Fullerton Is Left Red-Faced After Losing to Fresno : Murphy’s ‘Cal State Masochism’ Self-Destructs in 23-10 Defeat

For once, there was no red and rowdy crowd of 30,000, and for once, there was a rather beatable Fresno State team.

Cal State Fullerton had the privilege of playing Fresno at home Saturday for only the third time in 10 years. And in a performance rife with penalties and dropped passes and overthrown passes and thwarted drives, Fullerton lost to Fresno for the fourth time in four years, taking a 23-10 loss in front of 5,108 in Santa Ana Stadium.

“We took care of our own destiny today, and we didn’t do a very good job of it,” Fullerton Coach Gene Murphy said.

An offense that Murphy already has called ugly and inept in games this season drew another description Saturday in a game in which Fullerton caused plenty of its own pain.

“We were Cal State Masochism today,” Murphy said.

Among Fullerton’s mistakes were four drive-stifling penalties in the first quarter alone, a pass that was intercepted off the chest of receiver Tony Dill at the Fresno 31, a drive-killing fumble at the Fresno 24 and another fumble deep in Titan territory that led to a Bulldog touchdown.

In the fourth quarter, with the game still in reach, Fullerton managed two first downs on four possessions.

“Most of the time, we stopped ourselves,” said Fullerton quarterback Dan Speltz, who completed 11 of 29 passes for 122 yards with 2 interceptions and 1 touchdown. “I give credit to our defense. I’m sure before the season is out the offense will play a good game, too.”

For Fresno (4-2, 2-0), the victory was a step in the direction of fulfilling preseason predictions of a Big West Conference championship.

For Fullerton (2-4, 2-1), it was a major disappointment.

“Quite possibly, Fresno won’t lose a game the rest of the year,” said Rocky Palamara, a Fullerton receiver.

The defense, the steady hand next to the shaky offense, seemed to take this loss particularly hard.

“I feel like crying,” said Fullerton linebacker Jerry Leggett as he left the field after an 18-tackle performance. “I feel we were the better team, way better. But they beat us. . . . Point blank, we beat ourselves. They were not a better team, but the scoreboard showed they won.”

Murphy begged to differ.

“Our players might think we were the better team today, but I have to disagree. Not today,” he said.

Despite a good overall performance from the defense, the game turned on one big play.

With the score tied, 10-10, in the third quarter, Kelly Skipper--the Fresno tailback who has made a career of pounding out short yardage for the Bulldogs--broke the longest run of his career, a 70-yard touchdown ramble.

Skipper carried the ball 16 times, and all he had to show for 15 of those carries was 16 yards. But that other one did in the Titans.

On a second and 10 at Fresno’s 30, Skipper got the ball on a draw and started churning away. Thirty yards downfield, a defender had him by the jersey, but Skipper broke loose. He outraced the only Titan to pursue him, end A.J. Jenkins, who closed a 15-yard gap but was unable to save the touchdown.

“Anytime you see a back or anybody break away and you’re any kind of football player, you try to catch them,” said Jenkins, who had 10 tackles. “I tried. It just didn’t go my way. . . . I thought I had a chance. I just ran out of field.”

The Fullerton defense had allowed one other touchdown, but only after Fresno’s Jeff Theisen recovered a fumble by William Robinson at the Fullerton 12. Two plays later, quarterback Mark Barsotti threw a short pass to Myron Jones, who carried it in easily for a touchdown and a 10-3 lead in the third quarter.

Every other time Fresno drove deep, the Bulldogs were forced to settle for no more than a field goal. Steve Loop made 3 of 4 on the day, with his longest 33 yards. He missed a 22-yarder in the first quarter.

This sputtering and penalty-prone offense has even Murphy confounded.

“I’ll welcome suggestions,” he said.

One thing is clear: Saturday was nothing new.

“It was pretty frustrating,” said Palamara, who caught 5 passes for 82 yards, including a 30-yard touchdown pass from Speltz that helped Fullerton to tie the score at 10 in the third quarter. “Just when we think we’ve got something going, something goes wrong. The same things have been hurting us all year.”