Oregon opponent preview: Fresno State

Fresno State made plenty of noise in Week 1 by trouncing Connecticut 45-0 at home. It was a dominant showing for a group that has every reason to believe it can win its division in the Mountain West Conference. 

The Kalen DeBoer era began under difficult circumstances in Fresno due to the pandemic. But since the 2020 season got off the ground, it’s been so far, so good for DeBoer with the Bulldogs.

He and his staff navigated a tricky Mountain West schedule to finish a respectable 3-3 last season. The recruiting returns have already been promising: DeBoer and co. hauled in one of the top 2021 classes in the MWC. 

DeBoer created an NAIA juggernaut in the mid-2000s at his alma mater, University of Sioux Falls, before moving on to coordinator positions at Southern Illinois, Eastern Michigan, Fresno State and Indiana. After Jeff Tedford resigned from Fresno State’s head coaching position in 2019, the university circled back for DeBoer. If the early signs are any indicator, the 46-year old DeBoer has the program in solid shape and ready to turn some heads in the Mountain West. 

“They’re just very impressive,” Oregon head coach Mario Cristobal said Monday. “You can tell it’s a team that returns a lot of starters — I believe 20 of 22, if I’m not mistaken. … They smothered their opponent in Week 1, so we expect a great challenge.”

It’s easy to label this as a trap game for Oregon. Ohio State looms large, and the Ducks are 20.5-point favorites over a team that already has a game under its belt. But knowing what we know about Cristobal and his staff, Oregon will take absolutely nothing for granted. 

There’s been a palpable buzz coming from the team this week. It’s obvious the players are thrilled to play in front of a packed stadium for the first time in ages. That’s going to be a major factor. Even if the Ducks start out a bit sluggish, don’t count on them allowing Fresno State to hang around for long. 

Fresno State Bulldogs at a glance

Date with Oregon: Sept. 4 at 11 a.m. PST at Autzen Stadium

How to watch: Pac-12 Network, or stream via Pac-12 Networks 

Radio: Eugene: 95.3 FM. Portland: 1080 AM. Stream: TuneIn.com/Ducks

Head coach: Kalen DeBoer, second season (3-3 at Fresno State, 70-6 all time)

2020 record: 3-3, 3-3 Mountain West

2021 record: 1-0

All-time series: Oregon leads 7-2

Key returners

RB Ronnie Rivers, DE David Perales, DT Kevin Atkins, QB Jake Haener, DE Kwami Jones, WR Jalen Cropper

Key departures

RT Syrus Tuitele, RG Quireo Woodley

3 things to watch

Can Oregon contain Ronnie Rivers?

Rivers was one of the more productive backs in the nation in 2020. A first-team all-MWC selection, the senior from Brentwood, Calif., ran for 507 yards on 100 carries and rushed for seven touchdowns. He also hauled in 27 passes for 265 receiving yards and two touchdowns. 

Rivers is versatile, physical and likely would have been selected in last spring’s NFL Draft had he not elected to return to school. He was the lone Bulldog named to the MWC preseason first team and Fresno State’s offense revolves heavily around him. 

DeBoer and Fresno State OC Ryan Grubb present a balanced, multifaceted attack. But Oregon’s primary objective on the defensive side of the ball will be to keep Rivers from running wild. 

“Really impressive young man,” Oregon defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter said Monday. “Not surprising. … He runs with a lot of heart. He’s powerful for a guy who is not real big. 

“He’s got great feet, vision and can jump-cut. One of the things I think they’ve done a really nice job of with him, particularly this year, is getting him out in routes and finding ways to get him touches. 

“When he gets the ball in his hands in space, look out. He’s making the first guy miss almost always.”

Jake Haener’s continued progression

There are plenty of Pac-12 offensive coordinators who would probably be thrilled to have Jake Haener in their quarterback room. He may not be a household name yet, but Haener flashed some really nice tools during his abbreviated 2020 campaign with the Bulldogs. 

A 6-foot-1, 195 pound junior from Danville, Calif., Haener committed to Washington out of high school and played in four games for the Huskies in 2018. He elected to transfer south, though, and after sitting out the 2019 season, he earned all-MWC honorable mention honors in 2020. 

In six games, Haener went 150-for-232 (64.6 percent) and tossed 14 touchdown passes and five interceptions. He flashed enough ability and consistency in his first season that PFF listed him as the 41st-best starting quarterback in the country.  

Haener was nearly perfect in Fresno State’s opener and finished 20-of-26 passing with 331 yards and three touchdown passes.

“He’s a very experienced quarterback coming over from Washington,” Cristobal said. “I believe they led the Mountain West last year in passing. … You can tell — you can tell by the efficiency of their passing game, the timing and precision of their passing game, their system, the ability to get the ball out when they need to and the ability to set up and protect and launch it down the field when they want to.”

Explosive play along defensive line

Fresno State returns a talented, productive group of pass rushers that figures to cause headaches for opposing offensive coordinators all season. 

Kwami Jones and Kevin Atkins each tallied five sacks last season, and David Perales had four and nine tackles for loss. All four players are back this season and could have massive seasons. 

Against Connecticut, the Bulldogs wracked up four sacks without any of those three players contributing to the tally. It’s a deep, dynamic defensive front that yielded just 35 yards on the ground in Week 1.

“They’re disruptive. Whenever you hold a team to 100 yards of total offense and a shutout, you’re playing really well,” Cristobal said. “It starts up front. Their interior defensive line is impressive; 320-pounders that can bounce you back and play well with their hands. 

“These guys strike, they move, their pressure packages are diverse — both on first and second down and on third down.

“But just very heavy-handed and very active guys who create a lot of issues with their stunts with speed and power rushes on the edges.”

Prediction

Oregon 38, Fresno State 17