Matt Weir / The Collegian
A stiff test awaits the Fresno State offense this Saturday in Vaught-Hemmingway Stadium, but head coach Pat Hill insists his line is up for the task.
Although the Rebels have slipped to a less than impressive 1-2 start that include losses to Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Jacksonville State and Vanderbilt, Hill is adamant his experienced offensive line will have its hands full in Oxford, Miss.
A week removed from its first impressive performance on the ground this season, the Bulldogs’ front five now must travel cross country to take on an Ole Miss defensive line that is regarded as one of the Southeastern Conference’s (SEC) best.
“This is not like going down to play just a regular road game,” Hill said. “This is an SEC football team, with SEC-type talent. They’ve got very good personnel, and right now they are not playing the way they felt they should be. When you have a team like that they are capable of a lot more and we’re going to get a great shot out of them.”
The Rebels boast the likes of 6-foot-5-inch defensive end Kentrell Lockett and 320-pound All-American candidate senior Jerrell Powe. Both have the potential to create fits for the Bulldogs’ interior, especially with two-time All-WAC guard Andrew Jackson out with injury.
But Hill is confident in junior Leslie Cooper, who filled in two games last season when Jackson went down with an injury and took over again in Fresno State’s 41-24 win over Utah State.
“Our players completely understand it. They are very impressed with the athletic ability of this football team,” Hill said. “They’re Southeast Conference-type players. People in that league have big bodies that can run. It’s a matter of you executing on the offensive side of the ball.”
The ‘Dogs, led by sophomore A.J. Ellis’ big game, looked solid up front en route to racking up 230 yards on the ground against Utah State, nearly 200 yards better than the season-opening victory over Cincinnati.
Experience will play a big factor if the ‘Dogs are to repeat their conference-opening performance offensively. The talent and size the Rebels will bring to the table Saturday is nothing new to Fresno State, which faced similar players in 2009.
Associated Press File
“They’re defensive front is very similar to Boise’s in size and speed,” Hill said. “And it will be good work for our guys inside. They’ve played against big, good inside people. This is going to be a challenge to see if we can hold up in the offensive line, both in protection and in the run game.”
The Rebels gave up an average of 328 yards of offense in their two losses this season, both at home, including 227 on the ground last week to Vanderbilt. But Hill maintains that if he is going to pick up his first win over an SEC foe, it will not be because of a lack of talent on the opposing sideline.
“Their 1-2 record is not indicative of the kind of players they have,” Hill said. “This will be a statement game for them. This is a draw-a-line-in-the-sand game, obviously. We’re not going to be sneaking up on anybody.”
