Fresno State head football coach Jeff Tedford, defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle and offensive coordinator Pat McCann met with the media Monday at the program's weekly press conference, two days after the Bulldogs lost 42-18 at San Jose State, and five days before they host New Mexico on Saturday night at Valley Children's Stadium.
Hear what the coaches had to say Monday about three storylines coming out of the San Jose State game, and heading into the game with the Lobos this weekend.
What Happened at San Jose State?
The Fresno State football team got beat in pretty much every facet of the game Saturday in San Jose. The 4-5 Spartans actually went off as the favorite over the 8-1 Bulldogs, and they proved the oddsmakers correct.
The Spartans controlled the game from the start, scoring on their first four possessions, on their way to a 24-point win, giving the Bulldogs their biggest loss in this series since 1990.
Defensively, the Bulldogs could not stop the run, as the Spartans ran for 313 yards on the ground.
Offensively, it wasn't much better, as Fresno State surrendered eleven tackles for loss and five sacks.
The Bulldog coaches did their best at Monday's press conference to explain the disappointing performance on Saturday, and Coyle shared how the Bulldogs tried to address some of those defensive concerns a day after the game.
Mikey Keene's status going forward
Tedford said that starting left tackle Jacob Spomer is done for the season after suffering an ACL injury against the Spartans, and also said that quarterback Mikey Keene was dealing with some concussion symptoms at San Jose State, after taking a hard hit near the sideline late in the second quarter. Keene was forced out of the game, and was in street clothes on the Bulldog sideline during the second half.
Tedford said Keene "will be okay," but they will monitor him this week. McCann said he doesn't know yet if Mikey will be available Saturday against the Lobos, but that shouldn't affect his offense's preparation for the Lobos.
Senior Day Saturday vs. Lobos
Saturday's regular-season home finale against New Mexico at Valley Children's Stadium will be a little more emotional than usual pregame, as the Bulldogs will honor their seniors who have exhausted all their eligibility (and probably some that technically, have some eligibility left too!).
Tedford shared what Senior Day is like for him, and Coyle offered some thoughts on fifth-year senior linebacker Levelle Bailey's impact on him and the program.