Jeff Tedford secures first big win as Fresno State head coach

Jeff Tedford has been on the job at Fresno State for a day and already has secured a big win.

According to 247 Sports, Bulldogs quarterback Jake Haener has removed his name from the transfer portal. This is a big development because a week ago, it looked like Haener was leaving Fresno State to follow his head coach Kalen DeBoer to Washington. The transfer would have made sense considering Haener began his college career with the Huskies.

But there are apparently two factors that led to Haener remaining at Fresno State. One is that Haener originally came to Fresno State when Tedford was there, so the two have a good relationship. The second factor is that Haener may have encountered eligibility issues with a transfer, Chris Hummer reports.

Jake Haener has withdrawn from the portal, a source tells myself and @JacksonMoore247.

Haener and new Fresno State HC Jeff Tedford are close, & someone familiar with the situation indicated there may have been eligibility concerns with Haener transferring to Washington. https://t.co/gdTyPsvh6A

— Chris Hummer (@chris_hummer) December 9, 2021

Tedford has long had a reputation for being a top offensive mind. He has coached and/or recruited numerous top quarterbacks, including Aaron Rodgers, David Carr, Trent Dilfer, Joey Harrington and Akili Smith. Haener could very easily benefit from playing a season under Tedford.

Photo: Sep 9, 2017; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Fresno State Bulldogs head coach Jeff Tedford during the game against Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports