Fan appreciation scrimmage a bit hit

Hill says crowd for practice set record attendance; hopes to start new tradition

By Maggie Thach
The Collegian

What happened on Saturday evening is what Pat Hill wants to see happen every year. Hill invited fans to the second scrimmage of the fall season free of charge and the fans responded. Over 4,500 spectators came to tailgate before the scrimmage and then saw an offensive showcase led by running backs Wendell Mathis, Bryson Sumlin and Clifton Smith.

“We’ve got some bona fide starters. We have three outstanding running backs,” Hill said. “I couldn’t be happier with the backs.”

The offense didn’t look so sharp against a hard-nosed defense in the last scrimmage when cornerback Richard Marshall matched Mathis in speed and stepped up to fill the hole left behind by strong safety James Sanders when he went to the pros after last season.

Marshall didn’t participate in the scrimmage due to a sore knee.

Mathis, who had 83 yards on nine carries, is first on the depth chart but Sumlin and Smith are close behind. Sumlin had seven rushes for 102 yards and Smith ran for 77 yards on eight carries.

But the most pleasant surprise of the evening wasn’t how explosive the offensive was, but how many spectators came to support the team.

“I really didn’t expect this many people to come out,” Smith said. “It means a lot. People come out and they see action. We always want to put on a show. I think we got people on the edge of their seats.”

Senior Paul Williams was also pleased by the outcome.

“I was here when there was nothing,” Williams said. “We were in the terrible locker rooms and everything but I’ve seen it grow. We’re not quite there yet but the fan support gives us motivation. Without the fans, us players are nothing.”

To make the fans feel more involved, Hill got on the loudspeaker to explain the drill or play. Throughout Hill’s career, he has been open about showing appreciation to fans and it couldn’t have been more evident than Saturday night.

After the scrimmage, Hill thanked the fans for their support and players signed autographs and posed for pictures. Hill hopes this can be the start of a new tradition.

“Hopefully, we can get 15,000 to 20,000 people out here for scrimmages and spring games,” Hill said. “Tonight, the players are gonna spend some time with kids. It’s a great thing. I hope fans walk away knowing how much they mean to the program.”

The Tormeys walked away knowing how appreciative Hill is. Both say they feel this year has the most fan anticipation than any season before.

“Pat Hill has been quiet. He’s usually in your face about the team but this year is different,” said G. Tormey who is going to travel to away games to Hawaii and Nevada with her husband Chris. “It’s like he knows a secret he doesn’t want to let out. Fresno’s ready for a team like this. We already have our tickets.”

The Bulldogs will start the season on Sept. 10 against Weber State for the home opener at Bulldog Stadium.