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Sep 09
0

Back in the Saddle: Sacramento State Preview

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The biggest party in the Valley is back in Fresno this weekend with Fresno State Football hosting Sacramento State. 

Need to know 

  • What: Sacramento State at Fresno State (18.5-point favorites)
  • When: Saturday, Sept. 12 at 7:30 p.m.
  • Where: Valley Children’s Stadium
  • TV: CBS Sports Network (Chris Lewis and Randy Cross) 
  • Radio: ESPN Fresno – 1430/790 (Paul Loeffler, Pat Hill and Kenny Wiggins) and Caliente – 105.1 (Jose Gonzalez)

Welcome to the FBS

Sacramento State is not unfamiliar with Fresno State. The two schools have faced off five times including in 2024 when Fresno State defeated the Hornets 46-30.  

The Hornets have since been promoted from the FCS to the FBS, along with North Dakota State this past offseason. 

Opposite weeks

After a 28-17 week 0 loss at Eastern Michigan, Sacramento State bounced back this past Saturday to defeat former FCS mate Mississippi Valley State 52-0. 

Filling in for former Fresno State quarterback Carson Conklin (wrist), Jackson Sharman in his first collegiate start completed 18-of-28 passes for 247 yards and four touchdowns (1 INT). Three of those touchdowns found the hands of senior wideout Matt Coleman who caught six passes for 141 yards. 

Photo of Matt Coleman celebrating a touchdown (Sacramento State Athletics)

The Hornets pounded the rock most of the night, rushing 41 times for 203 yards and a trio of scores. 

Defensively, the Hornets were aggressive getting behind the line of scrimmage (4 sacks, 7 TFL) and held the Dust Devils to just 43 total yards. 

The beat down they bestowed on Mississippi Valley State looks similar to the one that Fresno State took on Friday night by USC. 

The Bulldogs got behind early on a masterful touchdown drive led by Heisman hopeful Quarterback Jayden Maiava. 

The Bulldogs marched back down the field as well with a pair of first down completions from Jayden Mandal to Jahlil McClain and Gavin Correia but a missed thrown ball leading to an interception stalled any momentum the Bulldogs had. Next thing you know, it was 30-0 at halftime. 

Fresno State fared better in the second half defensively but much of that could be attributed to the Trojans slowing down its pace and moving to its second string unit. 

The offense finished with just 116 total yards (77 passing, 39 rushing) for the night.

Offensive Coordinator Josh Davis described the performance as a “humbling” experience.

“Friday was a opportunity for us to grow up and put four quarters of football on film and grab the good out of it and continue to grow as we as we race to maturity for what it’s going to take here with our next 11 games,” Davis said.

It’s a new week 

After a dismal showing in Week 1, the Bulldogs have a lot to prove, not only to themselves, but to the Red Wave. But they aren’t panicking. 

Head Coach Matt Entz vowed after the loss at USC that the team is “gonna play better.”

“I think you looked at last year, our product, and we got better every single week. Maybe we had some bumps along the road, but our 13th game was our best football game we played all year. I have the same expectations and the same standard for our football team moving forward,” Entz said. 

Starting running back Rayshon “Speedy” Luke (8 carries, 21 yards) spoke to the media at the end of practice on Tuesday morning, echoing his Coach’s moving forward type mindset. 

“I mean, we got 11 more, so don’t let one determine our whole season. So that’s kind of just been the whole mindset. We got 11 more to prove to ourselves and to the world why we should be here. So don’t let one loss define our whole season,” Luke said. 

Linebacker K’Vion Thunderbird echoed Speedy’s enthusiasm.

“We are feeling good. Just fixing some things, coming out, executing, coming to practice every day. We’re ready to start the season out right at home,” Thunderbird said. 

Despite a great individual week which included nine tackles, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble, Thunderbird is hungry for more. 

“I feel like I could have actually done way better. I feel like we came out flat. Of course, we lost. That’s why we have practice to come out and get better every day. We got a full season ahead, so we got more games to play,” Thunderbird said. 

Thunderbird mentioned that defending the RPO (run-pass-option) has been a point of emphasis in practice this week. 

Familiar faces

Along with Thunderbird, Dylan Hampsten (4 tackles, TFL, FF) also had an excellent showing in Week 1 in his Bulldog debut, leading all Fresno State players with a 83.4 PFF rating. 

“He plays with a great motor. He loves the game of football. He’s there for his teammates, and he’s always out here working. Him, Coach O, Coach G, they do a great job collectively together putting his plan together for the game coming up, and you know we’re excited for him,” Defensive Coordinator Nick Benedetto said after practice on Wednesday morning.

The edge will be facing a familiar opponent. Hampsten led Sacramento State last season with 13 TFL’s and 8 sacks. He finished the year with 39 total tackles, earning All-Big Sky honors before transferring to Fresno State. For Hampsten, this Saturday is just another game though.

Former Fresno State linebacker Tim Thomas (nine tackles this season) is set to face his former team, along with defensive lineman Isiah Chala and Miles Bailey. As noted earlier, Carson Conklin is doubtful to play. 

X-Factors 

If Fresno State is going to be successful this season, they need to limit the turnovers and that starts with Jayden Mandal. 

The Bulldog quarterback completed just 7-of-15 passes for 77 yards on Friday. What’s more worrisome is the interception, fumble and not one, but two safeties. 

It’s a new week however and Mandal has an opportunity for redemption with the backing of his coach who reiterated Monday that he has no intention of making a quarterback change anytime soon. 

“Either you’re learning or you’re winning, and I know his best football is still ahead of him,” Entz said. 

Entz added that it’s crucial that he gives his signal caller room to make mistakes and if he were to make a change this early in the season, he’d lose the confidence not only of Mandal, but of the team.

His offensive coordinator remains confident in Mandal but acknowledged some areas that need improvement.

“Mandal did a lot of good things. We’ve got to develop a little bit better of a pre-snap plan. You know, USC’s got a very talented defense, but the pictures weren’t all that hard for us to process. So a few mistakes in that regard, along with some bad play calling and some backed up situations, led to some pretty bad ball,” Davis said.

Davis when asked what a successful week would look like for his offense against the Hornets, was straight to the point.

“Zero negative plays, zero turnovers,” Davis said.

Coming out strong and turnover free against the Hornets would do wonders for the Bulldog offense as whole, including opening up running lanes for guys like Luke. 

“That was his first game. He had to see different looks, different defenses, a whole different thing. So why would we just give up on a guy after one game?” Luke said. “We still have 11 more to go out and prove that Jayden should be the quarterback.”

Josiah Freeman is another guy the Bulldogs need to get going. Fresno State’s top wideout a year ago saw four targets on Friday, but didn’t bring in a single reception and was responsible for the ‘Dogs lone drop. 

Freeman and Mandal’s connection going forward is pertinent to any success this team will have offensively. 

For the Hornets, the entire offensive line remains a big question mark. Despite the 200+ yards on the ground, there weren’t many holes created in the first half by the Sacramento State front five against one of the weakest defenses in all of FCS.

As bad as Fresno State was this past Friday, the front seven weren’t the issue. If there’s a matchup to exploit for Fresno State, it will be in the trenches.

What’s new at Valley Children’s Stadium

If you’ve been around the stadium at all this summer, you’ve probably noticed the scaffolding along both the east and west sides of the stadium. 

Well it’s for some new LED boards on both sides of the stadium that will show a variety of things, including stats and advertisements for additional revenue. 

The Bulldogs will be also featuring a pair of new innovations for when the team enters the field right before game time. Not only will the team be led out by a tractor, Fresno native and runner-up from season 28 of The Voice, Ralph Edwards will serve as a Bulldog Ambassador and help with the team walkout. He’ll also be around the pregame tailgate party. 

Speaking of which, Fresno State Athletics announced last weekend the unveiling of the Modelo Block Party, which will be an extension of Bulldog Boulevard as the school offers more tailgating opportunities. 

Photo courtesy of Fresno State Athletics

The new entertainment village will take place at the Bulldog Soccer Stadium with plenty of activities, live music, concessions, entertainment and a new place for fans to gather before games. 

“Gameday at Fresno State is about so much more than the three or four hours inside the stadium,” said Garrett Klassy, Director of Athletics. “We want the entire day to feel like an event from the moment fans arrive on campus.

Injury Report

Graduate senior safety Ryan Wilson, who was carted off the field with an ankle injury this past Friday, is expected to miss the rest of the season, joining guard Edward Fonua and running back Brandon Ramirez. 

Wilson is eligible to apply for a medical redshirt again at the end of the season, being grandfathered into the old rules. All new freshmen in 2026 and beyond will now receive 5 years of eligibility to play 5 seasons with no redshirts or medical hardships in a change by the NCAA.

In the meantime, he’s replaced by Ethan Tierney who will start alongside Taylor Powell up top for the Bulldogs but Entz noted Monday that plenty of guys will see time at the position. 

“As you’ve seen, what’s on the depth chart doesn’t necessarily represent how many snaps someone is gonna get,” Entz said. “Jaden Carrillo is gonna play a bunch for us. TP (Taylor Powell) is gonna play a bunch. RJ (Regan) is going to continue to play a bunch. We have four or five safeties that will continue to elevate their game.” 

It’s too soon to say whether or not starting right guard Jonah Leaupepetele (also exited the USC game) will play on Saturday but as for now, he’s still listed as the starter. 

An updated injury report is expected less than three hours before kickoff on Saturday. 

For more updates on Fresno State Athletics, follow @AlScott1998 on Twitter (X). 

Game preview written by Al Scott, photos captured by Ryan Sepulveda on September 4th (Fresno Sports Magazine). 

Sep 04
0

Entz, Dogs look to flip the script following rough season opener

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I don’t think Fresno State actually believed they were going to go to Los Angeles and beat the Trojans on Friday night. But they certainly played like they didn’t think they belonged. 

In an abysmal showing to begin the season for the Bulldogs, they fell 39-0 in week 1 at USC in Head Coach Matt Entz’ homecoming. The Trojans 2024 linebackers coach spoke candidly after the game about his and the team’s struggles. 

“I’m frustrated. I think we’re better than what we put on the field in that, Entz said. “I’m frustrated at my inability to get them ready. Our players played hard. I know there’s some individuals that played really well, but individuals don’t win games, right? You win games based on the 11 on offense, 11 on defense, and special teams.”

Key players

Jayden Maiava (USC): 23-for-25, 349 yards, 3 TD

Trent Mosley (USC): 4 receptions, 104 yards, 2 TD

Kennedy Urlacher (USC): 3 tackles, 2 sacks, safety

K’Vion Thunderbird (FS): 9 tackles, 2 TFL, FF

Jahzon Jacks (FS): 7 tackles, 1.5 TFL

What happened 

Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava completed a pair of third downs on the first drive, including a pass to Tron Baker who misled his way through the Bulldog defense for 27 yards. Fresno State then forced a fourth and five opportunity, only for Maiava to find Kayden Dixon-Wyatt open on the right side of the field for another 31 yards. Three plays later, the senior signal caller found Tanook Hines wide open for an easy six points to give USC an early lead 5-and-a-half minutes into the game. 

Jayden Mandal and Fresno State converted a pair of first downs on its first drive, including a nice catch by Jahlil McClain. On third and three on the Trojans 46-yard line, Mandal stepped back and overthrew Josiah Freeman streaking down the field directly into the arms of USC safety Prophet Brown for an interception. 

Entz was conflicted after the game when asked about Mandal’s performance, who completed 7-for-15 on completions, and was sacked twice in the end zone. 

“Ups & downs,” Entz said. “I saw some really good throws. I saw us make some adjustments and change some plays at different times that I thought were really good, and then there were some things that you kind of were left wondering why did we do that? We hadn’t done that all week.”

Dylan Hampsten forced a fumble, picked up by linebacker Tytus Khajavi to give the Bulldogs the ball back on their own 43-yard line. They weren’t able to do anything with it however. USC got the ball a minute into the second quarter and on the third play of the drive, Maiava found freshman phenom Trent Mosley open over middle of the field with only one man to beat. Moseley crossed up Fresno State safety Ethan Tierney before running into the end zone for a 68-yard score and a 14-0 lead. 

It was a hard-to-watch first half for the Bulldogs, especially offensively. Fresno State was held scoreless and managed just 51 total yards. Mandal also turned the ball over twice. To make matters worse, they lost three starters to injury: right guard Jonah Leaupepetele, defensive tackle Deijon Laffitte (returned later) and safety Ryan Wilson. 

The defense wasn’t much better, allowing Maiava and the Trojans offense 357 total yards leading to them scoring touchdowns on four of its five possessions, giving them a 30-0 lead at halftime. 

“Really good football team on the other sideline tonight. Coach Riley’s done a tremendous job putting together a really competitive roster,” Entz said. You see why {Maiava} is a Heisman candidate, tremendously talented, has great understanding, great awareness of what’s going on.”

The Bulldogs fought back in the second half, defensively that is. K’vion Thunderbird forced a fumble and recorded a pair of tackles behind the line. The high-flying USC offense scored just one touchdown in the second half. 

Offensively, Fresno State somehow got worse. Mandal looked outmatched all night and was running for his life with not much help from his offensive line. The run game was nonexistent.

If there was a positive to say about the Fresno State offense tonight, it would be that this was only one of at least 12 games they will play this season and it’s hard to imagine they could play worse. 

What’s next

The Bulldogs return to Valley Children’s Stadium and back to their routine Saturday gamedays when they host Sacramento State on September 12. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. 

“I know we’re a better football team than this, and this is unacceptable. We’re gonna get back to work and the minute we get over the grapevine, we’re thinking about going one and zero next week,” Entz said. 

Hornets starting quarterback and former Bulldog Carson Conklin (wrist) is doubtful to play. 

Recap written by Al Scott, photo by Ryan Sepulveda. 

Aug 12
0

Dogs come up short in season opener

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As much as Fresno State would have loved to kick off both the Gabe Bolton and PAC-12 eras with a victory, it simply wasn’t in the cards for the Bulldogs on Wednesday. 

The UC Davis back line was too much for Fresno State, defeating Fresno State 2-0 in front of a sizable Red Wave crowd. 

“We’re disappointed to lose the game. Obviously, I thought we had some good moments in the game, and unfortunately they had one really great moment in the first half, and in the second half they scored on our inability to kind of clear the ball,” Bolton said postgame. “Davis played very well. They capitalized on their opportunities.”

Despite the loss, the new Bulldog head coach expressed much appreciation for the opportunity and the support he’s received from the school and the community. 

“It’s amazing that we get to do this and compete at this level, and we have tremendous gratitude every time we’re able to do that. The environment out here was phenomenal. The staff put in a tremendous amount of work to create a great environment for our team,” Bolton said. 

How it happened 

The Aggies struck first in the 13th minute with sophomore forward Jaycee DeFazio finding the bottom of the net off the rebound. 

Fresno State immediately tried to counter, pushing the ball down the field, with sophomore Abigail Herren taking a shot on goal, only to be knocked away. 

The ‘Dogs had multiple opportunities in the 18th and 19th minutes, including one from inside the box by freshman midfielder Mariona Sene Corominas. It was blocked however by Aggies goalkeeper Dina Frenkel. 

Bulldog senior transfer Jordan Sprague took a shot on goal with a minute to go in the first half, but Frenkel was right there. 

It was more of the same in the second half with Fresno State getting plenty of opportunities but not being able to find the back of the net. 

“We just weren’t good enough in the final third. We didn’t create great chances. I think we were just a little bit too much in a rush. We were trying to send every ball over the top. I think we just needed to let the attack marinate a little bit more than what we were doing,” Bolton said.  

He went on to use a baseball analogy to indicate their need to focus more on “singles” and working the count or the field for this matter as opposed to swing for the fences. 

“We have to be more patient. We were trying to go for the home run every single time, and as a result, we didn’t create the kind of chances that we’re going to need to create to score goals at this level,” Bolton said.  

UC Davis sophomore defender Kiley Fehrenbacher powered one past Fresno State goalie in the 57th minute to give the Aggies a 2-0 lead, it was all they needed to seal the win as the defense did the rest of the work. 

“At the end of the day, while we didn’t get the result, we know we’re going to grow from this, and we’re going to get better,” Bolton said.

What’s next

The Bulldogs head north this Sunday to Moraga, California to take on the Gaels of St. Mary’s. The match kicks off at 1 p.m. 

Fresno State returns home to host Long Beach State next Thursday, August 20 with kickoff at 7 p.m.

Story written by Al Scott, cover photo by Evan Hernandez. 

Aug 11
0

Fall Camp Roster Review: Running Backs

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Fresno State is just over three weeks away from the start of the 2026 season as they look to build off a 9-4 season a year ago under Head Coach Matt Entz and company. 

Offensively, the Bulldogs averaged 25.8 points per game on 353.8 yards per game in 2025, led by a deep running back room that finished fifth in the Mountain West with 170.5 rushing YPG. 

Taking that success and improving on it will be critical if the Bulldogs are gonna compete in the PAC-12 this season. That starts with the dynamic duo of junior Bryson Donelson and senior Rayshon “Speedy” Luke.

Dynamic Dog Duo

Donelson came out firing in the second half of the 2024 season, including 335 yards and three touchdowns over the final three games of his freshman year. 

The Visalia native didn’t necessarily match the potential that he hinted at during his freshman year, being limited to 45 or less rushing yards in 11 of the 13 games. He finished the season with 707 yards (600 rushing) and five touchdowns on the ground. 

Still, he remains one of the most talented backs in the conference and a threat to wreck opposing defenses, as evident from his 192-yard performance against Georgia Southern in the Bulldogs’ 2025 home opener. 

While Donelson remains the lead back, the Bulldog offense is arguably most dangerous when the football is in the hands of Luke, one of the fastest players in the country.

Speedy racked up a team-leading 1,271 all-purpose yards and eight total touchdowns in his first year as a Bulldog. Luke understandably had plenty of interest from power-4 schools after last season but he had no intentions of leaving. 

“I’m not really big into transferring. I ended up doing it (began his career at Arizona) but my plans were never to transfer. I’m like a very loyal cat. Toughness wins the brotherhood,” Luke said at Media Day in July. 

Donelson and Luke combining for 2,000+ yards combined (rushing and receiving) would go a long way to Fresno State being a threat to win the conference. They will need both to have success if they’re going to compete. 

“Either you become Bulldogs or the Bulldogs become you,” Luke said.

Bringing the juice

While Donelson and Luke shared the bulk of the carries a year ago, Fresno State regularly gave 5+ carries a game to each of Brandon Ramirez, Elijah Gilliam and Jonathan Arceneaux. The trio combined for 143 carries last season and Offensive Coordinator Josh Davis will need to replace all of them. 

Ramirez is set to miss all of 2026 with a leg injury and the latter two both graduated. So who replaces them? 

Julius Gillick is a name that came up repeatedly all during spring ball and that has only continued through the summer.

“He continues to elevate his play. He had a great end of spring. He’s taking off in the same spot,” Entz said on Monday after practice. 

Gillick carried the ball twice for 16 yards during the final drive of the ‘Dogs bowl game victory over Miami (OH) in December. He’ll be getting a lot more opportunities this season, especially if he can replicate the highlight plays he has made throughout camp including one on Monday morning where he hurdled over starting safety Ethan Tierney. 

Joining Gillick to fill those backfield opportunities is Bucknell transfer Tariq Thomas, who ran for 1,394 yards and seven scores in his first two seasons. 

“You can say it’s 3A, 3B,” Entz said. 

Building depth

Including Thomas, the Bulldogs brought in five fresh faces to running backs coach Aaron Prier’s (2023-present) room in 2026. 

Fresno City transfer Andrew Chavez ran for 542 yards and six touchdowns in two seasons with the Rams. Merritt College transfer Jalen Harris is playing football again after competing on the Merritt track and field team last year. 

Harris possesses game changing speed and would be a candidate to fill in as the do-it-all back should Luke miss any time with injury this season. 

There’s also two new freshmen on this year’s squad, including Clovis High alum Maddox Merrill and prized recruit Jhadis Luckey, who was one of the top commits from this year’s signing class. 

Luckey was a two-time 49ers Cal High Offensive Player of the Year and is coming off an excellent senior year in which he ran for 2,173 yards and 28 touchdowns for Clayton Valley Charter High School (Berkeley, CA). He also caught 14 balls for 325 yards and a pair of receiving touchdowns. 

While he probably won’t see the field right away, there’s a chance Luckey could earn some opportunities as the season comes along just like Donelson did in 2024. 

Expectations

The Bulldogs don’t have a Dylan Riley (Boise State) or Lucky Sutton (San Diego State) in their backfield, but the duo of Donelson and Luke plus some emerging underclassmen could make this a top-2 running back room in the conference. 

The Bulldogs ran for 170.5 YPG in 2025. It’s not far-fetched to say 180 YPG is out of reach. 

Story written by Al Scott, cover photo courtesy of Ryan Sepulveda (FSM).

Jul 03
0

Fresno Falcons Announce Signing Of Goaltenders Austyn Roudebush And Nick Grabko

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The Fresno Falcons have announced the signing of two key pieces to their roster. Veteran goaltender Austyn Roudebush is one of the two new additions for the Falcons. He joins the Falcons after making history with the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs a season ago, becoming the SPHL’s all-time leader in regular-season victories by a goaltender. The Toledo, Ohio native has now totaled 127 career SPHL victories.

Roudebush also led the Dawgs to the 2023 President’s Cup championship and was named the President’s Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player that season. He continued to add to his resume during the 2026 President’s Cup Playoffs when he earned his 14th career postseason victory to become the winningest playoff goaltender in SPHL history.

In his new chapter, Roudebush reunites with Falcons Head Coach Iain Duncan and Chief Executive Officer Parker Moskal. 

“I started my professional career in the United States playing under Iain Duncan and with Parker Moskal on the Mentor Ice Breakers… it was my first experience playing pro hockey in the states, and they settled me in really well.” Roudebush said. “It’s great to have the chance to work with them again here in Fresno,” Roudebush said, per the team.

Roudebush began his professional career with Viking HC in Sweden. He then returned to the United States and played for the Mentor Ice Breakers during the 2019–20 FPHL season.

The Falcons have also signed another goaltender Nick Grabko, who brings his experience from the NCAA, American Hockey League, ECHL and international leagues. The Channahon, Illinois, native joins the Falcons after playing in France with Hockey Club Mont-Blanc a season ago. Grabko played in 28 regular-season games during the 2025–26 season. He recorded a 2.96 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage.

Grabko completed a five-year college career, playing with Bentley University and the University of Alaska Fairbanks, then began his professional career with the Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL in 2025. 

Photos provided by Fresno Falcons.

Apr 22
0

Fresno State Spring Ball: Offensive Outlook

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The 2026 Spring Football season is nearing its end at Fresno State and week one at USC (Sept. 4) is just a little over four months away. 

Head Coach Matt Entz and his staff are looking to improve upon a strong first season in which the Bulldogs went 9-4, including a bowl game victory over Miami (OH). 

Offensively, the Bulldogs averaged 25.8 points per game on 353.8 yards per game in 2025, led by a deep running back room that finished fifth in the Mountain West with 170.5 rushing YPG. Now the ‘Dogs move into a reshaped PAC-12 conference that includes 3 of the 4 teams Fresno State lost to in 2025. 

Improving on or even matching the success they had last season will require a much more balanced offense, one Offensive Coordinator Josh Davis expects to be much more “explosive.” That will require much more consistency from their signal callers. 

Fresh under center: Quarterbacks 

What the 2026 Fresno State QB room lacks in experience, it makes up for in excitement and potential, both for the upcoming season and the years to come. 

Maryland sophomore transfer Khristian Martin and junior Jayden Mandal lead a young group that should give the Bulldogs an opportunity to both stretch the field and get to the outside with ease. 

“If we don’t become more explosive, I’m not so sure how championship caliber we’re going to be,” Davis said.

Speaking to the media a few weeks ago, Entz says they plan on incorporating designed quarterback run plays 5-7 times a game this season, regardless if Martin or Mandal is under center, a decision for week one that will likely not be made until the middle of fall camp.

“Hopefully both of them give us that opportunity, or maybe the advantage, but at least they have the ability to force teams to have to prepare for it,” Entz said. 

Martin (Highland Springs, VA) spent his first two seasons at the University of Maryland where he redshirted for a year before serving as the backup in 2025, completing 11-of-17 passes for 105 yards and a touchdown. 

The 6-foot-4 QB possesses “elite” arm strength and solid athleticism for his size, something the Bulldogs haven’t had at the position in recent years. 

“Athletically, the arm strength stands out. The physical size, 235-pound guy who can run a little bit. That’s exciting. To help us when we don’t have the right play call – improvise and make plays off schedule, is a huge part of how teams win championships. We’re excited about that,” Davis said. 

Martin’s transfer to Fresno State came in part because of Offensive Line coach Brian Ferentz, who was a Senior Offensive Analyst for the Terrapins in 2024, where he spent a great deal of time watching Martin on the scout field. His move to Fresno also reunites him with former Maryland teammate Ezekiel Avit. 

Despite his short time with the team, he’s made quite a first impression with his teammates, including defensive tackle Martin Owusu.

“He’s probably one of the greatest quarterback leaders I’ve ever had on a team,” Owusu said.

Martin hadn’t heard much of Fresno prior to his decision to transfer but knew the history and legacy of the program well and saw it as an opportunity to grow and achieve his dreams. 

“The amount of quarterbacks that come out of this school – your dreams are accomplishable from Fresno State,” Martin said. “Going across the country will help me learn about myself. I’m far away from home, so I’m able to focus on football.” 

Competing with him for the starting job is Mandal, who was injured (torn UCL) for all of last season but is back and 100% healthy and ready for the opportunity to prove why he can be the guy. 

“I think I bring just that level of leadership and the arm strength. I know I have the abilities to be a Division I Quarterback. I think the biggest separation from last year to this year is just my confidence,” Mandal said. 

Getting back on the field and playing football again was nerve wracking for the Buchanan alum.

“I didn’t know how it was going to go, so I was definitely scared,” said Mandal. “Am I going to be able to throw the ball the same way?… It was a down point in my life.”

The nerves have passed and Mandal says he feels better throwing now than even before his surgery. More than anything, getting on the field has breathed new life into him. 

“I’m thankful to play. I love that mindset. I just feel happy. I’m just coming here, playing the game that I love with my best friends,” Mandal said. “I’m very blessed.”

Beyond those two, the Bulldogs return Jonathan Craft who redshirted last season and two freshmen early-enrollees in Deagan Rose (Clovis, CA) and Jacob Chambers (Fontana, CA). 

One of the top recruits in the 2025 class, Rose is a local product from Clovis High School where he threw for 11,448 yards and 112 touchdowns en route to being named to All-TRAC all four years and Co-TRAC Offensive Player of the Year in 2025. 

Chambers threw for 5,480 yards and 58 touchdowns while at Rancho Cucamonga High School, including 2,400 yards passing in 2025. He also had 325 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the ground this past season.

Mandal mentioned that he and Martin have been intentional about taking Rose and Chambers under their wing to get them caught up, the same way Mikey Keene and Logan Fife had done for him in 2023. 

Mandal added that he loves the competition and the camaraderie of this group, something he believes will allow them to thrive. 

“A good day for the offense is when all the Quarterbacks are doing well. We root for each other,” Mandal said. 

Breakout player: Jayden Mandal

Martin should be considered the favorite for the position but it’s far from guaranteed. Should he get the job and struggle, the Bulldogs would have a capable backup in Mandal who was neck-and-neck for the starting position with E.J. Warner (graduated) and Carson Conklin last season before getting hurt. His experience and familiarity with his receiving corps is advantageous as well.

Regardless, the Bulldogs are in a much better spot than they were a year ago at the position from a talent stand point. 

Running it back: Running Backs

Probably the most talented and experienced position group at Fresno State, at least on the offensive side of the ball, the Bulldogs return junior starter Bryson Donelson as well as senior Rayshon “Speedy” Luke, junior Brandon Ramirez and redshirt freshman Julius Gillick. 

This group under coach Aaron Prier (on staff since 2023) played a big role in rushing for 2,216 yards this past fall, its most as a team since 2014. 

Donelson ran for 600 yards (4.3 YPC) and 5 touchdowns, in addition to 17 receptions for 107 yards through the air. Luke was arguably the team’s best offensive player in 2025, racking up 1,271 All-Purpose yards and 8 touchdowns. His speed makes him a multi-faceted weapon to play off of the other aspects of the offense. 

Ramirez came on as a surprise this last year, rushing for 271 yards and a trio of touchdowns on the ground. He could be in line for an even bigger role following the graduations of Elijah Gilliam and Jonathan Arceneaux. Gillick got into the bowl game late against Miami (OH), carrying the ball twice for 16 yards. 

They also brought in three transfers: juniors Tariq Thomas (Bucknell), Andrew Chavez (Fresno City) and redshirt freshman Jalen Ray Harris (Merrit College).

Thomas ran for 1,394 yards and 7 TD’s over the last two seasons with Bucknell, bringing some experience with him. Harris is the grandson of Bulldog great Carl Ray Harris Sr. (1969-70) and nephew of former Bulldog WR Lee Harris (1990-93). His uncle Carl Ray Harris Jr. played basketball at Fresno State.

The freshmen recruiting class included two tailbacks in Jhadis Luckey (Hayward, CA) and Maddox Merrill (Clovis, CA). Luckey had 5,823 All-Purpose yards and 71 total touchdowns over his final three years in High School. Merrill was teammates with fellow freshman Deagan Rose at Clovis High School. 

Breakout player: Bryson Donelson 

Maybe breakout is not the right word for a guy that started all of last season in a run-heavy offense but Donelson is much better than his 2025 numbers would indicate and going into the year healthy would do wonders for both him and the Fresno State offense as a whole. 

A healthy year for Donelson and Luke would give Fresno State the top 1-2 tandem of running backs in the conference.

Stretching the field: Wide Receivers

This group left a lot to be desired in 2025, totaling just over 110 receiving yards per game. A couple of explanations for that could be the heavy use of running backs in the passing game and inconsistent quarterback play. 

There’s reason for optimism in 2026 though. Besides the aforementioned change of guys throwing to them, this wideout group is all a year older and they didn’t lose much. Jordan Brown (graduated) is the only wide receiver that caught a pass last season that’s not back. 

Notably, Josiah Freeman received a medical exemption to return for a fifth year as a Bulldog. Freeman led the Bulldogs with 52 receptions, 642 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2025. It was a good enough season to garner the attention of several P4 programs, including Ole Miss, but Freeman felt right at home in Fresno, a place he feels his goals are still possible from.

“I’ve been here for a while and I’ve seen a lot of great receivers come through here make it to the next level,” Freeman said. 

Entz spoke in February to the rumors of Freeman being tampered with and his ultimate decision to stay.

“He found a place that works for him, people that care about him. Every player needs three things. They need to belong to a community. They need to know that people care and they need to know that there’s a process for them to get better, and that’s what we try to provide inside our kind of football environment here,” Entz said. 

Freeman has taken the opportunity for an additional season to grow as a leader, both on and off the field by mentoring some of the younger guys and making wings and Mac n’ cheese for his teammates. 

Returning with Freeman are senior Jayon Farrar (12 rec, 114 yds), juniors Ezekiel Avit (28 rec, 255 yds) and Jahlil McClain (13 rec, 169 yds, TD) and sophomores Jordan Malau’ulu (9 rec, 88 yds) and Harold Duvall (4 rec, 77 yds, TD).

Freshmen redshirts Kenyan Cotton and Isaiah Dillon and senior Jaylen Garrison are back with the Bulldogs as well. 

Fresno State brought in four new wide receivers, two via the portal: Tyler Becker (Southwestern JC) and Darrian Anderson (Oregon). They also brought in two early enrollees in Xavier Owens and Maxwell “Bunchie” Young. 

Owens had offers from several top schools including Georgia, Miami, Indiana, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Penn State; but Fresno State ultimately won out. At 6-foot-3, Owens has both the height and athleticism to be a future WR1 but will likely need to add some weight to get there. 

If Bunchie’s name sounds familiar, it’s because he was the Sport’s Illustrated Kid of the Year in 2017. He also appeared in a commercial that aired during Super Bowl 54, showing off his skills even at just 12 years old, darting through would-be tacklers. He also delivered the game ball for the game that year as the finale to the NFL’s “Next 100” commercial. Now he’s hoping to turn those childhood memories into big league dreams for the Bulldogs. 

Breakout player: Jordan Malau’ulu 

After seeing the field almost exclusively in special teams, Malau’ulu has been making strides to make an impact as a receiver as well. 

“He’s come a long way. He was always just more of a hair on fire. Guy was going to go out and play 1k miles an hour, kind of make some mistakes, but now he’s developing into a complete receiver. He is understanding how to create separation, how to use his hands and how to make plays,” Hardaway said. 

“Grown men football”: Tight Ends

The Bulldogs only lost one starter on either side of the ball in the transfer portal, tight end Richie Anderson (31 catches, 300 yards, 3 TD’s) to Texas A&M. The Bulldogs also graduated seniors Jake Tarwater and Kamron Beachem. That’s a lot of reps to replace for a team that runs a lot of two tight end sets. 

It’s a happy problem though for new tight ends coach Bijan Hosseini, who makes the move from working with the offensive line this last season. 

“Coach Entz is always talking about investing in people, and that’s what he did with me,” Hosseini said. “He told me ‘this is your opportunity. You’re a young coach. I trust everything that you’re going to do.’”

Hosseini said that Coach Entz talks a lot about playing ‘Grown men football.’

“He says, ‘big people beat up little people,’ so we have 12 personnel. We are an extension of the offensive line, so might as well have seven alignment out there. We have to be able to do those things. And so if anybody who is in the area or that we’re recruiting wants to be a tight end here, we make sure they know, you’re an extension of the o-line first, and then the other stuff comes,” Hosseini said. 

A big step forward in replacing all that lost talent was the acquisition of Northern Illinois transfer Jake Appleget (7 catches, 57 yards, TD), who graded out as one of the top run blockers in the country last season. 

Like the quarterback position, lots of potential but also plenty of inexperience. Brock Lium is back after suffering a season-ending PCL/MCL injury on the third play of the 2025 season at Kansas. 

He’s joined in the room by sophomores Gavin Correia and Jace Nixon, redshirt freshmen Sebastian Boydell and Ryan Lewis and freshmen Bryce McDaniel and Dallas Gaius-Anyaegbu. Three additional freshmen will be joining the team this fall: Sylas Austin, Brayden Ford and Zane Gerbo.

Breakout player: Brock Lium

Lium was expected to play a sizable role last season before getting hurt. At 6-foot-5 and 242-pounds, Lium has both the size and athleticism to make a difference both in the run and receiving game, expect a big year from the junior. 

Built on toughness: Offensive Line

Fresno State lost only one full-time coach over the offseason, offensive line coach Zach Crabtree to Purdue. With his exit, Brian Ferentz shifts over to line after working with tight ends last year. 

The line returns three of its five starters from a year ago, losing center and offensive captain Jacob Spomer as well as right guard Julian Polendo. The ‘Dogs were able to secure a sixth year of eligibility for graduate senior and right tackle Rolan Fullwood, who is taking the opportunity to grow as a leader this spring. 

“I’m making sure I’m holding guys accountable, while also making sure that I’m allowing guys to hold me accountable,” Fullwood said. “Every day I come in here, I make sure I know the standard, and I’m pushing the standard, applying the standard to myself and the ones around me.”

Senior guard Edward Fonua and sophomore left tackle Brayden Walton are back as well, providing the team some stability up front. 

Walton became the first-ever true freshman to start at left tackle for Fresno State. At 6-foot-8 and 325 pounds, he’s one of the biggest players on the west coast and serves as a nice blind side blocker for Martin, Mandal or whoever is under center. 

Who fills out the rest of the line remains to be seen. The Bulldogs brought in three transfers, including a pair of sophomores from San Diego in Bode Stoddard and Oscar Weigel. Patrick Barnett could be an option to replace Fonua. The UCF transfer played in 12 games last season at right guard. 

Graduate senior Gino Quinones missed all of last season with an injury after transferring from USC is an option in the interior as well. Seniors Kyson Van Vugt and Braylan Henderson and sophomores Marsel Akins and Ben Baker all saw playing time in limited capacity or on special teams in 2025. 

The Bulldogs added two linemen in their 2026 freshmen class: Alex Rivera (Lovington, NM) and Efren Siuloa (Laie, Hawaii). 

Breakout player: Gino Quinonenes 

What’s next

The Red Wave will have a chance to watch the Bulldogs in action this Saturday, April 25th for the Annual Spring Showcase as the team gets its first taste of game action with its new roster. 

The Bulldogs return to Valley Children’s Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 12th for a week two matchup against Sacramento State. 

Story written by Al Scott, photos courtesy of Ryan Sepulveda.

Apr 12
0

Lions sink Waterdogs in GCC Championship

By | Feature | No Comments

The Fresno State water polo team (15-10, 5-2 in GCC) failed to bring home hardware, losing 8-6 Loyola Marymount University (23-4, 7-0 in GCC) in the Golden Coast Conference Championship on Sunday, April 12 at the Fresno State Aquatic Center.

The Water ‘Dogs were led by the trio of Hailey Andress, Marit van der Kolk, and Riaan Bryant—combining for five of the ‘Dogs’ six total goals. However, it wasn’t enough to keep the Water ‘Dogs afloat, as they faltered in the second half of the matchup despite the two-point cushion heading into halftime. 

The Lions’ resurgence was spearheaded by their suffocating defense and the duo of Emison Styris Anna Tarantino, who helped the Lions outscore the Water ‘Dogs 6-2 in the second half. 

As the Lions continued to pepper the Water ‘Dogs’ goal, goalkeeper Katelyn Mobley recorded a stout 12 total saves, but the Lions’ swarming offense proved to be too much en route to the 8-6 Lion victory. 

As a result of their performance, Andress and Mobley earned All-Tournament nods.

With the win, the Lions are crowned back-to-back GCC champions and earn a bid to the NCAA Tournament. 

Story written by Vincent Ordonio (FSM).

Apr 08
0

Fresno Pro-Am launches show to spotlight culture, talent, and community

By | Basketball, Feature, Fresno Pro-Am Insider | No Comments

In a region where sports thrive and athletes prosper, the Central Valley was missing one thing: an outlet for elite basketball competition in the summer, especially for athletes aspiring to play at the college or professional level or those who simply love the game. The Fresno Pro-Am changed that. 

Alton Williams, president and co-founder of the Fresno Pro-Am, launched the league along with co-founders Seth and Ryan Stanley in 2021, answering the call for high-level basketball the area and its local talent had long been eager for. 

As participants continued to showcase their talent each year and tailor their summers and offseason programs around the Fresno Pro-Am, it became clear to Williams that it was time to shift focus to getting eyes on the league, leading to the launch of the Fresno Pro-Am Show.

With the Fresno Pro-Am Show, Williams views the league’s extension as a storytelling avenue to elevate and share the culture of Central Valley basketball with a wider audience through full length episodes on YouTube and snippets shared across social media platforms.

“The mission of the show is to entertain, inform, and inspire people in communities through the power of engaging storytelling, that is the mission, so everything you see will be in alignment with that mission,” Williams said.

Often called show business, the sport of basketball has limitless story lines, from the overseas pro who can’t put the ball down to the first-year college player looking to make a name for himself. All of it will be front and center in the Fresno Pro-Am Show. 

And in the Central Valley, those kinds of stories aren’t rare, it’s all a part of the Valley’s identity. With homegrown talent like Jalen Green, Cedric Coward, Robin and Brook Lopez, along with diamonds in the rough from Fresno State like Derek Carr, Davante Adams, Aaron Judge, and Paul George, what’s stopping the Fresno Pro-Am from sharing the next big headline of the Central Valley?

“There’s so much people don’t know—especially those who don’t live in this region—and we want to reflect that. We want to deliver that to the world,” Williams said. “Basketball is a global sport, so we want to deliver this to the global community in a way that’s well received and in a way that’s digestible, relatable, and engaging.” 

Williams also emphasized the role of storytelling in driving fan engagement, noting that it remains a challenge across the broader basketball community. 

Williams localized the issue to Fresno State’s men’s basketball team and the school’s transition into the Pac-12.

With nuances like NIL (name, image, and likeness) and the transfer portal, it can be difficult for fans to connect with players as they explore new paths. And for a school with limited funds, like Fresno State, it can be challenging to attract high-level talent and compete with talented teams.

In order to sell tickets and get fans involved, Williams believes fans need personal ties with players.

“Fans have to understand who these young men are, and a lot of that revolves around storytelling and sharing their stories, their backgrounds, their interests, and showing how they’re relatable to fans,” Williams said.

Turning to the future, he extended these ideas to the Fresno Pro-Am, highlighting the league’s ongoing growth.

“There’s a big problem when it comes to telling stories in the basketball community that I’m interested in tackling,” Williams said. “I want to make sure for the next five years we build a much larger fanbase, and we build a large audience. I’m not even looking in our own backyard, when it comes to cultural storytelling, I want to share these stories with the world.”

The Fresno Pro-Am Show is set to launch this summer, with more details to come. 

Story and cover photo courtesy of Vincent Ordonio.