Voice of Fresno State Bulldogs Talks Ducks, Bruins

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Posted on August 12, 2021


  By Nick Bartlett, SuperWest Sports

This is the third in a series of interviews with beat writers and broadcasters covering Pac-12 non-conference opponents that play at least two Conference teams this season.

Those teams include Notre Dame (USC, Stanford), Hawaii (OSU, UCLA), Fresno State (Oregon, UCLA), and BYU (Arizona, Utah, ASU, WSU, USC).

In our first two installments, we spoke with Notre Dame beat writer Bryan Driskell of SI/FanNation and Hawaii beat writer Stephen Tsai of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.

We continue with Paul Loeffler, the play-by-play radio broadcaster for Fresno State on the “Bulldog Sports Network,” who answers questions about the team’s 2021 season and their games with Oregon and UCLA.

The Ducks lead the all-time series with Fresno State 7-2, and the Bruins hold a 6-3 advantage over the Bulldogs.

This season, Oregon opens its home slate against Fresno State on September 4th, while UCLA welcomes the Bulldogs to the Rose Bowl on September 18th.

Nick Bartlett: First of all, thank you for taking the time share your thoughts on the Bulldogs and their Pac-12 opponents this season.

Paul Loeffler: My pleasure.

Bartlett: How do you think Fresno State will perform this year? Do you think they are the team that started out 3-1 last season? Or the squad that struggled after the Covid cancellations?

Loeffler: Much more like the team that began 3-1, but better than that.

This team is deeper, more experienced, and bringing back proven talent like Jake Haener, Ronnie Rivers, and Jalen Cropper bodes very well, especially since they actually had spring and summer practice this year, after NONE of that in 2020.

Bartlett: How do you view Oregon and UCLA’s respective programs historically, do you think either team is capable of making a run this year?

Loeffler: We know that both the Ducks and the Bruins have proud traditions, and possess plenty of talent. Fresno State hasn’t visited Autzen Stadium since it was Raider teammates Derek Carr and Marcus Mariota duking it out.

Oregon’s Marcus Mariota led the Ducks to a 42-25 victory over Fresno State in 2012. | Kevin Casey/Getty Images

I’m hearing a lot of optimism coming from Bruinland, and many have Oregon pegged as a top 10 team this year. The Bulldogs last trip to the Rose Bowl was pretty impressive, and I’m sure Bruin fans haven’t forgotten.

In an important year for the Pac-12, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Oregon or UCLA contend for a conference crown, but I also wouldn’t be shocked by Bulldog victories in Eugene or Pasadena. Fresno State has really solid leadership in place.

Bartlett: How well do you think the Bulldogs matchup against the Ducks and Bruins? Does Fresno State hold any competitive advantages?

Loeffler: The matchup with Oregon will come awfully early, so let’s evaluate that one first. There are some intriguing connections.

Fresno State safety Evan Williams has family bragging rights on the line as his older brother Bennett lines up in the secondary for the Ducks.

Bulldog legend Michael Pittman will be wearing Green, since his son Mycah wears a familiar number (4) for Oregon.

It will be the first game for Oregon’s new Defensive Coordinator Tim DeRuyter, who coached Fresno State to two Mountain West titles before the program skidded downhill.

All those storylines aside, keep an eye on the trenches. Fresno State has added significant depth to the defensive line, but Oregon’s offense will put that to the test.

Last year, the Bulldog offensive line struggled to protect the quarterback. Can they give Jake Haener enough time to make the best decisions?

If so, he’ll make you pay with perhaps the deepest collection of receiver talent in Bulldog history, and when you consider alums like Henry Ellard, Stephone Paige, Bernard Berrian, and Davante Adams, that’s really saying something!

If there’s an advantage for the Bulldogs, it will come from a combination of their perennially reenergized underdog mentality, along with the extra practice time and a chance to shake some rust off on August 28th vs. Connecticut.

I believe if the ‘Dogs can hold the Ducks under 30 points, Fresno State will have a chance at the upset.

Bartlett: How will the unexpected return of tailback Ronnie Rivers impact the offense? Do you think he’ll provide enough of a spark to win the West?

Loeffler: Having Ronnie the Record-Breaker back for one more year is a huge boost to the Bulldogs’ title hopes.

They have increased depth behind him with the likes of Jordan Mims, Jordan Wilmore, and Malik Sherrod, among others, but Rivers is a player that the defense has to account for on every play.

He is extremely elusive and adept at turning losses into gains, he has increased his strength and is a tremendous pass protector, and his work as a receiver out of the backfield compares with any running back in America.

The West Division is extremely strong this year, but Fresno State has as good a chance as anyone, and the preseason favorite, Nevada, has to visit Bulldog Stadium.

Bartlett: In your opinion, do you think the Mountain West switching to divisions helps or hurts the Bulldogs?

Loeffler: Neither. Last year was a COVID-19 exception to the divisional format that has helped Fresno State reach the conference title game with regularity.

While it’s possible that the best 2 records in the MW could both end up belonging to teams in the West, the protocols are established and everyone knows what to expect.

In other words, the Bulldogs know what they need to do to claim the MW championship.

Bartlett: What are your predictions for the two games?

Loeffler: I don’t predict scores, but I can predict the style of game I think we’ll see.

In Eugene, if Fresno State is able to produce a few timely stops on defense, and avoid turnovers on offense, I think it becomes a game decided in the 4th Quarter.

Fresno State has veteran leadership among the player ranks that could push the Bulldogs over the top for the road upset.

With UCLA, I think the First Quarter will be telling. When the teams last squared off in 2018, Chip Kelly was still new to the scene, and the Bulldogs enforced an advantage in almost all areas. Physicality, execution, intensity all favored Fresno State.

How far as the Bruin culture come since then? Can the Bruins’ team speed achieve an early lead? I expect Fresno State to be a pretty steady, consistent team this season, but a fast start for UCLA could test the Bulldogs’ mettle.

I would expect both games to be relatively high scoring.

Bartlett: Do you have any other thoughts? Anything else you’d like to say about Fresno State this season?

Loeffler: What impresses me the most about what Coach Kalen DeBoer and his staff are building is the unity of purpose and mindset.

It’s one thing for coaches to proclaim certain priorities, it’s another to see student-athlete leaders model those priorities and hold their teammates to those standards.

That has been evident in each one of my interactions with this 2021 team, and the players not only seem to have “bought in,” but they appear to be having a tremendous amount of fun.

Most championship teams I’ve been around have counted that among their characteristics.

Bartlett: Thanks again for your time. I wish you success in covering Fresno State this season, and look forward talking with you again.

—More from Nick Bartlett—