Pat Hill's Fresno State Bulldogs Looking To Spring

Pat Hill, the Fresno State Bulldogs longtime coach (11 years), knows all to well what is needed to win titles.

Hill just has not been able to pull it off, since 1999 when the Bulldogs tied for the WAC title.

Hill is a fine coach, and he gets a lot from his players—just not conference titles. His Bulldogs most generally finish third in the WAC (a position they have claimed seven times).

Still, Fresno State has gained BCS respectability, by beating BCS caliber teams 10 of 18 times. As a matter of fact, Fresno State was selected by the coaches poll to win the WAC conference last season (they tied for fifth in 2008, and lost their bowl game).

Albeit, the Bulldogs of Fresno were 50 percent in bowl wins until last years let down. A good coach like Hill will always take full responsibility for losing, but seems never to take the credit for a good season (he gives it to his staff and players).

Hill had one double-digit winning season in 2001 when Fresno State tied for second and for the first time his team finished with 11 wins.

Still, Hill’s WAC dogs were not able to finish, they lost the Silicon Valley Bowl (the last time that would happen).

His Fresno football team won the Silicon Valley Bowl the next two years, finishing with respectable 9-5 records both years.

If Hill is to be held accountable for anything at Fresno State, it may only be that he has not been able to recruit the type of player that wins football conference titles.

What Hill does recruit is the type of player who plays good football and excels academically.

Fresno player's Academic Progress Rate score ranks the Bulldogs second in California, and a whopping fourth in the western region of all schools in the United States.

What’s wrong with that?

Not all kids leave college to play pro sports. The Fresno Bee has been swarming for Hill’s release, and yet many of those fine kids he has recruited have left his team only to better the communities they reside in.

Hill said, “We want to continue to have strong APR scores.”

Hill further contends, “We are very proud of those who have come through our program."

Fresno State, mostly recognized for their play anybody, anytime, anywhere motto, should be better recognized for academic standards of excellence.

The Fresno Bulldogs are a winning program academically and they don’t do so badly on the football field either.