A T H L E T I C S M E D I A R E L A T I O N S. Bulldog Football Game Notes. Game No. 5 Fresno State (3-1, 0-1) vs. UTEP (2-2, 0-1)

Transcription

1 FRESNO STATE A T H L E T I C S M E D I A R E L A T I O N S N. Campus Dr. Rm 153 Fresno, CA Fax: Schedule/Results Sept. 5 at Washington (FSN)... W, Sept. 11 at #13 Kansas State (FSN)... W, Sept. 18 Portland State... W, Sept. 25 at Louisiana Tech (KFRE)... L, Oct p.m. Oct. 23 at #19 Boise State (KFRE)... 5 p.m. Oct p.m. Nov. 6 (KFRE)... noon Nov. 12 (ESPN)... 7:30 p.m. Nov. 20 (KFRE)... 6 p.m. Nov. 27 (KFRE)... 2 p.m. all times Pacific Current WAC Standings WAC Overall W L W L Boise State Louisiana Tech San Jose State Rice Fresno State Tulsa Today s WAC Games (all times Pacific) Louisiana Tech at No. 6 Auburn, 12:30 p.m. San Jose State at Washington, 12:30 p.m., 5 p.m. at Fresno State, 7 p.m. at, 9 p.m. Ticket Information Single-game and season tickets for all home games are currently on sale. The Bulldog Ticket Office is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. the week of home games, and opens at 10 a.m. on game days. A ticket booth at the Riverpark Shopping Center, will be open Thursday from 5-9 p.m. For ticket information or to order, call the Bulldog Ticket Office (559) 278-DOGS or go online at Practices and Interviews Please call the Fresno State Athletics Media Relations office to arrange interviews with head coach Pat Hill, the staff and players. Practices are closed after the first 20 minutes, but interviews are permissable before practice begins and after it ends. Contact the Fresno State Athletics Media Relations Office for practice times and further details. Fresno State on the Internet The official website of Fresno State Athletics is Fresno State s football releases as well as a variety of football and athletics department information may be found. Audio/video highlights, bios, game recaps, statistics and press conference quotes are all available. The audio portion of every football game is also streamed live, and after the game a complete game wrap-up is posted. The Real Audio player is required to listen to the game. Contacts: Steve Weakland, Jake Bragonier Oct. 9, 2004 Bulldog Football Game Notes Game No. 5 Fresno State (3-1, 0-1) vs. (2-2, 0-1) Date Saturday, Oct. 9 Kickoff 7:07 p.m. CT Site Fresno, Calif. Stadium Bulldog Stadium (41,031) Radio KMJ AM 580 ( Dog Talk: 5 p.m.; Pregame Show: 6:30 p.m.) Play-by-play: Bill Woodward; Analyst: Mark Barsotti Sidelines: Ron Shapley TV none locally Game available as a part of the ESPN Game Plan package The Teams Up Close Series History Fresno State leads Last Played Nov. 29, 2003 (Fresno State 23, at 20) Hill vs. Price: 0-0 Hill vs. : 3-1 Price vs. Fresno State: 2-1 Fresno State Overall Record Western Athletic... Conference... Western Athletic Conference Record Home Record Road Record On Grass On Artificial Turf Day Games Night Games All-Time Record Bulldogs at a Glance Fresno State is playing just its second home game of the season tonight. Every other WAC team has played at least two games at home already, including, which has hosted three... the Bulldogs have already had three different 100-yard rushers this year Dwayne Wright, Bryson Sumlin and Wendell Mathis. Wright, who entered the year as the starter, was injured in the Kansas State win and is out for the year. Sumlin served as the starter against Portland State but has since been supplanted by Mathis, who had 191 yards last week at Louisiana Tech... Fresno State s rushing average of ranks second-best in the WAC and 21st nationally... the Bulldogs have been a tough team to pass the ball against this year. They currently ranked third in the nation in pass efficiency defense. The team is allowing only passing yards per game... unfortunately, Fresno State has struggled with its own passing game a bit. Entering tonight, the Bulldogs rank ninth in the WAC and 102nd in the nation in passing offense at yards per contest... Fresno State and have played close games the last three times they ve hooked up. In 1999, the Bulldogs won in OT. In 2000, the Miners prevailed while Fresno State won last year Miners at a Glance After three consecutive two-win seasons, has already racked up two victories this year under new head coach Mike Price... just one week after allowing 236 yards to Louisiana Tech s Ryan Moats, the Bulldogs will once again have their hands full with a solid running back. s starting RB Howard Jackson is currently second in the WAC and 16th in the nation with a average. He had just 66 yards in last year s meeting with Fresno State... Miners starting QB Jordan Palmer was knocked out of last week s win against New Mexico State with a concussion. He was capably backed up by Omar Duarte, who went 10-of-13 for 146 yards and three touchdowns. Palmer is still listed as the starter this week... tonight s game will be the last time and Fresno State hook up for a long time. The Miners are departing the Western Athletic Conference in July for Conference USA... tonight s game is s first at Bulldog Stadium since Oct. 23, Fresno State won that game when the Miners were stopped at the 1- yard line on a two-point conversion in OT... s two losses have come to undefeated teams Boise State (5-0) and Arizona State (5-0) while its two victories have both come by shutout.

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 in 1997 and within three years had 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 has steadily risen from a 2.21 to Now in his eighth season at the helm, Hill once again has Fresno State receiving national attention as one of the nation s top non-bcs programs. The Bulldogs have been selected to win the WAC title by most national publications, including ESPN.com and collegefootballnews.com. It took Hill just three seasons to turn around a program that had sagged since the glory days of the early 1990 s. In 1999, the Bulldogs earned a share of a WAC championship, made their first bowl appearance since 1993 and produced a league-best six first-team 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 arriving, money has been raised to build a new football facility, improvements to the Duncan Building s training room, expansion to the football offices and a new academic center that will benefit all student-athletes at Fresno State. Last year, Hill completed his seventh season as head coach and 13th overall, having spent six seasons as an assistant coach as offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator ( ) under Jim Sweeney when the Bulldogs were among the nation s most successful teams. Fresno State posted a overall record during those six seasons. Since arriving at Fresno State, Hill has built a reputation as a strong recruiter. In addition to landing the Bulldogs in five consecutive bowl games, Hill has helped produce 13 players on NFL rosters entering the 2003 season, the third-highest total of any non-bcs school. Pat Hill's Resume 1997-present... Fresno State, Head Coach 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) Calgary (CFL), Asst. Coach (offensive coordinator/line) UNLV, Asst. Coach (offensive coordinator/line) Utah, Asst. Coach (offensive line/recruiting) LA Valley College, Asst. Coach (offensive line) Honors and Bowl Games WAC Champions/Las Vegas Bowl Silicon Valley Football Classic Sports Illustrated Bowl Coach of the Year Silicon Valley Football Classic Silicon Valley Football Classic East-West Shrine Game (West Head Coach) Silicon Valley Football Classic Pat Hill Year-by-Year Overall WAC Home Road Neu Totals Injury Report Fresno State returned the defensive starters against Louisiana Tech it missed during the Portland State win. Brian Morris and Claude Sanders, both starters at end, returned to acton last week and played on Saturday against Tech. In addition, Raymond Washington, who injured his left hand against Kansas State, returned and played off the bench. Here is a look at the Bulldogs current injury situation: Player Injury Status Note RB Dwayne Wright knee out Will miss the rest of 2004 OG Cole Popovich bicep out Will miss the rest of 2004 TE Mark Wood ankle questionable Missed the Louisiana Tech game WR Chico Mackey shoulder doubtful Could return this week Fresno State All-Time vs. Fresno State leads the all-time series 8-2-1, including a victory last year at the Sun Bowl. The two teams have not met at Bulldog Stadium since 1999 when Fresno State knocked off the Miners in overtime. In that contest, Fresno State scored to open OT only to have record a TD on the ensuing possession. The Miners went for a two-point conversion, but a screen pass was stopped at the 1-yard line, giving the Bulldogs a victory. Fresno State is 6-1 all-time against at home, the only loss coming in 1938, the first time the two teams met. Tough to Beat at Home Since Pat Hill took over as Fresno State s head coach in 1997, the Bulldogs have been one of the toughest teams in the WAC to beat at home. Fresno State has gone 35-6 at home under Hill, including 26-3 in league home games. The only teams to have defeated the Bulldogs in a conference home contest have been Boise State in 2001 and 03 and in Many Streaks Snapped Fresno State s loss at Louisiana Tech last week laid to rest several positive streaks the team had going. First, it marked the first time under Pat Hill the Bulldogs lost a league opener. They had been 7-0 under Hill and 10-2 overall in WAC openers since joining the conference. Second, Fresno State entered with an impressive 8-1 record after bye weeks under Hill. Third, the defeat was the first time since 2000 against TCU that the Bulldogs lost to a WAC foe other than Boise State or. Lastly, Fresno State s loss brought an end to the team s five-game road winning streak, which began after last year s defeat at. No TV Has Meant Wins Saturday s game against will not be televised locally, the second Fresno State game this year not to appear on TV. In the last three-plus years, Fresno State has made 21 appearances on national television, including two thus far in Although it may be pure coincidence, it is interesting to note Fresno State has won its last 15 non-televised games, including a perfect 4-0 record last year. The Bulldogs currently have one non-tv scheduled game remaining this year vs. on Oct. 30. Attendance Tidbit While the Bulldogs are experiencing success on the field with five consecutive bowl appearances, the Red Wave fans are turning out in record numbers. Since 2000, Fresno State has averaged 40,531 fans at Bulldog Stadium (capacity 41,031) per game. That s a 98.8 percent average of Bulldog Stadium capacity filled over the last five years. On Sept. 18, 42,662 fans watch Fresno State defeat Portland State 27-17, the second-largest total in the facility s history. In 2001, the Bulldogs played before a record 42,881 fans five times. Bulldogs Named FedEx Orange Bowl National Team of the Week Fresno State s victory over then-no. 13 Kansas State on Sept. 11 led the team to be named the national team of the week by both the FedEx Orange Bowl and the College Sports Report. It is the first ever honor for the Bulldogs, who are now 3-0 with back-to-back road wins over BCS Conference schools Washington and KSU and a home victory against Portland State.

3 The Bulldogs on Radio/TV Bulldogs on KMJ Radio 580 Every Fresno State football game is broadcast live throughout the San Joaquin Valley on KMJ (AM 580). Veteran sportscaster Bill Woodward returns for his 33rd season behind the microphone handling play-by-play duties. Former Bulldog standout quarterback Mark Barsotti will be the analyst while Ron Shapley will serve as sideline reporter. KMJ s gameday coverage begins with Dog Talk, a twohour call-in show. That is followed by a half-hour pregame show. A one-hour Postgame Dog Talk follows each broadcast. Bulldogs Heard in Spanish on KOOR Again this season, Fresno State football games can be heard in Spanish on KOOR (AM 790). Jess Gonzalez will be the play-by-play announcer while Sam Sosa handles the color analysis. Fresno State on TV For the fourth year in a row, selected Bulldog football and men s basketball games will be seen locally on KFRE WB 59 (cable 5). KMPH Sports Director Ralph Wood will once again call the action while veteran Fresno State announcer Randy Rosenbloom adds analysis. Following is the tentative schedule for the 2004 season: Date Opponent Time Oct. 2 at Louisiana Tech... L, Oct p.m. Nov noon Nov. 20 *... 6 p.m. Nov. 27 *... 2 p.m. * Indicates a SportsWest regional broadcast WAC Football on SportsWest SportsWest, a regional sports network, will again carry WAC football games this year. Each conference school will receive two appearances (one home and one road) on SportsWest. Fresno State s SportsWest broadcast will be seen locally on KFRE WB 59 (cable 5). Bulldogs on National Television At least three Fresno State games will be shown on national television in Since the 2001 season, the Bulldogs have made 20 appearances on ESPN or ESPN2, more than any other program in the nation. Fresno State s 2004 national TV schedule is as follows: Date Opponent Time Sept. 5 at Washington (FSN)... W, Sept. 11 at Kansas State (FSN)... W, Nov. 12 (ESPN)... 7:30 p.m. The Pat Hill Radio Show Pat Hill s weekly radio show can be heard every Monday at 1 p.m. on KMJ (AM 580). The one-hour show is hosted by Bill Woodward. The only exception is Labor Day, when the show will not be heard. That week, the show will be on Tuesday. Coaches Corner with Pat Hill The Coaches Corner with Pat Hill can be seen every Wednesday night during the KMPH 10 O Clock News. Hill and host Ralph Wood will discuss the Bulldogs most recent game and upcoming opponent. Weekly Pat Hill Media Conference Every Monday at 11 a.m. at the Duncan Building, Pat Hill conducts his weekly media conference. Hill s quotes are posted on Fresno State official website, Fresno State s Bowl History Fresno State is 10-8 all-time in bowl games, including victories in a four in a row from The Bulldogs win over UCLA last year marked the first time in school history the Bulldogs won bowl games in consecutive years. Following is a list of every bowl game in program history: Bowl Date Opponent Result Little All-American Bowl Dec. 25, 1937 Arkansas State Won, Pineapple Bowl Jan. 1, 1941 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 I 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 Going Bowling...Again Last year marked the Bulldogs fifth consecutive bowl appearance, the longest such streak in the WAC and the second-longest of any team on the West Coast. Of all the teams in the Mountain and Pacific Time Zones, only Oregon, with eight, has a longer consecutive bowl streak than Fresno State. Colorado State, along with Fresno State, are second with five straight appearances each. Stats Don t Lie Fresno State s defense is ranked among the nation s best in the current edition of the NCAA statistics. In fact, when it comes to defense, the Bulldogs unit is high in several categories. Here is a look at the latest NCAA stats and where the defense ranks: NCAA Stat Category Rank Statistic Pass Effeciency Defense... No Interceptions... No interceptions Pass Defense... No ypg Total Defense... No ypg Fresno State Among the Nation s Best Fresno State s victory over Portland State on Sept. 18 was the team s 31st victory since 2001, the seventh-most victories in the nation during that span. Here are the national leaders in wins since No Team Wins 1. Oklahoma, Miami (Fla.) Texas, Boise State Ohio State USC Fresno State Sack Maniacs Fresno State returns the WAC s top two sack masters from 2003 in senior end Brian Morris, who had 11, and junior tackle Garrett McIntyre, who had eight last season. In addition, end Claude Sanders added five sacks last season and has 10 in his career. Thus far in 2004, seven different Bulldogs have recorded a sack Garrett McIntyre (two), James Sanders, Tyrone Culver, Marcus McCauley, Claude Sanders, Jason Shirley and Tyler Clutts.

4 Fresno State Miscellany 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 games and guided the Bulldogs to a record and won 200 games as a college head coach, the 16th-most in NCAA history. Fresno State at Bulldog Stadium Overall (.808) WAC Games 42-8 (.840) (.817) (.779) 2000-present 20-3 (.870) 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 the 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 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 Mississippi and Notre Dame. Since 1997, the Bulldogs have produced 49 Academic All-WAC performers, more than any team in the league during that period. Fresno State had a WAC-best 10 Academic All-WAC selections in 2002, marking the third consecutive year of leading the conference in academic picks. 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 the San Joaquin Valley. The Valley is the world s richest agricultural area in export dollars. The Bulldog Foundation Fresno State s famous Bulldog Foundation has been the No. 1 fundraising organization in the nation for 17 consecutive years. This volunteer group 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 department. When Identifying Fresno State... The official name of the school is California State University, Fresno. For athletics department purposes, the University prefers to be simply called Fresno State. Please do not refer to the school as Fresno State University or FSU. For graphics or abbreviations, we ask that you please use FS not FSU or CSUF. Hill in the WAC Fresno State s Pat Hill is second in winning percentage among current Western Athletic Conference coaches. Hill is now (41-16 WAC), a percentage of.617, ranking him ahead of s June Jones, who is at.603. Here s how Hill, the league s second-longest tenured head coach, ranks in winning percentage among WAC coaches: Coach Overall (yrs) Pct. Current School (yrs) Pct. Dan Hawkins, Boise State (8) (3).864 Pat Hill, Fresno State (7) (7).617 June Jones, (5) (5).603 Best in the West In the last five years, Fresno State has established itself as one of the best college football programs on the West Coast. Only Boise State, with 54, has posted more victories than the Bulldogs (and Oregon), who have won 51. Here is a breakdown of the schools in the Western United States with the most Division I-A wins since the 1999 season*. No Team Wins 1. Boise State Fresno State Oregon USC Colorado State Others: Washington (45), Air Force (45), Oregon State (44), UCLA (44), Colorado (41) * Counts teams in the Pacific, Mountain and an Time Zones Struggling in the Red Zone A large part of Fresno State s offensive output in the first two games of the season was the team s ability to score touchdowns in the red zone. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs have not been able to continue that ability in the past two games. In a win over Washington in the opener and then a shellacking of Kansas State, Fresno State converted TD s six of the eight times it made it inside the 20-yard line. However, that all changed Sept. 18 in a victory over Portland State, when the Bulldogs scored a touchdown on just two of the five times in the red zone. Last week, the team s inability to notch a TD cost them dearly in a loss. On Fresno State s first four possessions, the team took the ball inside the 20-yard line and came away with only one touchdown and two field goals (one FG was blocked). Here is a look at the Bulldogs proficiency in the red zone in the first two games and deficiency in the last two: Games Red Zone Chances TD FG Failed Points Wash., K-State PSU, La Tech Tough Schedule Early No team in the WAC has had a tougher schedule early than Fresno State. The Bulldogs are the only team in the WAC who has played just one home game. Conversely, Boise State which has seven home games this year has played four of its five games at Bronco Stadium. Following this week s home game against, Fresno State will have a bye week and then another road game, meaning that through the first eight weeks of the season, the Bulldogs will have played but two games in Fresno. Here is a look at the WAC and the number of home games each team has played thus far in Team No. of Games No. of Home Games Boise State Louisiana Tech Tulsa Rice San Jose State Fresno State

5 Fresno State Among Nation s Best Since the 1985 season, only 15 Division I-A schools have won more games than the Bulldogs. Here is a list of the most successful programs since that 85 season: Most Victories (1985-) 1. Nebraska Florida State Miami (Fla.) Michigan Tennessee Florida Ohio State Texas A&M Penn State Alabama BYU Notre Dame Oklahoma Colorado Fresno State Georgia Washington Air Force Syracuse Auburn Clemson Virginia Tech Virginia UCLA Arizona Top 25 Winning Percentage (1985-) 1. Miami (Fla.) Florida State Nebraska Tennessee Michigan Florida Ohio State Penn State Texas A&M Oklahoma Alabama Auburn Colorado Notre Dame Syracuse Georgia Washington Fresno State BYU Air Force Best in the West Since the 1985 season, Fresno State ranks among the best programs among schools in the Pacific and Mountain time zones. Most Wins by Western Schools (1985-) 1. BYU Colorado Fresno State Washington Air Force UCLA BCS Business Under Pat Hill, Fresno State has scheduled aggressively in the non-conference season, playing as many games against BCS Conference opponents as any other school. The Bulldogs have enjoyed success against those teams as of late, going 9-6 in their last 15 contests against BCS schools. The 2004 schedule started no differently, and Fresno State has been more than up to the challenge, knocking off Washington and 13th-ranked Kansas State, both on the road. Here is a look at Fresno State s last 15 games against BCS opposition: Date Opponent Location Outcome Sept. 23, 2000 California Bulldog Stadium W, 17-3 Aug. 26, 2001 at No. 25 Colorado Boulder, Colo. W, Sept. 2, 2001 No. 10 Oregon State Bulldog Stadium W, Sept. 8, 2001 at No. 23 Wisconsin Madison, Wis. W, Dec. 31, 2001 vs. Michigan State Silicon Valley Football Classic II L, Aug. 23, 2002 at No. 23 Wisconsin Madison, Wis. L, Sept. 7, 2002 at No. 13 Oregon Eugene, Ore. L, Sept. 21, 2002 at No. 21 Oregon State Corvallis, Ore. L, Dec. 31, 2002 vs. Georgia Tech Silicon Valley Football Classic III W, Aug. 30, 2003 at No. 12 Tennessee Knoxville, Tenn. L, 24-6 Sept. 5, 2003 Oregon State Bulldog Stadium W, Sept. 13, 2003 at No. 1 Oklahoma Norman, Okla. L, Dec. 30, 2003 vs. UCLA Silicon Valley Football Classic IV W, 17-9 Sept. 5, 2004 at Washington Seattle, Wash. W, Sept. 11, 2004 at No. 13 Kansas State Manhattan, Kan. W, Bulldog Block Party In 2003, the Bulldogs totaled nine blocked kicks, the most since 2000 and just one shy of the school record, set in The kick-blocking prowess was once again in evidence last week when James Sanders blocked an extra point, the third block of his career and second time the Bulldogs have blocked a kick this year. Fresno State has thrust itself into the nation s elite in blocking punts and kicks since Pat Hill took over in Under Hill, Fresno State has blocked 51 kicks and are averaging one block every 1.7 games since Following is a breakdown of Fresno State s kick blocking prowess since 1997: Blocked Blocked Year Punts PAT & FG Total Totals 26* * includes instances when Fresno State tackled the punter before he could get kick away. Many Happy Returns Fresno State s special teams have become one of the nation s best units. Not only are the Bulldogs exceptional at blocking kicks, 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 16 touchdowns on special teams and have also racked up three safeties. Below is a breakdown of the Bulldogs special teams scoring history under Hill: 7 punt returns for TDs (last: Nov. 21, 2003, by Bernard Berrian vs. Boise State) 3 kickoff returns for TDs (last: Sept. 27, 2003, by Nate Ray vs. Portland State) 6 blocked punts/fgs returned for TDs (last: Nov. 15, 2003, vs. San Jose State) 3 team safeties (last: Oct. 4, 2002, vs. Colorado State)

6 Career Games Played/Started 04 Career No Name GP Starts Starts 1 Paul Williams Chico Mackey Nathan Ray Vincent Mays Adam Jennings Jermaine Jamison Therrian Fontenot Tom Brandstater Alan Goodwin Tyler Clutts Paul Pinegar Josh Sherley Jordan Christensen Marcus McCauley Jaron Fairman Devyn McDonald Wendell Mathis James Sanders Richard Marshall Damon Jenkins Clifton Smith Roshon Vercher Awan Diles Manuel Sanchez Raymond Washington Matt Rivera Marcus Riley Dwayne Wright Bryson Sumlin Tyrone Culver Mike Lingua Brett Visintainer Nathan Adams Jamal Jones Charles Tolbert Kyle Goodman Todd Garcia Jas Bains Claude Sanders Stephen Spach Dartangon Shack Dwayne Andrews Ahijah Lane Brian Morris Kyle Young Noa Pouono Cole Popovich Kawika Edwards Dylan Storey Matt Stevenson Sean Finnerty Garrett McIntyre Logan Mankins Ryan Wendell Chris Denman Mark Wood Joe Fernandez Duncan Reid Ryan Ledger Marlon Brisco Jason Shirley Louis Leonard Donyell Booker Tracking Pinegar Junior quarterback Paul Pinegar has already established a resume that fits right in with some of the great Bulldog quarterbacks of the past. He has an 18-6 record as a starter, and he is moving up the career charts in passing yards, total offense and touchdown passes. Entering this week s game, Pinegar needs only one touchdown pass to move into sole possesion of sixth place on the all-time list. He would pass current California head coach Jeff Tedford ( ). Here is a look at where the 2002 WAC Freshman of the Year stands in the program s record book: Passing Yardage Total Offense 1. Kevin Sweeney ( )... 10, Kevin Sweeney ( )... 10, Mark Barsotti ( )... 8, Mark Barsotti ( )...8, David Carr ( )... 7, David Carr ( )...7, Trent Dilfer ( )... 7, Trent Dilfer ( )... 7, Billy Volek ( )... 6, Billy Volek ( )...6, Paul Pinegar (2002-)... 5, Paul Pinegar (2002-)... 5, Jeff Tedford ( )... 4, Jeff Tedford ( )... 4,814 TD Passes 1. David Carr ( ) Kevin Sweeney ( ) Billy Volek ( ) Trent Dilfer ( ) Mark Barsotti ( ) Jeff Tedford ( ) Paul Pinegar (2002-) Pick Parade Fresno State has built a reputation as one of the most proficient teams in the nation at intercepting passes, and the first three games of this year did nothing to change that. The Bulldogs eight interceptions this year ranks tied for 12th nationally. Fresno State picked off four in the opener at Washington and then two each against Kansas State and Portland State. And this year s unit isn t just picking passes off, they are doing something with the returns. The Bulldogs have three INT returns for touchdowns thus far. Fresno State s pass defense is allowing only 206 yards through the air per game and is third nationally in pass efficiency defense. Pat Hill Comments on Scheduling Philosophy At frequent times in the past, head coach Pat Hill has discussed his rigorous nonconference scheduling philosophy. Earlier this year during one of his weekly media conferences, Hill spoke about his scheduling philsophy of playing rigorous nonconference schedules: Hill on how Fresno State differs from a BCS Conference school... Unlike at BCS schools, we have to play to win every game early to have options. We don t have any options if we don t go undefeated early and play against great teams. So when I say that playing in those BCS games is a direct goal of the program, I m serious about that. I think that everybody in Division I should have that goal, and if they don t...i mean, we play for championships. National championships. We play for the way college football is set up. Hill on Fresno State goals now that the team has lost... If we lose along the course, then we have to shift our goals. I am sometimes baffled by the way people interpret how we go about doing things. I am just proud of our players for wanting to have the goal of being the best they can be. And for people that don t agree with that, then I really feel bad because in every way of life here in America, you are always striving to be your best and go for the brass ring. Visintainer Getting His Kicks One of Fresno State s biggest question marks heading into 2003 was on special teams, where the Bulldogs needed to replace two-time first-team All-WAC and Groza Award semifinalist Asen Asparuhov with untested junior redshirt Brett Visintainer. Visintainer answered any questions with a phenomenal season, making 21 of his 28 field goal attempts, including two game-winners (Oregon State with a 47-yard kick and Rice with a 39-yard kick). This year, he has sputtered a bit out of the blocks, making just five of his first eight, including a blocked attempt on Saturday. But the Groza Watch List honoree is still adding to a long line of special teams success. Fresno State has produced a first or second-team All-WAC kicker in five of the last six seasons. In fact, Visintainer has made all 50 of the extra points attempts in his career, bringing Fresno State s consecutive PAT streak to 111, the second-longest in the nation.

7 Top 25 Polls ESPN/USA TODAY COACHES POLL as of Oct. 3, 2004 No Team Rec Pts Pvs 1. USC (46) , Oklahoma (12) , Georgia (1) , Miami (Fla.) (2) , Texas , Auburn , California , Florida , Virginia Purdue Utah Florida Minnesota Michigan Ohio State Wisconsin Tennessee West Virginia Boise State Louisville Oklahoma State Arizona State Maryland LSU North Carolina State NR OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: Missouri 46, Virginia Tech 31, Southern Mississippi 30, FRESNO STATE 28, South Carolina 20, Texas A&M 11, Arkansas 9, Boston College 7, Nebraska 7, Stanford 7, UCLA 6, Memphis 5, Iowa 3, Central Michigan 2, Northern Illinois 2, Navy 2, Texas Tech 1, Northwestern 1, Notre Dame 1, Kansas State 1 ASSOCIATED PRESS POLL as of Oct. 3, 2004 No Team Rec Pts Pvs 1. USC (48) , Oklahoma (15) , Georgia (2) , Miami (Fla.) , Texas , Auburn , California , Florida State , Purdue , Virginia , Utah Florida Minnesota Michigan Wisconsin West Virginia Tennessee Ohio State Arizona State Louisville Boise State Oklahoma State Maryland LSU South Carolina NR OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: Southern Mississippi 50, North Carolina State 28, Missouri 24, FRESNO STATE 17, Virginia Tech 17, Navy 15, Stanford 15, Texas A&M 12, Boston College 5, Notre Dame 2, Nebraska 1, Kansas State 1, Texas Tech 1 Bold indicates 2004 opponent Fresno State Quarterback University Since the 2002 season, Fresno State has had three quarterbacks in the NFL, tying Michigan and Florida State for the most of any college. But neither Michigan or Florida State had a QB taken in the top 10 picks of the NFL Draft, while the Bulldogs have produced two. 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). 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 Oregon and 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 17 quarterbacks taken in the top 10 picks of the NFL Draft since 1990, and Fresno State has produced two of them. Fresno State s Three Current NFL Quarterbacks David Carr, Houston Texans (No. 1 NFL Draft pick) Trent Dilfer, Seattle Seahawks (No. 6 NFL Draft pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) Billy Volek, Tennessee Titans (back-up QB to Steve McNair for the Tennessee Titans) James Sanders Making Big Plays Junior strong safety James Sanders is off to a fantastic start to He already has a team-high three interceptions, and against Washington he got the Bulldogs on the board with an INT return for a touchdown. The following week against Kansas State, he had one of the biggest plays of the upset win an interception at the goal line at the end of the first half that put to rest any hopes of a Kansas State comeback. Sanders currently second on the team in tackles with 19 and has also notched two tackles for loss and one bone-crushing sack of UW quarterback Casey Paus that was so ferocious it actually left a mark on the QB s uniform. On Saturday, he displayed his versatility by blocking an extra point, his third career block, and making two ferocious tackles on Louisiana Tech ball-carriers. Great Starting Pitching Fresno State has been blessed with some outstanding signal callers who have produced in many ways. One way a quarterback is judged is how effective a leader he is and in how he helps his team win. Junior Paul Pinegar is in excellent company in that regard, winning more than 75 percent of the games he has started. Pinegar has several quality wins, including No. 13 Kansas State, No. 22 Colorado State, Washington, Georgia Tech and UCLA. Here are Fresno State s best quarterbacks in terms of winning percentage in games started: Record Pct. Mark Barsotti ( ) Paul Pinegar (2002-) Kevin Sweeney ( ) David Carr ( ) Trent Dilfer ( ) Mankins Serving Up Pancakes Following Fresno State s victory over then-13th-ranked Kansas State on Sept. 11, Wildcats head coach Bill Snyder said, We never had a football team that just got beat up as badly as we did today. Although he didn t mention him by name, one of the primary beater-uppers was offensive tackle Logan Mankins, who simply put on a exhibition of how to play the tackle position. The senior had four pancake blocks and graded out at 88 percent effectiveness (80 percent is considered the standard). Through three games, Mankins had 20 pancake blocks and is one of the main reasons why the Bulldogs are so capably moving the ball on the ground. Sacks Allowed/ Opponent Result Grade* Pancake Blocks Pass Plays Washington W, % 6 0 / 21 Kansas State W, % 4 0 / 30 Portland State W, % 10 0 / 25 Louisiana Tech L, % 4 0 / 28 3 W, 1 L 86.3% 24 0 / 104 * Note: A grade of 80 percent is considered the standard.

8 Fresno State Facts Bulldogs Post Eight-Year GPA High Fresno State s athletics department posted a 2.91 cumulative GPA for the academic year, the highest mark in eight years. Fresno State Athletics encompasses 17 teams and nearly 600 student-athletes. Facility Improvements The Fresno State Athletics Department held a ceremonial groundbreaking on March 4, 2004, for the currently-under-construction Ricchiuti Academic Center and the expansion to the Duncan Building, which houses the Bulldogs football offices, locker room and training room. The $5 million project began March 8 and is expected to be completed in October. The Ricchiuti Academic Center will provide study tables, tutorial and computer labs and new coaching offices for the women s soccer team. The Duncan Building expansion will include new coaching offices, team meeting rooms, a new locker room and a theater-style auditorium. Bulldogs Dubbed Nation s 32nd-Best Program Fresno State was rated the 32nd-best college football program in the nation by the College Football News, which last summer completed a three-year analysis designed to see which program has been the strongest over that period of time. The rankings were based on winning, academic accomplishments and NFL productivity. Ranking the Losses Of Fresno State s last 23 losses dating back to 1999, 22 have come to teams that have either been nationally ranked, played in a bowl game or were bowl eligible. Of Fresno State s five losses last year, each came against a team who was either ranked during the season and went to a bowl game. In 2002, Fresno State played six teams that made an appearance in the national polls. Since 1999, the Bulldogs only loss to a non-ranked, non-bowl team came Oct. 14, 1999, a defeat at the hands of at the Cotton Bowl. Pat Hill has only lost four games in his career to teams with losing records. Bulldogs in the NFL Fresno State s football program is among the national leaders in sending players to the National Football League. The NFL tabulated the information from players on active rosters for the 2003 season opening games. Thirteen former Bulldogs were on NFL rosters on the opening weekend, the third-highest total of any non-bcs school and the second-most among western non-bcs schools. San Diego State led the non-bcs schools with 15, while Marshall and Louisville each had 14. Fresno State is the leader among WAC schools in NFL players produced, wiith rankings second with nine and Boise State following with seven. BYU matched Fresno State s total of 13, while Utah produced nine and Colorado State seven. The Bulldogs were in range of several Pac-10 schools. Arizona has 15 NFL players, Oregon and Washington have 14 and Oregon State has nine. Fresno State has produced more NFL players than the following BCS schools Arkansas, Oklahoma State, North Carolina State, Kentucky, Iowa State, Minnesota and Texas Tech. Fresno State By the Numbers 3 Former Fresno State quarterbacks currently playing in the NFL (David Carr, Billy Volek, Trent Dilfer). Both Carr and Volek received starts on Sunday yard rushers Fresno State has had in Wendell Mathis (twice), Bryson Sumlin and Dwayne Wright have all eclipsed the century mark thus far. The Bulldogs are averaging rushing yards per game, the second-best total in the WAC. 5 Number of consecutive road wins by Fresno State until last week s loss at Louisiana Tech. 8 Wins, in 10 games, the Bulldogs have after bye weeks since Pat Hill became head coach in Unfortunately, one of those losses came last week, a defeat at Louisiana Tech that knocked Fresno State from the national rankings. 9 Number of BCS Conference teams Fresno State has defeated since 2000, the most of any non- BCS school. Of those wins, only three have come at home. Four have come on the road and two came in bowl games. 12 Number of first-team All-WAC defensive players over the past four seasons. 13 Consecutive rushing plays the Bulldogs ran to start the game against Portland State. Fresno State s first drive spanned 11 plays, all runs Richard Marshall s career interception return average. The school record for the category is 27.0, held by Calvin Lane. 58 Victories Pat Hill has compiled during his Fresno State career. That places him third in school history, just two behind James Bradshaw ( ). 111 Consecutive extra points made by Fresno State placekickers, the second-longest streak in the nation. Only Auburn, with 192, has made more PATs in a row than the Bulldogs. Fresno State s last missed extra point came in Rushing yardage by Louisiana Tech s Ryan Moats in its win on Saturday, the first time an opposing RB eclipsed 200 yards against the Bulldogs since TCU s LaDainian Tomlinson in Fresno State Is under Pat Hill at home, including wins in 29 of the last 32 games in its last 29 WAC home games under Pat Hill when leading at the half, including wins in 18 of the last on Senior Day under Hill under Pat Hill when the Bulldogs throw more touchdown passes than their opponents under Pat Hill when the Fresno State has less turnovers than their opponents in its 26 national television appearances over the last three seasons, including 2-0 this season with at least one more to come (vs. on Nov. 12) in games Paul Pinegar starts at quarterback, including 2-0 in bowls and 5-1 against BCS opponents. 7-1 in WAC openers, the loss coming last week at Louisiana Tech. Four of the Bulldogs last five conference lid-lifters have come on the road. 6-0 in the last six home openers in the last 27 games it scores first. 4-0 when Dwayne Wright rushes for 100 yards. Unfortunately, Wright suffered a knee injury during the Kansas State win and is gone for the rest of the season. 5-0 in its last five games on artificial turf all-time against this week s opponent,. The nation s sixth-winningest program in the nation since 2001 with 31 wins. Oklahoma, with 36, is tops on that list. One of the winningest programs in the west since The Bulldogs have 51 wins in the past six-plus seasons, just one behind fellow WAC member Boise State, which is atop the list with 54. Bulldogs in the Rankings Poll Pre 9/6 9/12 9/19 9/26 10/3 10/10 10/17 10/24 10/31 11/7 11/14 11/21 11/28 AP RV RV RV Coaches RV RV RV

9 The Bulldogs Under Pat Hill As head coach Pat Hill embarks on his eighth 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 well-known aspects of Fresno State football: Graduation Rates 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 graduation: Of the five players who did not receive their degree last year, all are just one semester away from graduating. Of the group that did receive their degrees, four were either partial or non-qualifiers. Three playeres currently on the roster have already graduated and four will receive their degrees after the fall semester. Over the last two seasons, 23 of 31 senior players graduated. That s a graduation rate of 68 percent over a two-year period. 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 ledger. This year, and in the coming years, non-conference games against Colorado State, Oregon, Oregon State, Washington, Kansas State and Wisconsin have already been scheduled. Non-Qualifiers A perception exists that the Bulldogs are comprised primarily of non-qualifiers, or props, as they are more commonly known. In actuality, nothing is further from the truth. In July 2003, Fresno State instituted a new policy prohibiting the recruitment and signing of non-qualifiers beginning with the academic year. Here are some facts about Fresno State and its non-qualifiers: There are only eight non-qualifiers on Fresno State s 2004 roster. Only four freshman non-qualifiers were accepted in the fall of 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 four years, Fresno State s seven wins over BCS opponents ranks best among non-bcs schools. Dog Bones (Individual) #99 Donyell Booker, 6-2, 305, Senior, Nose Tackle, Houston, Texas (Sociology) (Last week: 2 tackles, 1 fumble recovery) Has started 17 of Fresno State s 18 games in A dominating defensive player who can rush the passer and stuff the run. A first-team Junior College All-American who enrolled at Fresno State in January Had 15 sacks in 2002 for Reedley College, leading them to the state and national championship. Has drawn comparisons to 2001 WAC Defensive Player of the Year Alan Harper, a second-team All- American and fourth-round NFL Draft pick. #36 Tyrone Culver, 6-1, 200, Junior, Free Safety, Palmdale, Calif. (Health Science) (Last week: 3 tackles, 1 sack) The starter at free safety who was very effective in last week s win over Washington. He earned the first start of his career. Fifth on the team in tackles with 16. A smart player who is a strong candidate for academic honors, earning Academic All-WAC in 2002 and 03. Ranked sixth on the team in tackles in #79 Chris Denman, 6-6, 280, Sophomore, Offensive Tackle, Tehachapi, Calif. (undeclared) (Last week: Started and played the entire game) Earned a scholarship with his hard work and steady play. Has started all three games at right tackle. #27 Awan Diles, 5-8, 182, Junior, Cornerback, Tulare, Calif. (Communications) (Last week: 4 tackles) Has not started either of the first four weeks but has still seen extensive playing time. Emerged as one of the top covermen in the league dispite his size last year. A tough player against the run with career highs of nine tackles against both Oregon State and Rice. Ranked fourth on the team in tackles in 2003 and has three career INTs. #7 Therrian Fontenot, 5-11, 190, Senior, Cornerback, Lawndale, Calif. (Communications) (Last week: 0 tackles) One of the fastest players on the team, he serves as a reserve cornerback and as a member of the punt and kickoff cover squads. Has been a special teams and defensive contribitor for the last two seasons. Playing with a broken bone in his left hand that necessitates a cast. #6 Jermaine Jamison, 6-3, 200, Junior, Receiver, Carson, Calif. (Pre-Business) (Last week: 5 rec., 44 yards, caught 2-point conversion) Returns as the team s most experienced player at the position. A big-play receiver who entered the year averaging nearly 14 yards per reception in his career. Top freshman receiver in the WAC in 2002, named fourth-team Freshman All-America by The Sporting News. Led the team in receiving yards in five games, with a season-best 102 vs. Tulsa in Scored on a 77-yard pass play in the final minutes to be in Had seven catches over 30 yards in 2002, including four over 40 yards. An Academic All-WAC pick in 2002 and 03. #5 Adam Jennings, 5-10, 175, Junior, Receiver, Granite Bay, Calif. (Health Science) (Last week: 102 return yards) Averaged 12.6 yards every time he touched the ball in Serves as the team s punt and kickoff returner. Returned a punt for a TD at Kansas State that was called back due to an illegal block. Ripped off a 57-yard run on an end around against last year, setting up a Bulldog touchdown. An Academic All-WAC pick in 2002 and 03. #37 Mike Lingua, 6-0, 190, Sophomore, Punter, Canyon Country, Calif. (Undeclared) (Last week: (5 punts, 44.0 avg., long of 52, 2 inside 20) Only five of his 19 punts have been returned thanks to his tremendous hang time. In just his second year as a punter after being a soccer player most of his life. Boomed a 68-yarder against Oregon State, just one yard shy of the Bulldog Stadium record. Has 10 punts in excess of 50 yards in his career. Punted 10 times this year for an average of Tied the school record with 84 punts in #74 Logan Mankins, 6-4, 305, Senior, Offensive Tackle, Catheys Valley, Calif. (Agricutural Education) (Last week: Started and played the entire game at left tackle) Consensus preseason All-WAC before the 2003 and 04 seasons. Selected to the Outland Trophy Award Watch List prior to the 2003 season. Suffered a knee injury in full camp before the 2003 season and missed the year. Has started all 32 games for which he has suited up (he missed all of 2003 with a knee injury). A walk-on who earned first-team Freshman All-America honors in 2001 as the left tackle. Instrumental in 2002 success, which a school-record rusher with more than 1,500 yards. Protected David Carr s blindside in 2001 and helped set school records for offensive productivity. In 2001, Fresno State became the only offense ever to produced a 4,000-yard passers, two 1,000-yard receivers and a 1,000-yard rusher. Blocked a field goal at Washington, the second of his career. Singled out by ESPN s Mark May for his outstanding play against Kansas State, against which he had an All-America-type performance. He was so overwhelming against Kansas State, he was the team s nominee for WAC Player of the Week.