DEFENSIVE BACKS OUTLOOK
The final piece to the defense: the secondary.
The group is stacking up to be another solid position group for a defense that is expected to be one of the best in the Mountain West, but there are some wrinkles to iron out. The Bulldogs have their top performers at the cornerback position back, but they lost two very productive players at the safety positions.
Who's back (cornerbacks): Cam Lockridge, the defensive MVP in the Mountain West Championship game, appeared in 13 games with eight starts. He led the conference with five interceptions and recorded 39 tackles (26 solo). Lockridge finished the season ranked No. 11 in the nation in interceptions, and had the most by a Bulldog in a single season since Phillip Thomas led the nation with eight in 2013.
Carlton Johnson missed the start of the season due to injury but solidified himself as a starter down the stretch by starting the final three games. He recorded 28 tackles (24 solo), 6.0 tackles for loss and one sack. In his first game as a Bulldog, he had the interception that sealed a 32-28 comeback victory over San Diego State. Coyle said that Johnson has not only improved physically but his football IQ and knowledge of the defensive scheme has reached new heights.
Sophomore Al'zillion Hamilton should find himself in the two-deep come Saturday and the season-opener at Purdue. He played in all 14 games last season, seeing action as both a cornerback and a member of the kickoff cover unit. Hamilton really elevated his game in the offseason and has been with the No. 1's and No. 2's all fall camp.
"Hamilton has proven to be an outstanding third corner for us," defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle said, after the final fall camp practice. "We have the depth now. It's just going to come down to who performs on game day."
The Bulldogs also return Jomarion Briggs and Julian Neal at cornerback.
Who's back (safeties): Fresno State must replace starters Evan Williams and L.J. Early who were very productive players for the defense a season ago.
Steven Comstock, who started his college career as a quarterback, is looking to play a bigger role in the secondary for his final season.
"Steven comes in all the time to watch film," Coyle said. "He has made great strides since we got here. He's a converted quarterback that has developed himself into a quality safety. We all respect his energy and toughness. He's Bulldog Born and Bulldog Bred all the way, and we expect him to have a great final season."
Comstock has played in 26 games over the past two seasons, seeing time at both safety and on the kickoff and punt return units. He made his first career start at safety against UConn, and finished the season with14 total tackles and two pass break ups.
Chrishawn Gordon and Kosi Agina also are looking to make the jump from special teams to more snaps at safety. Both appeared in all 14 games last season, and both recorded 14 tackles. Gordon made one start, at New Mexico.
"Agina had the best offseason in the weight room," said Andy Ward, the Bulldogs' Director of Sports Performance. "He had the most consistent gains and the biggest gains across the board. He's gotten in way better shape, that was a huge emphasis for him from the spring into the summer."
Jayden Davis is another young safety that will be fighting for playing time after utilizing his redshirt year in 2022.
Who's new (cornerbacks): Three true freshmen just finished their first fall camp in Ah'Marion Ashley, Jaden Carrillo and Makei Thompson.
Ashley is a three-star recruit out of Edison High in Stockton. He was a first-team all-league selection as a senior, and had 25 tackles, three interceptions, two sacks and scored three defensive touchdowns.
Carrillo was a three-sport athlete at Clovis High, playing cornerback and receiver for the Cougars' football team. The local product was an all-conference and all-valley athlete.
Thompson attended Mira Mesa High in San Diego where he played cornerback and running back. He was an all-league player for the Marauders.
Who's new (safeties): Coyle and defensive backs coach J.D. Williams brought in two transfers, adding much needed experience to the room.
The Bulldogs went to the transfer portal for Dean Clark, who played in 34 games at Kent State and was one of the top tacklers in the nation in 2021 when he was in on 116 tackles including 79 solo stops with 2.0 tackles for loss and three pass break ups.
The 79 solo tackles was tied for third in the nation, just six off the national lead.
"Dean is a very versatile and experienced player," Coyle said. "He's played down in the box as a box safety and he's played in deep coverage. He was very productive at Kent State in 2021 before his injury. He was the captain of their team. He has strong leadership qualities, he pays attention to detail and he's smart."
Camryn Bracha has been one of the biggest surprises in fall camp, playing his way into the competition and taking reps with the No. 1's down the stretch. The Clovis native transferred to Fresno State after playing two seasons at Fresno City College. He was an all-conference and all-state player as well as the league's Defensive Player of the Year.
"He's physical, tough and hard-playing," Coyle said. "He's gotten better and better every week. He plays as hard as anyone on the field. He's running to the ball, he's tackling, he's setting the tone with his physicality. He has gained a lot of respect in a short period of time."
What to watch: With the cornerback position locked up, all eyes will be on the safeties.
The group is full of talented players, it'll come down to who can perform on game day.
"At the safety position, I feel confident that there are a number of guys that can step up and contribute," Coyle said. "I anticipate that we are going to play a lot of those guys at the beginning of the season to try to determine who are the ones under the lights making plays when the game is on the line. All of these guys are capable. It's just a matter of the younger guys showing us that they are ready to go."
If the Bulldogs can figure out a solid duo at safety, it's safe to say they will be one of the best defenses in the conference.