Ironically, we could easily have 2 more wins, and 3 isn't out of the question with our current squad. We're competing. Our defense looks great.

The problems with substitutions and TO management should be solved by our 'elite' status! The predictable play calls have little to do with the players.

We still have admission by exception (ABE).

I foresee more above average mediocrity unless we get a new QB and / or playmaker.

In frustration I've been digging around Juco players, and dual threat QB Dorian Hale popped up at CCSF. A De La Salle guy, he was originally a Sac State commit. He looks mobile and CCSF is back on top. A Sophomore, he recently ran for 116 yards vs Laney College. He's moved around a bit ... so did Jake Maier.

I also thought the broadcast team was terrible, real homers.

Almost as frustrating to see Cal blow a 14 point lead to USC in the 4th quarter, then lose on a failed 2 point conversion 50-49.

I'll have to disagree. When we played we'll, they were enthusiastic and complimentary. I thought it was interesting that one said the WRs were running the wrong angles - making completing passes tough on the QB.

&aggiet60. Nothing you said has anything to do with Hawk burning his TO with 7 mins left and trying an on side kick to give them a short field. They don’t sub at corner even after the starters got toasted by a non throwing back up. And then relying on Hastings who has multiple turnovers per game. He also blew a chance to have it a 1 score game and was 1-4 on 4th down conversions. That’s bad at D2 D3 or anywhere else. This team should have beat NAU. Period.

The outlook for the rest of the season is bleak, IMO. We've have Portland State, Idaho State and Sac State ahead and, quite frankly, we will not be favored in any of these games unless there's a miraculous turn around for the Ags.

I've been watching Idaho State @ Sac and Sac is up 24-16 at the half but I wouldn't count ISU out quite yet. Both of those teams have more overall, athletic depth than we do and are more explosive than we are. It's remarkable what Cody is doing at ISU which is a team that won only one game last year. Portland State put 47 points on EWU today and had twice the yardage.

Beating any of these 3 teams would be an upset and we could easily lose all 3 and go 4-7 for the season. I'll still be rooting for the Ags in each game but we're not playing at the level of these teams. I hope I'm wrong.

Second half points
NAU 21
UCD 8

First downs
NAU 11
UCD 27

Yds Offense
NAU 289
UCD 476

Average Punt
NAU 48.5
UCD 39

TOP
NAU 23.42
UCD 36.18

3rd Down Conversion
NAU 1 of 9
UCD 2 of 13

FG
NAU 1 - 1
UCD 2 - 4

Random:

- Chukwudobe had 1 carry for 10 yards
- Tattersall had 9 tackles or assists before his early exit
- In the last 5 games, we've averaged 5.6 points in the 2nd half

Tompkins and Chaz Davis had big nights.

UC Davis Athletics: "Trent Tompkins had his best pass-catching contest in an Aggie unform, hauling in eight passes for 148 yards and a score. He also posted 231 all-purpose yards, adding 32 rushing, 37 on kickoff returns and 14 on punts.

"Chaz Davis was also a threat on the outside for the Aggies as he caught eight passes for a career-high 121 yards."

Sac turned a close game at the half into a blowout and beats Idaho State 51-16 while racking up 587 yards. I don't even want to think about the Causeway game....

If I was playing defense for Davis tonight I'd be a bit angry.

No kidding!

Well, after that game, there’s a good chance we go 4-7. SLAC had their second string QB in for the second half and he threw for around 250 yards. And he’s got a nice long ball.
We have a young coaching staff and few game changers. With a QB who just wont (or can’t) scramble, we become very predictable. Hastings net season rushing is -32 yards. Should we give Harper a shot? He can scramble.

Or David Razor. He could play in each game and still redshirt,

The defense gave up two drives for touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
They have underperformed their talent all season.

Our offense is averaging 5 points in the second half against FCS opponents 5 weeks straight.

Aggie Pride. Portland State next up.

yes the offense has regressed by a couple of touchdowns a game with essentially the same talent they had last year, except for the injuries at running back for a few games.
But the defense hasn’t been stellar either.

Yeah, they did, after the offense turned it over 4 times. Two for touchdowns the other way. I mean, just tie an anchor around their neck and say go play defense guys, step it up.

agreed. You make the defense work harder when they you don’t score. Definitely most of this year’s malaise is with the offense.

I said it earlier in this thread but I'll say it again, the most concerning thing to me is that we haven't improved as the season has progressed. If anything, we've regressed some.

Hawkins has to be thinking of someone else at QB at this point. After all the offense starts with the QB and he has been way off the last few games. I think maybe he has lost his confidence or our opponents have figured him out. Looks like he is stepping in wet cement in the backfield on passing plays. IMHO the new OC has bear some responsibility for the bad offensive performance of late.

Both offense and defense are have been middling.
The scoring in conference games is down two touchdowns from where they were last year. With same QB, virtually the same receivers, very capable running backs to replace Gilliam, and a tight end to replace Castles, and a veteran offensive line. The biggest change is the assistant coaches.
Conference opponents are scoring about four points more a game than they did last year.
I expected more from the defense because we seem to have more talent there. They are perhaps the fourth or fifth best defense in the conference statistically. The offense maybe 7th or 8th.

“ ↪agalum Or David Razor. He could play in each game and still redshirt,”

I had to look David Rasor up. He was mentioned in the QB preseason . Looks promising.
https://youtu.be/BREooiGcrk8

Need something soon or forget the season. Hate to get down on the Hawk because I love him, but I cringed when he said this was the best Aggies team he has coached when that was totally unknown. And the thing opposing teams will tack on the board. Sad week for the Hawkins family but they are true veterans on this very difficult line of work. Love them to death……

Hawkins said last years team was the best, I don’t think he said that again this year, but I might have missed it.
Can’t forget the season as there are some goals still achievable.
Making the playoffs is only possible if they sweep the remaining games and that looks unlikely.
Other goals:
Winning season. If they win two of the three.
Have one quality win on the year. If they beat Sac. I think Weber is so bad this year that that win doesn’t count. Upsets used to be what Davis was known for but they have been very few in the last few years.

Riveraggie-Nice post
Hopefully the men make the most out of their remaining games to achieve as many goals as possible. NCAA careers fly by and hopefully the upperclassmen make some great plays and great wins on the last part of the season.
Davis has historically been known for upsets and I agree this team really hasn't had a quality upset.
I think it was easier when the regular schedule wasn't as daunting to pull off and upset. I do believe Hawk is right about. having to bring you A game every Saturday in the Big Sky.

A bigger concern for me is the future. It's not all on the QB, but are we doomed to mediocrity for two years if we stick with our current QB. And Hawkins doesn't split time, so how does a backup get experience?

I don’t think they are that committed to Hastings. Next year looks to be a rebuilding year.

“ A bigger concern for me is the future. It's not all on the QB, but are we doomed to mediocrity for two years if we stick with our current QB. And Hawkins doesn't split time, so how does a backup get experience?”

On the thought on QBs moving forward, Hawkins usually says something about QB play at the news conference, which might be today. But his usual comment is to blame himself, protection for the QB, or innovative play calling. I’m interested to hear what he has to say about Saturday’s total clusterxxxx.

Well, coach was his philosophical self in pirate attire.

Coach mentioned fatigue several times re Larison and Tompkins, which goes back to the observation of why we aren't playing more RBs. Our next available RB had only one carry for ten yards, and I saw him blocking on another play.