Last season, Fresno State rode quarterback David Carr for all he was worth.

Behind the record-setting performances of the quarterback who would eventually be chosen No. 1 in the NFL draft, the Bulldogs turned in an 11-3 record that included a 6-2 finish, good for second in the Western Athletic Conference. Fresno State was sixth in the nation in passing offense (333.5 yards per game), fourth in scoring offense (40.4 points per game) and fourth in total offense (497.2). Along the way, the Bulldogs beat eventual BCS invitee Colorado, No. 11 Oregon State and No. 18 Wisconsin. Fresno State advanced to the Silicon Valley Football Classic, losing to Michigan State, 44-35.

Fueling much of that success was the strong-armed Carr, who put up some phenomenal numbers, setting single-season records for passing yards (4,839), touchdown passes (46). He became only the sixth quarterback in NCAA history to throw for at least 4,000 yards and 40 touchdowns and led the NCAA in both categories.

With that kind of offensive machine taken out of the equation, how will Fresno State fare this season?

Team Info Location:   Fresno, CA   Conference:   Western Athletic   Last Season:   11-3 (.786)   Conference Record:   6-2 (t-2nd)   Off. Starters Returning:   7  Def. Starters Returning:   7  Nickname:   Bulldogs  Colors:   Red & Blue  Home Field:   Bullldog Stadium (41,031)   Head Coach:   Pat Hill (UC Riverside '73)  Record at School:   37-25 (5 years)  Career Record:   37-25 (5 years)  Assistants:   John Baxter (Loras College '85) Associate Head Coach/ WRs/Special Teams     Dennis Wagner (Utah '80) Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line     Dan Brown (Boise State '82) Defensive Coordinator     Kerry Locklin (New Mexico State '85) Defensive Line     John Settle (Appalachian State '89) Running Backs     Tim Simons (Fresno State '67) Wide Receivers     Frank Cignetti (Indiana-Penn '87) Offensive Coordinator/QBs     Tom Mason (Eastern Washington '78) Linebackers      Randy Stewart (Boise State '80) Secondary   Team Wins (last 5 yrs.):   6-5-8-7-11   Team Rank (last 5 yrs.):   85-87-80-74-40   2001 Finish:   Lost to Michigan State in Silicon Valley Bowl.

"I know people think we can’t replace David Carr,’’ Fresno State coach Pat Hill said. "No one can replace the top pick in the [NFL] draft. But what I see in this football team, compared to last season, is more overall talent and more depth. After spring ball, we were a much better team than we were after the 2001 season.’’

Fresno State returns seven starters from an offense that averaged more than 49 points per game over the last six games of the season on the way to totaling a school record 560.

The Bulldogs are expected to be a much better defensive unit this year, impressive considering they led the WAC in scoring defense and rushing defense and ranked second in total defense. Fresno State was second in the nation in turnover margin and led the WAC with 47 quarterback sacks.

"We aren’t changing much,’’ Hill said. "We are going to be the same type of tough, hard-hitting physical defense. That’s become our style. We like to get after teams with blitzes and attack the offenses. We have a sound system that has been very productive.’’

The Bulldogs have been putting up some impressive numbers over the last few seasons, making 53 interceptions since 1999 -- fifth most in the nation -- and 89 sacks over the last two years, second best in the nation. Eight of the team’s tackling leaders from last season return.

Also gone is offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Andy Ludwig, who coached Carr and made the Bulldogs one of the nation’s most prolific units. Ludwig, who went to Oregon, will be on the opposite sideline when the Ducks and Bulldogs play on Sept. 7 at Oregon.

Entering his first year as offensive coordinator for the Bulldogs will be Frank Cignetti, Jr., who comes to Fresno State from the New Orleans Saints, where he served as quarterbacks coach for two years.

The Bulldogs will also have a new secondary coach in Randy Stewart, who comes to Fresno State from California, where he served as the Golden Bears’ defensive backs coach and recruiting coordinator for five years.

Taking over for Carr at the controls of the offense will be junior Jeff Grady (6-2, 210). A soft-spoken leader, Grady uses smarts and athletic ability, has a good arm and quick feet and has shown a knack for escaping from the pocket.

In 2000, Grady saw time in four games, completing 10-of-20 passes for 159 yards and two touchdowns. He led the Bulldogs to their only touchdown against Ohio State, hooking up with Marque Davis on a 9-yard pass.

In high school, Grady threw for more than 4,000 yards at Edison in Huntington Beach, Calif.

Backing up Grady will be red-shirt freshman Paul Pinegar (6-5, 220), a strong-armed raw talent who is expected to see some action this season.

Derrick Ward ( 5-11, 230), a freshman All-America in 1999, appears to have regained the form that saw him rush for nearly 900 yards his rookie season. Ward has averaged 5.5 yards per carry and scored 11 touchdowns in his two previous seasons. A powerful back with excellent speed, Ward will be the type of back Hill loves.

Last year Ward was a member of the scout team and did not see any time in games. He was voted scout team player of the year. Ward, a senior, sat out last season in an effort to shore up his academics.

With Ward back in the fold, Hill expects the running game to be an integral part of Fresno State’s success.

Joining Ward in the backfield will be sophomore speedster Therrian Fontenot (6-0, 190). The fastest player on the team, Fontenot saw limited action last season but was a stalwart on special teams. After a good spring session, he is expected to be a significant part of the offense.

While the offensive line will be Fresno State’s best strength on offense, there are many other offensive weapons. All-America senior receiver Bernard Berrian (6-2, 190) is as explosive as any player in the country. Berrian shattered the WAC record for all-purpose yards last season, racking up 2,591 yards while scoring 15 touchdowns. His all-purpose yardage total is the second most by a receiver in NCAA history. ESPN’s NFL draft expert Mel Kiper, Jr. rated Berrian as the sixth-best NFL prospect for next year’s draft.

"Bernard is going to be a premier offensive weapon,’’ Hill said. "There won’t be many players in the nation who have the ability to dominate a game the way he can. He’s a special player and going to create some excitement.’’

Berrian isn’t the only offensive weapon. Junior receiver Davis (6-0, 190) caught 29 passes last season and averaged 12.7 yards per reception. Davis, who had nearly 400 yards last season, was Fresno State’s top offensive performer in spring drills.

Junior Deandre Gilbert (5-10, 180) caught 10 passes a year ago, three of which went for touchdowns. Red-shirt freshmen Adam Jennings (5-9, 175), Jermaine Jamison (6-3, 190) and Charles Ealy (6-0, 190) are all talented and expected to see plenty of action.

Berrian, Davis and the three returning tight ends combined for 158 receptions for 2,221 yards and 25 touchdowns last year. The tight end trio includes junior Alec Greco (6-3, 220), sophomore Duncan Reid (6-6, 220) and sophomore Stephen Spach (6-4, 240). They combined for five touchdowns and are used in a variety of formations.

What has Hill so optimistic about another productive offensive season is the return of five starting offensive linemen, all of whom will be honors candidates this season. This unit was the catalyst that made Fresno State the first team in NCAA history to produce a 4,000-yard passer, a 1,000-yard rusher and two 1,000-yard receivers. Last season, the line powered the Bulldogs to school records for total yards and points. This year, it will be one of the best units in the nation and likely the best in school history.

"We are going to be very good on the offensive line,’’ Hill said. "We have some guys who are going to be very physical and they play with an attitude. They are as talented a group as you will find anywhere in the country.’’

Senior right tackle Joe Schey (6-6, 330) and senior center Rodney Michael (6-4, 300) are three-year starters and both have already earned their degrees. Schey did not allow a sack in 2001 and is the emotional leader of the group. Michael has started 36 games in his career and makes all of the line calls from his center position. He has been one of the WAC’s best each of the last three seasons.

Sophomore left tackle Logan Mankins (6-4, 305) was so impressive last season he earned first-team Freshman All-America honors. Guards Fitu Tu’ua (6-5, 310), a second-team All-WAC selection in 2001 as a freshman, and senior Victor Taifane (6-5, 335), are powerful players.

Place-kicker Asen Asparuhov (6-5, 215) was selected first-team All-WAC last season and was a fourth-team All-America selection.

He was selected a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award, given annually to the nation’s top place kicker. Asparuhov set Bulldog records for field goals and scoring. He has made 71 percent of his field-goal attempts in his career and an amazing 82 percent under 40 yards.

Leading the defensive charge will be All-America candidate Nick Burley (6-4, 250), a first-team All-WAC end last season. Burley, a senior, is on the Lombardi Award watch list and his 14 career sacks rank sixth among the nation’s active players.

He is expected to contend for All-America and WAC Defensive Player of the Year honors, one season after ranking second in the WAC in sacks and eighth in tackles for loss.

Burley leads a strong front that includes returning starting red-shirt freshman nose tackle Jason Stewart (6-1, 285) and junior Clarence Denning (6-3, 270), who will be moving from end to tackle after registering nine sacks last season. Stewart is a powerful and effective player against the run. Denning, who had nine sacks last season at end, has the size and strength to be a dominating tackle in the WAC.

Despite the loss of All-American Alan Harper, the Bulldogs expect the defensive line to be a strength. The other end position will be played by junior Brian Morris (6-2, 230), who has missed parts of the last two seasons with knee injuries.

The linebacking corps is excellent, led by honorable mention All-WAC selections Sam Williams and Marc Dailey . Dailey (6-1, 230), a junior, ranked third on the team in tackles with 86 from his middle linebacker position while Williams (6-5, 245), a senior, had 61 tackles, four tackles for losses and two sacks.

Dailey is a physical and smart player who is always around the football, evidenced by his two tackles for loss, two sacks, one interception and one fumble recovery. Williams emerged as one of Fresno State’s most dominating defensive players last season.

The other starting linebacker will likely be sophomore David Adamo (6-2, 235), who was a reserve and special teams player last season. Junior Jermaine McDermott (6-2, 235), a talented and powerful player, could make an impact if he returns from off-season personal problems that kept him out of spring ball.

The secondary will be an experienced and physical group, led by one of the WAC’s hardest hitters in junior safety Bryce McGill (5-11, 205), who was second on the team last season in tackles and is considered one of the country’s top players at his position. In 2001, McGill had 10 tackles for losses, four sacks and four interceptions. He has 10 sacks over the last two seasons.

McGill is pound-for-pound the strongest player on the team and one of the WAC’s hardest hitters. He had 95 tackles last season, four sacks and had four interceptions. He also blocked a kick in the Silicon Valley Football Classic and was chosen special teams player of the game.

Fellow safety Cameron Worrell (5-11, 205), a senior, was also solid, compiling 31 tackles, four for losses and two sacks and two interceptions while backing up two-time All-WAC performer Vernon Fox. Worrell saw a lot of action last season as the third safety.

Junior cornerback Kendall Edwards (5-11, 185), who had 28 tackles and three interceptions last season, returns after earning honorable mention All-WAC honors. Edwards is a future star in the WAC and has the size and physical toughness of a safety but the speed to lock up with any receiver in the WAC.

Senior Demorieux Reneau (6-0, 195) has excellent size for a cornerback and is coming off a solid season in which he had 17 tackles and a sack. The Bulldogs will have good depth at cornerback in talented red-shirt freshman Awan Diles (5-9, 180) and two veteran players, juniors Juan Bautista (5-7, 185) and Dee Meza (5-9, 190).

Sophomore Nate Ray (6-1, 190), last season’s backup quarterback and special teams performer, made a successful transition to safety. Red-shirt freshman James Sanders (5-11, 190) climbed the depth chart after his performance during spring drills.

Special is the best word to describe Fresno State’s special teams units. The Bulldogs return two of the nation’s top performers in kicker Asparuhov and punter Jason Simpson (6-1, 195), both first-team All-WAC picks last season.

Simpson, a senior, led the WAC and ranked 18th in the NCAA in punting (43.8).

Fresno State’s special teams don’t end with the kicker and punter.

Senior long snapper Kevin Murphy (6-0, 200) has been flawless the last three seasons.

Berrian, Davis and Fontenot will give the Bulldogs three explosive players returning punts and kicks.

Since 1997, Fresno State has been among the national leaders in blocking kicks. Counting six last season, the Bulldogs have blocked 36 over the last five seasons. In addition, the Bulldogs have not allowed a fake conversion, punt or field goal over the last two-plus seasons, stopping seven of eight attempts since 1997.

Fresno State signed 26 players in its 2002 class.

Headlining the signees are seven players who hail from the San Joaquin Valley. In addition, the Bulldogs dipped into Southern California for 15 recruits. Each member of the incoming class is from California.

Quarterback Jordan Christensen (6-3, 185), who threw for nearly 3,300 yards and 38 touchdowns last season as one of the top prep quarterbacks in California, could see playing time as a freshman. Christensen played at Clovis High in Fresno.

Fresno State also signed quarterback Tim Bessolo (6-3, 215) from Los Alamitos High in Lakewood, Calif.

Junior college running back Rodney Davis (5-8, 210) will be a factor in the offensive backfield. He averaged 7.6 yards per carry last season at Fresno City College and is a threat to catch the ball out of the backfield.

The Bulldogs also signed running back Robbie Dubois (5-10, 205) out of Mission Viejo (Calif.) High School. Dubois finished as Orange County’s second all-time leading rusher with 6,857 yards and 92 touchdowns.

The best of the four offensive linemen is junior college All-American James Martin (6-4, 305), who was so dominating he was voted his conference’s player of the year last season. He played at Fresno City College.

The Bulldogs signed two wide receivers in Paul Williams (6-2, 190) from Avenal (Calif.) High and Joe Fernandez (5-10, 165) from Saint Francis in Morgan Hill, Calif.

On defense, the Bulldogs made a haul at linebacker with six signees -- Dwayne Andrews (6-0, 240), Christian Carlson (6-2, 205), Kyle Goodman (6-0, 215), Alan Goodwin (6-2, 220), and Ricky Miller (6-4, 240).

Andrews, from Locke High in Los Angeles, was rated the No. 21 inside linebacker in California by Rivals.com and the 99th best prospect in the West by SuperPrep.

Fresno State will play Wisconsin at Camp Randall Stadium in the second annual John Thompson Foundation Kickoff Classic on Aug. 23. The ESPN-televised game against the Badgers will mark the second consecutive year the Bulldogs will begin the season with a preseason event. Last year, Fresno State opened by defeating Colorado, 25-22, in the Jim Thorpe Classic in Boulder, Colo. It also guarantees the Bulldogs at least 13 regular-season games for a second consecutive season.

The game will be a rematch of last year’s Fresno State-Wisconsin game, won by the Bulldogs, 32-20, in Madison, Wis. That win was Fresno State’s third in a row to start the season and catapulted the program into the national spotlight.

The Bulldogs’ non-conference schedule also includes home games against San Diego State and Colorado State and road games against Oregon and Oregon State.

The Bulldogs will be good again this year and could win the WAC championship if Grady comes through at quarterback. The offense will be good, but maybe not as good as last year. The defense will be improved, and the special teams are indeed special. Look for the Bulldogs to find themselves in the national spotlight again this season.