Mountain West football notes: Fresno State running under standard

Fresno State had some success rushing against Power Five Conference teams the past few years, generating 4.8 yards per play last season at USC and 4.3 yards per play this season against Utah.

But in a loss at San Jose State in a Mountain West opener, the Bulldogs didn’t get much done on the ground against a defense that entered the game ranked last in the conference in rushing defense. The Spartans allowed an average of 285.7 rushing yards in their first three games.

The Bulldogs had just 88 rushing yards on 29 plays. Some of that is a numbers game – the Spartans started dropping an extra defender into the box to thwart the running game, taking their chances against the pass and inexperienced quarterbacks Ford Childress and Kilton Anderson.

But Fresno State (1-3, 0-1 MW) also did not do well sustaining or finishing blocks, which had them searching a bit Monday as they started preparing for San Diego State (1-3).

“I thought we had a better chance to run the ball, but we got beat up physically, and I don’t know many times that has happened,” offensive-line coach Cameron Norcross said. “I don’t know what it was; we just didn’t come out well. Now, in the second half, I thought we played a lot more physical and it comes down to kind of what we were running, too. But in the first half we called just straight inside zone and we weren’t getting it done. We have to find a way to do that, and this week it doesn’t get any easier with what San Diego State does on defense.”

The issues in the first half have cropped up in all four games, though the numbers by halftime are fairly similar. The Bulldogs have averaged 3.9 yards per play in the first half and 4.1 in the second.

“We weren’t doing a good job maintaining blocks,” Norcross said. “Across the front we need to finish blocks better with our feet. Right now we’re being really lazy with our feet. Initial get-off is good, eye placement is good, but it’s just finishing blocks. There were a few times where they just kicked our tail to get off the block, and we just stopped our feet. Some of the big runs, those were the times that we don’t, where we’re running our feet and giving Marteze (Waller) a chance. You give him a little crease, he hits it, and we’re going to be a lot better. We have to fix that.”

Next game: at San Diego State, 7:30 p.m. Saturday (CBS Sports Network)

Notable: Norcross said he would continue to look to get senior Bo Bonnheim some reps at center at San Diego State, with redshirt freshman Micah St. Andrew moving in at right guard. “When you start feeling a little rhythm, I hate disrupting rhythm,” Norcross said.

Robert Kuwada, The Fresno Bee

West Division

Hawaii – After returning from their second trip to the Midwest (Ohio State and Wisconsin) in three games, the Warriors were set to enjoy being at home for … four days. The Warriors (2-2) are scheduled to depart for the mainland Thursday ahead of the Mountain West opener against Boise State (3-1). This will be the Warriors’ third trip this season and second in a stint of four road games in five weeks.

Despite the heavy travel schedule, coach Norm Chow has implemented a no-gripe policy.

“Our guys like to play football,” he said. “We don’t care where we play, who we play, what time we play. We’re going to play the best we can.”

Next game: at Boise State, 7:15 p.m. Saturday (ESPN2)

Notable: After being held out of the UC Davis game the previous week because of knee issues, wide out Quinton Pedroza caught 10 passes for 134 yards against Wisconsin.

Stephen Tsai, Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Nevada – The Wolf Pack football team doesn’t sell out many games, but this week should be an exception.

For its rivalry game against UNLV (1-3) on Saturday, Nevada (2-2) had sold all but 4,000 of its tickets for 30,000-capacity Mackay Stadium by Monday afternoon and was out of general admission tickets by Tuesday. Since 2000, Nevada has sold out seven games (four against Boise State, two against UNLV and one against Cal). But this week’s game, with a 4 p.m. kickoff, is trending in that direction.

More than 2,000 students lined up for tickets on campus before sunrise Monday, and student tickets were gone before the day ended. For a program like Nevada that struggles to draw, seeing tickets in high demand was a good feeling for coach Brian Polian, who greeted the students Monday at 5:30 a.m.

“I saw the coolest thing I’ve seen since I moved here,” Polian said.

Next game: vs. UNLV, 4 p.m. Saturday (Mountain West Digital Network)

Notable: Wolf Pack defensive tackle Rykeem Yates (Edison High) was suspended for the UNLV game. He was suspended one half for targeting vs. Buffalo and one half because it was his second violation. … Nevada has won nine of the last 10 games against its rival UNLV.

Chris Murray/Reno Gazette-Journal

San Diego State – It is a coincidence that has become a trend.

Now, what to do about it?

San Diego State has made turnovers within the final two minutes of the first half in three straight games, costing the Aztecs momentum, if not, in fact, victories.

First it was an interception at Cal. Then it was a lost fumble against South Alabama. And now a muffed punt and lost fumble against Penn State that turned a one-point lead into a 13-point halftime deficit in a 37-21 loss to the Nittany Lions.

“Two weeks in a row is coincidence, but three weeks in a row you have no idea why,” Aztecs coach Rocky Long said. “If it was always the same player, you replace the player. But it’s not. Every week it’s somebody different, and they’re good guys. They’re not trying to do it.”

Long said it is something to be discussed but not dwelled on as the Aztecs prepare to host Fresno State in Saturday’s Mountain West opener.

Meantime, Maxwell Smith’s status as starting quarterback remains certain. Smith completed 10 of 29 passes for 141 yards and one touchdown against Penn State.

Next game: vs. Fresno State, 7:30 p.m. Saturday (CBS Sports Network)

Notable: Aztecs running back Donnel Pumphrey had a season-low 56 rushing yards against Penn State and has run for more than 100 yards in one of four games this season. He had only three sub-100 games last season. … The Aztecs head into the conference schedule having not experienced major injuries to key players. The one concern is on the offensive line, which has struggled at times with three new starters. Senior starting left guard Nico Siragusa is being hampered by an ankle injury. He came out early against Penn State.

Kirk Kenney and Tod Leonard, San Diego Union-Tribune

San Jose State – The Spartans – and maybe specifically Tyler Ervin – announced their presence as division contenders with their 49-23 win over Fresno State.

It was their most lopsided victory over their rival since 1990, when they won 42-7 in the regular-season finale to capture the Big West Conference title.

Ervin set a school record with his 300 rushing yards and was one shy of the record with 42 carries. Along with an efficient game from quarterback Joe Gray (20 of 23, 252 yards, three touchdowns), San Jose State (2-2) displayed the type of offense that might make it the new early favorite in a wide-open West Division.

The trick will be taking this act on the road. The Spartans have dominated both of their home games, but they’ve fallen apart in the second half both times they’ve gone on the road.

That’s crucial because the next two games are away from home, starting Saturday at Auburn, a meeting that is mostly about the $1.6 million paycheck.

Next game: at Auburn, 1 p.m. Saturday (SEC Network)

Notable: This week’s trip to Auburn completes a two-year, $3.1 million contract. San Jose State doesn’t, as of now, have any big-money nonconference games scheduled in the future, although athletic director Gene Bleymaier has said the goal is to play one each season to help balance the budget.

Jimmy Durkin, San Jose Mercury News

UNLV – The Rebels spent the first three games of the season playing competitively against top-notch opponents, but came away with a frustrating loss each time.

They let out all their frustration Saturday, routing Idaho State 80-8.

“Really, at the end of the day, I wish we wouldn’t have gotten there (to 80 points),” coach Tony Sanchez said. “We played well. The biggest thing is we won the game. I don’t care if we won by one. I don’t care if we won by 50. For as long as I’m here, and I hope to God that’s a long, long time, we want to win by one single point, and I don’t care who we’re playing.”

The Rebels set school records for points in a game, half and quarter and for largest margin of victory. UNLV broke the Mountain West mark for most points, besting the total of 72 put up by Air Force against Nicholls State in 2009 and by New Mexico against Texas State in 2003.

Next game: at Nevada, 4 p.m. Saturday (Mountain West Digital Network)

Notable: UNLV ended a nine-game losing streak. Now the Rebels will try to halt a nine-game road skid.

Mark Anderson, Las Vegas Review-Journal

Mountain Division

Air Force – Falcons players found the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy positioned in the middle of the locker room last week, a not-so-subtle reminder from the coaches of what was coming next.

Not that anybody around this program needed the hint.

There’s no greater goal for Air Force players than to capture – or in this case, retain – that trophy. And for the past 18 years the trophy for the three-game round robin among Air Force, Army and Navy has gone to the winner of the Air Force-Navy game, which takes place Saturday in Annapolis, Md.

Air Force (2-1) had an extra week to prepare for this game following a 35-21 loss at No. 2 Michigan State on Sept. 19. Navy (3-0) defeated Connecticut 28-18 on Saturday.

At 5-1, this is the best combined winning percentage for Air Force and Navy at the time of their meeting since the game was moved to the first Saturday of October in 2000.

Next game: at Navy, 12:30 p.m. Saturday (CBS Sports Network)

Notable: Air Force’s home game against Wyoming on Oct. 10 was picked up by ESPN2. Because it will be on one of ESPN’s top two networks, the Falcons will receive a $500,000 conference bonus.

Brent Briggeman, The (Colorado Springs) Gazette

Boise State – True freshman Brett Rypien passed for 321 yards and three touchdowns in his first start last week at Virginia. He was 24 of 35 with a rating of 173.90.

The Broncos won 56-14 – just the second true road win against a Power Five team in program history.

Rypien replaced injured starter Ryan Finley and helped the Broncos (3-1) produce their best offensive performance of the season with a pass-first game plan.

Next game: vs. Hawaii, 7:15 p.m. Saturday (ESPN2)

Notable: Finley, the starter until he broke an ankle, pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges stemming from his April arrest for underage possession of alcohol and resisting or obstructing officers. He received a withheld judgment, three months probation and 40 hours of community service.

Chadd Cripe, (Boise) Idaho Statesman

Colorado State – Will Friend is moving upstairs on game days from now on. The offensive coordinator and line coach moved from the sideline to the press box for the second half Saturday in a 33-31 win at Texas-San Antonio, and the new perspective provided a big boost to the running game.

Although little changed in the statistical production, with the Rams (2-2) gaining 82 yards on 23 carries in the first half and 89 yards on 23 carries in the second, the minor adjustments Friend suggested played a key role in the victory.

The Rams used their ground game to hold the ball for 19:45 of the second half’s 30 minutes, running 41 offensive plays to UTSA’s 24.

Colorado State is averaging 462.5 total yards, second in the Mountain West and No. 36 nationally.

Next game: at Utah State, 4 p.m. Saturday (ESPN3)

Notable: The Rams’ past three games have been decided by three or fewer points. The last time that happened was in 2001, when the Rams lost 25-22 in overtime at Fresno State before beating UNLV 26-24 and Utah 19-17.

Kelly Lyell, Fort Collins Coloradoan

New Mexico – Lobos players and coaches were jubilant after last week’s 38-28 victory at Wyoming, for completely valid reasons valid despite the Cowboys’ winless record.

The win in Laramie gave New Mexico a 2-2 record entering October. A 1-3 record might have been too deep a hole for the Lobos en route to their stated goal of at least six wins and bowl eligibility.

Winning a conference opener, something New Mexico hadn’t done since 2005, certainly was worth celebrating.

As much as anything, though, the victory creates momentum the Lobos can take into Saturday’s intrastate showdown against New Mexico State – a game against another winless (0-3) team that they can’t afford to lose.

“Make no mistake,” coach Bob Davie said, “this is the biggest game of the year when all the dust settles.”

Next game: vs. New Mexico State, 5 p.m. Saturday (Root Sports)

Notable: Sophomore Lamar Jordan is free and clear as the Lobos’ full-time starting quarterback after his performance at Wyoming. He has started all four games but shared playing time with junior Austin Apodaca against Mississippi Valley State, Tulsa and Arizona State. Jordan rushed for 147 yards and a touchdown and passed for 107 and a score in Laramie.

Rick Wright, Albuquerque Journal

Utah State – With senior quarterback Chuckie Keeton sidelined four to six weeks because of a sprained knee, Kent Myers will start the conference opener for the Aggies (1-2) against Colorado State (2-2) on Saturday.

The sophomore is familiar with the spotlight. After injuries knocked out the three quarterbacks in front of him last season – Keeton, Craig Harrison and Darell Garretson – Myers stepped in and performed well. He guided the Aggies to a 5-1 record in his six starts, including a 21-6 win over UTEP in the New Mexico Bowl.

Myers has not been made available to the media and won’t be until after the Colorado State game.

Next game: vs. Colorado State, 4 p.m. Saturday, ESPN3

Notable: The Aggies rank last in the country in total offense (292.3), 119th in passing (179 yards) and 121st in rushing (113.3). … Utah State has scored five touchdowns in its first three games. But only three were scored by the offense. The other two came on an 88-yard punt return against Southern Utah and a 97-yard fumble return against Washington.

Steve Luhm, Salt Lake Tribune

Wyoming – The 0-4 Cowboys continue to make changes on defense in search of consistency and preventing big plays.

The latest involves the linebackers. Junior Lucas Wacha moves from the weak side to the middle. Sophomore Tim Kamana replaces Wacha as the starter on the weak side. Kamana played the first four games on the strong side. Junior D.J. May, who played running back last season, remains the starter at the strong side.

Wacha leads the team with 36 tackles and 19 solo stops, and had a game-high 13 tackles in Wyoming’s 38-28 home loss to New Mexico on Saturday. He replaces junior Eric Nzeocha at middle linebacker.

Next game: at Appalachian State, 12:30 p.m. Saturday (ESPN3)

Notable: Wyoming has allowed 12 plays of 30 yards or more, nine of which have gone for touchdowns.

Robert Gagliardi, Wyoming Tribune Eagle

This story was originally published September 29, 2015 at 6:30 PM with the headline "Mountain West football notes: Fresno State running under standard."