Meanwhile there is an article on the Sac Bee website reporting that Sac State as a whole is facing a $45 million budget cut.

Added beach volleyball. This should complete the schedule, but Spring schedules should always be written in pencil.

Go Ags!

UCD came in second behind Sac State and ahead of Wisconsin - Oshkosh in a meet in Sacramento yesterday. Scores were Sac 194.700, UCD 193.525, UW-O 191.175 This is not part of a home and away dual meet competition so the results do not count in the Causeway Cup.

Next competition between the two schools is another gymnastics meet, this time a four team event in San Jose which will include San Jose State and Boise State.

Next scheduled Causeway Cup competition is men's tennis on February 14th in Sacramento.

Rivalries are rivalries but should be kept in perspective. Harvard and Yale have a rivalry and both schools supply the nation with great workers and the occasional misfit. Same for Cal and Stanford, Ohio State and Michigan, Duke and North Carolina, etc.,... Where I take issue with SSUCDalum are comments like "we root for UCD outside of causeway. All the disrespect calling us janitors is just bs" and "I bet I make more money than most of you on here."

As noted there are people on the Sac site who refer to UCD as the Dung Pile and the Manure Pile...and not just referring to the Causeway game.

Moreover I don't give a damn how much SSUCDalum makes, or how fancy a car SSUCDalum drives, or just how great SSUCDalum is in intimate pursuits. Nice to know SSCUDAlum measures life by that standard.

I bet the transfer portal is filled with stories like Rodney's. Great athletes who are one move away from making it to the next level, or from peaking where they are. Sounds like a good one for Sac if things are clicking and they apparently clicked with Coach Marion. Sac lost an RB and now gained one.

For what it's worth, Conklin tweeted, Xed, TikTokked, or Instagrammed, or somethinged, that he is staying with Sac and Coach Marion.

Added softball as posted on the Sac website.

1. KCRA reporting that Sac HAS hired Marion as the new head coach.
2. Nothing on the Sac sports site says that Conklin entered the portal. Scudero did, but has not signed with anyone and of course Sac fans are hoping he withdraws from the portal if Marion signs, which as noted he apparently has.

Apparently Slack is still in the search and interview stage:

Sacramento State still interviewing candidates for football post, including a Heisman winner
By Joe Davidson

Updated December 19, 2024 10:39 AM

Sacramento State is still talking to candidates for its head football coaching position and has not decided on a candidate as of Thursday morning, school President Luke Wood confirmed with The Sacramento Bee without elaborating.

National reports Tuesday and Wednesday that former UNLV offensive coordinator Brennan Marion had been hired by the Hornets coach were not accurate as no deal had been struck, though both sides have engaged in discussions for more than a week.

The Bee was the first to report that Marion was a finalist to replace Andy Thompson, who after two mixed seasons as head coach resigned Dec. 6 to accept the assistant head coach post at Stanford under Troy Taylor, who coached Sacramento State to Big Sky Conference championships in 2019, 2021 and 2022 with Thompson as defensive coordinator. Thompson coached the program to an FCS playoff berth in 2023 before an injury-ravaged season led to three victories this season.

Marion resigned at UNLV earlier this week, missing the team’s season finale on Wednesday night at the LA Bowl, a 24-14 victory over Cal to cap an 11-win season, tying the program record for victories in a season.

Marion, 37, has earned national praise for his innovative “Go-Go” offense in his two seasons with the Runnin’ Rebels, including this season where UNLV finished nationally ranked for the first time. Marion has been courted by other programs across the country at the FCS and higher-level FBS across for years, including now.

Sacramento State assistant coaches Kris Richardson and Bobby Fresques have had discussions with Hornets top officials about the program in general as both want to remain on staff in some capacity. Richardson is the program’s assistant head coach and offensive line coach and Fresques is Sacramento State’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Both coached for years at nearby Folsom High School and were brought into the Hornets fold before the 2019 season by Taylor, who also coached at Folsom.

The Bee has learned through sources with direct knowledge of the situation or through candidates themselves that the following have, at some point, engaged in discussions with Wood and Sacramento State athletic director Mark Orr about the football job:

Reggie Bush: The 2005 Heisman Trophy-winning running back for USC who played in the NFL from 2006-2016 and has recently been a college football analyst on Fox Sports. He has no formal coaching experience.

Jamar Cain: After playing at Valley High School in Sacramento and at Sacramento City College, Cain has had assistant-coaching stops at Missouri State, Cal Poly, Wyoming, North Dakota State, Fresno State, Arizona State, Oklahoma, LSU and now with the Denver Broncos as defensive line coach.

Robert Griffin III: The 2011 Heisman Trophy winning quarterback for Baylor who played for three NFL teams from 2012-2020, he has done NFL analyst work and his podcast, “Otta Pocket.” RG3 has no formal coaching experience.

Lee Marks: A running back at Boise State from 2001-05, Marks was the Fresno State interim coach in 2021 and is the current Memphis running backs coach.

Angus McClure: A Hornets offensive lineman from 1987-91 who was an assistant coach with the school from 1997-2004, McClure has has had assistant coaching gigs at Nebraska, UCLA, Cal and Nevada and is now at Kansas.

Tim Skipper: A linebacker for Fresno State from 1997-2000 and an assistant coach with Sacramento State from 2003-05, including a stint as defensive coordinator, Skipper had assistant-coaching stops at Colorado State, Florida, UNLV, Central Michigan and at Fresno State, including this season as interim coach for a 7-6 team.

Mike Vick: The No. 1 pick in the 2001 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons, Vick played quarterback in the NFL through the 2015 season. He was in talks with the Hornets last week and earlier this week. He was hired by Norfolk State in his native Virginia, his first coaching post at any level.

https://www.sacbee.com/sports/article297358189.html

Ivy League may have to come up with a tie breaker now that there is some consequence to determining an all out champion.

Harvard, Dartmouth and Columbia finished the season with 5-2 league records. Harvard and Dartmouth were 8-2 overall while Columbia was 7-3. Harvard defeated both Dartmouth and Columbia during the season. Gotta think Harvard would have represented the Ivies in the playoffs....but then they may decide things by debate or submitting a thesis.

I would assume so. It's an eight team league.

And who would have not received a bid?

On the other hand can you imagine traveling to Harvard, Dartmouth or Cornell in late November or early December?

(‘Course we’ll be in the MWC, Pac X or maybe the SEC by then…)

Looks like this was posted under another heading…”Playoff talk 2024”

Sorry…

I suspect that the Vick/Sac reports served their purpose….publicity for both sides, bargaining chip for Vick. Win, win.

Between this and comments on the Sac fan site I get the feeling the true believers at the school feel that the Taylor era was the norm. Good for them, fans should feel that way. However it seems to me that Taylor was the exception to the rule. A great hire. I was worried when they lured him from a Pac-12 program, and was right to be worried, but the past few years are not the tradition of Sac athletics. My two cents.

Maybe they could hire Kevin Johnson to coach basketball, too.

Vick has no coaching experience. He is also apparently in similar talks with Norfolk State. He was born and raised in the Newport News and Hampton Roads area.

Here is the Bee article:

To make Pac-12, Sacramento State needs the right football coach. That’s just the start
Analysis By Joe Davidson
December 15, 2024 5:00 AM
Less than three months ago, the Sacramento State Hornets were rolling in football. All was grand with the guys in green.
The team was 2-2 and ranked 10th nationally in the FCS polls on Sept. 26. There was glee and roars of “Stingers Up!” during a spirited on-campus news conference to announce bigger and brighter things. Sacramento State that day unveiled plans for a new football venue with visions of jumping up to the higher-level FBS and into the revamped Pac-12 by the time of its 2028 completion.
And there was coach Andy Thompson, beaming at that presser like a proud mentor, excited about the next game and the next several seasons as the Hornets set aim to elevate its brand.
Fast forward to last week: Thompson’s joy turned to misery. His second season as head coach was defined by a crush of injuries and tough losses. No one burdens the load more than the head coach during lean seasons, and Thompson stunned his staff and team on Dec. 6 when he announced his resignation.
Thompson took the blame for the losses after setbacks, and he held that theme in his meeting with the team and coaching staff that. He thanked them for their effort and wished them well.
This is no quitter. Thompson stepped away to save himself. He was imploding. He apologized to players and coaches that he didn’t do a better job to prepare them. The season was on everyone, players and coaches told him.
Thompson, in a text exchange, expressed gratitude to Sacramento State for the opportunity and to Stanford and Taylor for a lifeline. Thompson did not want to elaborate.
Thompson has rejoined Troy Taylor at Stanford. Taylor brought Thompson aboard at Sac State as defensive coordinator before the 2019 season. Thompson replaced Tayor when Taylor headed to the Bay Area after guiding a 12-1 Hornets team in 2022.
Momentum is an interesting thing in sports. It can avalanche in a good way, such as Sacramento State winning three Big Sky crowns and reaching the playoffs four consecutive seasons. It can sour just as fast. The Hornets football fortunes never picked up steam after the stadium announcement. The team limped home at 3-9 overall and 1-7 in the Big Sky Conference as coaches and trainers handed out ice packs and crutches as if minding a triage unit.
Sacramento State doesn’t just have an image problem as a school that eagerly wants to be part of the big time in athletics. It has a sudden football problem. Ten Hornets players have entered the transfer portal, where players can enter their name into a national data base to be plucked. Of course, it works both ways. Sac State coaches will mine the portal, too, for quick fixes.
Who’s the next coach?
Who takes over as coach now? Hornets athletic director Mark Orr has met with existing staff this week, including assistant head coach Kris Richardson and offensive coordinator Bobby Fresques. Those two were considered for the head spot when Taylor left, and they assured Orr that they wanted to remain with the program regardless of who became head coach.
Orr has also received a flood of interest from coaches across the county. Some who would appreciate a chance to talk shop include former Hornets linemen leaders Angus McClure, an assistant coach at the University of Kansas, and longtime American River College of Sacramento coach Jon Osterhout.
Orr can’t afford to take on a coach who wants to use Sac State as a stepping stone, or does he take that chance to find another impact coach? He knew that Taylor was so gifted that it would be a challenge to hold onto him. Taylor has long called Thompson one of the sharpest football minds he’s known, and he jumped at the chance to bring him to The Farm.
“It is fantastic. I’m fired up,” Taylor told me last week. “I’m thrilled to have Andy Thompson join our staff. Andy is truly one of the brightest defensive minds that I have ever been around. His players love playing for him ad he will be a great resource to me in guiding our program.”
Sacramento State has the potential to bounce back and compete for an FCS playoff spot next season, but Orr has to get a coach in place before Christmas. Orr will have to answer questions that some of the current coaches still wonder about. These include: Where is the money coming from for NIL — name, image and likeness — that has proven to be a game changer in college sports? Players are jumping into the portal for a change of pace and a chance to get paid for that change of pace.
The SAC-12 committee of local government officials and Hornets alums aren’t ready to answer those questions.
“We hear things like $54 million has been secured but from who?” one Hornets coach, who asked not to be named, said recently. “We haven’t seen any of it. Schools like Sac State need it to survive.”
The SAC-12 is an organization of “business, labor and civic leaders”, the firm says on its website, “dedicated to taking Sacramento State athletics to the next level by joining the Pac-12...”
The arguments are compelling, with the firm stressing that Sacramento would be the largest media market in the new Pac-12.
The aim is to raise more than $50 million for the first 10 years in the Pac-12, to secure the funding and approval for a new football stadium, to get a new basketball arena and to secure $5.25 million in conference realignment fees.
Josh Wood is a member of the SAC-12, and he’s invested because it is his alma mater. That he is the twin brother of Sacramento State president Luke Wood reinforces his commitment of wanting the best.
“It stunned us that Andy Thompson stepped down,” said Josh Wood, who dabbles in real estate development. “We did not see that coming. He accepted an incredible offer from Stanford. He’s a fantastic human being” Wood said a big-name hire is paramount, even if it’s a coach climbing the ladder.
“If we get the right coach, it sends a message, and if we get the wrong coach, things could go in the wrong direction in a hurry.”
Wood added: “We need a magnetic new coach. NIL is a huge part of this. We have to go big and get the right coach. Donors and players will be drawn to a great hire”
As for NIL money now, Wood said more than $50 million will be secured with a commitment to join the Pac-12.
Orr has to nail this hire
Orr said this week that the coaching opening has drawn “a crazy amount of national interest.”
He added: “There’s been significant interest, more than ever before for football. There’s interest from people who have coached in the NFL, college, Power 4 programs in the FCS and from the FCS, head coaches, assistant coaches, coordinators. I wasn’t expecting Andy to step down. He’s such a good coach and person. I wish him the best, but we had to turn the page.”
Orr said there is urgency to hire the right coach and in quick order.
“Our student-athletes need to know, our community needs to know,” Orr said. “The transfer portal is open. Our signed recruits need to know. Our program is seen as a good one, and it’s in a good light.”
Orr said the momentum is still there for Sacramento State since 2019, the first Big Sky championship season.
“Our program is in good shape,” Orr said. “We won eight games last year and had a tough season this year with injuries and things. I think that’s why this position is so attractive. People know the success we’ve had.”
No facilities, no chance?
The grim truth for Sac State and its quest of moving up in athletic classification is this: No facilities makes for a steep climb.
The school does not have a viable basketball arena. It has a cramped old gym called “The Nest,” quite possibly the poorest Division I venue in the country. The goal is to switch from 70-year-old gym to “The Well” this season, an on-campus facility.
Since 1991, when Sac State moved from Division II to Division I, the Hornets have talked about getting a new arena.
Hornet Stadium is an erector set thrown up decades ago as a temporary venue. It badly needs an upgrade. If you walk the bleachers, you’ll find a bolt here and a bolt there. Should those not be bolted in somewhere? It gives the impression of a work in progress. Orr said a new stadium will solve all sorts of issues and concerns.
The Pac-12 has approved the entry of Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State starting in the fall of 2026. How could those colleges in smaller cities muscle past Sacramento State, nestled in the state capitol and boasting of a much larger media market?
Those schools have basketball arenas and football stadiums that are Pac-12 ready. They’re good to go.
What’s more, the new Pac-12 entries have for years tapped into deep-pocketed donors to upgrade athletic facilities. At Boise State, for example, the Broncos are the No. 3 seed in the college football playoff. Can Sac State become Boise State in athletics? Not without facilities and donors.
The Hornets have not found any of those kinds of donors.
UC Davis has donors. News broke Tuesday that UCD will join the Mountain West for all sports except football. But the Aggies would be closer to an FBS conference for the biggest sport on campus. The Mountain West will be losing Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State and San Diego State, and the Aggies have facilities to wheel and deal.
Sacramento State’s ambition of bigger and better is to be applauded, but until shovels are thrust into the ground and bulldozers are at work and everyone is under a hard hat, the Pac-12 or the Mountain West or whatever other conference is a long shot.
https://www.sacbee.com/sports/college/article296879584.html