With just more than a month before the 2024 college football season starts, Fresno State will have to move forward with someone other than the legendary Jeff Tedford leading the way for its program. The 62-year old Tedford is stepping down as the Bulldogs’ head coach due to health reasons, and linebackers coach Tim Skipper will serve as the interim head coach, the school announced Monday.
“It is with sad emotions that following my recent medical check-up, it is clear that due to health concerns, my family and I have made the decision to step aside as Fresno State’s head coach and allow someone else to lead the football program,” Tedford said.
Tedford completed two seasons in his second stint with the Bulldogs; he was forced to resign as Fresno’s head coach due to health reasons following the 2019 season. The school ultimately re-hired him in December 2021 after Kalen DeBoer left for Washington.
“Coach Tedford’s contributions to Fresno State and the Central Valley have been nothing short of extraordinary,” said athletic director Garrett Klassy. “His dedication, passion, and commitment have not only led our football program to numerous championships but also deeply impacted the community. Our goal during this coaching transition is to ensure it is as seamless as possible for our student-athletes, and to continue the championship culture that coach Tedford has established. We are grateful for his endless contributions, wish him the best with his health, and I expect to lean on coach Tedford during my transition due to his incredible insight and relationships.”
Tedford missed the New Mexico Bowl in December because of health issues. In his five total seasons as Fresno’s head coach, Tedford led the Bulldogs to a 45-22 overall record, including a combined 19-8 record the last two seasons.
Fresno State, which opens the season Aug. 31 at Michigan, was picked to finish third in the preseason Mountain West poll that the conference released last week during media days, which Tedford attended. The Bulldogs seek their fourth consecutive nine-win season in 2024, a feat that hasn’t happened since a memorable run from 2001-04.
Tedford is regarded as one of the best quarterback gurus of the past few decades. During a glittery career at Cal (82-57 in 11 seasons, including a 2004 Pac-10 Championship), Tedford coached up Aaron Rodgers and Kyle Boller. Other first-round picks Tedford developed in previous assistant stops at Oregon (1998-2001) and Fresno State (1992-97) are David Carr, Joey Harrington, Trent Dilfer and Akili Smith.
The Bulldogs roared out to an 8-1 start in 2023 in which they averaged 34 points per game. A subsequent slippage — 1-3 over the final four games — dovetailed with an offense that slipped to 22.5 points per contest in its final four games.
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Fresno State returns eight starters on offense and six on defense, according to CBS Sports research. The Bulldogs signed the Mountain West’s No. 5 recruiting class and No. 4 transfer portal haul for the 2024 cycle, a group that included Korey Foreman, the former top recruit who began his career at USC.
