Play-making a concern for ’Dogs

Inability to perform clutch play in passing game may lead to time for Sean Norton

By Darrell Copeland III
The Collegian

There have been countless shortcomings for the Fresno State football team this season, and play-making may be the biggest one of them all.

During Fresno State head coach Pat Hill’s weekly press conference, Hill continuously cited his team’s lack of big plays as a chief concern through five games this season.

The inability to make plays has become such a concern that Hill recently met with the receivers and quarterbacks, where they reviewed video tape from each game this season.

“We met with our receivers and quarterbacks for a long time last night,” Hill said. “We went through 157 throws this year. There’s gonna be tight windows, we just gotta make plays.”

Hill refused to place blame on any one player, but rather pointed toward the team’s, namely the offense’s, confidence level. That confidence is something that has been lacking from the Bulldogs this season and has only been contributed to by the four-game losing streak that stares them down heading into Saturday’s game with Hawaii.

“We’ve been in four really tough losses and confidence has got to build,” Hill said. “We’ve got to keep positive, we’ve got to keep working hard. We cannot flinch, we just gotta keep working hard.”

It hasn’t been the big yard-gaining plays that have avoided the Bulldogs this season, but rather the clutch plays that the team has needed in key situations. Fresno State has routinely been put in third and long situations and have routinely come up short in those times. The Bulldogs have converted 28 of 72 third downs, good for 39 percent and one of the worst ratings in the country.

“There’s a lot of real positives on the film, but there’s also a lot plays we’ve left on the field,” Hill said.

Fair or not, much of that responsibility has fallen on the shoulders of quarterback Tom Brandstater.

Brandstater’s inaccuracy with his throws, along with young, inexperienced receivers, have put Hill in a position to create a spark, likely in the form of backup quarterback Sean Norton.

“If we need a spark, or if we want to put him in at anytime during the game, if the game calls for that I will,” Hill said. “Even if the game’s going at a rate that we feel he can come in and do some things that are a little bit different and maybe see what he can do under pressure, we might go with it.

“We are all ready for that move. I’ve made it clear to Tommy he’s the starter, I’ve made it clear to Sean be ready to go this week."

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