1992_05 The Daily Collegian May 1992

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7
Football: defense improves drastically
DougMcLeod 	
Sports writer
When the 1992 Fresno State spring
football practice ended with the annual
spring game last Friday night at Bulldog
Stadium, it also ended some of the -
concerns held by the Bulldog coaching
staff.
The Bulldogs, who went 10-2 last
year and were co-champions of the Big
West Conference with San Jose State,
return only two starters from last year's
defensive squad, where many of the
so- ca 1 led questions about the Bulldogs
needed to be answered.
Joining the Western Athletic
Conference this July, the Dogs will
immediately step into a highly
respected conference'that will give
them more competi ton than they faced
in the football-poor Big West
Conference.  , \
Willy Robinson, Bulldog defensive
coordinator, expressed satisfaction
about the way the young,
inexperienced defensive squad
progressed through spring practice.
"I think the defense matured a lot
this spring," Robinson said". "I think
our kids are running to the ball very
well. They feel the urgency to improve."
s Robinspn was referring to the
decision by he and Bulldog head coach
Jim Sweeney to augment the Bulldogs
defensive package by implementing a
4-3 alignment.
The young Bulldog defense seemed
lost in the 4-3 When practice started
March 23, but made great strides when
they became more acclimated to it*   *
Furthermore, the 4-3 gives the
defense another look instead of just the
3-4 defense which was the mainstay of
Bulldog defenses past.
The 4-3 was added to throw a "curve"
at opposing offenses.
"Weinserted something (totally) new
instead of putting something in that
we already knew."
Robinson said that the misconception
has been, especially in the local press,
that the Bulldogs have never played in
the 4-3 defense.
"We've played the 4-3 for the past
two years in passing situations," he
said.
Robinson said that the 4-3 is designed
to give the Bulldogs a better pass-rush,
being that the defensive line is the
strongest facet of the current defense.
Sweeney said the only concern he
ha* going into the fall is "that the
defertseiraUy has ik> game experience
as a unit''
"When we entered spring practices,
we really were running a 'vanilla'
defense; but by the end, we were
• blitzing and stunting (well)," Sweeney
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Sweeney said he believes the best
defense the Bulldogs have is the 4-3,
wherein four down linemen are
complimented by two outside and one
inside linebacker.
"It'sbetterDecauseitletsususeBrad
Bell and Wendell Valentine at their
natural posi tions at ou tside linebackers,
" Sweeney said.
Apart from right comerback James
Burton, and right tackle Zack Rix, the
BuJldog defense doesn't have extensive
game experience.
Right ends Eari Oliver and Nick
Serfas should be counted upon to
anchor the line, as well as Chris
Rockwell, Jamie Bennett, Dernetruis
Edwards, and Sonny Evans.
In the middle, the status of injured
middle linebacker Shawn Murray
remains a constant concern of. the
coaching staff.
"Shawn is two weeks ahead of
schedule on his comeback, and with
him out, we had tc switch weak-inside
linebacker Chris Peters to (Murray's)
^strong-inside position."
Murray played only three games last
season—albeit irrjpressively—before
tearing the ligaments in his knee.
If and when Murray returns,it should
stablize the middle oMhe defense and
allow more players to return to their
natural positions.
In the defensive back field, Sam
Watson, James Fuller and Armin
Youngblood, although young, are
counted on to be the players at the
safety position for the Bulldogs.
Burton will anchor the .right
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or (jhris Tblbert will play on the' left.
Offensively, the Bulldogs return
seven starters, inducUng three first team
All-Big West selections: Lorenzo Neal
(fullback), Ron Rivers (tailback), and
Jesse Hard wick (right tackle).
Center Jason James, tight end Marty
Thompson, and wide receiver/punt
returner Malcolm Seabron also return
as starters.
Each of the above was an All-Big
West selection (either second team or
honorable mention honorees) in 1991.
Depth on the offense is also atound.
Quarterback Trent Dilfer, running
backs Anthony Daigle, James Allison
and Jamie Christian, flankers Michael
Ross and split end Tydus Winans all
saw considerable playing rime last year
and are expected to contribute this year.
Freshman wide receiver Charlie
Jones quickly became a crowd-fa vori te
in the Spring mtra-squad game and is
expected to continue his standout play
comefall.
Jones, a Lemoore native,  dazzled
fans and coaches with his play in the
spring game and is beintt^&itutfretlVy'
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Donild E Moffett lll/FSU Sports Information
Senior defensive lineman Zack Rix will anchor the defensive line for the
Bulldogs, a defense that will be tested in the western Athletic
Conference. FSU Joins the WAC this season, leaving the Big West.
Sports Trivia
Name the last Fresno State football
player to be taken in the first round of
the National Football League draft
J.D. Williams, who was drafted by the
Buffalo Bills.
Everyone has heard of the ex-Bulldog
great Henry Ellard. But who was his *
quarterback at FSU?
Jeff Tedford, the current quarterbacks
coach at FSU.
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