Sac is grossly underestimated, but can you imagine how their fans and financial backers will react if they do finish fifth in the conference?

Aside from the reporter repeating the error that the Ags play Washington State this year, this is a worthwhile article. Doesn’t mention names aside from David Porotesano (6-foot-3, 280-pounds), Henry Fanua (6’6, 340) and Davis local AJ Hasson (6’3 and 290).

“We have to be physical on both sides of the ball,” Plough said. “I think we are way more physical up front than a year ago.”

https://www.davisenterprise.com/sports/aggies-add-depth-on-both-lines/article_59149052-9c20-4dbc-8bd9-26e2dcef75b2.html

I guess corner is where he played at JC.
But 16 tackles. 12 solo and 3 pass breakups is significant playing for a sophomore transfer, and the pass breakups indicate he played pretty significantly on defense or had a hell of a few plays.

On the roster we have a transfer DB from Liberty University, Marquis Bell. Who played in 12 games at Liberty after one season in JC, where he was rated as a three star JC transfer by 247.com
Pretty good get thats flown under the radar. FBS experienced corner.

You might ask if he feels the overall quality of FCS has declined. I don’t think this years Davis team would have been ranked #7 in last years FCS preview, but almost every team lost more than they gained in transfers, except for Sac (and to a lesser extent Davis).
The need to rebuild goes for almost everyone. Example Idaho, new head coach, new coordinators, lost 20 transfers to FBS, and yet they are top 10 in some polls.

The University of California Davis, accept no substitutes.

He has good balance and is tough for HS to tackle. Caught quite a few passes. Must lack something, probably speed.
We have another San Diego area running back on the roster, freshman Aden Jackson

A new running back on the roster, Mason Walsh had a stellar high school career. 5’9” 190lb, was 2024 graduate who spent a year with the Air Force Academy.. He didn’t get a 247 rating, despite being a high profile player in the San Diego area.

That is Jayden Stanley. You would think they’d identify the players being interviewed.

Sac is playoff eligible still because their waiver to start their transition to FBS.without a conference invite was denied.

Hopefully Plough plays more guys in general than he did last year. I believe we had three O linemen who had over 1,000 snaps. I hope we go back to playing a lot of men and winning the fourth quarter.

That is right, not thanksgiving weekend

Have to like the depth of the offensive line. I think some of our returning starters are going to be challenged for their role by both returning young guys and transfers. Larison said the line wasn’t as dominant in 2024 as in 2023, so there is room for improvement.

Thanks
According to that article week zero is dead, no more exceptions, week one is fixed at 13 weeks before the Saturday before Thanksgiving. So next season week 1 is where week 0 would have been. But if the rule was in effect this year, week 1 would be unchanged, Start of seasom no longer related to Labor Day.

I see 6’6” 340lb lineman JC transfejr Henry Fanua is on the roster, he was missing before, even after named on signing day announcement, so he is on scholarship.

You may be right about people getting excited if they win their first two games, but South Dakota State is an unknown quantity since their coaching staff and 20+ players left for the FBS. And Nevada has also been plundered after being a cellar dweller last year. Hard to say they proved they’re ready to join a conference by beating a team that was winless in that conference.
I do expect Sac to win games, but so what? They were 12-1 in 2022. Their record is not why they didn’t get a conference invite.

Are they moving week 1 or just eliminating the bye week unless there are 13 weekends between Labor Day weekend and Thanksgiving weekend, inclusive?

I haven’t seen a convincing argument made that justifies Sac being projected to finish in the middle of the pack like both the Big Sky coaches and media polls. Sac clearly brought in more talent than they lost to transfers, and few teams in the Big Sky did. Picking them behind teams that got decimated by transfers and also have largely new coaching staffs like Idaho is inexplicable. Given that their league schedule is favorable, playing Montana and Idaho at home and not playing Montana State they are definitely a contender.

Athletes do not need to be top of class to attend UC Davis. They need to be about in the top half, not counting exceptions. That makes Davis unusual.

There are at least 100 schools with football programs that will admit any athlete with a mental pulse, Sac State has not discovered an ignored market,.

Yes, no news that I noticed,
Plough is going to try to be the same coach he was last year, just improve processes. He thinks the key to having players not leave is to offer them an environment that helps them achieve their goals and makes them want to stay.