Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Tim Skipper's Interim Tag Comes With Permanent Goals at Fresno State
STEVEN WEBSITE PHOTO 1
By Steven Sanchez
Published 8 months ago on
July 24, 2024

Interim head coach Tim Skipper of the Fresno State football team is excited and ready to prove himself for the 2024 season. (GV Wire/Steven Sanchez)

Share

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

“The phone is still ringing. A lot of people are sending me support. When you feel and hear the love it’s priceless. No words to explain it. I love the Valley,” interim Fresno State football coach Tim Skipper said Wednesday morning at Valley Children’s Stadium.

He replaced Jeff Tedford due to health concerns on July 15.

“It’s been awesome. I’m excited to represent the Valley and keep that Valley toughness when we play these games,” Skipper said in his first news conference since taking over.

Proving What He Can Do

The word “interim” has been emphasized when describing his role. That leaves a big question up in the air. Is his place permanent or temporary? Will this season basically be a tryout to see if he keeps the role for good?

“It doesn’t matter what coach you are, head coach or position coach, you better win and if you don’t, you’re out of here,” Skipper said. “That’s the nature of the beast. I like that part of it, being a competitive dude. The best players play and the best coaches coach. I don’t look at it as a tryout, I see it as an opportunity to win.”

This is not the first time Skipper has stepped in for Tedford. He was the “acting” head coach for the 2023 Isleta New Mexico Bowl leading the Bulldogs to a convincing victory over New Mexico State.

A full season lies ahead. The success or failure of the team falls on the coach. The safety net of knowing your predecessor is coming back won’t be there. It’s a different situation now and Skipper says he embraces the journey because he’s always wanted to be the main guy on the sideline.

Interim coach Tim Skipper of the Fresno State football team at Valley Children’s Stadium on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. (GV Wire/Steven Sanchez)

“Being a head coach has been a goal of mine. It’s a full season and I love the grind, that’s why I do it. I like to see young men become grown men. I enjoy the process. The development is what I like the most and it’ll be exciting to watch this year,” said Skipper.

Skipper Faces Big Challenges in Debut Season

He’s got big shoes to fill. Tedford left quite a legacy, compiling a 44-22 overall record over five seasons. He led the Bulldogs to three West Division titles, two Mountain West Championship wins, four bowl victories, two Top 25 finishes, and three 10-win seasons (2017, 2018, 2022).

Skipper has a pedigree of his own coming from a family of coaches and having played for the Bulldogs as a linebacker (1997-2000). He was first on the staff 2006-2011, and then came back to program in 2022. He knows Bulldog football.

His debut as the official head coach will be a big test as the Bulldogs open the 2024 season in Ann Arbor against the defending national champion Michigan Wolverines on Aug. 31. The game will be broadcast on NBC at 4:30 p.m.

“It’s definitely a challenge. It’s Fresno State football and like former head coach Pat Hill said ‘anybody, anytime, anywhere’ and that’s what it is,” Skipper said. “We’re going to go play and that’s why we practice the way we practice. If you’re going to gauge yourself on somebody might as well go to the very top.

“There’s a lot of work to do before we get there. We have to set our own mentality, toughness, and work ethic and we have to take care of all that before we get to prep for Michigan.”

His Hiring is History for the Program

There are 17 Black head coaches among the 134 FBS schools for the 2024 season. Until Skipper, Fresno State had never had a Black head football coach. This is history. His presence can impact and help diversify the fan base as well as broaden the Bulldogs’ recruiting pool.

“When the numbers are low like that you feel the blessing of getting your own opportunity,” Skipper said. “I just want to be a role model for the kids and young adults out there that want to get in the position that I am. Do a good job so they can bring up the future behind me. It’s a huge thing and something to improve as years go by.”

“With recruiting, the key is for me to be myself and hopefully the recruits want to come here.”

Skipper made it known that Tedford will always be welcomed and he’ll consult with him. There’s no denying Tedford’s impact on the program. And, even if Skipper is successful, some fans will insist that he won with Tedford’s recruits ā€” not his own. That prospect doesn’t faze him at all.

“Haters are going to hate. I’m not worried about that. I recruited a lot of these players. We are a team. We’re going to do what we do and win games.”

Bringing Passion and Energy to the Bulldogs

Even though there’s already a player and fan familiarity with Skipper’s style and the contributions he’s made to the program, it’s still a transition going from one coach to the next. Skipper believes his personality and passion for the game has won the Red Wave over. His era begins now, and he wants to add a new chapter to his Bulldog legacy.

“I’m a very direct coach. I tell it how it is. I bring a lot of energy. I’m enthusiastic. I love ball, it excites me, when I hit the field I become a different person,” said Skipper. “I want the legacy to be about tough guys that played with fanatical effort and a coach that cared about his players. Once we get to that point, we’ll be fine.”

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

A Look at Fresno City College’s New $87 Million Science Building

DON'T MISS

California Gov. Newsom Says the Democratic Brand Is ā€˜Toxicā€™

DON'T MISS

ā€˜Trump Slumpā€™ Looms as Foreign Visitors Rethink Travel to US

DON'T MISS

White House Weighs Helping Farmers as Trump Escalates Trade War

DON'T MISS

Torpedo-Shaped Bats Draw Attention After Yankees Hit Team-Record 9 Homers

DON'T MISS

Silver Fire Grows to 1,250 Acres, Threatens Homes in Inyo County

DON'T MISS

3 Kids Killed in Michigan When Tree Hits Vehicle During Weekend Storm

DON'T MISS

March Madness Guide: All No. 1 Seeds in Final Four After Houston and Auburn Win

DON'T MISS

Trump Family Pushes Further Into Crypto, Starting Another Venture

DON'T MISS

Justice Department Instructed to Dismiss Legal Challenge to Georgia Election Law

UP NEXT

ā€˜Trump Slumpā€™ Looms as Foreign Visitors Rethink Travel to US

UP NEXT

White House Weighs Helping Farmers as Trump Escalates Trade War

UP NEXT

Torpedo-Shaped Bats Draw Attention After Yankees Hit Team-Record 9 Homers

UP NEXT

Silver Fire Grows to 1,250 Acres, Threatens Homes in Inyo County

UP NEXT

3 Kids Killed in Michigan When Tree Hits Vehicle During Weekend Storm

UP NEXT

March Madness Guide: All No. 1 Seeds in Final Four After Houston and Auburn Win

UP NEXT

Trump Family Pushes Further Into Crypto, Starting Another Venture

UP NEXT

Justice Department Instructed to Dismiss Legal Challenge to Georgia Election Law

UP NEXT

A Stroke Survivor Speaks Again With the Help of an Experimental Brain-Computer Implant

UP NEXT

Fresno Police Arrest 12 for DUI, Plan More Enforcement Operations

White House Weighs Helping Farmers as Trump Escalates Trade War

49 minutes ago

Torpedo-Shaped Bats Draw Attention After Yankees Hit Team-Record 9 Homers

58 minutes ago

Silver Fire Grows to 1,250 Acres, Threatens Homes in Inyo County

1 hour ago

3 Kids Killed in Michigan When Tree Hits Vehicle During Weekend Storm

2 hours ago

March Madness Guide: All No. 1 Seeds in Final Four After Houston and Auburn Win

2 hours ago

Trump Family Pushes Further Into Crypto, Starting Another Venture

2 hours ago

Justice Department Instructed to Dismiss Legal Challenge to Georgia Election Law

2 hours ago

Fresno Police Arrest 12 for DUI, Plan More Enforcement Operations

2 hours ago

A Stroke Survivor Speaks Again With the Help of an Experimental Brain-Computer Implant

2 hours ago

Collision Leaves Two Dead, Several Injured After Clovis Police Chase

2 hours ago

A Look at Fresno City College’s New $87 Million Science Building

Anyone passing by Blackstone and Weldon avenues the past year couldn’t help but notice the modern gleaming new building rising from th...

24 minutes ago

Fresno City College students at the new Science Building
24 minutes ago

A Look at Fresno City College’s New $87 Million Science Building

28 minutes ago

California Gov. Newsom Says the Democratic Brand Is ā€˜Toxicā€™

A view of downtown San Diego, July 13, 2024. California is among the U.S. destinations that are ramping up marketing efforts to reassure international tourists that they are welcome. (John Francis Peters/The New York Times)
41 minutes ago

ā€˜Trump Slumpā€™ Looms as Foreign Visitors Rethink Travel to US

Soybeans are harvested near Stuttgart, Ark., Oct. 25, 2023. The Trump administration has discussed providing financial aid for farmers who may be subject to retaliation by Americaā€™s trading partners. (Rory Doyle/The New York Times)
49 minutes ago

White House Weighs Helping Farmers as Trump Escalates Trade War

New York Yankees' Jazz Chisholm Jr. prepares to bat during the first inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Sunday, March 30, 2025, in New York. (AP/Pamela Smith)
58 minutes ago

Torpedo-Shaped Bats Draw Attention After Yankees Hit Team-Record 9 Homers

The Silver Fire has burned 1,250 acres near Bishop with 0% containment, prompting evacuations as strong winds hamper firefighting efforts. (CalFire)
1 hour ago

Silver Fire Grows to 1,250 Acres, Threatens Homes in Inyo County

A large tree rests on top of a mobile home at Millwood Estates on East Cork Street after a storm Sunday, March 30, 2025, in Kalamazoo, Mich. (Brad Devereaux/Kalamazoo Gazette via AP)
2 hours ago

3 Kids Killed in Michigan When Tree Hits Vehicle During Weekend Storm

Houston's Kelvin Sampson
2 hours ago

March Madness Guide: All No. 1 Seeds in Final Four After Houston and Auburn Win

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend