DrMike Any explanation why so offensive heavy when our D is struggling?

Hawk brought it up briefly. He used the E Wa game as his example. Essentially we need to put up points on the board and run an exciting brand of football to fill the stands. He said if we lost to E Wa 12-10, people would have said it was a disaster, but loosing to them 35-30 made people stop and take notice.

I asked him if any of the new recruits would be impact players next year. He danced around the question a bit, but basically said he wont know until next season. I think he likes to keep his cards tight.

Spring ball starts this month!

I wasn't there, but that was my thinking. Under Hawkins (and the general trend in the Big Sky) offense is the bread and butter so we always have to be reloading. Hopefully defense improves with experience. As stated by myself and many other posters if we can the defense to playing at an average level for the FCS with the same offense, we could be turning some heads.

OL was the 'bell cow' of the class, which, I believe, is a reflection on our long-term desire to be able to run the ball. Dan mentioned that to get the one or two guys you REALLY hope for, you have to offer several. I think we got one or two that were stretch 'hopes' (guys with Pac12 offers or multiple FBS offers), and hence a class with 5 OL.

Defense should also improve with our ability to keep them off the field to rest and adjust. A solid run game is imperative to that.

Last week was much different than a year ago. Last year, each coach got up and gave a capsule description of their recruits. Didn't do that at all. I'm guessing much of that is due to the early signing -> people have had 2 months to get familiar with 1/2 the class. I heard the expression 'turning the corner in the recruiting process' several times last night in conversations. in other words, we're getting legit Pac12 kids. we're getting legit FBS kids. kids are walking on here, instead of taking money elsewhere. should be fun to watch.

We also have 2 big voices for offense (Hawk and Speckman) and 1 for D. Hawk's call, I guessed wrong - that we would go after 1-2 JC studs to shore up the Defense for Maier & Doss. We're already exciting, and I'm anticipating an even faster pace. But if we're 2-4, putting up 40 points won't bring em in. Buckle up. Go Ags!

As an aside, both May and Hexter were present last night and fully engaged in the event. Hexter did bail out early -> so he could get to the women’s b-ball game! During the cocktail hour, he was giving me a detailed rundown on the game. Both of those guys get it, when it comes to the value of athletics in the campus experience

That's great to hear, Mike.

This season's schedule is more difficult than last season's... first 4 games are San Jose State, San Diego, Stanford, and Idaho. We will likely start the season 1-3 although USD could upset us and I think we will be competitive with SJSU and Idaho. I am excited to see what we can do this season against Big Sky competition.

I'll put on my rose colored glasses and say possibly 3-1 and at least 2-2...Ag Ascension!

It's definitely possible. We've beaten SJSU before with a weaker roster IMHO. Idaho will be an interesting game. They were bad last season, but still handled Sac St. fairly easily.

I think we just might surprise some people this year. We could be explosive on offense and if we can shore up the defense a little we just might be a sleeper in the Big Sky.

Idaho was talked about in a Q/A answer to a schedule question . Hawk feels they will be basically FBS in terms of scholarship numbers. How do you go from 85 full to 63 shared among 85? Unless some guys bailed for other schools. But I think that’s a winnable game especially at home

FTR, I don't expect a HC to tell us his / her strategy. ... an alternate analysis could be we lost 41-38 to EWU and 52-47 to Sac. Really tough to put up 47 and lose. ... Getting a few more stops also gives our O the ball more. A few stops and we'd be 7-4.

Our offense could set records with our current group. I hope we had some studs on the scout team.

Modesto Bee: Nine schools coveted Oakdale's Nico Sarale. Who got him to sign on the dotted line?

http://www.modbee.com/sports/high-school/prep-football/article198956909.html

Remember we are adding two premium defensive line recruits to the five who were either freshmen or redshirts last year. Haven’t seen these guys much yet there are some quality recruits among the redshirts and last years freshmen. Few players make large contributions as freshmen, but come into their own as sophomores and juniors. Similar in regards to the rest of the defense. We won’t be the same team on D next year as this last.

Very happy about the future of the OL.

My brothers, we're slacking. We missed a big one!

Lucas Gramlick from American Canyon, 6'8", 300#s, LT, outstanding lineman award. Also competed in wrestling and baseball.

https://mobile.twitter.com/Simply_LucasG

Reaction from Ari Sallus:
Ari Sallus@arisallus66

"OLine getting scary"

Big boys

Project, sleeper?

He looks like a great fit for us.

From the Napa Valley Register:

Lucas Gramlick

A team captain and left tackle, Gramlick was named to the Sacramento Valley Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame’s 2017 All-Sac-Joaquin Section team, receiving honorable mention on the offensive line. Gramlick was named as the Lineman of the Year on the All-Solano County Athletic Conference team and made the All-SCAC First Team. He also played defensive end.

“Lucas is one of the hardest working student athletes that I have worked with in all my years of coaching football,” American Canyon head coach Larry Singer wrote in a recommendation letter. “He leads by example. Lucas is relentless as a player. He wants to be on the move at all times. He has worked hard since last season on his strength and quickness.”

Gramlick displays leadership qualities and a work ethic that Singer greatly admires.

“As fine a football player (as) Lucas is, he is even a finer young man,” Singer wrote. “He displays a great attitude in the classroom. The same work ethic that has made him such a good football player has made him a strong student.”

Gramlick is also on the Wolves’ wrestling and baseball teams, and carries a 3.307 (unweighted) GPA while taking Advanced Placement classes.

“He is a wonderful young man who shows great leadership as well as amazing athletic skills and abilities,” Melissa Shimer, American Canyon’s Athletic Director, wrote in a recommendation letter.

“Lucas always gives a 100-percent effort in everything he does and works well with others around him. Lucas is a strong and successful athlete in any sport that he participates in because of his hard work and dedication. His motivation and commitment are what have made him so successful both in academics and athletics.”

http://napavalleyregister.com/sports/high-school/vintage-s-robert-american-canyon-s-gramlick-rewarded-for-work/article_be331b73-25ec-5c22-8f6f-3fdad0b02ca8.html

Got it, but rarely do DL or LB make a big impact as Freshmen. We potentially lose 4 of our top 5 leaders in tackles - Bua, Culberson, White and Olave. ... Olave is still on the roster, so maybe he received a RS year.

DT Cloud transferred in and had 5 sacks and 42 tackles. Immediate. We had 5-6 Freshmen that did provide D depth, but we have a way to go ... we've got 18 DBs and 15 WRs listed, plus PWO... we know the WR spot is solid. Doesn't the Def Line take a pounding?

Do you think Gramlick could consider playing at Dobbins in the springtime too? Or do coaches ike Hawkins and Vaughn have deals with each other prohibiting their scholie guys from playing other sports even if it doesn't interfere with main sport/academics?

Hawkins has tweeted about how high school athletes should play multiple sports, maybe he would be ok with baseball?

I'd like that! I remember Marshawn Lynch or Deshawn Jackson at Cal playing on their baseball team and it was pretty cool.

1st base? Big target.

Catcher? He's be bigger than the backstop.

Okay guys, I think I had it mixed up. Deshawn Jackson WAS going to play for their baseball team, thats what I remember but he decided to only play football after his first FB season there. Marshawn didn't play Baseball but did compete on the track team as well.

Davis used to participate in the PAC-12 in wrestling until we dropped the sport.
We had several football players who wrestled.
When we first played North Dakota State we dominated their offfenaive line and their coach said that Davis and Cal Poly’s defensive line were like wrestlers and they couldnt get them off their feet.
Leads to the question: is there much overlap in skills between wrestling and defensive line?

At Cal Poly several football players have competed in track and a few have played baseball. Freshman running back Brock Mortensen will also play baseball at Cal Poly.

What years?

Davis dropped wrestling in 2010.
Up until then we had occasional football players in wrestling team.
Davis was prominent wrestling team with a national reputation.