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Tuesday, Apr. 22, 2008

Pencil in these answers for Bulldogs' football team

Fresno State has more than 3 months to figure out what the spring has meant for its upcoming season.

Spring football is over. Well, almost. Fresno State still has one more practice left, a light workout Wednesday at Bulldog Stadium.

It'll be closed to the public. But that's fine.

Unless something dramatically happens Wednesday, the Bulldogs already have filled in their Scantron with answers to questions they faced entering spring camp. Here's the key to follow along:

A. Good to go.

B. Still the same.

C. Getting better.

D. Ugh, better ask later.

They might not be the answers coach Pat Hill wanted, but at least he knows where the Bulldogs stand as he sends them off for player-only, no-coaches-allowed workouts for the next 31/2 months. The Bulldogs will reconvene with coaches Aug. 5.

Here's a review of Fresno State's spring exam.

How will quarterback Tom Brandstater perform under new offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier, who is the Bulldogs' fourth OC in four years?

Answer: A -- Good to go. Brandstater is adjusting just fine to Nussmeier, and his coaching style and play preference. Brandstater, entering his third year as the starter, is playing with confidence and showing great knowledge of the offense. He's making smart decisions and has shown the arm strength and accuracy to get the ball through the tightest of windows.

"I expect good things from Tom," Nussmeier said. "He's looked amazing."

How is the center spot coming along?

Answer: D -- Ugh, better ask later. The center exchange couldn't have gotten off to a worse start.

There were botched snaps, shotgun hikes that sailed over the quarterback's head and snaps that were fired off before the quarterback actually wanted the ball.

But as guard-converted-center Adam McDowell got more familiar with the position, the bad snaps ceased. And the center spot became unnoticeable -- a good sign when you're an offensive lineman.

"It's not a big deal," Brandstater said. "The first couple of practices we had some problems because [McDowell] had never done it before. But since then, he's fixed the problem and we haven't had issues."

Let's see if it's that way in the fall.

What player could have a breakout season?

Answer: B -- Still the same. The answer before spring camp was running back Ryan Mathews. The answer after spring camp remains Ryan Mathews.

The soon-to-be sophomore has bulked up in the offseason yet still has shown the quick feet and vision that made him so lethal last season when he led the Bulldogs in rushing as a true freshman.

Mathews' blocking still is a work in progress, as is his route running. So maybe he's not ready for the do-it-all role departing back Clifton Smith had, but Mathews has all summer to work on that.

"I think I've shown what I can do," Mathews said. "Now I just got to keep doing it when it matters."

The linebackers seemed to be the primary area of concern on defense. How has that come along?

Answer: C -- Getting better. As long as the starting three of weakside linebacker Quaadir Brown, middle linebacker Ben Jacobs and strongside linebacker Nico Herron are manning the spots, the Bulldogs look good. Herron has been one of the biggest surprises in spring, adjusting quickly to his starting role and playing physically and aggressively.

Brown missed Saturday's scrimmage to attend to a personal matter, but he'd be a four-year starter if it wasn't for an injury two years ago. He's solid, as is quiet defensive leader Jacobs.

But the Bulldogs are extremely thin in depth, with Nick Bates appearing to be the only steady option off the bench.

"I don't think you can say we're a weakness," Herron said. "We've improved so much from the first day to now."