By JONATHAN BAGLEY
If new Fresno State head coach Pat Hill’s prediction of how far Fresno State will go this year is accurate, the Bulldogs won’t get out of the gate.
“Fresno State will go as far as (Michael) Pittman can carry us,” Hill said in late July.
Pittman was the WAC’s second leading rusher in 1996 with 1,132 yards, but will probably be the WAC’s least leading rusher in 1997, as he was suspended indefinitely by Hill for conduct detrimental to the team.
The suspension will probably not be lifted. Pittman’s replacement, Joe Turner, ran for 120 yards on 10 carries in the Bulldogs debut against Portland State University Saturday. The Bulldogs crushed Portland State 35-7.
Turner is a Sophomore, a symbol of the youth dominating the Fresno State lineup. His youth, coupled with his performance, may have captured his coach’s heart, as Hill comes to Fresno with the intention of rebuilding.
The Bulldogs feature 17 freshman or sophomores in their two-deep lineup. Half of the linemen and three-quarters of the linebackers are freshman.
“I want to make it clear that just because you’re young and inexperienced it doesn’t mean you can’t win,” Hill said.
Hill recruited only freshman for Fresno.
“We are not going to be a junior college program. We’re going to be a high school program,” Hill said. “Junior college transfers make it hard to build consistency. They have three weeks to practice, and don’t get into it until midseason.”
Hill’s motto going into the 1997 season is to paint the San Joaquin Valley red. Hill wants to create the same fervor for football that the state of Wisconsin has for the Green Bay Packers, capitalizing on the 3 million residents whose only source of athletics is Fresno State University. Hill said the Bulldogs average 36,000 fans.
To build fan support, the coaching staff is caravanning through 14 towns in the valley.
Hill spent the last few years coaching in the Cleveland Browns/Baltimore Ravens organization. He returns to Fresno after being a Bulldog assistant in the ’80s.
“Fresno is a special, unique place,” Hill said.
Hill said he wants to restore Fresno State to the glory years of coach Jim Sweeny.
“Jim Sweeny built Fresno State from nothing,” Hill said. Sweeny was 53-16 from 1983-89.
Hill’s lineman suit him as the biggest man in the trenches is 280 pounds.
“I don’t believe in big, heavy lineman unless they carry it well,” Hill said.
The linebackers are equally slight, but can still play. The WAC’s leading tackler in 1996, A.J. Gass, is built like a point guard at 6-2 185.
The Bulldogs are one of twelve teams in the WAC who have to worry about how their quarterback will do. Sophomore Bill Volek had a nice warm-up against Portland State, passing for two touchdowns.
