FB Contacts: Steve Weakland, Roger Kirk Oct. 21, 2006 Bulldog Game Notes

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1 2006 Fresno State Schedule Sept. 1 Nevada (ESPN) W, Sept. 9 Oregon (ESPN2) L, Sept. 16 at Washington (BSN) L, Sept. 30 Colorado State (BSN) L, Oct. 7 at Utah State (BSN) L, Oct. 14 Hawaii [Homecoming](BSN) L, Oct. 21 (ESPN) 6 p.m. Nov. 1 (ESPN) 5 p.m. Nov. 11 New Mexico State 2 p.m. Nov p.m. Nov. 24 at Louisiana Tech (ESPN2) 6 p.m. Dec. 2 at San Jose State 3 p.m. Home games in Bold Times are Pacific Dates and Times are Tentative and Subject to Change BSN - Bulldog Sports Network games on KFRE CW 59 (Cable channel 5) 2006 WAC Standings WAC Overall W L W L Boise State San Jose State Hawai i Fresno State Utah State Nevada New Mexico State Louisiana Tech WAC Schedule Boise State at, 2 p.m. Utah State at Louisiana Tech, 4 p.m. Hawai i at New Mexico State, 5 p.m. San Jose State at Nevada, 4 p.m. Fresno State, 6 p.m. Practices and Interviews Please call the Fresno State Athletics Media Relations office to arrange interviews with head coach Pat Hill, the staff and players. Bulldog practices are closed. Interviews may be conducted 15 minutes prior to practices or immediately after each practices Tuesday-Thursday. Players are not available for interviews on the day prior to games. Pat Hill Weekly Media Conference Pat Hill holds a weekly media conference in the Josephine Theater of the Duncan Building each Monday at 11 a.m. during the season. The video of the media conference is available live on The media conference will be archived on later in the day. Ticket Information For information on football tickets for 2006, please contact the Fresno State Athletics Ticket Office at (559) 278-DOGS or go online to gobulldogs.com. Single game tickets are available for the remaining home games. FB Contacts: Steve Weakland, Roger Kirk Oct. 21, 2006 Bulldog Game Notes Fresno State (1-5, 1-2) vs. No. 14 LSU (5-2, 2-2) Date: Saturday, Oct. 21 Kickoff: 6 p.m. PT Site: Tiger Stadium (92,400); Baton Rouge, La. Radio: KMJ (AM 580); Dog Talk at 4 p.m.; Countdown to Kickoff (5:30 p.m.) Play-by-Play: Bill Woodward; Analyst: Mark Barsotti; Sideline: Ralph Wood KGST ESPN Deportes (1600 AM) in Spanish Play-by-Play: Jess Gonzales; Analysts: Sam Sosa, Doug Kessler Television: ESPN2 Play-by-Play: Ron Franklin; Analyst: Ed Cunningham; Sideline: Dr. Jerry Punch Dogs Headed to Bayou Fresno State returns to the road this week, traveling to Baton Rouge to take on No. 14 LSU in a game that will be televised live on ESPN2. It s the first meeting between the two schools. Rocky Road The Dogs begin a tough road stretch against two team ranked in the Top 20 and have a combined record of Fresno State travels to No. 14 LSU on Saturday and then are at WAC rival Boise State, ranked No. 17, on Nov. 1. Both games will be nationally televised by ESPN2 and ESPN, respectively. WAC Update Following Boise State s convincing win over New Mexico State Sunday night, the Broncos kept pace with upstart atop the WAC rankings. The Vandals, at 3-0, beat Louisiana Tech last weekend San Jose State won its first WAC game with a win over Utah State. Come Home Soon Fresno State does not return home for 27 days when it hosts New Mexico State on Nov. 11. The Dog have two home games remaining, each beginning at 2 p.m. Tickets for the remaining home games are available on Dogs in SEC Country Fresno State is making its third trip to an SEC venue when it travels to LSU this week.the Dogs are 0-2 against teams from the Southeastern Conference, losing at Tennessee 24-6 in 2003 and at Auburn 62-0 in About the Tigers LSU enters the week with a 5-2 overall record and a 2-2 mark in conference games. Both of LSU s losses were at the hands of Top 5 teams, Auburn, 7-3, and Florida, Both of those games were on the road. In their five wins, however, the Tigers have scored at least 45 points, including a 49-0 win over Kentucky last weekend at home. LSU plays eight home games this season and the Fresno State game will be their sixth. The Tiger offense is led by outstanding quarterback JaMarcus Russell, who has thrown for 1,700 yards and 13 touchdowns, and a dynamic duo of backs, Charles Scott and Jacob Hester. They have combined for 497 yards and 11 touchdowns this season. LSU s defense has been very tough, allowing just 60 points through seven games. The Tigers, allowing less than three yards per run, have 41 tackles for loss and 22 quarterback sacks this season. LSU plays in historic Tiger Stadium and night games in Death Valley provide one of the nation s best collegiate football game atmospheres. Louisiana x 2 This is the first of two road games in Louisiana this season. The Bulldogs travel to Louisiana Tech on November 24. It marks the first time the Dogs have had two road games in another state since 2003 when they played two in Texas (SMU and UTEP). Fresno State also played two games in Oregon in 2002 (Oregon and Oregon State) and again in 2001 when it played twice in Colorado (Colorado and Colorado State).

2 Head Coach Pat Hill All of the credit for the resurgence of Bulldog football can be traced to head coach Pat Hill. Hill took over a declining program and within three years won a championship and guided his team to a bowl game. More importantly, Hill infused academic integrity to the program. Since his arrival, the team GPA rose from a 2.21 to In Hill s third season, the Bulldogs earned a share of a WAC championship, made their first bowl appearance since 1993 and produced a league-best six firstteam All-WAC players. In addition, Fresno State led the WAC academic scholars with 14 and produced the program s first Academic All-American, Payton Williams. That was just a start. Since then, Fresno State s NCAA Academic Progress Rate ranks in the top 10 percent of all Division I-A programs and is the fourth-highest of all schools in the west. Under his direction, Fresno State built a new football practice facility that rivals any NFL franchise. One of the most visible signs of improvement has been in the Duncan Building training room, offices and locker room, which was modified providing all student-athletes with a state of the art complex. Over the last seven seasons, Hill is averaging nearly nine wins per year, and led the Bulldogs to a No. 22 final national ranking in 2004, the highest for the school since Fresno State s current bowl streak of seven years is in thelongest current streak in the west. He has done it playing one of the most aggressive non-conference schedules in the nation. Since coming to Fresno State, Hill has continued his reputation as an outstanding recruiter. His first recruiting class produced four NFL draft choices including the No. 1 overall pick David Carr and four other players who signed NFL free agent contracts. Each of Hill s starting QBs at Fresno State (Billy Volek and David Carr) are playing in the NFL. Pat Hill's Resume 1997-present Fresno State, Head Coach 1996 Baltimore Ravens, Asst. Coach (tight ends/offensive line) Cleveland Browns, Asst. Coach (tight ends/offensive line) Arizona, Asst. Coach (offensive coordinator/line) Fresno State, Asst. Coach (offensive line/recruiting) 1983 Calgary (CFL), Asst. Coach (offensive coordinator/line) UNLV, Asst. Coach (offensive coordinator/line) Utah, Asst. Coach (offensive line/recruiting) Honors and Bowl Games 1999 WAC Champions/Las Vegas Bowl 2000 Silicon Valley Football Classic 2000 Sports Illustrated Bowl Coach of the Year 2001 Silicon Valley Football Classic 2002 Silicon Valley Football Classic 2003 East-West Shrine Game (West Head Coach) 2003 Silicon Valley Football Classic 2004 MPC Computers Bowl 2005 AutoZone Liberty Bowl Pat Hill Year-by-Year Overall WAC Home Road Neu Totals Tonight s Game This is the final non-conference game for both teams...the game is the latest start time of any in the nation...fresno State is making its first of two trips to Louisiana this season. The Dogs will play at Louisiana Tech on Nov. 24 (ESPN2)...this is the first meeting in the series and just the third time Fresno State has played a team from the SEC...the Tigers last played a Caifornia team in 1999, when it defeated WAC foe San Jose State the Tigers have never lost to WAC school and are 21-1 against current teams from the WAC. The only loss was to La. Tech, which happened prior to the Bulldogs becoming a WAC member when it beat the Tigers. The last time the Tigers played a WAC school was in the National Championship season of 2003, when they beat Louisiana Tech sophomore quarterback Sean Norton will get his first career start tonight. He last started a game in 2003 at Hart High School in Newhall, Calif., guiding his team to the CIF Division II Championship with a 25-7 win over Mission Viejo, where he threw three touchdowns, one to current Bulldog team mate Kevin Ciccone...the Dogs are expected to get standout receiver Paul Williams back on the field tonight. Williams has missed the last two games with an injury...the Dogs play four of their last six games on the road, including the next game (Nov. 1)...with a capacity crowd expected tonight, it will be the thirdlargest crowd to watch a Fresno State game. The others were Tennessee (103,860) in 2003 and Ohio State (96,583) in The last time the Dogs played in front of a crowd of more than 90,000 fans was Nov. 19, 2005 at USC (90,007)...the Dogs have a had a 100-yard rusher in five if six games this season, but will face its stiffest test as LSU is ranked No. 8 in the nations allowing 72 yards per game. Norton In Action Sophomore quarterback Sean Norton, who will get his first career start tonight, played in his first game as a Bulldog last week against Hawaii, coming off the bench in the second quarter and finishing the game. Norton looked impressive, throwing for 225 yards and three touchdowns. He completed 14 of 25 passes in the game and threw an interception. Norton connected with two freshmen (Marlon Moore and Isaac Kinter) and a fellow sophomore (Bear Pascoe) on his TD tosses. While at Hart High School in Newhall, Calif., Norton was a Parade All-American and the California High School Player of the Year after throwing for 4,067 yards and 44 touchdowns in his senior season. That was the fifth-best total in California prep history, the 25th-best in the nation. Norton played in the same league (Foothills League) with two Pac-10 starting quarterbacks, Arizona State s Rudy Carpenter and Cal s Nate Longshore. Norton was the league MVP for both his junior and senior season over both of those players. Hart High School also produced former Cal and current Baltimore Ravens quarterback Kyle Boller. For his high school career, Norton guided Hart to a record, two CIF championships and a No. 20 national ranking. Dorsey Moves Outside Junior Shannon Dorsey has been moved to wide receiver this week. Dorsey, who has been splitting time between receiver and running back the last two weeks in practice, made the permanent move to bolster the receiving corps according to John Baxter. Dorsey will continue to wear jersey No. 25. Road Warriors Pat Hill has a great reputation for getting his teams ready for big non-conference road games. While the Dogs winning percenatge in those games is unstandablely low, the Dogs have played in some dandies. Here s a look: 2005 No. 1 USC USC 50, Fresno State 42 No. 24 Oregon Oregon 37, Fresno State No. 13 Kansas State Fresno State 45, Kansas State 21 Washington Fresno State 35, Washington No. 13 Tennessee Tennessee 24, Fresno State 6 No. 1 Oklahoma Oklahoma 52, Fresno State No. 23 Wisconsin Wisconsin 23, Fresno State 21 No. 16 Oregon Oregon 28, Fresno State No. 23 Colorado Fresno State 24, Colorado 22 No. 18 Wisconsin Fresno State 32, Wisconsin No. 14 UCLA UCLA 24, Fresno State 21

3 Academic Gameplan As Fresno State s football team continues to make great strides on the football field, the Bulldogs are continuing to reach unprecedented academic success. The Bulldogs are coming off their best semester of academic achievement in the Pat Hill era, as 49 players achieved a 3.0 Grade Point Average or higher, 10 more than the fall semester of As a team, the Bulldogs posted a composite GPA of 2.87, which equates to a B- average. 15 Dogs Earn Academic All-WAC The Bulldogs produced a record number of players who earned Academic All-WAC honors for the fall of 2005, with 15 student-athletes being honored. A student-athlete must carry a 3.2 cumulative GPA and play in over 50% of a team s games to qualify. Earning Academic All-WAC honors for 2005 were: Jordan Christensen (Jr., 3.47, Construction Management); Kevin Ciccone (So.,3.04,Undeclared) Tyrone Culver (Sr., 3.42, Health Science)Shannon Dorsey (So., 3.13, Industrial Technology); Joe Fernandez (Jr., 3.21, Philosophy-Pre Law; Kyle Goodman (Sr., 4.00, MBA);Jason Huss (Sr., 3.22, Business Administration,Ikenna Ike (So., 3.06, Undeclared); Jake Jorde (So., 3.09, Undeclared); Garrett McIntyre (Sr., 3.26, Construction Management); Ryan McKinley (So., 3.58, Business; Kyle Richard (So., 3.32, Exercise Science; Clint Stitser (So., 4.00, Business Administration; Bryson Sumlin (Sr., 3.03, Health Science; Ryan Wendell (So., 3.16, Undeclared). Since the hiring of Hill, the Bulldogs leads the WAC Rice with 80 Academic All-WAC selections. Prior to Hill s hiring, Fresno had just nine academic All-WAC student-athletes. Academic All-WAC Selections Since Fresno State Hawaii San Jose State 23 APR Ranking Fresno State s Academic Progress Rate (APR) score ranks among the best in the nation. Compared to Division I-A programs in the Western U.S., the Dogs have the second-highest score among public institutions. Here s a breakdown of the top 10 APR scores among all programs in the west (Pac-10, WAC, and Mountain West Conferences): Institution Conference APR 1. Stanford Pac Air Force MWC Utah MWC TCU MWC Fresno State WAC Boise State WAC Cal Pac Colorado State MWC Wyoming MWC Washington Pac Washington St. Pac Attendance Up Despite the team s slow start, the Red Wave continues to show up at Bulldog Stadium. In two of the last three games were over 42,000 fans, over the stadiums capacity of 41,031. It marked the first time since the 2001 season that Fresno State had back-to-back games over 42,000. This season the Dogs are averaging 40,671 fans per game at home. Fresno State s two sellouts this season were the 15th and 16th of this decade. Ready for the Road After a stretch of the season in which Fresno State has played three of four games at home, the Dogs are in the midst of a stretch that will see them at Bulldog Stadium just once in a 42-day span. That includes three road games that will take them from Logan, Utah, to Baton Rouge to Boise. Last week s game vs. WAC rival Hawai i was Fresno State s only home game in the month of October. Fresno State s Bowl History Fresno State is 10-9 all-time in bowl games. The Bulldogs loss to Tulsa snapped a schoolrecord three-game win streak in bowl games. Following is a list of every bowl game in Fresno State history: Bowl Date Opponent Results Little All-American Bowl Dec. 25, 1937 Arkansas State WON Pineapple Bowl Jan. 1, 1941 Hawai i WON 3-0 Raisin Bowl Jan. 1, 1946 Drake LOST Mercy Bowl I Nov. 23, 1961 Bowling Green WON 36-6 Camellia Bowl Dec. 14, 1968 Humboldt State LOST Mercy Bowl II Dec. 11, 1971 Cal State Fullerton LOST California Bowl II Dec. 18, 1982 Bowling Green WON California Bowl V Dec. 14, 1985 Bowling Green WON 51-7 California Bowl IX Dec. 9, 1989 Ball State WON 27-6 California Bowl XI Dec. 14, 1991 Bowling Green LOST Freedom Bowl IX Dec. 29, 1992 USC WON 24-7 Aloha Bowl Dec. 25, 1993 Colorado LOST Las Vegas Bowl Dec. 18, 1999 Utah LOST Silicon Valley Football Classic Dec. 31, 2000 Air Force LOST Silicon Valley Football Classic II Dec. 31, 2001 Michigan State LOST Silicon Valley Football Classic III Dec. 31, 2002 Georgia Tech WON Silicon Valley Football Classic IV Dec. 30, 2003 UCLA WON 17-9 MPC Computers Bowl Dec. 27, 2004 No. 18 Virginia WON OT 47th AutoZone Liberty Bowl Dec. 31, 2005 Tulsa LOST Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere...Literally Under Pat Hill s tenure, Fresno State has taken this motto to new heights, especially where the Bulldog will play their games. Since Hill became head coach and beefed-up the Bulldog non-conference schedule, they haven t dodged anyone. In most cases, the Bulldogs have to hit the road to play BCS conference schools. Of the Bulldogs 30 non-conference games under Hill, 19 have been on the road at places like UCLA, Ohio State, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Colorado, No. 1 Oklahoma, Washington, Kansas State, Oregon and No. 1 USC. Fresno State has never had more than two non-conference home games under Hill, and has twice played three non-conference road games in a season. This season, the Bulldog host Oregon and play at Washington and. Oregon s visit to Bulldog Stadium on Sept. 16 will be the first by a BCS conference opponent since the 2003 season and just the second in the last five years. Here s a look at the tough non-conference schedule on tap for Date Opponent Site Sept. 9 Oregon Bulldog Stadium Sept. 16 Washington Seattle, Wash. Sept. 30 Colorado State Bulldog Stadium Oct. 21 LSU Baton Rouge, La. Bulldog Bowl Streak The Bulldogs made their seventh consecutive bowl appearance last year, the longest such streak in the WAC and of all teams in the Pacific, Mountain or Hawaiian time zones.

4 Fresno State Facts Bulldog Stadium at Jim Sweeney Field Since taking over Bulldog Stadium in 1980, Fresno State has one of the best home records in college football. One of the most beautiful stadiums in the Western Athletic Conference, Bulldog Stadium underwent a two-phase expansion project in 1991, increasing seating by 10,000 to a capacity of 41,031 and adding 22 sky suites. Jim Sweeney was Fresno State s head coach ( , ) who won eight conference championships, five bowl game titles and guided the Bulldogs to a record and won 200 games as a college coach, 16th most in NCAA history. Fresno State at Bulldog Stadium Overall (.794) WAC Record (.807) (.817) (.779) 2000-p 28-8 (.778) Academic Gameplan Since Pat Hill took over the Fresno State program, the Bulldogs have become national leaders in academic success. One of Hill's first tasks was hiring John Baxter as associate head coach. Baxter's trademarked Academic Gameplan is a proven winner across the nation. In the third year of Academic Gameplan, the football program produced a WACbest 14 scholar-athletes, the school s first Academic All-American and the number of honored athletes at the annual Kiwanis Torch of Excellence dinner grew from four to 33. The team's GPA was raised from 2.12 to 2.77 in three seasons. Academic Gameplan has been featured in many publications, including the Dec. 20, 1999, issue of Sports Illustrated. Academic Gameplan is used by Oregon, Washington State, Southern Miss and Notre Dame. Since 1997, the Bulldogs have produced 65 Academic All-WAC performers, more than any team in the league during that period. Fresno State s Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 939 was the fourth-highest among schools in the west. Only Stanford, Air Force and Utah has higher scores than the Bulldogs. V is for Valley Fresno State prides itself on being the Valley s team. This pride can be seen in the form of a large green V on the back of the Bulldog helmets as a symbol to the agricultural community of Central Valley of California. The San Joaquin Valley is the world s richest agricultural valley in export dollars. The Bulldog Foundation Fresno State s famous Bulldog Foundation has been the No. 1 fund-raising organization in the nation for 20 consecutive years. This volunteer organization raises over $7 million annually for the Fresno State Athletics Department. The BDF is headed by executive director Pat Ogle, the 1996 National Fundraiser of the Year. The monies raised by the BDF go towards scholarships, recruiting and special needs of the athletics department. Fresno State Identification The official name of the school is California State University, Fresno. For athletics department purposes, the University prefers to be called simply Fresno State never Fresno State University. For graphics or abbreviations, we ask that you please use FS not FSU or CSUF. Wright on Track, Ranks No. 9 in NCAA Rushing Yards Junior running back Dwayne Wright s return to the field was much celebrated and been very successful. Prior to the 2006 opener vs. Nevada, Wright had not played in a game since suffering a traumatic knee injury on Sept. 11, 2004 against Kansas State. A former 1,000-yard rushing back, he erased any doubts about his injury with his fourth, fifth and sixth career 100-yard games to start the 2006 season, which includes two of the Top 50 rushing performances in Bulldog history. He needs 88 yards for 2,000 in his career and 184 to break into the FS top 10 career record. He s on track to break the single season record of 1,586 yards set by Rodney Davis in 2002, one year before Wright arrived on campus. Year GP-S Att Yds Avg TD Long YPG , * Injury Rehabilitation Totals , NCAA Rushing Leaders Att. Yards TDs Yards/Game 1. Garrett Wolfe, Northern Ill Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma Steve Slaton, West Virginia Ray Rice, Rutgers RB P.J. Hill, Wisconsin Ian Johnson, Boise St Michael Hart, Michigan Damion Fletcher, Southern Miss Dwayne Wright, Fresno St Jon Cornish, Kansas Hill: A Rock of Stability Pat Hill has the longest coaching tenure of any WAC coach, with two full seasons more at Fresno State than Jack Bicknell of Louisiana Tech and June Jones at Hawaii. After that, no other current WAC coach has been in his position for more than three consecutive years. Since Hill got his first head coaching job at Fresno State in 1997, there have been 15 head coaching changes among the rest of the WAC schools. Of coaches in the West, only Mike Bellotti of Oregon has been at the same school longer. As a comparison, the coach with the longest tenure in the Big 12 Conference is Iowa State s Dan McCarney at 12 years. No other coach in that league has been there as long as Pat Hill has been at Fresno State. Three different coaches have been at Stanford in the time Hill s been at Fresno State. Dennis Franchione, a former WAC coaching opponent of Hills, has changed schools twice (Alabama and Texas A&M) since the two coaches last met each other on the field in The same for Dennis Erickson, who held coaching jobs with the San Francisco 49ers and, since he last coached against the Bulldogs while at Oregon State during the 2002 season. Hill Climbs Career Victory List Pat Hill s win total with the Bulldogs stands at 73, the second-most in program history. Only Jim Sweeney, for whom Hill was an assistant from , has more wins. The legendary Sweeney, who served as Fresno State s head coach from and , had 143. Best in the West This Decade In the last five years, Fresno State has established itself as one of the best college football programs on the West Coast. The top three teams on this list are on Fresno State s schedule this year. Here is a breakdown of the five schools with the most wins in the Western United States this decade (includes all Division 1-A teams in the Pacific, Mountain and Hawaiian Time Zones): No Team Wins 1. Boise State USC Oregon Fresno State Colorado State, Washington State Others: UCLA (44),Hawaii (44), Oregon State (44), Colorado (42), Arizona State (40), Air Force (40) * Counts teams in the Pacific, Mountain and Hawaiian Time Zones

5 Among Nation s Best Fresno State Among Nation s Best Since the 1985 season, only 12 Division I-A schools have won more games than the Bulldogs. Most Victories (1985-) 1. Miami (Fla.) Nebraska Florida State Michigan Tennessee Ohio State Florida Oklahoma Penn State Alabama Texas A&M Notre Dame Colorado Fresno State BYU Georgia Auburn Air Force Syracuse Washington Top 25 Winning Percentage (1985-) 1. Miami (Fla.) Florida State Nebraska Michigan Tennessee Florida Ohio State Oklahoma Penn State Texas A&M Auburn Alabama Notre Dame Georgia Colorado Fresno State Syracuse Washington BYU Air Force Best in the West Since the 1985 season, Fresno State leads all best programs in victories among schools in the Pacific, Mountain and Hawaiian time zones. Most Victories by Western Schools (1985-) 1. Fresno State Colorado BYU USC Air Force Washington Oregon Fresno State Among the Nation s Best Fresno State has the 10th-most wins in the nation since No Team Wins 1. Texas Boise State Oklahoma USC Miami (Fla.)...56 Ohio State Georgia LSU Tennessee Fresno State Sherley Shows His Stuff Senior strong safety has long been regarded as one of the team s hardest hitters. In the 2006 season, Sherley is make an even bigger name for himself as an all over the field kind of player. Sherley ranks 14th in the WAC and second on the Bulldog team in tackles this season with a total of 40 through six games. He s led the team in tackles three times, including a career-high 12 vs. No. 20 Oregon. Many Happy Returns Fresno State s special teams have established themselves as one of the nation s best units. Not only are the Bulldogs exceptional at blocking kicks, but they are also a threat to put points on the board every time they take the field. Since Pat Hill took over in 1997, Fresno State has scored 28 touchdowns on special teams and has racked up three safeties. Below is a breakdown of the Bulldogs special teams scoring history: 13 punt returns for TDs (last: Sept. 30, 2006 by Josh Sherley vs. CSU) 3 kickoff returns for TDs (last: Sept. 27, 2003, by Nate Ray vs. Portland State) 10 blocked punts/fgs returned for TDs (last: Sept. 30, 2006 by Damon Jenkins vs. CSU) 3 team special teams safeties (last: Oct. 4, 2002, vs. Colorado State) Rack em N Sack em Fresno State s defense ranked third in the WAC in quarterback sacks with nine on the season. Coming off a two-sack performance against Utah State, Marlon Brisco ranks fourth in the WAC and No. 57 in the NCAA with three on the season. Tyler Clutts and Jason Shirley are each in the WAC top 10 with 1.5 sacks. In the Clutts Junior defensive end Tyler Clutts is the top returning sack artist in the WAC heading into the 2006 season. As a a sophomore, Clutts had seven sacks for 45 yards, which ranked fifth-west in the league. He had 12 tackles for losses for a total of 55 yards last season, his first as a starter. He has 1.5 sacks this year. Shirley s Big Paws Junior defensive tackle Jason Shirley continues to be a special teams presence recording his second and third kick blocks of the season. Shirley s two PAT blocks against Hawaii last weekend brought the Fresno State total to five for the season and an NCAA-leading 68 since the 1997 season. Williams, Young Earn All-WAC Honors in 2005 Fresno State has two returning first-team All-WAC performers, senior receiver Paul Williams and senior center Kyle Young. Williams led the WAC in average yards per receptions in 2005, more than 17 yards per catch, while Young has been regarded as one of the nation s best centers during his career. Stacking the Line Fresno State has four offensive line starters returning from a team that produced a 1,000- yard rusher, ranked No. 6 in the nation in scoring offense, and had three skill players selected first-team All-WAC. Of those starters, two (center Kyle Young and right tackle Chris Denman) have been starting for three years, while the two guards (Ryan Wendell and Cole Popovich) have been selected first-team Freshmen All-Americans over the last two years. With a combined 137 games started, they have more experience than any other unit in the nation.

6 Fresno State Football at a Glance As head coach Pat Hill embarks on his 10th season at the helm of the Bulldogs, certain facets of his program have become familiar not only in the San Joaquin Valley, but nationwide as well. Here is a look at some of the more familiar aspects of Fresno State football: Graduation Rates and NCAA APR When Pat Hill took over at Fresno State, the graduation rate for the football program was 25 percent. In 2002, Hill's first recruiting class and first graduating class had a graduation rate of 64 percent. Here are some more facts about the football program and it s academic success: Fresno State s recently released NCAA APR of 950 ranked higher than the national average of 929 and was the highest among WAC schools. The Bulldogs have produced 80 Academic All- WAC selections since Hill became head coach, the most in the conference. Prior to Hill s arrival, the Bulldogs had produced only nine Academic All-WAC players. No player in the current roster has a GPA lower than 2.0. Fresno State had 49 of 103 football players achieve a 3.0 GPA or better last season, most in school history. Fresno State had a school-record 15 Academic All-WAC selections in the fall of Scheduling Philosophy In order to gain national respect, Hill will continue to select games against the nation's top programs, meaning the Bulldogs will play many games on the road in hostile environments. While scheduling is difficult, Fresno State will continue to play an aggressive schedule. This year, Fresno State plays at Washington and LSU, and host Oregon and Colorado State. In the coming years, non-conference games against Oregon, Oregon State, Washington, Kansas State and Wisconsin have been scheduled. Non-Qualifiers A perception exists that the Bulldogs are comprised primarily of non-qualifiers, or props, as they are commonly known. In actuality, nothing is further from the truth. In July 2002, Fresno State instituted a new policy prohibiting the recruitment and signing of non-qualifiers beginning with the academic year. There are only four non-qualifiers remaining on the 2006 Bulldog roster. Building a New Tradition on the National Level In the 1970 s, Florida State was an emerging college football power. This is the model Pat Hill uses and talks about with his players. In the 1980 s, Miami (Fla.) emerged on the national scene. Then in the 1990 s, Virginia Tech rose from obscurity to become a national championship contender. Hill's goal is to make the Bulldogs the team of the 2000 s. He will settle for nothing less than to become a perennial top 25 program and to be considered for a BCS bowl game. Over the last six seasons, Fresno State s 10 wins over BCS opponents ranks best among non-bcs schools and the Bulldog s as does the total number of BCS opponents (18). Bulldog Stadium Celebrates 25 Year Bulldog Stadium, which has welcomed millions of fans since it opened in 1981, is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Having grown from 30,000 to its present capacity of 41,031, the venue has been recognized for its great atmosphere and the support of the Red Wave. Fresno State has a record of under Pat Hill in Bulldog Stadium. Fresno State Quarterback University The Bulldogs currently have three quarterbacks in the NFL and is the only school to have have had two quarterbacks taken in the top 10 picks of the NFL draft since Here are some other QB University Notes (since 1990): Both of Pat Hill s two starting quarterbacks are in the NFL (Billy Volek and David Carr). Paul Pinegar, signed a free agent contract with Jacksonville. Fresno State is one of three schools (Washington State and Tennessee are the others) to have one quarterback taken as the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft and another selected in the top 10. Of those, only Fresno State s quarterbacks are both still active. Fresno State is one of five schools (Tennessee, Washington State, Oregon and Houston are the others) to have two QB s selected among the top 10 NFL Draft picks. Of those, only Fresno State s are still active. Fresno State s Trent Dilfer is the only top 10 drafted quarterback since 1990 to win a Super Bowl. There have been 18 quarterbacks taken in the top 10 picks of the NFL Draft since 1990, and Fresno State has produced two of them. Of the last five quarterbacks taken as NFL No. 1 overall pick, only Fresno State s David Carr started the first game of his rookie season. Fresno State is one of four schools to produce two quarterbacks (Kevin Sweeney and Paul Pinegar) who threw for more than 10,000 career passing yards. Here are the others: Louisiana Tech (Luke McCown & Tim Rattay); Marshall (Bryon Leftwich & Chad Pennington); and USC (Carson Palmer & Matt Leinart). Since 1982, a Bulldog quarterback has been selected first-team all-conference nine times: Jeff Tedford, Kevin Sweeney [twice], Mark Barstotti, Trent Dilfer [twice], Billy Volek, David Carr, Paul Pinegar. Of those, five (Tedford, Sweeney, Barsotti, Dilfer and Carr) were selected the conference offensive player of the year. Fresno State s three current NFL quarterbacks *David Carr, Houston Texas (No. 1 NFL Draft pick) Trent Dilfer, San Francisco 49ers (No. 6 NFL Draft pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) Billy Volek, San Diego Chargers (NFL record for most consecutive 400-yard passing games in 2004) QB Consistency Fresno State has been blessed with great consistency from the position in recent years. Since 2000, the Dogs have had just three starting quarterbacks, and of those two (David Carr and Paul Pinegar) combined to start 77 of the 79 games this decade. Prior to that, the Bulldog offense was led by three-year starter Billy Volek. Entering the 2006 campaign, no quarterback on the Bulldog has started a game. Each previous starting quarterback was selected first-team All-WAC. Bulldog Block Party The Bulldogs have thrust itself into the nation s elite in blocking punts and kicks since Pat Hill took over in Under Hill, Fresno State has blocked 68 kicks and are averaging more than one block every other game. That trend continued this season, as Fresno State has five on the season, including two blocks against Hawaii. Following is a breakdown of Fresno State s kick blocking prowess since 1997: Blocked Blocked Year Punts PAT & FG Total Totals 35* * includes instances when Fresno State tackled the punter before he could get kick away.

7 Fresno State Facts The Patch - Academic Achiever Many members of the Bulldog team have been honored with a thumbs up Academic Achiever patch, that is displayed on the left shoulder of their game jersey. The patches are awarded to studentathletes who have been successful in Fresno State s Academic Gameplan over the past year. Players can receive a patch for being honored as a Fresno State or WAC Scholar-Athlete or for achieving a personal academic record. The thumbs up signal is a Pat Hill trademark for extra important situations on the field and overall excellence. New Video Board The installation of the new electronic entertainment center is planned for Bulldog Stadium this fall. The project, spearheaded by Fresno State s multimedia rights partner Learfield Communications (DBA Bulldog Sports Properties), will provide Bulldog fans with a 24' x 32' video screen and new auxiliary scoreboard at the north end of the stadium. In addition, a new video marquee will be installed on the corner of Cedar and Barstow Avenues, which will also enhance marketing and revenue opportunities. Both systems will have state of the art LED message and video boards. The new video board will be larger than the previous portable video screen (16' x 22') that was located in the northeast corner of the stadium and will be one of the largest video screens in a collegiate venue on the west coast. The board will be available for the Colorado State game on Sept. 30. Facility Improvements Fresno State s athletics department recently completed some facility projects, the Ricchiuti Academic Center and the expansion to the Duncan Building. The Ricchiuti Academic Center provides study tables, tutorial and computer labs, plus new coaching offices for the women s soccer team. The Duncan Building includes new coaching offices, team meeting rooms, a new Bulldog locker room and a theatre-style auditorium. Bulldogs in the NFL Fresno State s football program continues to rank among the nations best at producing National Football League players, as 19 former Bulldogs are on NFL rosters. That figure leads the WAC for the third consecutive season, is best among non-bcs conference schools, and ranks 40th among the 247 colleges and universities that have alumni playing in the NFL. Fresno State s total is as high or higher than several notable BCS programs such as Iowa, Oregon, Virginia, Arkansas, Clemson, North Carolina State, Oregon State, Oklahoma State, Minnesota, Texas Tech, Iowa State, Missouri and Kentucky. Fresno State s again leads all WAC schools with the most NFL players. Hawai i ranks second with nine and Louisiana Tech is next with eight. In 2006, three Bulldogs were selected in the NFL Draft, including CB Richard Marshall (2nd round to Carolina) and FS Tyrone Culver (6th round to Green Bay) and WR Adam Jennings (6th round to Atlanta). Several other Bulldog seniors signed NFL free agent contracts: WR Jermaine Jamison (Kansas City); DE Garrett McIntyre (Seattle); QB Paul Pinegar (Jacksonville); RB Wendell Mathis (Minnesota); CB Raymond Washington (Oakland). Mighty Kyle Young Fresno State is blessed to have one of the premier offensive linemen in the country in center Kyle Young. At 6-5, 335 pounds Young is the largest center in the nation, and based on what he s accomplished in his career, he might just be the best. Young is on the Rimington Award watch list for the third straight year and has been placed on the watch list for the Outland Trophy. Young has started every game (45) in his career and has been as dominating as any WAC offensive lineman in recent history, which includes former Bulldog and NFL firstround pick Logan Mankins. Young has been voted Fresno State s most outstanding offensive lineman twice and the only year he didn t win it was in 2004 when Mankins won that award as well as the team MVP award. He has faced some of the nation s best defensive linemen and been dominant, including his freshman season of That year he faced Oklahoma All-American Tommie Harris, now an NFL Pro Bowl player, and held him to just half a tackle in their head to head match-up. Last season against USC, the Dogs ripped holes in the Trojan defense scoring 42 points, most allowed by USC in the Coliseum since 1976, and the most in the Pete Carroll era. Young s been an integral figure in Fresno State s offense, which has produced a 1,000-yard rusher each of the last three seasons and been ranked among the nation s highest scoring teams each year. Young has started more consecutive games than any other player in the nation. Welcome Back Not only will Fresno State return 18 starters in 2006, of those returning starters is an accomplished group of seniors who have played a lot of football for the Dogs over the last three years. Here s a breakdown of some of the key contributors and how many games they ve played and started. Only players with 30 or more career games are listed. Player, Position Games Started Games Played Kyle Young, C *45 (* - Most in NCAA) 45 Mike Lingua, P Chris Denman, RT Dwayne Andrews, LB Marcus McCauley, CB Alan Goodwin, LB Louis Leonard, NT Joe Fernandez, WR Paul Williams, WR Roshon Vercher, FB 7 39 Jaron Fairman, WR 4 40 Magic Man While the Fresno State secondary has produced three NFL draft picks of the last two years, the best player of the group, according to head coach Pat Hill, is still wearing a Bulldog uniform. Senior cornerback Marcus McCauley enters his third season as a starter and has been a consistent performer for the Bulldogs. Last season he earned second-team All-WAC honors, along with Richard Marshall, who was an NFL second round selection of Carolina. McCauley caught the attention of NFL scouts this spring with a blistering 4.31 time in the 40- yard dash, combined with his physical size of 6-1 and 205 pounds and strength have him projected as a high NFL draft pick. His 17 passes broken up the last two seasons leads the squad. Miller on the Scene Fresno State s talented freshman Lonyae Miller emerged in last week s game against Hawaii, rushing for 113 yards on 16 carries, all coming in the second half. In addition to his first 100-yard game, he scored his first career touchdown. Miller was one of the top running backs on the California Prep scene last fall, rushing for 2,567 yards and 34 touchdowns in 2005, ranking No. 4 in the state in rushing yards. He s expected to be Fresno State s back of the future. Vercher the Dozer The success of Dwayne Wright can be attributed to his considerable talent and a veteran offensive line, but one other player deserves some credit for the success of the Bulldog ground game and that s senior fullback Roshon Vercher. Vercher has been the starting fullback for three seasons and each year the Dogs produced a 1,000-yard rusher. Through the first two games of the 2006 season, Wright has totaled more than 300 yards. Behind Vercher s devastating blocks, Fresno State backs have rushed for more than 100 yards in a game 28 times.

8 Fresno State On TV 2006 (1-1) Nevada... ESPN... W, Oregon... ESPN2... L, ESPN2... Oct ESPN... Nov. 1 at Louisiana Tech... ESPN2... Nov (5-5) Weber State... ESPNU... W, at Oregon... TBS... L, Toledo... ESPN2... W, at New Mexico State... ESPNU... W, 37-7 at Hawaii... ABC... W, Boise State... ESPN... W, 27-7 at USC... Fox Sports Net... L, at Nevada... ESPN2... L, Louisiana Tech... ESPN2... L, Tulsa... ESPN... L, (4-1) at Washington... Fox Sports Net... W, at Kansas State... Fox Sports Net... W, ESPN2... L, vs. Hawaii... ESPN... W, vs. Virginia... ESPN... W, OT 2003 (2-2) at Tennessee... ESPN2... L, 24-6 vs. Oregon State... ESPN... W, vs. Boise State... ESPN2... L, vs. UCLA... ESPN2... W, (5-5) at Wisconsin... ESPN... L, vs. San Diego State... ESPN2... W, at Oregon... FSN... L, at Oregon State... FSN... L, vs. Colorado State... ESPN... W, vs. SMU... FSR... W, ESPN... L, vs. Hawai i... ESPN2... L, at Louisiana Tech... ESPN2... W, vs. Georgia Tech... ESPN2... W, (5-3) at Colorado... ESPN2... W, vs. Oregon State... ESPN2... W, at Wisconsin... ESPN... W, at Tulsa... FSR... W, at Colorado State... ESPN2... W, (ot) vs. Boise State... ESPN... L, at Hawai'i... ESPN... L, *vs. Michigan State... FSN... L, (2-4) at Ohio State... ESPNR... L, at UCLA... FSR... L, vs. California... FSN... W, 17-3 at Rice... FSN... W, at TCU... FSN... L, 24-7 vs. Air Force... FSN... L, (0-3) at SMU... FSN... L, at Hawaii... FSR... L, (ot) vs. Utah... ESPN2... L, (0-1) at San Diego State... ABC... L, (1-0) vs. Utah... ESPN... W, (1-1) vs. BYU... ABC... W, vs. Colorado... ABC... L, Andrews a Rock of Stability Dwayne Andrews has been a fixture in the middle of the Bulldog defense for the last three seasons. A second-team All-WAC selection in 2005, Andrews has been a consensus 2006 preseason All-WAC selection. The teams inspirational leader, he led the Dogs in tackles in 2004 with 66 and was second on the team last season with 61. During the last two seasons, Fresno State has led the WAC in virtually every defensive category, not an easy task when one considers the WAC annually produces some of the nation s top offensive producing teams. Here s a look at the defensive production under Andrew s leadership. Andrews opened the 2006 season with 11 tackles, forced a fumble and batted down two passes in Fresno State s win over Nevada. Last week against Colorado State, he set a careerhigh with 13 tackles, including a career-best four tackles for losses for nine yards. Andrews ranks No. 33 in the NCAA in total tackles Avg. WAC Rank (NCAA) Notable Offenses Faced Scoring Def (31) Boise State (No. 2 in NCAA scoring) Total Def (36) Rice (No. 1 in NCAA in rushing) Pass Eff. Def (3) Hawai i (No. 2 in NCAA passing) Passing Def (13) Nevada (No. 17 in NCAA passing) 2005 Avg. WAC Rank (NCAA) Scoring Def (32) USC (No. 1 NCAA total offense) Total Def (38) Toledo (No. 8 in NCAA in scoring) Pass Eff. Def (51) Hawaii (No. 2 in NCAA passing) Passing Def (31) Oregon (No. 8 in NCAA passing) Protecting the Passer For the second straight season, the Bulldog offensive line is the best in the WAC in protecting the quarterback. Last season, Fresno State allowed 14 quarterback sacks, fewest in the league and one shy of the FS single season record. This season, the Dogs have allowed just three sacks, which is again the least in the WAC. Before allowing a sack to Hawaii, Fresno State had gone three games and nearly 60 pass attempts before its previous sack. Mr. Smith Returns Fresno State s electrifying Clifton Smith made his first appearance of the season vs. Colorado State and on his first touch returned a punt 35 yards. Here are a few nuggets about Smith during his career: Set an NCAA record for punt return average in a game (63.0) vs. Weber State in 2005 Averaging 28.9 yards per punt return in his career Averaging 27.4 yards per touch in his career (includes runs, receptions, punt returns, kickoff returns and interception returns) Needs one punt return for a touchdown to tie the Bulldog career record Had a 92-yard punt return for a touchdown vs. Weber State in 2005 Go West Young Man Fresno State s outstanding freshman receiver Chastin West has stepped up in place of injured Paul Williams. West has two touchdown passes in the last three games. His 60- yard touchdown against Utah State was at the time the longest play from scrimmage by the Dogs this season. In the last three games he is leading the Dogs in receptions with 14 for 219 yards and two touchdowns. He s averaging 15.6 yards per reception. Louisiana Ties There aren t many things in common between these two programs that have never faced each other, but here s one: Bulldog running backs coach Tim Skipper is a 1996 graduate of Bonnabel High School in Metaire, La., where he was an all-league linebacker. Skipper came to Fresno State and was a four-year starter at linebacker recording 418 career tackles, second-most in Bulldog history. He s in his first season as running backs coach. Skipper s father, Jim, was a running backs coach for the New Orleans Saints in the mid-90s (1-0) vs. San Diego State... ABC... W, 45-41

9 35 Dog Bones Ground Attack Under Pat Hill, the Bulldogs have produced a back who rushed for more than 100 yards in 37 of Hill s 105 career games. That means Fresno State has had a 100-yard rusher in 34percent of games. Here are Fresno State s 100, 150 and 200-yard rushers under Pat Hill: 200-Yard Rusher Att YDs TDs Opp/Year Wendell Mathis Hawai i/ 05 Bryson Sumlin Hawai i/ 04 Rodney Davis La. Tech/ 02 Jamie Kimbrough SJSU/ 98 Michael Pittman Baylor/ 97 Paris Gaines La. Tech/ 01 Rodney Davis SMU/ 02 * Fresno State is 6-1 under Hill when a back rushes for 200 yards or more. 150-Yard Rusher Att YDs TDs Opp/Year Wendell Mathis La. Tech/ 04 Jamie Kimbrough UTEP/ 98 Wendell Mathis Hawai i/ 04 Dwayne Wright La. Tech/ 03 Derrick Ward Nevada/ 99 Bryson Sumlin UTEP/ 04 Jamie Kimbrough Nevada/ 98 Jamie Kimbrough UNM/ 98 Dwayne Wright Nevada/ 06 Rodney Davis Ga. Tech/ 02 Derrick Ward Colorado St/ 99 Dwayne Wright Oregon/ 06 * Fresno State is 13-5 under Hill when a back rushes for 150 yards or more. 100-Yard Rusher Att YDs TDs Opp/Year Bryson Sumlin Nevada/ 04 Derrick Ward Rice/ 99 Rodney Davis Tulsa/ 02 Jamie Kimbrough Hawaii/ 98 Rodney Davis Hawaii/ 02 Michael Pittman Wyoming/ 97 Bryson Sumlin San Jose St/ 04 Bryson Sumlin Portland St/ 04 Wendell Mathis San Jose St/ 04 Michael Pittman Oregon/ 97 Paris Gaines Hawaii/ 01 Wendell Mathis Virginia/ 04 Wendell Mathis Portland St/ 04 Wendell Mathis Boise State/ 05 Rodney Davis Oregon/ 02 Wendell Mathis Nevada/ 04 Lonyae Miller Hawaii/06 Dwayne Wright PortlandSt./ 03 Michael Pittman Utah/ 97 Paris Gaines Colorado St/ 01 Dwayne Wright San Jose St/ 03 Paris Gaines San Jose St/ 01 Jamie Kimbrough Colorado/ 98 Michael Pittman SJSU/ 97 Bryson Sumlin Toledo/ 05 Bryson Sumlin NMSU/ 05 Wendell Mathis SJSU/ 05 Wendell Mathis NMSU/ 05 Michael Pittman Air Force/ 97 Wendell Mathis USC/ 05 Dwayne Wright Washington/ 04 Wendell Mathis / 05 * Fresno State is under Hill when a back rushes for 100 yards or more. Fresno State By the Numbers 3 Number of sacks allowed by the Bulldog offensive line this season, the fewest in the WAC. 5 Number of blocked kicks the Bulldogs have in their first six games 5.1 Dwayne Wright s average yards per carry 7 Consecutive bowl games in which the Bulldogs have played, the longest streak of any western U.S. school (Mountain, Pacific, Hawaiian time zones). 7.3 Average number of 2005 wins by Fresno State s 2006 non-conference opponents 12 Number of players on the 2006 squad who have played at least 30 career games. 13 Number of career touchdown receptions for Joe Fernandez, 10th-most in Bulldog history 14 Sacks allowed during the 2005 season, fewest in the WAC and one shy of the all-time Bulldog record. 15 Number of Bulldogs who had a quarterback sack in Former Bulldogs currently playing in the NFL, the most of any non-bcs school Fresno State s 2005 WAC-leading scoring defense average 30 Number of games vs. BCS conference opponents under Pat Hill, most of any non-bsc school. (Includes 2006 opponents: Oregon, Washington, LSU) 31.9 Career punt return average for Clifton Smith, who had a 35-yarder in his season s first attempt vs. Colorado State Average yards per fumble return by the Bulldogs in Total punt return yards for Fresno State s opponents in 2005, fewest in the nation. 43 Fresno State s nationally televised games this decade 51 Jersey number worn by Dwayne Andrews and Tim Skipper (current FS running backs coach), two of the best middle linebackers in Bulldog history. 52 Yards on the first career punt by true freshman Robert Malone vs. Nevada. Malone has to fill in for injured Mike Lingua. 75 Distance of touchdown receptions by Marlon Moore and Bear Pascoe vs. Hawaii. 1,912 Career rushing yards by junior Dwayne Wright