Maybe off topic from the transfer portal but if you’re thinking across Hutchison Dr from the stadium, next to all the greenhouses, you are probably seeing the Resnick Center for Agricultural Innovation under construction. Part of the $50m gift from the POM juice fortune for the building and a perpetual research fund. Current research includes using pomegranate peels to enhance honeybee disease resistance and using walnut shells to clean winery wastewater.

It is off topic, my apologies. I am glad I asked though. I had no idea the school received that.

I love our school. So cool.

I'm working on it, but I'll tell you the city of Davis is not very business friendly...

Looking at the portal for some help there are some good names:

DL Thaddeus Gianaris - Dartmouth
DL Ezekiel Larry - Yale
DL Alex DeGrieck - Harvard
DL Carter Janki - Penn
DL Ta'Kai Chisom - Maine
DL Jake Davis - Penn
LB Matai Tagoai - USC (CA Kid)

what do you guys think?

I hope we recruit WR Legend Lyons from the University of Minnesota. California kid and we had an offer on him out of high school.

If I was the GM, here are my areas of focus in looking at the dreaded Portal:

1. Left Tackle: 70 will be hard to replace, and like someone mentioned, it takes time to develop OL. We need a plug-and-play dude at that position while the young guys develop.

2. Edge: Few returns and is more of a strong side-type, run stopper who will develop as a pass rusher. We need someone who can cause headaches in the pass rush department.

3. Defensive Tackle: Can't have enough. One of the hardest positions to find in recruiting. The bigger the better.

4. Cornerback: See DT notes

5. Guard: not sure what we have coming-up in the program so this might not be a necessity. Not nearly as difficult to find this guy as it is Tackles.

6. Safety: not as much of a priority if Rex wins the lawsuit.

7. Tight End: Williams is better than either Simpson or Dixon so we'll have one. This shouldn't be a hard sell given how we use this position. Not sure if the two FR from last year's class will be ready for prime time.

8. Inside Linebacker: 15 proved he can play. If Porter's suit of the NCAA is successful, we're in pretty good shape. 44 was a back-up inside this season, didn't see enough of him to know what he is. Not sure on the young guys, signed two in last year's class.

I think 10-12 is the absolute maximum number of transfers we should entertain. Beyond that, you start to threaten the culture in my opinion.

I think we should look at raiding transfers from the west coast who get recruited by USC, UCLA, Cal, and Stanford but get jumped by new recruits. There are a ton of Cali kids who don't want to leave the state but are not good enough to play at those schools. We might find some gems that were never given a shot.

I think Simpson might have another year of eligibility at TE? Between missing most of 2024 to injury and time at JUCO, decent chance he's playing (somewhere) next year

Simpson will need the NCAA to extend the Pavia JC exemption to 2026. They only provided that blanket exemption for the 25 fb season.

from what I’ve heard I’m fairly certain with the returners and 3-4 freshmen coming in, they’re not looking at transfer d linemen

Psyk intending to use his final year?

That would be a tremendous luxury to not have to take transfers at DL. Psyk has another year possibly?

Getting Simpson back would be an added bonus but it sounds like that one is a stretch. Having to rely on the NCAA for anything is uncertain.

Sailorgabe mentioned focusing on the CA P4 players. I'd dial that in and focus mainly on UCLA and Cal; both UC schools so the kids need some sort of academic track record, and both had coaching changes. UCLA might become JMU Westwood so keep an eye down there.

If we had Psyk, Pinnick, and the Connors back... top 5 pre season ranking.

Another 300#+ DT would be nice.

Psyk is done, everyone other than him and Derell is back

Yes, another 300 pound interior DL would be nice. Hard to find those guys.

How about one of Sac States 300# linemen in the portal or DE / Edge rusher?

Tight End: Williams is better than either Simpson or Dixon so we'll have one

I thought Simpson really added a different facet to the tight end group. Averaged 4 more yards a catch than Williams in 2024 and was the fastest and best tight end for yards after catch. Brought a nasty attitude too. He will be missed.

Totally different skill sets. No replacement for Simpson on the roster. They absolutely need to find a big outside receiver and another TE in the portal.