National Signing Day 2010: No Surprises for Pat Hill and Fresno State

As of last night, Fresno State head coach Pat Hill was on the phone with the recruits that had given the Bulldogs verbal commitments to sign with the program.

Hill told Bryant-Jon Anteola of the Fresno Bee that he didn't want any surprises, saying, "Every kid has their own unique scenario that we have to make sure is in place so they not only sign but get here when camp starts."

That persistence paid off as all 21 of Fresno State's recruits faxed in their letters of intent, signaling they were ready to become the next official recruiting class for the Bulldogs.

Did this recruiting class top the recruiting class from 2009, one that saw Fresno State land 17 recruits, including quarterback Derek Carr and running back Robbie Rouse, as well as four-star defensive end Donnie Pritchett?

The 2010 class, of Sunday morning, didn't have a single four-star recruit among it, but was still the best recruiting class in the WAC. That class got stronger with the addition of Matt Darr, who had originally committed to USC before Pete Carroll jumped ship to the Seattle Seahawks.

At that point, Darr opened up his recruiting choices and took visits to not only Fresno State, but Arizona State as well, before giving his verbal commit to Fresno State late Sunday night.

The 2010 class filled some holes that were starting to become gaping, especially on the defensive side of the ball. The Bulldogs were ranked 99th out of 120 teams nationally in yards per game (413.7) and 84th in points per game allowed (28.4).

The Bulldogs needed to get better defensively and they needed a pass rush that would have a name other than defensive end Chris Carter.

So with that in mind, Hill received commitments from at least six defensive recruits, with a few more that can play on either side of the ball.

Recruits like defensive backs Derron Smith, Anthony Riggins, Edward Dillihunt, Greg Watson, and Isaiah Burse, along with linebackers Ofa Fifita and John Oglesby and defensive tackle Tyeler Davison.

Smith and Fifita were both huge gets for the Bulldogs as both were being sought after by big time programs.

Smith had received offers from other WAC schools such as Idaho, New Mexico State, and Nevada as well as Mountain West schools San Diego State and UNLV. Smith's biggest offer, however, came from Nebraska of the Big XII.

As for Fifita, he had received offers from WAC schools Hawaii, Nevada, and San Jose State, but had been recruited by Oregon, Colorado, and Washington of the PAC-10.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Bulldogs received commitments from players that could turn into stars.

With the departure of All-American running back Ryan Mathews, the Bulldogs will be looking for his replacement.

You may not need to look much further than 5'8" running back Robbie Rouse, or "Mighty Mouse" as he's known as to his teammates.

Rouse played backup to Mathews along with senior Lonyae Miller and rushed for 479 yards, 82 carries, and four touchdowns. He has a different style than that of Mathews, but Rouse showed his elusiveness on the field as he was able to slice through the defense and outrun defenders in the open.

After Rouse, there are a few options that head coach Pat Hill can turn to, and a few of those might even come from this recruiting class.

The Bulldogs signed two running backs, both with different styles, to the 2010 recruiting class. After the aforementioned Rouse, it could be a wide-open competition for playing time at the running back spot.

E.J. Schexnayder, a 5'11", 210-pound running back from North HS, and Leslie Rogers, a 6'1", 180-pound running back from Point Loma Senior HS, both have the ability to be in the backfield for Fresno State next season.

Schexnayder brings a Lorenzo Neal-type presence to the Bulldog backfield, while Rogers has an Anthony Daigle-type frame. Taking you back to the 1992 season, am I? You might remember Neal and Daigle in the same backfield during the Bulldogs' 24-7 win over USC in the 1992 Freedom Bowl.

The one problem Hill and the Bulldogs might have going into the 2010 season is their logjam at quarterback.

With starter Ryan Colburn along with Derek Carr and Ebahn Feathers already holding on to three spots, the Bulldogs added Lester Fontenette and Marcus McDade, as well as just recently adding 6'6" junior college transfer Kelly O'Brien.

So with six quarterbacks slated to be in spring camp, how do you rectify that situation? There have been several rumors about Ebahn Feathers changing positions or possibly transferring from Fresno State all together.

Feathers says he's not going anywhere, nor is he ready to change positions.

"I'm not just going to give up that easily," Feathers told Bryant-Jon Anteola of the Fresno Bee . "It's only been a year and a half. A lot can happen. A lot has happened. I'm just going to take my time, not going to rush into decisions. My goal is to become Fresno State's starting quarterback."

Lofty goals for someone that's blocked by not only incoming senior Ryan Colburn but also the highly touted Derek Carr.

When asked if he would consider changing positions, Feathers didn't rule it out, but says he has a lot of work to do to show the coaching staff that he's serious about playing football for the Bulldogs.

So with the recruiting process coming to a close for Fresno State, the Bulldogs and their coaching staff will turn their attention to spring practice, which will get underway in the coming months.

Head coach Pat Hill will look forward to getting this recruiting class into camp as well as seeing last year's recruit class to see how they stack up against each other.