On July 20, Fresno State Athletics hosted its first official Pac-12 Football Media Day at Table Mountain Casino Resort after the Pac-12 once again did not hold a conference-wide media day. The event featured head coach Matt Entz, offensive coordinator Josh Davis, defensive coordinator Nick Benedetto and Director of Athletics Garrett Klassy along with several student-athletes who answered questions from multiple media outlets.
Defensive coordinator Nick Benedetto was first to open the floor, where he discussed the importance of consistency and avoiding complacency following last season’s success, especially as the Bulldogs prepare for their debut season in the Pac-12.
“What we did last year is not going to equate to this year,” Benedetto said. “We have to go earn it again.”
Fresno State’s defensive unit ranked No. 10 in the nation last season under Benedetto, allowing 285.7 yards per game while leading the Bulldogs to their best defensive season since at least 1992.
Despite winning the Mountain West Defensive Play Caller of the Year award and his second consecutive Graphite Award, Benedetto said he still attributes the defensive success to his guys on the field.
“It’s not necessarily what I know, it’s what they know on the football field. They’re the ones on the grass. They’re the ones making plays. Our job as coaches is to be great teachers and make sure they know why we’re doing something,” Benedetto said.
Head coach Matt Entz followed, taking the stage to discuss the identity the Bulldogs are looking to establish this upcoming season.
“We wanted to be a physical brand of football. We want to be able to run the football, we want to play great defense and complement those two things,” Entz said. “To live in that world of ‘toughness wins,’ we needed to change practice habits, strength and conditioning habits and become a bigger, stronger version of ourselves.”
Entz enters his second season with the Red Wave looking to continue building on last season’s nine-win campaign. Fresno State returns 14 starters and all but one position coach in Entz’s second season. Entz believes keeping the majority of his roster is crucial for the type of culture he’s trying to establish.
“Consistency, continuity wins. Chaos, unfortunately, is going to get you beat. Having the ability to retain the majority of our roster and coaching staff says a lot about the type of program we’re trying to build here,” Entz said.
Offensive coordinator Josh Davis continued the discussion about Fresno State’s identity for the upcoming season after leading the Bulldogs to one of the most productive offensive seasons in recent history last year.
The offense totaled 2,216 rushing yards, marking the Bulldogs’ first 2,000-yard rushing season since 2018 and their highest rushing total since 2014. The Bulldogs averaged 170.5 rushing yards per game on 4.5 yards per carry, finishing with 22 rushing touchdowns.
“We want to be stubborn in the run game and make sure defenses can fit what we’re trying to do. We want to find success on the ground and be able to distribute that,” Davis said.
And despite the Bulldogs having success on the ground last season, the biggest question mark of the offseason has been who will start under center this season. Both Khristian Martin and Jayden Mandal are the two frontrunners for the starting quarterback spot.
Davis believes both young men have what it takes to lead the team next season.
“We felt like after spring ball we had two quarterbacks that we could pursue a championship with. That’s a breath of fresh air. We weren’t worried about whether we had a starter. We knew we had two young men who could continue to compete and grow,” Davis said.
The quarterback competition between Mandal and Martin remains open entering fall camp, with the decision expected to be made after fall camp.
“It’s a performance-based business,” Davis said. “We chart every rep, and when that decision is finally made, there’s going to be a lot of thought and documentation that goes into why that young man was named the starter.”
Director of Athletics Garrett Klassy closed things off by outlining Fresno State’s vision as it begins a new era in the Pac-12.
Klassy believes that while joining the Pac-12 is beneficial to Fresno State, it comes with challenges for not only the athletes but also the , athletics department.
“We’re partnering with a 110-year-old brand, but make no mistake, this is a brand-new league,” Klassy said. “We’re building a brand-new conference, and it’s taken a lot of work. It’s been rewarding, but there’s been a lot of heavy lifting.”
In his initial letter announcing Fresno State’s move to the Pac-12, Klassy referred to the transition as the program’s “starting line.” Now that the Bulldogs are officially members of the conference, he believes the race has no finish line in sight.
“I don’t know if there’s ever going to be a finish line, per se. I think we’re building a brand-new league. I think we’re building something that’s going to be really special, and we have some ground to make up,” Klassy said.
Before leaving the podium, he thanked Associate Athletic Director of Strategic Communications Savannah Stockle and the athletic department staff for their work behind the scenes.
“Our staff is no different than our football team. They have that Valley grit. They answer the bell every day. They work incredibly hard, and they do it because they love this place,” Klassy said.
The event also included a surprise video message from former Fresno State head coach Pat Hill announcing that former Bulldogs offensive lineman Logan Mankins will be inducted into the Fresno State Football Ring of Honor on Oct. 10.
With media day complete, the Bulldogs will now turn their attention to fall camp before opening the 2026 season as a member of the new Pac-12 on Sept. 4 against USC at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.