Over the summer, the Fresno State Bulldogs have constantly challenged themselves, both on offense and defense, to become a more cohesive unit.
Head football coach Tim DeRuyter, who arrived from Texas A&M last spring, has preached a specific mantra to help build team unity and strength, and he hopes to instill this message with his assistant coaches.
“The biggest thing is establishing relationships with the coaches and the team. Our mantra, if you will, is: fast, physical, and fanatical,” Coach DeRuyter said. “We can’t be the team we want to be if we don’t trust each other and love each other. The only way you do that is by spending time together.”
Key players junior quarterback Derek Carr and senior running back Robbie Rouse will lead the offensive unit for the Bulldogs. Offensive coordinator Dave Schramm knows that in order for the offense to put points on the board, Rouse and Carr will have to have stellar performances this season.
“We’re obviously going to count on Robbie Rouse. He’s a guy we’re going to lean on and our quarterback Derek Carr,” Schramm said. “Our biggest strength is our playmaking ability. We’ve got a lot of guys that can make plays in our receiver positions and running backs.”
However, in last Saturday’s team scrimmage, the offense looked a little unsteady and Schramm looks to improve upon the weaknesses that were evident. The need for players to step up and fill the void left by wide receiver Devon Wylie, who was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs, remains to be seen, but Schramm has confidence that his unit will succeed.
“As coaches, these scrimmages are more so to find out different positions. So we put guys in situations that we know we’re going to have to count on once the regular season starts,” Schramm said. “Our receivers have to get used to playing with four guys at a time. It’s new to them, but we’ve gotten better since the spring.”
The Bulldogs showcase two critical components in the defense with the return of senior strong safety Phillip Thomas and senior defensive end Anthony Williams. Williams, who didn’t play last year due to injury, complements Thomas, and together the two will look to strengthen the run-stopping ability of the Dogs’ defense.
“Number one, we have to be a really good run-stopping defense, which is part of our goals and expectations. Be physical and stop the run. I think we can do that and have the guys to do that,” defensive coordinator Nick Toth said. “Guys like Phillip Thomas… I expect him to have a big year because he’s a big-time player. Also Anthony Williams on the defensive line will be huge as these core guys can be guys that have big-time senior years.”
Toth preaches unity among his players and stresses the importance of team pride. In past seasons, the Bulldogs have had a strong defense but still lacked the physicality that it takes to be an elite force able to stop any type of offensive scheme.
“I think our strength right now is our unity, our unit pride. There’s some big pride in playing defense right now, and our attitude is very strong,” Toth said. “Expecting greatness and not being surprised by it and making it happen over and over again. We haven’t been good at defense here in a while, and we’re overcoming that still.”
Fresno State’s first game of the season is against Weber State, happening Sept. 1, at Jim Sweeney Field, and the Dogs’ look to grab a win early on in the season. Yet, both offensive and defensive coaches are waiting to develop specific game plans until next week. The focus now for the team is to continually improve in all aspects of their game so they can play any type of competitor they face this season.
“We’ve got to focus on playing hard. In the first game, we need to play at the highest level we can against whatever they throw at us,” Toth said. “We play about every different type of offense you can play. They’re all tough and every one is going to be a challenge.”