Davis gave up an easy Sac score near the end if the game to make their game seem closer than it was, so they didn’t help themselves when they knew they were in competition with Sac for that playoff spot.. Three out of four passes complete for 55 yards total and a TD in a situation where the drive started with 3:23 left.

I give some credence to the theory that Miles had something wrong with his arm, early last year.
They brought in a QB coach from North Texas who had worked under the current Cal offensive line/offensive coordinator, in a different offense, so who knows what they were telling Miles to do.

Whether Miles suffered from the situation or just is too limited will soon be known, not by the outcome of this first game but before conference play. Plough appears to have put all his eggs in Miles basket. Let’s hope he was wise to do so.

Write for California lengthy preview of UC Davis offense.

https://writeforcalifornia.com/p/uc-davis-football-offense-2024

Good read.

The 105 Scholarship limit isn’t until next year.
My opinion is that is a deplorable idea, it will result in another 20 scholarship players on rosters that don’t play, and increase the discrepancy between teams.

Two players in our depth chart, Gbatu and Dobbins share a position on and played high school football in Temecula although at different schools. Dobbins transferred to Bosco to finish. I suspect they knew each other from high school.

Not surprised but those are official stats kept by the NCAA or so I was told by David Collins when I exchanged emails with him 3 months ago about other incorrect participation stats.

He is listed as playing in 5 games.

No one verifies the box scores either.

Does anyone recall Jordan Fisher burning his red shirt year at Northern Arizona?
He and Souriolle both. Fisher had no stats just said to have participated. And he never played in any subsequent game.

We've learned to take these things with a grain of salt. Under Hawkins they used the appearance in the depth chart as a reward. I can see how that might apply to the two guys listed.

I was specifically looking for some underclassmen and glad they made the list,

We will see when they play the game, but he is the well established incumbent. I think it is just an error, unless he is injured. Tompkins is listed as a punt returner only.

Game Notes,
No ORs except for special teams.
Lots of new names, and interesting where everyone fits.
They list only two deep on offense, didn’t have room for Gale apparently.
https://ucdavisaggies.com/documents/2024/8/26/UCDWeek1_atCAL.pdf

Big upset possibility Montana State was favored by 12.5.

It is not the only path to the playoffs but it is the easiest as it doesn't require an upset. It is doable if the offense gets back to 2022 level and the defense can play at 2023 level, and key players stay healthy.

Idaho voters in polls are in denial about their losses to transfers and graduation. Davis is at home
Davis beat Sac last year more soundly than the score indicates.
Davis has never beaten E.Washington, but they would have last year except Larison’s injury in that game. Three very winnable games.

Aim small miss small. Even 8 wins might get them in.

If they beat the teams they are supposed to beat, and I include Idaho at Davis in that list they’ll will have 8 FCS wins before the final 3 games. If that’s their only wins they need Idaho to come into Davis ranked high so they have a quality win. Otherwise it will be like last two years, out of their hands . If they are beat in any of those first 8 FCS games they will need to offset that with a win in their last three games.

Can anyone point me to any reporting on that scrimmage that highlighted Mirabella and Rodriguez?

To get a transfers view of Davis why not talk to Simonson and Shamburger who have played major roles here last year after transferring in the summer. Simonson needs the recognition as he isn’t credited with any olaying time after starting every game due to a jersey number mixup. The kid must be among the most humble on the team not to have complained about that. Interesting story finished third In Nebraska at his weight class in high school wresting, never played in a game until he started here.

They care about wins and rankings. Win 9 games and you’re good.

I think he is a key player, i just think that Cal wouldn’t game plan around him as a wide receiver. Would play him the same as most receivers. If we were doing the wildcat QB thing with him then it would matter more if he was out.

Leaving aside the fact that they’ll likely hear about it elsewhere, Tompkins isn’t that distinctive as a wide receiver that Cal is going to plan differently if he is or isn’t playing.