A lot of PAC-12 fans have talked about the potential for Fresno State’s Khristian Martin, transferring in from Maryland, to take the Bulldogs to the next level.
His first opponent out west? Jayden Mandal.
“Different personalities, of course.” Fresno State head coach Matt Entz told the media after a recent practice. “Both very out going, both have the ability to have great leadership in the huddle. Both of them have spent a lot of time in the meeting room, film room, trying to grasp the concepts.”
When
Martin made the move to California in January, people were quick to crown him QB1. In March, even more so, with the Bulldogs being impressed by the 6’4” slinger in spring practices.
But now with the summer dwindling and fall camps underway, the time for theorizing has ended and the shoulder pads are now on.
“I feel a lot more comfortable, im sure as everyone else does.” Martin told the media on Monday. “Going through practice in spring and summer, now in the fall, doing the same things a third time, a lot of things are coming together well.”
Martin may have the right to get comfortable at fall camp, as he is indeed the new shiny toy in town compared to Mandal, who missed 2025 with injury after a few unnoteworthy apperanes in 2024.
But, just like in any football program, a quarterback battle is not about the names and numbers on the jersey or your past experience. It is about what you bring between the hashmarks today.
“Fall camp is a process” Mandal said. “I fell into that trap before, thinking ‘Dang, I need to separate myself’. But it really is just a process.”
It wasn’t too long ago that Martin lost out on a quarterback battle to Malik Washington with the Terrapins, despite being the only quarterback with experience at Maryland at the time.
Now, a calendar year later, he looks to follow the same script and keep the more-tenured Bulldog on the bench in Mandal.
“We are constantly getting better everyday,” Martin said. “Football comes with ebbs and flows, but I think we are getting better. We look better than we did in the spring.”
Matt Entz told the media that the decision will likely be made 10 days before their first game, a Sept. 4 meeting with University of Southern California.
Many outlets have Martin as the lowest ranked starting quarterback in the PAC-12. Will he prove them wrong?
On August 25, we will learn if he has even earned the chance.
