{"id":522066,"date":"2026-11-07T20:24:15","date_gmt":"2026-11-07T20:24:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/522066\/"},"modified":"2026-11-07T20:24:15","modified_gmt":"2026-11-07T20:24:15","slug":"derek-carr-praises-jayden-mandals-growth-at-fresno-state","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/522066\/","title":{"rendered":"Derek Carr praises Jayden Mandal\u2019s growth at Fresno State"},"content":{"rendered":"

Former Fresno State and Las Vegas Raiders star Derek Carr likes what he has seen from Bulldogs quarterback Jayden Mandal, who has continued to improve after a difficult season opener against USC.<\/p>\n

Mandal delivered his best performance as Fresno State\u2019s starting quarterback against Oregon State on Oct. 31, throwing for 202 yards and two touchdowns while adding 34 yards and two scores on the ground in the Bulldogs\u2019 38-22 victory at Valley Children\u2019s Stadium.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just think it\u2019s awesome that the kid from the Valley is playing quarterback for our home team,\u201d Carr said. \u201cWe all want, in this day and age, greatness to happen immediately. He had a tough game against USC, and (people) think the world\u2019s over. The world\u2019s not over. That\u2019s a good football team, and in his first start, he\u2019s shown improvement since.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fresno State coach Matt Entz has continued to show confidence in Mandal, a former Buchanan High standout, sticking with him through the challenges of his first season as the Bulldogs\u2019 starting quarterback.<\/p>\n

Mandal has responded by putting together increasingly productive performances.<\/p>\n

He has thrown for 1,595 yards and 10 touchdowns with just two interceptions.<\/p>\n

Entz also appreciates Mandal\u2019s ability to make plays with his legs, something the quarterback demonstrated against Oregon State.<\/p>\n

Mandal has four rushing touchdowns on the season.<\/p>\n

Carr, meanwhile, has kept an eye on his alma mater while serving as a volunteer special adviser to UCLA\u2019s quarterbacks.<\/p>\n

The former NFL quarterback has expressed an interest in becoming a coach someday, but he remains invested in what\u2019s happening at Fresno State.<\/p>\n

Carr believes Mandal\u2019s response to adversity has been encouraging for his teammates, coaches, and Fresno State fans.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe showed his teammates, he showed his coaches, and he showed our Red Wave that he has the opportunity to grow from adversity and do those things,\u201d Carr said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m really excited about it. He shows the arm talent and is able to stretch the ball to all different parts of the field. He shows the athleticism and the toughness. It\u2019s really fun to watch.\u201d<\/p>\n

This story was originally published November 7, 2026 at 6:00 AM.<\/p>\n

Related Stories from Fresno Bee<\/p>\n


\n \"Profile
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

Anthony Galaviz<\/a><\/p>\n

The Fresno Bee<\/p>\n

Anthony Galaviz writes about breaking news\/sports for The Fresno Bee. He covers the Las Vegas Raiders, high schools, boxing, MMA and junior colleges. He\u2019s been with The Bee since 1997 and attended Fresno City College before graduating from Fresno State with a major in journalism and a minor in criminology.
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