"14 burpees challenge" just part of Fresno State football's workout plan

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- At Fresno State, organized team activities are suspended until at least April 13th. For the Bulldogs, like every athlete these days, that means home workouts.

"Now we're making basically 100 phone calls a day making sure guys are training as best they can," said Ron McKeefery, the new strength and conditioning coach at Fresno State.

McKeefrey has worked for various professional and college teams across the country, including a stint with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The coronavirus outbreak has taken away the Dogs spring game (for the time being) and with it, the showcase of the players off season work. Now that showcase is taking place on social media.

If players have access to a home gym, their workouts remain the same. If not, McKeefery has sent body weight workouts for the players to do.

"We're constantly talking about attacking challenges and that's what this is," McKeefery said. "Opportunities are disguised as challenges, and this is just another opportunity to go out and show our resiliency."

Those challenges are not just for the players on the football team.

"I can't sit still for too much, so I went and hiked that pincushion mountain," McKeefery said. "I'm sitting at the top, and people are looking at me like I'm an idiot."

There on top of the mountain, McKeefery issued the 14 burpees challenge, one for every game the Dogs hope to play next season.

https://twitter.com/RMcKeefery/status/1241835667270684673

"Everyone's doing these 10 rep push-up deals and I'm like, 'We gotta one up that with burpees,'" McKeefery said.

The response online has been incredible.

From athletic director Terry Tumey:

To some of the other assistant coaches:

To even some of the fans in the Red Wave.

McKeefery says the goal is for the Dogs to "stay ready so they don't have to get ready" for the season opener.

"Yeah for one, I'm looking so forward to that," McKeefery said. "We walk it every single day. We walk it and run up and down it. I don't think there's been a time where I've walked up and the guys have talked about that gameday atmosphere and just knowing that it's going to be here before we know it."