Fresno State's head coach getting ready for next game with sense of urgency

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Fresno State will play their final non-conference game this Saturday when they host Tulsa at Bulldog Stadium-- a day game in the Central Valley.

"Right now we are a team in search of some confidence," said Tim DeRuyter, Bulldogs Head Coach.

A short and simple statement from bulldogs DeRuyter. He's preaching a sense of urgency this week in practice after a 52 to 17 loss to Toledo on Saturday.

"We've got to get that into our players in a hurry and you do that by being simple, and you do that by competing more and more, and we are going to address that this week in practice. We are going to continue to be more physical in practice and continue to see guys compete."

Resulting in more physical practices this week and an opportunity for players to earn their way onto the field.

"As coaches, we owe it to the team, fans, everybody to find the guys that can do it. There is always an evaluation at practice. You go in thinking, here are your starters, but if guys don't perform on Saturday to the level we need, we need to find someone that can," said DeRuyter.

Fresno State's next opportunity comes Saturday afternoon against Tulsa in front of the red wave.

"We know this is going to be a heck of a challenge. They are a very good football team, by evidence of that first game against San Jose State on the road. That's why we need the Red Wave, our guys play to another level at home, and it's a large part due to the Red Wave and we are hoping we have a great turnout on Saturday. I want the Red Wave to see this is not the 2015 team, this is the 2016 team and our guys are excepting that challenge and we are going to get it done," said DeRuyter.