The dumpster fire in Sacramento has distracted me from the task at hand. I've spoken with friends who have players there who have already been offered spots in Boulder. Let it burn...

If UC Davis Healthcare Stadium doesn't have 8-10k people there tomorrow night, changes need to be made. I'm not talking about firing people, but the marketing and outreach strategies will really need to be revisited. We heard excuses early in the week ranging from it being too cold, too late, too far, and the Saturday night before finals. That is the mindset of people who don't really care. I've been cold at football games, I've kept my children out too late to the point of crankiness and runny noses, I've driven countless hours to watch games, and I graduated from college while playing football and drinking beer and staying out too late and not studying. It's all a bunch of B.S. Figure it out in the meetings, figure out how to actually market football from successful programs (via actual social media content and barnstorming appearances) and stop with the "that's just the way we are" mentality. Get your asses and the asses of your friends to the game!

What you're going to see is an entertaining offensive football game with two elite quarterbacks dueling going against an elite pass rusher on both teams. Who will have the better protection plan for Pena and Psyk? The key to the game is Aggie pressure (especially from the Defensive Line) against URI's undersized Offensive Line. I'm confident Plough will dial-up 31-35 points against this D; can Rhody keep up? Can Davis avoid the turnover bug and win the Special Teams? I feel strongly about the later, we're better there.

Come early. Party. Take it all in. Enjoy the game. Stay late. Drive home safely. There's my game plan for a great freaking weekend in Davis, California, hope to see you there. GO AGS!!!

Taylor has to be #1 target

Richards would be a solid choice as well, but does he even want it?

One thing, and one thing only, will prevent either of them from being hired...

Marion is already at work raiding the cupboard, especially with their skill guys from what I was just told. This is going to be a total rebuild.

Finals are overrated...

Faculty and staff both get UC/Cal State pensions, probably different rates apply.

This is the latest PR debacle for Sac, Taylor can help them save face and get his name cleared so apparent win/win. Will he work for that president is my question. He is candidate #1 and the people's choice. Also the best candidate.

Someone said to expect a conference announcement by end of this week or next?

"One year can change your life job!"

Marion has worked at 10 different programs since 2015:

2026 Colorado - Offensive Coordinator
2025 Sacramento State – Head Coach
2023-24 UNLV – Offensive Coordinator, Quarterbacks
2022 Texas – Passing Game Coordinator, Wide Receivers
2021 Pittsburgh – Wide Receivers
2020 Hawai’i – Wide Receivers
2019 William & Mary – Offensive Coordinator, Quarterbacks
2017-18 Howard – Offensive Coordinator, Quarterbacks
2016 Oklahoma Baptist – Running Backs
2015 Arizona State – Offensive Quality Control Assistant

Copy. That makes sense. Hopefully he called some of them to tell them he was heading to Boulder!

Interesting, someone on one of these threads had them in the 30s and I saw something they posted earlier today where they were boasting the #1 class in FBS.

We're on the same page. It is a good thing to have quality back-ups with in-game experience. Even if it is just Special Teams experience, every rep counts. We are definitely deep along the lines and at TE like you said. Our back-up QB has a game under his belt. We're also deeper at RB and WR after the past 4 weeks or so. A lot of back ups have taken reps in the Secondary, while the Linebackers have remained healthy after Porter went down. Roster is in a good spot for the playoff run and beyond.

The Go-Go is Gone-Gone in Sac. I've heard Troy Taylor part deux is a possibility. Peculiar timing in that they sign a huge class and he bails the next day. Bush league, but didn't we all had a feeling that something was up late in the season? I do feel bad for kids that signed there yesterday.

Marion is a very good OC. Not many FCS teams out there that could take the Ags to the mat on only nine pass attempts! That's some wizardry

OL/DL depth can't be understated. That is the sign of a strong program.

Interesting group potentially returning next season. We will have an entire spring and off season to dive into that, but a national title run is realistic. Montana comes here, Montana State isn't on the schedule. Very favorable schedule as a matter of fact.

One would think that the NCAA will grant the Connors' another season. My feeling is that coming off of the injuries, the market may not be what it might have been last year, and the likelihood of a return becomes greater. Vargas, who knows.

Psyk will be the hardest grad transfer to replace. Garretson helps, as does Few.

Possibly the biggest shoes to fill (figuratively and literally) will be Eli Simonson at Left Tackle. Pro body, three year starter, that hit is massive. Maybe an area of the portal I would sniff around in.

Admissions office is a challenge at Poly. Limited "exceptions" in that process, limited recruiting budget, things like that. Things that Plough speaks publicly about and fights for like summer classes and housing, feeding the players properly, NIL, all of that is lacking.

Wulff & Co. went all in on transfers the last two years in an effort to save their jobs. As usual, it didn't work. He's a very good and highly respected football coach. He just got caught in the whole "win now" insanity of college football, even at places that don't give a rip about their football program like SLO. If Cal Poly would've had the patience to allow them time to construct it with high school players, get into the new building, improve the infrastructure, all that, he would have turned it. Skipper will be successful if he gets that leeway. Yes, they were more talented this season than they had been, but they were obviously uninspired at times (Portland State for example) and that gets coaches like Wulff and James Franklin fired these days. I get the impression that the admin is clueless. That place is always full of excuses. Hopefully Skipper can turn the tide all across their beautiful campus, but that is going to be a job unto itself. There is a reason Coach Madden was NEVER involved with the program (it was his estate that gave the gift) at his alma mater.

Pena reminds me of the Sac State edge rushers.
Bummer for their RT, that's heartbreaking but it is also part of the game.
Every team that is still playing is banged up in some regard.
The teams with the most/best depth and who get or make the breaks (with bounces, injuries, bracket draws, playing at home, etc.) typically advance.

Skipper isn't Marion... Cal Poly's problem is Cal Poly. Wulf was at least figuring out how to work around some of the BS and they were better this year. Now they start over again. "Three years, this guy sucks, we need a new coach!"

My gut and a little film tells me that our Defensive Line and Front 7 personnel > URI's Offensive Line. Coombs will dial up pressure not just by blitzing, but by line stunts and movements against a smallish interior OL.

Their QB will get the ball out quick and he will get some. He will also get hit. A lot.

Makes sense

Good point on the stats. I threw him into the mix based on the HT/WT measurables, traditionally strong HS program, and yes, pedigree. Who else is there in the QB room aside from Guess (who will likely get moved) and Wrighster? Probably ends up with Cleeland as the #2 with Eason/Wrighster battling for #3?

The Cleeland-Eason competition will be interesting after next season. Expect them both to travel next year with Cleeland heading into spring ball as the #2. Looks like a very healthy situation in the QB room

For Sac to have 34 commits means there was or is a mass exodus and major roster overhaul in progress. The only other explanation would be that they are offering 100+ scholarships under the guise of their FBS jump. That could be it.

Looks like the Ags are doing what they do: recruit for development. Good looking group of signees, way to go coaches!