Fresno State
Bulldogs 2016 End of Year Report
This was not the way the year was supposed to go for the
Bulldogs. Fresno State finished dead last in our PRS rankings with -1878 points
and a 1-11 record for the season. Their only win on the year came against FCS
member Sacramento State, and eventually, the season ended up with a coaching
change, which should elevate the program moving forward. Here is our review for
the season…
Quarterbacks
The ball ended up in the hands of a freshman, Chason
Virgil, this season, and the reviews were that he is a work in progress with a
decent upside for the future. Virgil played in 10 games, completing166/322
passes for 2021 yards and 13 TDs to 10 picks. His completion percentage was
just over 51%, but he did manage to average 202.1 yards per game. With improved play from his line next season,
you can expect a better completion percentage and in increase from his 111.58
passer rating.
Behind Virgil, there is a gaping void of experience. Zach
Kline is gone, and nobody with any experience returns in 2017.
Grade: C-
Running Backs
The line did not do their job very well, and this area was
completely obliterated by bad performances. Junior Dontel James was the leading
rusher with just 697 yards and 5 TDs, and averaged just 63.36 yards per game on
18.91 carries per game. What was worse is that James rushed for just 5 TDs all
season. As a team, the Bulldogs rushed for just 11 TDs in 12 games this season.
As a team, the Bulldogs averaged just 3.17 yards per carry and averaged just a
shade over 116 yards rushing per game. This was a central reason as to why
Fresno State failed in 2016.
Grade: F
Receivers
This was a decent, not great, but decent group in 2016.
KeeSean Johnson, Jamire Jordan, and Delvon Hardaway all are slotted to return
in 2017 after the group combined for 121 receptions this season. Johnson led
the club with 66 catches on the year for 773 yards and a team leading 6 TDs.
Jordan caught 45 passes for 713 yards and is a better deep ball threat. Johnson
and Jordan will be juniors. Hardaway caught just 10 passes all season, but has
room for development as a senior next fall. After those three, depth really
falls off as far as experience is concerned.
TE is a position with no real value for the Bulldogs, as
their top two TEs caught a combined 13 passes on the season. Chad Olson looked
promising in a small spurt, but played in only 5 games this season. Kyle
Riddering and Jared Rice are both also slotted to return, so the Bulldgos
should be able to develop this group in the spring.
Grade: C
Defensive Line
This unit was largely terrible in 2016. The best
penetrating defender up front on the line was Malik Forrester, and he recorded
just 5.5 TFLs on the season. Nathan Madsen was next with just 1.5. There was a
complete inability to stop the run, as the Bulldogs gave up 167 rushing 1st
downs on the season, against 80 passing. That is a terrible number to contemplate.
This unit accounted for just 3.5 sacks all season as well, which is abysmal.
Grade: F
Linebackers
Jeff Camilli was a standout in disrupting the backfield,
but stil only recorded 9.5 TFLs to lead the team. He will move on and will not
be back in 2017, so the leadership would go to Nela Otukolo, who finished with
5.5 TFLs, and James Bailey, who had 5. Camilli led the unit with 108 tackles,
and so will be missed. Bailey finished with just 54 on the season, while Robert
Stanley had 54. Tobenna Okeke, Otukolo, Trent Soechting, and Jeffrey Allison
all return after decent seasons, so there should be some depth here next fall. Still,
this group has to do better at preventing the run next year as well.
Grade: C+
Defensive Backs
Tyquwan Glass led the team in passes broken up with 9
this season, and was a star on defense for the Bulldogs. Jamal Ellis finished with 5 PBUs as well, but the bad news is
that both are seniors who will not be back. Deshawn Potts, a sophomore this
season, finished with 5 PBUs, and will be the new leader in the secondary for
his junior season, but he will be leading a small group of returnees. The
Bulldogs picked off just 5 passes all season, and everyone who picked off a
pass for this unit will not be back next year. That is concerning.
Grade: C
Special Teams
Thank God for PK Kody Kroening. He was one of the most
dependable players on this football lteam in 2016, hitting on 15/17 FGs, and
connecting on all 23 of his PATs. The junior will return next season, giving
the Bulldogs at least one area of consistent scoring.
Freshman Blake Kusick was not at all dependable, and had
a rough freshman season, averaging just 38.33 yards per punt on the year.
Expectations are that he can improve as a sophomore, but if I were the new
staff, I would recruit a punter just in case.
There are options in the kick return game, as Dejonta O’Neill
averaged over 30 yards per return in 2016. Jordan and Johnson from the WR corps
also will return next season, and had some decent gains here.
Glass was the primary punt return guy this season, but he
averaged just under 6.5 yards per return, so that does not work. Expect JuJu
Hughes to get more work in that department in spring ball.
Grade: B-
Coaching
A new staff will be in place for 2017, as Tim DeRuyter
was fired earlier in the season. Jeff Tedford, the former California and BC
Lions head coach, will come in and try to bring the Bulldogs back to prior
glory, but this roster needs a virtual rebuild before that can happen. Tedford
was known at Cal for starting fast and fading late, and Fresno State cannot
afford that approach right now. DeRuyter was a hot commodity early, and then
went to rock bottom at an alarming speed. This entire team needs major
overhauls, but there is some promise for a better tomorrow at QB, LB, and at
PK.
Grade: F
Areas of Need: Offensive
Line, Running Back, Depth at WR, Physicality on D Line, depth and productivity
in secondary, consistency at Punter, new direction in punt return game are all
primary needs.
2017 Non-Conference
Opponents: The non con schedule is a meat grinder, and I can only see the
Bulldogs slogging through it to go 1-3. Fresno State begins next season with
Abilene Christian of the FCS Southland Conference, but the next three are at
Alabama, at Washington, and BYU on 11/4. It’s brutal for a rebuilding team.
No comments:
Post a Comment