Spartans a step ahead of Bulldogs
Poor field position, combined with four Bulldogs interceptions erase hopes of a win
Juan Villa / The Collegian
After a questionable running into the kicker penalty on the Bulldogs, San Jose State was able to convert on a fourth and one play, hitting James Jones (No. 3) for a touchdown.
Fresno State running back Dwayne Wright continued his role as a standout player for the Bulldogs by rushing for 106 yards in the 24-14 loss to the Spartans. |
By Jeff Christian
The Collegian
The Fresno State football team’s nightmare season came to an end on Saturday in a 24-14 loss to San Jose State that ended the Bulldog’s three-game winning streak and closed the door on the program’s first losing season since 1998.
Numerous facts contributed to the Bulldogs lack of consistency and struggles throughout their 4-8 season.
Experience and consistency at the quarterback position are vital to ensure success week in and week out.
Paul Pinegar’s departure after last season left the Bulldogs with a void to fill at the quarterback position. Although Pinegar struggled down the stretch of his senior season, it was inevitable for Fresno State to face hurdles replacing a quarterback with his level experience.
Sophomore quarterback Tom Brandstater only threw 13 passes during the 2005 season and his game appearances were relegated mostly to mopping up games that were out of reach.
The passing game has been a wild rollercoaster ride that at times has been both exhilarating and nauseating for fans.
Injuries to the offensive line, receiving core and Brandstater himself grounded the air attack for most of the season.
Inconsistencies and mental breakdowns resulted in numerous big plays for opponents and prevented Coach Pat Hill’s team from gaining momentum and taking control in several different games.
On Saturday, San Jose State quickly took advantage of those breakdowns with an 86-yard touchdown pass and a defensive interception on the first two offensive plays from scrimmage.
Fresno State rebounded from the early deficit and put them in a position to tie the game in the quarter.
A false start penalty on a first and goal play from the 4-yard line led to a five-yard penalty that essentially took the ball out of running back Dwayne Wright’s hands and put pressure on the passing game.
On the next play, Brandstater was intercepted on the 3-yard line and the Spartans took advantage of the game changing play and rode the momentum for the rest of the game.
Many of the mistakes, like the ones made on Saturday, that have cost the Bulldogs this season have resulted from misreads and miscues from both their less experienced and veteran players.
The team was never able to hit their stride in all three phases of the game. The running game was forced to carry the offense for the majority of the season because the passing game was unable to stretch the field with deep passing plays.
The passing game wasn’t capable of making defenses pay for stacking the line of scrimmage against the run. Offensive coaches dream about having a running back like Dwayne Wright that can setup the passing game and create one-on-one situations in the secondary.
Fresno State’s offense has traditionally been geared towards running the football in order to control the tempo and tone of the game. That type of offensive system will almost certainly guarantee that the Bulldogs will have a 1,000-yard rusher every season.
However, the passing game must take advantage of their chances to convert the big pass play down the field.
The Fresno Sate coaching staff hopes that experience gained through early playing time will lead to success for Brandstater and his young receivers next season.
The injury to senior wide receiver Paul Williams led to freshman wide out Chastin West’s insertion into the starting lineup for several games. West made the most of his opportunity and quickly became a threat in the passing and running games, as well as on special teams.
Hill’s philosophy is to schedule the toughest non-conference opponents possible in the hope that success early in the season will setup the program for BCS success.
Fresno State’s difficult non-conference schedule seemed to wear down the team physically and emotionally. Next season’s schedule doesn’t get any easier; the Bulldogs travel to Oregon and will host Kansas State and Cincinnati.
Throughout the season Pat Hill has stated that the ‘Dogs will be back. This off-season will signal the beginning of Fresno State’s journey at redemption and Hill has said that the off-season and summer workouts will be the toughest he’s ever held.
If the Bulldogs are going to return to form, they will need to find a way to regain their toughness and the chip on their shoulder that has embodied the program in previous seasons.
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