Still time for Fresno State to turn around season?

Fresno State guard Bo Bonnheim admits it’s been a “definitely tough” season so far for the Bulldogs.

After Saturday’s loss at San Diego State – the Bulldogs’ fourth in a row – Fresno State (1-4, 0-2 Mountain West) is off to its worst start since the 2006 team opened 1-7 on its way to a 4-8 season.

Bonnheim wants to see a “change” from his team.

“We haven’t been in this situation before,” the senior said Monday. “We definitely need to work harder and push ourselves. We need to as a team keep fighting and push through this. Keep these guys focused and branching out to guys and try to keep the team as one.

“Sometimes you get guys in the locker room who stop believing, and as a senior, it’s your job to get it back. I tell the young guys all the time, ‘The only chance we have is if we keep working harder, and if we don’t, then we have no chance.’ ”

In coach Tim DeRuyter’s first two first seasons at Fresno State, the Bulldogs went 20-6. But in the post-Derek Carr era, DeRuyter’s teams are 7-12.

“We feel pressure every time when we go out as a football staff,” DeRuyter said. “We know what we represent.”

Still, DeRuyter feels his team can turn it around with seven games remaining, starting with Saturday’s homecoming matchup against Utah State (2-2, 1-0).

“We’re playing with some young guys, not an excuse, that we have to coach better,” he said. “Our execution has not been spot-on. We’ve got to get that fixed. We have enough talent on this team that as we continue to go through the season we will improve, but we’ve got to improve now. We’re about halfway through the season and our guys need to grow up.”

The Bulldogs managed just 89 total yards of offense against the Aztecs – Fresno State’s lowest output since a 117-yard effort in a 2003 loss at No. 12 Tennessee.

Quarterback Zack Greenlee was 12 of 25 for 77 yards and a touchdown. But Greenlee was sacked three times and the Bulldogs did not convert a third down, going 0 for 12. The Bulldogs rushed for 48 yards but lost 36 for a net of 12.

“There were a couple of missed assignments in the run game,” DeRuyter said. “I thought for the most part we protected our quarterback well. The problem that we had was Zack a lot of the times was spilling into where the guys were blocking instead of stepping up in the pocket that was formed fairly well. We showed Zack that this morning in film. At times it looks like he’s getting pressured, but there was no pressure there and he created it. Those kind of things we have to get better at.

“He’s got to see the field. He has to trust his preparation is ready. He has to settle in and do what he’s prepared to do and go out and execute.”

Bonnheim said there’s still belief among his teammates that the Bulldogs can bounce back.

“Starting from work in January, throughout the year you’re not going to just give up,” he said. “You put a lot of work into this and a lot of time and DeRuyter and the coaching staff have done a good job developing us to push ourselves when times are bleak, and also to continue to push ourselves when times are good.”

Et cetera – Running back Marteze Waller (concussion) was held out of Monday’s practice, but DeRuyter thinks he’ll be ready for Saturday’s game.

DeRuyter said senior Charles Washington will continue to play at strong safety “for the time being.” Washington started at cornerback the first four games. He finished with a season-high seven tackles against San Diego State.

This story was originally published October 5, 2015 at 6:05 PM with the headline "Still time for Fresno State to turn around season?."