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Athlon Sports
Fresno State Football: 2024 Bulldogs Season Preview and Prediction
By Athlon Sports,
5 days ago
If quarterback Mikey Keene continues to progress, then Fresno State's offense will be in good hands with the talent at the skill positions. Defensively, improvement is needed from a group that gave up 30 points or more six times last season. The Bulldogs should be in the hunt for a conference title if they can survive the non-conference gauntlet and be healthy down the stretch.
Quarterback Mikey Keene returns as the clear QB1 after a strong first season in Fresno during which he threw 24 touchdowns and completed 67 percent of his passes for 2,976 yards. The former UCF QB was the New Mexico Bowl Offensive MVP.
At running back is Malik Sherrod, who was fifth in the Mountain West in yards from scrimmage with 966 rushing yards and 260 receiving yards; he also scored 10 touchdowns. Sherrod will be even more of a workhorse this year as a three-down back.
At wide receiver, the Bulldogs return two of the four pass-catchers with at least 500 yards last season. The athletic Jalen Moss should contend for all-conference honors at WR1, and Mac Dalena is a capable veteran.
The offensive line, which has struggled somewhat as of late, returns four starters and could be a potential area of strength in 2024. Second-team All-MWC guard Mose Vavao is sliding into the center spot, and left tackle Jacob Spomer returns after an honorable mention All-MWC season.
Two starters are back on the front line of a unit that finished No. 97 in the nation in rushing defense. Veteran defensive end Devo Bridges is the leader, and junior defensive tackle Gavriel Lightfoot has been in the rotation since his freshman season. The highest-profile transfer into the program is defensive end Korey Foreman, the former No. 1 recruit in the nation who was a rotational player in his first two years at USC. Coaches are hoping to unlock his NFL potential.
Leading tackler Malachi Langley returns at linebacker with 50 games of experience. Another USC transfer, Tuasivi Nomura, will be a linebacker to watch. In the secondary, Cam Lockridge missed most of 2023 with an injury, allowing Al’Zillion Hamilton to get plenty of experience at the corner spot. Both will be back this season, along with safety Dean Clark.
Kicking is in good hands with Dylan Lynch, a Lou Groza semifinalist who was 24-for-30 on field goals for the season, including 9-for-12 from beyond 40. The punting duties will likely go to redshirt freshman Nick Verdugo. Sherrod had a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown last season and may claim kick return duties again.
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