Haener and Jones Reunite With TD Pass in Fresno State Opener

Huskies South got the college football season off to a promising start.

On an overheated Saturday in California's San Joaquin Valley, Jake Haener threw for 337 yards and 3 touchdowns in Fresno State's 45-0 victory over the Connecticut Huskies, finding new and old teammate Ty Jones with one of his scoring tosses.

The former University of Washington quarterback and wide receiver were reunited on game day for the first time since 2018.

Yet this was nothing at all like playing football with breeze wafting off Lake Washington circulating through Husky Stadium.

With temperatures exceeding 100 degrees in Fresno — and a scorching 120-plus on the playing surface — Haener suffered severe cramps on a 4-yard run and had to be helped off the field by a pair of trainers. He left with 11:20 remaining in the third quarter with the Bulldogs leading 31-0. He did not return to the game and later was seen limping on the sideline.

The 6-foot-1, 195-pound senior from Danville, California, spent 2017 as a redshirt and 2018 as Jake Browning's back-up at the UW before transferring after he lost out to Jacob Eason in the ensuing QB competition.

Haener completed 20 of 26 passes against a lackluster UConn team, throwing a 9-yard TD pass to Jones for a 14-0 lead.

Jones, a 6-foot-4, 203-pound senior from Provo, Utah, was a four-game starter at the UW last season, but apparently he wasn't thrilled by the Pro Style offense installed by Jimmy Lake's coaching staff and joined Haener and the Mountain West team.

Against UConn, Jones put a move on a defensive back guarding him one-on-one, made the other player stumble and only had to keep his balance as waited to catch a soft lob from Haener while backing up. This was the new guy's first and only catch in his Fresno State debut.

While Haener and Jones joyously celebrated their touchdown play with chest bumps, UConn freshman edge rusher Nick Harris took exception to it, ran over and gave the quarterback an extra shot but he managed to escape punishment.

The central California heat was so miserable during the game, a half-dozen players had to be helped from the field after cramping up and a woman spectator in obvious distress was transported out of the stadium in a golf cart.

Haener and Jones get a chance to measure their skills against a Pac-12 opponent again when Fresno State plays at Oregon next Saturday.

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