Matt Weir / The Collegian
Fresno State football players work in the summer to stay fit for the fall.
For the next three months, the Fresno State football team will have to hold voluntary summer workouts on their own without the presence of a coach.
As per NCAA rules and regulations, coaches are not permitted to watch and hold workouts or drills until fall camp begins in August.
Head coach Pat Hill said that the summer workouts will be solely run by the players.
“The next three months is up to them,” Hill said after the team’s final scrimmage. “They have to do a great job of coaching themselves and not take any shortcuts this summer, even though there’s no coach on the field. They have to be the guys who police it.”
With no coaches to do the yelling or the teaching, players will have to take it upon themselves to improve their game during the summer months.
“During the summer it’s on us,” sophomore quarterback Derek Carr said. “So, I’m going to do every workout.”
Despite the possibility of redshirting for the upcoming season, Carr said he will do whatever it takes to better his game, even if it means doing the little things.
“I’m trying to take my game to that next level and do all the extra work that it takes,” Carr said.
Even though Carr is slated to backup returning starter Ryan Colburn next fall, he realizes that it’ll take a bigger and harder workload to be a starting quarterback.
“You have to do more than everybody else wants to,” Carr said. “Whatever they do, I’m going to try to do more.”
During the spring scrimmages, Carr completed 64 percent of his passes, going 16-of-25 for 241 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions. Carr will hope to improve on those numbers with a strong summer workout program.
As for other players like sophomore tailback Robbie Rouse, a strong showing in the spring won’t mean anything if he doesn’t sharpen his physique and mind over the course of the next 90 days.
“[In] summer, I’m just going to do everything that is possible,” Rouse said. “It’s time for improvement. I’m gonna try to get stronger, try to get bigger and try to get faster.”
Rouse had an impressive spring showing, running for 127 yards on 13 carries and two touchdowns. Rouse also added a 23-yard touchdown reception out of the backfield as the No. 1 running back on team’s depth chart.
But Rouse knows that the hard work he put in the spring won’t pay off or prepare him for the season unless he keeps training throughout the summer. Rouse said he will utilize the summer workouts to help him get ready physically and mentally for the 2010 season.
“[I’m] just trying to get more prepared for September 4 when we take on Cincinnati,” Rouse said.