I agree with Finn, a specifically targeted campaign (ie 1000 for $1000) is far more effective than anything that, 1. Sounds like an Athletics General Fund initiative and 2. Might include the risk of one penny going to another sport. This is just how football guys think. Not sure 1000 for $1000 is even feasible with Title IX concerns, but it would be far more effective.

UC Davis hosting Montana, Montana State, Cal Poly, or an FCS Playoff game
>
UC Davis hosting Northern Illinois, UTEP, or San Jose State, et al

The views expressed here are strictly my own.

I will again advocate for CRUSHERS. Nobody knows or cares that Vintage HS has the nickname, we can do it bigger and better.

I hear you. I guess for me, the proponent of staying in FCS/Big Sky football for at least another four years, is that we're not going to compete on this level for certain players and we have to accept the fact that a few are going to leave. The secret sauce is in recruiting/developing/retaining at a high enough level to compete for conference/national titles on an annual basis. "Davis guy" will still mean something to Davis guys.

Great discussion, all valid points and questions

I know how I feel. Good for him given the current state of college football. However, he is no longer a "Davis guy" to me, so no more highlights (I know, I posted a link) or commercials. Persona non grata. It would be different if he was a grad transfer, but he's a Coug now with three seasons of eligibility remaining that won't be spent as an Aggie. Not personal, but he made the choice to leave and I wish him the best. But I don't give a rat's ass if he throws a football through the tire swing. Nor will I bemoan his departure or use him to compare future UC Davis QBs. Moving on.

This makes A LOT of sense. However, and there is always a however, I can give you 80-100 million reasons why USC/UCLA will NOT be leaving the Big 10 anytime soon. Stanford and Cal have 40 million reasons in football alone to not budge, not to mention around 40 million reasons to stay for basketball. Its a brilliant idea and makes all the sense in the world. Just not sure it will be possible with the current balance of power in college football. California doesn't care enough.

I like the natural vibe. Perhaps some grape vines in keeping with the Ag theme?

Classic! I've had fun with people over the years telling them that my team was playing B-Y-E that week. Typical response: "the Mormon school?"

I would argue that building the base (revenue, operations, scholarships, staffing, NIL, etc.) and not "moving up" at this juncture outweighs the allure of being an FBS program in the MWC. TV money? Try $3.5-4m per MWC member school for 2026. Is that worth scuttling all that has been built to stabilize the jump to FCS and now to contend for the FCS national championship? Just so fans can watch UNLV, SJSU, USAFA, Hawaii, and UNM roll into Davis every other year, or turn on their TVs to watch the Northern Illinois, UTEP, or Wyoming games, for example? "Bigger" isn't always better. Davis is already on par with the bottom third of the MWC on the football field. In fact, the Aggies are capable of beating most MWC programs in a one time game. However, it's different having to do it week after week after week. If they move up and move into the top third, the program is aspiring for the LA Bowl hosted by Grok, the Snoop Dawg Arizona Bowl, and the Hawaii or New Mexico Bowls, respectively. Why?

Finish what's been started. Let's build it up and advance past the Quarters. Support what's going on now. Move up when the program is FULLY ready, if ever.

Eight teams have made the jump from FCS to FBS recently, and most of them we probably can't name without an AI search. I'll give it a shot: JMU, Old Dominion, App State, Coastal, maybe UMass since I read the article about Rocco, and oh yeah, SAC STATE. One of those teams has received a joke of a playoff invite (JMU) which never should have happened. The rest are either in decline or playing in crappy bowl games winning 6 games every year.

You are correct. There are plenty of people in Southern California that don't know what the "UC" stands for in UCLA :rofl:

Thanks for the perspective. My vote is to stay put and build this thing. Also predicting a national title in Davis by 2029...

North Dakota State-to-FBS talk has heated up even more in the past couple days. Let 'em go.

Good read, thanks for sharing. I didn't know his bio. Time at UMass is likely a great cautionary tale in his approach to moving football forward to the MWC. Lesson: DON'T DO IT UNTIL YOU'RE READY! We're not ready (yet). I'm also a proponent for investing in the people over buildings, including players, coaches, support staff. Oregon has had incredible facilities and a gazillion uniform combinations, but no national championships. Same at Texas (they've won a title in the last 50 years), Texas A&M, and a hundred other places. Indiana and Miami both invest in players/coaches, dwell in very pedestrian football buildings and facilities, and play for a title.

Very easy to apply coverings to concrete block construction. Vinyl is easy and less expensive, but you can also attach other forms of signage, pads, etc. Good call. I feel like everyone knows that "Davis" is in the UC system, similar to how we all know that "Cal" is a part of that same system as well.

I'm torn on the midfield logo. That thing might run from 25 yard line to the other 25!

Sounds like Ejiro's second interview is last week's news, but I haven't been following it. He was a hot name last year or the year before, had a bunch of interviews but got extended in Carolina. Has yet to be offered one of the openings. Met with the Raiders 6-7 days ago for the second time and still crickets.

Let's go Ejiro! He's been close in the last two hiring cycles, only a matter of time.

Need at least two RBs and you don't turn down Oregon unless they either didn't offer or you are going somewhere else to play. Probably the latter. Expect him to be Vargas from early last season.

I wonder if the portal transfer was the Fortuna kid who started out at Cal? He's a load! I really like our TE group and should be solid for the near future.

Welcome young blood. This is a very entertaining off-season topic. Thoughts from a self-proclaimed uniform aficionado:
1. Don't F with the golds. Grey facemasks, classic font, Notre Dame-esque sparkling helmets. Ooozes Aggie pride. Same with the jersey/pant combo for the "traditional" look (white numbers, gold pants). No names on the back.
2. I really like the white helmet with the gold facemasks. I am not a fan of white facemasks except on white helmets (University of Texas, Miami Hurricanes and Dolphins) so I vote thumbs down on putting them on the gold or blue helmets. Same with gold numerals, can't stand that on white jerseys especially and I would bet the coaching staff would agree with me from a film watching perspective.
3. The Cincinnati/Chicago "C" with the small A is an official school logo so that won't change. However, maybe as an alternate jersey you have an annual throwback uniform look to commemorate a team from the past. Wear them at homecoming or something. We have the helmets to do it, it's simply a matter of replacing stickers probably. The old Champion Aggies logos (big block C-A) could be cool to build off of.
4. I'm a traditionalist, so I embrace "Aggies". Texas A&M is the only other notable Aggie in college football. No one thinks Utah State, New Mexico State, or anyone other than A&M. In fact, I have found in my experience typically say, "oh, that's cool" when mentioning Aggies.
5. Incorporating some gold onto the navy jerseys is a good call. A couple of those mocks look pretty good with that.
6. Grey uniforms have mostly died in college football fashion, have they not? Aside from Army/Navy/Air Force, has anyone worn those lately? Would be a nice tribute to the 2018 team in 2028...
7. What's the fate of Tahoe Blue? One timer? We can have some fun with some ag-related uniforms, but I like the thought of recognizing an academic program with one of the alternates. Some sort of Gunrock jersey commemorating the Cavalry Remount Service and military horse breeding program that gave us the mascot. Could design based on 1920s/1930s cavalry uniforms or something. Lots of options but I think a single game, way outside the box concept coupled with a potential throwback and our myriad of other combos is pretty cool.

Great thread topic, keep it rolling!

Go look at Khutsishvili's highlights, he makes all sorts of plays. Full year in the weight room and getting faster and he is going to be a unique weapon, although I think he will be limited to the TE roles (on ball, off ball, motion guy) primarily.

Guess is going to have to move to ever see the field, that has become obvious with the other investments at the QB position. I see his initial contributions in the return game, the kid is dynamic. Then he will likely translate as a slot from there. He reminds me a little of #8 and #7 in our current offense, maybe straight line faster even but I don't know.

Sounds like the LB question is answered if they got their top guy from '24 class. There should be some solid depth there between him and Seivers, then the guys who backed up last year. I never felt like the LBs were dominant last year, and there were more than a couple games where they felt invisible to me. Probably schematics or me not paying attention.

What's Totten's prognosis, will he be back by August?