Pressure mounts on Bulldogs as they face off against the Aggies


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FRESNO, Calif. — The heat has been cranked up on Bulldog head coach Tim DeRuyter as his Fresno State squad has turned in a 1-4 record so far this year with the lone win against FCS foe Abilene Christian.

DeRuyter is feeling the heat in his fourth season as the Bulldogs' head coach. Although he has amassed a combined record of 27-18, things have taken a sharp downturn after an 11-2 2013 campaign. DeRuyter spoke Monday about the pressure he is facing.

"We always feel pressure every time we go out as a football staff. We know what we represent. We know we are in a highly competitive business where you have to win. We are going to do things the right way. We are playing with some young guys, not an excuse, we're playing with some young guys that we have to coach better. I like the effort from our group. Our execution has not been spot on. We've got to get that fixed."

The Bulldogs have struggled offensively since losing both their starting and second string quarterbacks after the game against Utah, averaging just 15 points in the last two games. DeRuyter knows it will be a huge challenge to improve his offense going against a Utah State defense that is ranked 21st in the nation against the run.

"They do a lot of things similar to what we do defensively. They base out of an odd front, they get into multiple even fronts, they like to pressure a lot. I think they have the best front seven in the conference that I've seen on defense. They are really stout against the run. They can put pressure on passers. Kevin Clune does a really nice job at defensive coordinator again. You know a year ago at Hawaii and he's doing it again, a little more pressure this year with Utah State."

Despite this year's struggles, Fresno State has handled Utah State recently, winning six straight games and nine of the last 10 between the schools. DeRuyter is hoping for continued home field advantage for the Bulldogs, who have an 11-1 record in Mountain West games played at home in Bulldog Stadium.

"Our guys love playing in front of the Red Wave. Our guys know the legacy they have inherited and we haven't lived up to that as of yet, but there is still a lot of season left to go. We can't worry about the rest of the season but we can worry about one game and we have a terrific Utah State team coming in here. It's a tremendous challenge for our guys, but the fact that we have them at home and hopefully have the backing of the Red Wave here en masse, our guys are going to show on Saturday."

The Aggies should be able to take advantage of a porous Fresno State defense, which is allowing 437 yards and 40.2 points per game. With his seat heating up, DeRuyter knows the only solution is to win.

"We need to win. You've got to win at home. We play typically better at home. We have to go out on Saturday and execute and hopefully by making plays, getting the crowd into it, we can get back on a roll."


Parker Robertson is a graduate of Utah State University, a freelance contributor and an avid fan of sports. Follow me on Twitter @ParkerRob78 Email: ParkerRobertson18@gmail.com

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