College Football News Preview 2020: Fresno State Bulldogs Keys To The Season
Biggest Key To The Fresno State Bulldogs Offense
Get the passing game going again. Jorge Reyna wasn’t bad – he hit 65% of his throws for 2,655 yards and 15 scores with 11 picks – but the Fresno State passing game failed to hit 3,000 yards for the first time since 2016.
Reyna is done, and now it’ll likely be up to ether Washington transfer Jake Haener or sophomore Ben Wooldridge to take over and get it going again.
The team didn’t always win when the passing attack worked, but it wasn’t consistent enough or explosive enough. Getting well over 12 yards per completion again – it was 11.29 last year – is a must.
Biggest Key To The Fresno State Bulldogs Defense
Crank up the pass rush again. The Bulldogs came up with seven sacks early in the season against Minnesota and Sacramento State, and six in the final two games against San Jose State and Nevada, and just six total in the other ten games.
There wasn’t the normal pressure of past Fresno State teams – dropping from 34 in 2017 to 24 in 2018 to 19 in 2019 – and that has to spike back up.
That might be tough with three starters gone off the front four and several of the producers for last year’s pass rush done. but there’s enough in place to manufacture a whole lot more pressure.
And that’s why …
Key Fresno State Bulldogs Player To A Successful Season
DE Kwami Jones, Sr.
Someone has to rise up on the end and become a force in the backfield.
After making 26 tackles with 2.5 sacks in 2018, the 6-2, 250-pound Jones was on his way to being a factor before missing most of last year hurt. He hasn’t been dominant since transferring in from College of San Mateo, but now he’ll get his shot to be the new star of the front seven.
At least, the team needs him to be a major factor.
Key Game To The Fresno State Bulldogs Season
San Diego State, Nov. 21
Hawaii represented the West in last year’s Mountain West championship. Fresno State was in the title game in 2014, 2017 and 2018, and San Diego State was in the title game in 2015 and 2016.
Fresno State beat San Diego State in 2014, 2017 and 2018, and it went the other way in 2015 and 2016.
The winner of the Bulldog-Aztec game won’t be assured of playing for the Mountain West title, but … assume the winner will be playing for the Mountain West title.
– Fresno State Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2019 Fresno State Fun Stats
– Fumbles: Opponents 16 (lost 11) – Fresno State 15 (lost 7)
– Punt Return Average: Fresno State 13.3 – Opponents 4.2
– 4th Quarter Scoring: Opponents 108 – Fresno State 78