1990_08 The Daily Collegian August 1990

              Pap**     \
soorts
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Friday, August 31, 1990
 i f
Barsotti breaks out
Man DavkM/Dckty Cofspfan
Junior quarterback Mark Barsotti scrambles tor yardage durfng practfce Tuesday afternoon. The Bulldogs lace Eastern
Michigan In their home opener Saturday at 7 p.m.
Sweeney expects banner year
Bulldogs to open season Saturday night against Eastern Michigan
By Chris Branam
COLLEGIAN SPORTS EDITOR
What a difference a decade makes.
In 1980, Fresno State football head
coach Jim Sweeney was taking over a
Bulldog team, for the second time,
which was 4-7 under head coach Bob
Padllla the year before.
In 1990, Sweeney has the chance to
take the two-time defending Big West
Conference champions to levels of
national prominence which would
have been only a pipe dream In 1980.
With   38   ktterwlnners   returning
3m last season's 11-1 team,
including 24 on defense, Sweeney
a ppearB to be set for another run at a
championahrp. Fresno
State wlQ open the season Saturday at
7 p.m. at Bulldog Stadium with a non-
Eastern
Michigan Untwrsity.   " \
"I   believe   the   strongest   form  of
to     image-structuring, ~,
'   to
pre
named the No. 1 returning running
back by The Sporting News in Its
preseason college football annual.
Craver admitted that he won't let
that kind of national press affect his
play this year.
"1 don't think there will be any more
pressure than I had last year." he said.
There, was publicity here In Fresno,
and the pressure was on me-to perform
well here. Now It's the same way
again, now I have to perform and Just
take it up a level."
Returning starting quarterback
Mark Barsotti will take some of the
pressure off Craver. Barsotti, a
Junior, to already fourth on the all-
time FSU career list In passing
(3.782)   anf   total   offense
Sweeney said. "Iniage-structurtng..
deliberately     preparing    for    a    p
de termined outcome.   The confide
tit takes to build a strong image Is
-cted in the knowledge that we
have won before and will wiri again."
With the players he has returning,
Sweeney wont need much "Image-
On offense, senior tailback Aaron
Craver returns with some pretty
impressive preseason accolades.
Craver, the nation's fifth-leading
rusher last year with 1386 yards, was
Barsotti was known for hie pearling
ability when he came out of Madera
High School in 1987. but he really has
not had much of a chance to show his
arm at Fresno State.
1 came here to throw the ball,"
Barsotti said. "Hopefully this year it
la iKauijf to rhai.ntfr
Barsotti hopes that he will have
somebody to throw to. Heralded wide
redever Win Henry, who sat out tost
season as a Propositon 48 casualty.
quit the team In the second week of
August but came back about a week
later.
Speedy wide reciever Frank Jones, a
Fresno City College transfer, was
declared academically ineligible
Tuesday.
That.Leaves flanker Kelvin Means
a*   the   Bulldogs   leading   returning
reclelrr with 25 balls cought last year.
Suddenly, "Air Sweeney has been
replaced with three yards and a cloud
of dust
Defensively, Fresno State Is solid.
Junior free safety Marquez Pope
returns' to anchor the defensive
secondary.
Pope earned honorable mention All-
America honors from TSN last year
when he led the defense with 65 solo
tackles. He was named first-team All-
Big West Conference and was named
FSU's Outstanding Defensive Back of
the Year. Pretty good credentials for a
guy who wasn't even the most
recognizable DB on the team. Former
FSU standout and now-Buffalo BUI
J.D. Williams'held that distinction.
Replacing Williams as a team-
leader on defense has made Pope more
sure of his role.
-I feel that 1 have to.'Pope said. "We
have good leaders on our team, but the
position that I am in now. somebody
does have to take the tnittative."
After losing Ron Cox to the
Na tlonal Football League. FSU needed
another speedy. iwtng-type
linebacker who could make the big
play. Hello, Steve Lee.
Lee, a Junior transfer from
Oklahoma, participated in spring
practice-but still needs the explerence
in reading defenses property. The 6-2,
345 pound Lee was highly regarded
corning out of high school, as he was
recruited by Nebraska, the University
of Southern California, and Colorado
Sentor defensive end Nick Ruggeron
still has not been able to practice
effectively because of severe bums on
his right thigh after a Fourth of Jury
bottle-rocket accident.
Eastern Michigan comes Into the
1990 season with high hopes of
returning to the California Raisin
Bowl, which It won In 1987, upsetting
San Jose State 30-27.
Huron coach Jim Harkema.
entering his eighth year at EMU, will
count on the tough Huron defense,
ranked No. 1 in the Mid-American
Conference last season, to be as solid
this year. EMUwas 7-3-1 In 1989.
Pre-season All-American candidate
Bob Navarro tied for the NCAA
Division I lead in interceptions as a
Junior in 1989. with 12.
At quarterback for EMU will be
junior Shane Jackson. Jackson
lumtactcd 12 of 26 passes for 176
yards In the annual Green-White
Sprtogmb^iscjuad Game this year.
This meeting win be the first ever
bttwuui the two schools In football.
Sweeney takes pride In turning
around the FSU football program and
having; had the chance to coach such
players as Henry Ellard. Kevin
Sweeney, Stephen* Paige, and Ron
Cox But he has altered his coachtaj
duties a little.
"My own particular Job at one I
was to coach football," Sweeney said,
"and now I have moved on Into the
position where I coach coaches."
Sweeney    was     simple   .In    1
adjectives describing this year's team.
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