Things worked out perfectly at Fresno State when head coach Pat Hill opted to redshirt David Carr midway through his stay with the Bulldogs. They hope to have the same good fortune with Carr's heir apparent, fourth-year junior Jeff Grady.

	Bernard Berrian caught 76 passes, a team-high 13 for touchdowns, in 2001.

After redshirting last season in order to gain a complete understanding of the Bulldogs' sophisticated offense, the 6-foot-2, 195-pounder enjoyed a solid spring overall. He caught peoples' attention with his cerebral approach and ability to move around in the pocket or scramble for yardage.

What Grady lacks is Carr's ability to power the ball to any point on the field. And unlike Carr, he won't be the type who can just carry the Bulldog offense on his shoulders. What Grady will do is manage the offense in a workman-like manner, allowing the skill-position talent to make his job easier.

Despite the graduation loss of running back Paris Gaines as well as wide receivers Rodney Wright and Charles Smith, Grady figures to have plenty of quality talent surrounding him. This was evident during the spring game when Grady completed 19 of 26 passes for 219 yards and a pair of touchdowns, one of which was a 66-yard strike to junior wideout Marque Davis, who finished with five catches on the day.

While Davis appears primed for a big season, he will be Grady's No. 2 option. The primary weapon is highly-rated senior Bernard Berrian, who also excels as a dangerous, game-changing punt and kickoff returner. Just ask Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez about Berrian's return skills. Berrian's kickoff return for a TD to start the second half ignited the Bulldogs as they came from behind to defeat the Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison early last season.

Another key weapon in the aerial attack will be junior H-back Alec Greco. While Gaines has moved on, the Bulldogs benefit from the return of tailback Derrick Ward, who sat out last year for academic reasons. Ward, a compact 5-10, 230-pounder, was outstanding as a freshman back in '99 when he rushed for nearly 900 yards and scored seven touchdowns while averaging an impressive six yards per carry. Speedy sophomore Therrian Fontenot is also available as a nice change of pace to Ward.

A key for Grady will be the return of all five starters along the offensive line. Leading the way will be senior center Rodney Michael and senior right tackle Joe Schey, a 6-5, 330-pounder who didn't allow a sack last season. Both Michael and Schey are battle-tested, three-year starters.

The primary concern on defense is how effective the Bulldogs will be at stopping the run. Alan Harper has moved on to the NFL after finishing his college career with 231 tackles. The Bulldogs must make up for his production. With this in mind, they have shifted junior Clarence Denning inside, while again calling on senior Nick Burley to again be a feared, outside pass rusher at defensive end. Sam Williams, a physically imposing 6-5, 255-pounder, hopes to build on a second half of the 2001 season in which he made his mark as one of the WAC's top defensive players.

In the secondary, Fresno State has a pair of rugged juniors in free safety Bryce McGill and cornerback Kendall Edwards, who rank among the toughest players at their positions in college football. McGill finished as the Bulldogs' second-leading tackler last season, while also recording four sacks and three interceptions. Edwards was not only a destructive force on special teams, but he also gained some starting experience at cornerback, finishing with four interceptions.

While the Bulldogs' big questions are how Grady develops at quarterback and whether the defensive front seven can slow down enemy running backs, there is no concern about special teams. Left-footed kicker Asen Asparuhov connected on 23 of 32 field-goal attempts, although he does need to become more consistent on long-range attempts. Punter Jason Simpson led the WAC last year, averaging 43.8 yards per punt.

As for the schedule, the Bulldogs will be getting plenty of national attention, appearing once on Thursday night and five times on Friday night. The non-conference games are challenging. Wisconsin has a chance to exact some revenge against the Bulldogs in Madison, Wis., on Aug. 23. In September, Fresno State also has to face Oregon at Autzen Stadium and to travel to Corvallis to take on Oregon State.