Bulldog knockin’ them down

A typical football fan watching a kickoff follows the flight of the ball and the player returning it.

At Fresno State, this is a mistake.

It’s here that the value of an admission ticket — at least when the Bulldogs are kicking off — is best spent focusing on No. 30.

His name is Patrick Su’a. He will line up third from right and charge downfield without disguise for his motive is clear: “Lay somebody out.”

Sometimes, last year, targets didn’t arise after contact, at least not for awhile. Like a particular lead blocker from Illinois on Dec. 3 at Bulldog Stadium.

“Knockout, I mean, without the lights,” Fresno State special teams coach Pete Alamar says.

“Out asleep,” linebacker coach Tim Skipper adds. “Things like that get a lot of attention.”

Su’a is well aware he is marked. It’s all on film for scouting purposes, and the Bulldogs’ point man surely is a priority for the opposition, beginning with Cal on Saturday at Candlestick Park.

“I keep my head on a swivel,” he says. “I don’t want to get laid out. It makes me feel better if I’m a marked man. It will just make me go after them harder and hit harder. I’m pumped; I want to see what they have.”

Interesting guy, this sophomore from Highland High.

Off the field, a pup.

On the field, “A monster,” says his former high school coach.

“He’s a sweet kid with a great personality; he seems easy-going,” Highland coach Tim Hartnett says. “But put on the football gear and he turns up the dial. Just a tough, tough kid.”

He’s 6-feet-2, 235 pounds and a special teams coach’s dream.

“Pat plays with his hair on fire,” Alamar says. “He’s fearless, plays hard and plays fast, and those are great qualities for a great special teams player. He’s a throwback. He’s not into looking pretty; he’s just into playing hard.”

And he does so with a plan.

Consider his pregame routine: “Every time, before we go out there, I’ll lay down and stretch. And that’s the last time I’ll be on the ground that day. I’ve already laid down. Then it’s going to be their turn.”

Fine, but is a knockout necessary?

“Yeah, it’s fun,” he says. “I don’t know why I do that. But it’s legal.”

There is more to Su’a's game than violent hits in the most violent of all plays in football — the kickoff.

He also is a strongside outside linebacker. And a year after he played exclusively on special teams he is expected to get reasonable time on defense at a position stocked with homegrown talent.

Junior Travis Brown (Clovis West) is the starter, backed by Kern County products in Su’a and true freshman Kyrie Wilson (Ridge-view).

“You wish you had that type of depth all over your football team,” coach Pat Hill says, “because it creates competition, and when you have competition you’ve got players that have to work every day.”

Not a problem for the boxer.

“He packs a punch,” Skipper says. “And he’s in an ideal position [opposing] tight ends because he can keep the edge against blocks. And he gives a tremendous effort.”

By Andy Boogaard / The Fresno Bee