A day following Sunday evening’s announcement that defensive coordinator Randy Stewart decided to step down, Fresno State’s long-time coach Pat Hill said that while he didn’t force his colleague out of position, a change was needed.
Stewart, who was in his third year of full-time defensive coordinator duties, led a unit plagued by big plays and high-scoring affairs. Fresno State currently ranks in the bottom half of all major defensive statistical categories in the Western Athletic Conference, including last in scoring defense, surrendering 37.4 points per game. Furthermore, the Bulldogs have given up 41 points or more in the team’s three consecutive losses, including 48 points in a bowl-bid-elimination loss to New Mexico State last Saturday, a team Fresno State had never lost to.
“I spent six and a half hours with Randy Stewart here Sunday morning,” Hill said during his Monday media conference. “We went through the film and it took us probably four hours to go through it. We talked about a lot of things. In the end, I thought we were making great progress on defense so did he. Over the last four weeks, we haven’t been making that kind of progress. He had the decision what he wanted to do. I told him if he wanted to stay coaching and finish up this season. Let’s get to work and get this thing better. He chose at this time, he thought it was in the best interest of the football team that he step down.”
Linebackers coach Tim Skipper, whom Hill said is one of the truly fine and upcoming coaches in the game, will take over as interim defensive coordinator. The coaching change is the first Hill has experienced while still in season since taking over the Fresno State football program in 1997.
Stewart has been on staff for a decade of Hill’s 15-year career, originally coaching the defensive secondary. But since the beginning of the 2009 season, the Bulldogs have given up an average of 44.5 points per game against ranked opponents, 38 points against Bowl Championship Series opponents and 30.8 points against conference foes.
“Randy’s a heck of a coach,” Hill said. “He’s been here with me for 10 years. I think he coaches secondary technique as well as anybody. What we’re doing in the secondary right now sometimes with our technique is nothing like it’s coached. And it’s very frustrating. This is the same guy that coached the secondary in 2005 that all four of them went into the NFL and three are still playing.”
Skipper said that he had no inclination of his interim promotion prior to Stewart’s decision on Sunday, but embraces the opportunity to lead the Bulldog defense through its final three games of the 2011 season.
“It’s always tough when it’s a change during the season,” Skipper said. “Coach Stewart made a decision that was best for him. I’m in the position now of defensive coordinator and I’m excited about it. Obviously, I’ve played defense here. [I’ve] seen some good defense here and I want to get back to that type of defense.”
Skipper will guide the defense into Honolulu to take on Hawaii, the WAC’s top passing offense that will be without former Fresno City College quarterback Bryant Moniz, who injured his ankle in a loss against Nevada. Still, senior Shane Austin replaced Moniz and threw for 232 yards and a touchdown. The Warriors average 313 yards per game through the air while the Bulldog defense has given up 323 yards on average in the recent three losses.
Hill has seen a number of his assistants in his tenure accept positions at prestigious programs, both collegiately and professionally. Questions arose as to whether Stewart was fired Sunday, but Hill was adamant that wasn’t the case.
“I’ve been here 15 years and I’ve never fired a coach,” Hill said. “I’ve never had to. They would get hired away so this is a first for me.”
