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Try throwing anything at Jalen Moss, and he will catch on quickly.

When his mother uprooted Moss and his three siblings from Ohio to pursue a new job in California, he did not want to leave. The young Moss cheered for Ohio State and enjoyed watching A.J. Green of the nearby Cincinnati Bengals, so much that he dons No. 18 today because of Green.

“I was loving where I was from,” he remembers. “But once I came out here, I started to sprout as a football player. I just found a new life, a new beginning.”

Moss used to somersault and back-flip his way onto the field at Menlo-Atherton High School. He certainly leapt into stardom at Fresno State, where he became the first freshman wide receiver since Davante Adams to record two 100-yard games.

Moss was one yard shy of making it three against UNLV.

“He’s a little seasoned now,” said head coach Jeff Tedford. “He’s worked really hard and he’s a dependable guy for us.”

Yajaira Beckles instilled the work ethic. She sought “a new life” for her family in California and inspired her oldest son with how she did it.

“I saw how hard she worked,” Moss said. “She was making it work for me and my siblings. I saw that in her and knew I had it in me. Whether I'm tired or didn't get enough sleep last night, whether I ate or didn't eat, I'm going to come out here and give it my all.”

Moss reeled in scholarship offers from Oregon, Nebraska, Oregon State and Arizona State by his high school sophomore year. Playing Power 5 football was not as appealing as playing right away, so he picked Fresno State and arrived on campus last year as the highest-rated WR recruit since Jalen Cropper.

Guess who Moss, as a true freshman, sought out for advice?

“[Cropper] taught me that you don't always have to run your route the same speed,” Moss said. “It’s about tempo and making separation for yourself because you’re not always going to get that separation at the next level.”

Cropper passed along tips on everything from creativity after the catch to consistency and becoming a go-to target. Moss, the quick learner he is, soaked in the knowledge and redshirted, awaiting his chance to put it on display.

When a team is behind, much could be learned about which wide receivers a quarterback trusts the most.

Mikey Keene turned to Moss to dig out of double-digit deficits to Wyoming and UNLV. Moss burned the Cowboys on a 50-yard catch-and-run and ended the drive with a touchdown grab.

He ran an out-and-go route so crisp through the Rebel secondary, he was wide open for a 60-yard completion, his longest catch of the year.

Per Pro Football Focus, Moss leads the receiver room with nine forced missed tackles and five contested catches. The redshirt freshman also finds himself tied with sixth-year senior Erik Brooks for catches (41).

Dissecting the routes of the NFL’s taller yet skinnier receivers like Devonta Smith, Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson, the 6-1, 168-pound Moss studies the game seriously.

“When he first came in here, we knew he was going to be special because of how quickly he was catching onto things and his natural ability,” Brooks said.

“You could tell once he got comfortable at the level [and] got used to the speed of things that he was going to be special.”

Brooks remembers a play in fall camp against the first-team defense that delivered the first hint of Moss’ breakout season.

“Probably my favorite catch of his – I don’t remember exactly the DB, but he took it off of somebody’s head,” Brooks recalls.

In other words, Jalen Mossed them.

- *VIP* One-on-one interview with Fresno State WR Tim Grear - Join VIP for just $1 on your first month today! -

Watch or read BarkBoard's one-on-one interview with Fresno State wide receiver Tim Grear, following his first career touchdown in the Bulldogs' win over UNLV.

Following Fresno State wide receiver Tim Grear ’s first touchdown as a Bulldog, BarkBoard.com talked one-on-one with the first-year player from Ventura College - and originally from Louisiana.

Prior to last Saturday’s win over UNLV, Grear had just two catches as a Bulldog - a five-yarder versus Kent State and a 13-yarder versus Nevada.

But on the Bulldogs’ opening drive in a big game against UNLV, the Bulldogs dialed up a deep ball to Grear that he caught and then dove into the end zone for a 31-yard score and a 7-0 lead. It was the Bulldogs’ only score of the first half as they trailed 17-7 in an eventual 31-24 win.

Continue to watch and/or read BarkBoard’s one-on-one interview with Grear.

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New Fresno State commit Loyall Mouzon breaks down his decision

Mouzon is a talented two-way athlete who will play in the secondary for the Bulldogs.

Greg BigginsNov 1st, 5:16 PM

Long Beach Millikan (Calif.) defensive back Loyall Mouzon announced his commitment to Fresno State moments ago.

Mouzon visited the Bulldogs over the weekend after picking up a scholarship last week. He was planning to take a few more visits but decided he was ready to shut things down.

“I liked it at Fresno State a lot,” Mouzon said. “The main reason I committed was the coaching staff and how they made me feel.

“They made me feel like I was a ‘want,’ not just a ‘need.’ I felt like I was a priority for them and that meant a lot to me.”

Mouzon said he enjoyed the game day atmosphere and campus vibe.

“I liked the atmosphere and the fans there a lot,” Mouzon said. “It’s a strong winning program that I respect. They’ll take on anyone and I just like how well I fit in there.

“I could feel the energy from the fans and it was just a dope experience all around. Right when I got there, I knew that was the place for me. I could tell the atmosphere was something I liked, I loved the campus and really loved everything about the place.”

The coaching staff made a big impact on Mouzon as well.

“Coach JD Williams is my lead recruiter and that’s my guy right there,” Mouzon said. “We have a good relationship. I’m real comfortable with him and I’m excited to play for him.”

“I didn’t get to talk to coach Tedford as much but he’s a real cool guy. All the coaches are really happy there and committed to being there so it’s a great fit. I’m already a dawg so I fit in there really well.”

Mouzon transferred in to Millikan from New York in the off-season and has everything you’re looking for in a young corner. He’s a tough kid with quick feet, can change direction, has the long speed turn and run, shows good ball awareness and a high compete level.

He’s a two-way player who has flashed on offense as well but is being recruited primarily as a defensive back right now. On the year, he has 27 catches for 699 yards and eight touchdowns to go with 26 tackles, five interceptions including two he returned for scores.

Along with the Bulldogs, Mouzon was also hearing from Nevada, San Jose State and Wyoming. We think he's talented enough to step in and compete for playing time right away for the Bulldogs and has the potential to be an impact player for the program as well.

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Black Friday is almost here, and you're probably wondering what the best deals and sales are - and how early you can shop them. As shopping editors, we've done all the research for you, including all the best products to shop for this holiday as well as rounding up any early Black Friday deals and sales we could find. Here's everything you need to know about the shopping event this year.

When is Black Friday this year?

Black Friday takes place the day after Thanksgiving, so this year, the event is on November 24th.

What should shoppers look for?

Black Friday is the best time to get your last-minute holiday shopping done: think headphone deals, beauty deals and kitchen appliance deals. It's also a good time to get any big-ticket purchases out of the way, so if you're looking for a discounted mattress or TV, Black Friday is the best time to purchase. Last year, some bestsellers included Apple AirPods, Amazon devices, household essentials like Crest Whitestrips and Roomba robot vacuums. This year, we can expect deals on all these items again, along with potentially more deals on newer devices like the Apple AirPods Pro 2nd Gen (USB-C version) and Amazon's Echo Pop.

Where should I shop on Black Friday?

While bigger retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Nordstrom will have deals and sales up for grabs, you can also find holiday deals on individual retailers. Solo Stove, Saatva, Our Place, Ulta and Sephora are just some other retailers we can expect to see holiday deals at.

Best Black Friday deals live right now

You don't have to wait till the end of the month to shop the best deals, there are a bunch of early sales you can shop right now:

Image credit: Amazon

Image credit: Amazon

Image credit: Amazon

Image credit: Amazon

Fresno teachers overwhelmingly voted in favor of accepting the tentative agreement on Wednesday evening, which was settled with the city’s school district earlier this week.

Later last night, Fresno Unified School District also voted unanimously in favor of ratifying the agreement and investing $30 million to support students, concluding 18 months of negotiations.

The school district and the Fresno Teachers Association announced they had come to an agreement in a joint press conference, stopping a district-wide strike from happening, on Tuesday.

The FTA said 92% of its total members voted in favor of ratification of the contract according to reports tabulated by the American Arbitration Association, a non-profit organization that offers arbitration, mediation and election services.

FTA president Manuel Bonilla said members could vote online from 1-6 p.m. and had access to the tentative agreement and a detailed summary of it.

Hours after the union finalized its voting process, Fresno Unified ratified the tentative agreement at 8:15 p.m..

The tentative agreement ratification and the creation of the FTA-Fresno Unified collaborative committee were added to the board’s previously established agenda as amendments in order for trustees to vote on them.

Minutes later, and with no discussion, both matters were approved unanimously.

At the start of the meeting, Fresno Unified Superintendent Bob Nelson said the agreed contract is “the biggest benefit” that district employees have seen in the last 30 years.

“There is no question that our community loves our teachers,” Nelson said.

Adding to support for teachers, the approved collaborative committee between union and district representatives is now set to decide how to spend $30 million for student services and support during the next three school years.

“This agreement comes as a result of communication, collaboration and hard work by many people,” said David Chavez, Fresno Unified’s chief of human resources and labor relations, during Wednesday’s board meeting.

“And a united commitment,” Chavez said, “to enhance the future of Fresno Unified’s students, staff and community.”

Nelson and Bonilla, on behalf of the district and union, expressed excitement about the approval of this agreement.

“We’re really excited to lay this foundation for opportunities moving forward,” Bonilla told The Bee during an interview Wednesday evening.

With both parties voting in favor of ratifying the tentative agreement, Fresno Unified spokesperson Nikki Henry confirmed the contract is in effect immediately.

This story was originally published November 2, 2023, 10:41 AM.

Laura S. Diaz is the engagement reporter for The Fresno Bee’s Education Lab. She previously was The Bee’s COLAB Latino communities reporter. Before working in Fresno, Laura covered social justice, local government and accountability issues for The Stockton Record, and began her career working for CBS News and the Associated Press Elections Center in New York City. She grew up in Mexico and graduated from New York University with a B.S. in media communications and journalism.

Within the realm of higher education, the Carnegie Classifications are well known. In 1973, in an effort to support its program of research and policy analysis, the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education created a system for understanding and classifying the vast array of institutions of higher education across the nation. Since the early 1970s, the basic classification system has been updated many times, with a major overhaul announced this week. The classifications were originally intended to be used by researchers who want to group like institutions together and study similar institutional types. They have come to be used by funders, the federal government, and others to determine an institution’s research and teaching strengths as well. Although much of the national focus around the Carnegie Classifications is on research institutions, in recent years, several new classifications have been introduced, including one focused on Community Engagement and another on Leadership for Public Purpose.

The Community Engagement classification aims to recognize and support institutions that are actively involved with their surrounding communities, integrate service into their mission, and contribute to the larger public good. The Leadership for Public Purpose classification builds upon the foundation of the Community Engagement classification, highlighting the significance of ethical and socially responsible leadership on campus, in the community and as a part of civic engagement efforts. These classifications are especially in line with the work that Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) do in their local and state communities, as well as for the nation overall. According to Marisol Morales, Executive Director, Carnegie Elective Classifications at the American Council on Education, “MSIs should take this as an opportunity to not only claim these [ideas] as part of their institutional identity but also to be recognized for the work they are already doing in community engagement and leadership for public purpose. Our hope and desire are that those institutions that achieve the elective classifications represent the diverse landscape of higher education in the U.S., MSIs representation is key to achieving that goal.” Fresno State University in Fresno, California is one of these MSIs.

Fresno State University holds two MSI designations as well as Carnegie’s Community Engagement classification. It is both a Hispanic-Serving and an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution. The campus boasts a highly diverse student body, reflecting the surrounding communities. In Fall 2023, Fresno State enrolled 23,929 students, of whom 21,279 are undergraduates, and of these 12,135 (57%) are low-income (defined as PELL Grant eligible) and 13,799 (64.8%) are first-generation students. In addition, 13,641 (57%) are Hispanic and 2,902 (12.1%) are Asian American or Pacific Islander (AAPI), most of whom are Southeast Asians (Hmong, Vietnamese, Laotian, or Cambodian).

According to Fresno State President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval, “a Fresno State degree is transformational for the individual, their entire families, and the diverse communities of the Central Valley. This is evident by the high rankings on social mobility Fresno State holds. We seek to ensure that our students feel a sense of belonging, not only to the University, but to the larger community from which they come and to which many of our students will return.”

Eighty percent (80%) of Fresno State’s graduates stay in the region after graduation. The University seeks to generate leaders for the community and is keenly aware that the diverse communities need strong leaders to elevate the region. Through the leadership of the Richter Center for Community Engagement, Fresno State is actively serving the community – the university provides over one million hours of community service per year, and has done this for more than a decade. Fresno State is also involved in important development projects in the Fresno area, including F3 (Food, Farm and Future) and DRIVE (Developing the Region’s Inclusive and Vibrant Economy). According to Jiménez-Sandoval, “These development projects are fundamental to the social and economic development of the region, through leveraging state and federal grants that invest in economic projects, and through a concerted effort to call attention to the Central Valley’s pivotal importance to the nation’s food security.”

Researchers John Saltmarsh and Mathew Johnson, who have studied both community engagement and the Carnegie Elective Classification, state, “Campuses that make serious, dedicated commitments to community engagement are changing the core culture of their institutions. The process is intentional and strategic, with long-term commitments and formal obligations. It shapes and clarifies the campus identity. For campuses making these kinds of commitments, the Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement provides an opportunity for rigorous self-assessment and public recognition.”

Fresno State, which is focused on strengthening the Central Valley of California, was one of the first universities to receive the Community Engagement designation, being awarded it first in 2006 and again in 2015. With this emphasis and commitment, the university seeks to “1.) grow by serving and addressing regional issues in ways that can influence the world; 2.) encourage a culture of giving back to the campus and the region; and 3.) inspire students to be global leaders and to spread the knowledge, values and respect they have learned.

Fresno State is preparing to apply for the Leadership for Public Purpose classification as well. Jiménez-Sandoval stated: “We recognize the important role that [the University] plays as a leader, to bring people together, and to be one with and of the community within which it resides.” He believes that the core tenet of leadership for public purpose is reinforced in the Fresno State curriculum and throughout the programs that serve the local community.

Reinforcing the importance of the classifications to Fresno State, Jiménez-Sandoval shared, “Our impact and these designations contribute to our being the flagship university within the Central Valley, the home of the fifth largest city in California and 25% of the agricultural production that feeds our nation. These designations build our prestige and make our diverse and talented students proud to be pursuing and earning a degree from Fresno State.”