sherrod.

The Bulldogs quarterback was able to manage the offense, hitting five different receivers with at least one pass in going 11 of 12, and despite the change there were no offensive penalties while Fife was in the game; no false starts, no illegal motions or formations, no delay of game calls.

“It wasn’t too big for him.” Tedford said. “In that environment, sometimes it can be too big and the game happening too fast and I didn’t think that was the case at all. He looked very comfortable in there and ran the offense well, managed the clock well and all that kind of thing the quarterback has to do.

“He was composed, had poise and that’s going to be the thing. He has to understand that no different than any quarterback in there you have to let everybody do their job around you. You don’t have to try to do too much, just do your job.”

Comstock, who started his Fresno State career at quarterback, played a career-high 30 snaps at USC and made three solo tackles. Gordon, who went into the USC game listed No. 2 on the depth chart, played 18 snaps and was in on two tackles and had one assisted tackle.

The Bulldogs this week will have to deal with a cross-country flight; they have not played in the Eastern time zone since a 52-17 loss at Toledo in 2016. But they will match up against a UConn team that also is dealing with injuries, losing its starting quarterback and top returning receiver as well as several other key players.

The Huskies are 1-4 and have been outscored by a large margin, averaging 14.4 points per game while allowing 36.4. They rank 127th in the nation in total offense (256.4 yards per game) and 113th in total defense (442.2).

Fresno State the following week will open Mountain West Conference play at Boise State on Oct. 8.

Haener in just 22 games at Fresno State has completed 67% of his passes for 6,971 yards with 51 touchdowns and an efficiency rating of 154.52.

He ranks first on the Bulldogs’ career completion percentage list at 67%, second in career 300-yard games with 14, third in career 400-yard games with three, seventh in passing touchdowns with 51 and eighth in completions with 554, all while ninth in passing attempts with 827.

This story was originally published September 26, 2022 at 12:15 PM.