Brian Losness – USA TODAY SPORTS
The Fresno State Bulldogs come in at No. 42 on the Rant Sports College Football Top 100, fresh off a 9-4 finish in 2013 which ended with a frustrating 43-10 loss to the RS No. 81 SMU Mustangs in the Hawaii Bowl. In total, the Bulldogs return 16 starters (nine on offense, seven on defense) and could make some waves in a Mountain West Conference which shouldn’t be as deep as in years past.
Derek Carr‘s decision to return for his senior season at quarterback was the best news head coach Tim DeRuyter could have possibly received in the off-season and it’s a great sign for a Bulldogs team looking to break through the 10-win ceiling and possibly even become the nation’s most powerful mid-major this fall.
Offense
Plain and simple, the Bulldogs will be as successful as Derek Carr is successful. The returning 2012 Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year threw for 4,104 yards and 37 touchdowns — versus only seven interceptions — slicing and dicing MWC and non-conference opponents alike all season long. A case could be made, in fact, that Carr is the nation’s most underrated quarterback. One that has earned the attention of NFL scouts and with protection from an experienced offensive line could earn even greater national attention this fall.
Fresno State returns an explosive pair of receivers in sophomore DaVante Adams and senior Isaiah Burse who between them caught 159 passes for 2,163 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2012 and should be a nightmare to game plan for this coming season. Adams, in fact, could emerge as one of the best wideouts in the nation statistically before it’s all said and done.
The running game takes a major hit with the loss of outstanding back Robbie Rouse who surprisingly was not drafted when eligible and is still searching for an NFL home. Offensive coordinator Dave Schramm will look to junior RB Josh Quezada to carry the load in 2013. Quezada’s role will be limited in a pass-first offense, but will be important to maintain some balance and keep opposing defenses from stacking in nickel or dime coverage to prevent the pass without threat of the run.
If an offensive line that returns a total of 63 career starts can protect Derek Carr and keep him off the ground, the Fresno offense could be one of the most explosive in the country. As it has been noted however, pressure isn’t Carr’s friend, so the unit’s overall production depends upon that pressure being as light as possible.
Defense
With a defensive coaching background, Fresno head coach Tim DeRuyter made a complete overhaul of the Bulldogs’ defensive scheme in 2012 and it paid massive dividends. The move to an aggressive and potent 3-4 base set should pay out even more this fall as the Bulldogs return a talented and experienced unit with a collective chip on their shoulder.
Free safety Darron Smith returns as the leading tackler from 2012 when he posted 79 tackles and picked off six passes. Although he won’t be paired with 2012 All-American Phillip Thomas who was taken with the 119th overall pick of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins, he will have plenty of chance to shine as a team leader. Both cornerbacks also return for the Bulldogs– senior L.J. Jones and junior Sean Alston.
There’s plenty of depth at linebacker for Defensive Coordinator Nick Toth to work with in the 3-4. Junior Donovan Lewis was the most productive of the bunch in 2012 tallying 36 tackles (6 TFLs) and should set the tone. The remaining positions are up for grabs in large part.
The Bulldogs’ defensive line is keyed by 1st Team All-MWC defensive tackle Tyeler Davidson and features three returning starters. A couple of junior college transfers round out unit, which as a whole, should be impressive this fall.
Schedule
Fresno’s schedule is far from intimidating — especially in the pre-season — as they face off against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights and Cal Poly Mustangs at home in the first two weeks. This could easily signal two wins for the Bulldogs. Tim DeRuyter’s squad travels to Boulder in Week Three to take on a hapless Colorado Buffaloes squad with nowhere to go but up in 2013.
Things get a little more interesting with a Week Four visit from the Boise State Broncos as MWC play gets rolling. We see Fresno hitting 10 wins for the first time in years this fall and making a run at not only an MWC title, but a first-tier bowl game as well.
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Kris Hughes is a Senior Writer for Rant Sports. You can follow Kris on Twitter, Google and Facebook.
