Freshmen Malique Micenheimer and Donavon Lewis have seen playing
time in the early season.
Dalton Runberg / The Collegian
The 2011 version of the Fresno State football team has had its share of injuries paving the way for younger players to step up.
Defensive end Donavon Lewis and fullback Malique Micenheimer are from the most recent recruiting class and have made an impact in their first seasons wearing Bulldog red.
Both players have shown glimpses of the potential that head coach Pat Hill saw in them during offseason recruiting.
Lewis was recruited out of Clovis West High School and is following in the footsteps of his older brother Chris Lewis, who missed playing with his brother by one season as he graduated in May. Lewis has collected 1.5 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss on the season. He recorded the first sack of his young collegiate career during the season opener against California.
“There’s no fear in him,” defensive line coach Will Plemons said. “He’s not overwhelmed by who we play.”
With the Clovis West High School graduate on the field, the defense will look to put more pressure on the opposing quarterbacks. The Bulldogs’ defense has combined for just eight sacks on the year and has also given up the 96th-most rushing yards this season.
“I’ve seen a lot of production in him at such an early time,” Plemons said. “We didn’t see the point in redshirting him because he’s ready to go.”
Micenheimer was on the defensive side of the ball with Lewis when he first arrived at Fresno State during fall camp, but was moved to fullback after junior Tapa Taumopeau suffered a season-ending knee injury.
The McNair High School graduate is used to playing multiple positions since he played linebacker, tight end and fullback in high school. With this jack-of-all-trades from the 2011 recruiting class on the roster, running backs coach Joe Wade sees how Micenheimer can help the team.
“There are a lot of similarities between linebacker and fullback so it’s a natural transition for him,” Wade said
The starter at the fullback position throughout the season has been senior Austin Raphael, who himself made the switch from the linebacker position earlier in his Bulldog career.
Now, that Raphael is expected to be out three to six weeks with a bruised kidney, the door has opened for Micenheimer. He will make the first start of his career against Utah State on Saturday and will have to be a key part of the Bulldogs’ rushing attack that has averaged 131.8 yards a game.
In Bulldogs’ offense, the fullback plays such an important role because it opens up running lanes for running back Robbie Rouse. Micenheimer will have to help Rouse get back to performances he had earlier in the season when he posted four consecutives games of over the century mark.
“I think Malique [Micenheimer] is the best person for the job right now,” Wade said before Tuesday’s practice. “I have a lot of confidence in how he’s going to play on Saturday. I expect him to play real well.”
