+1. Missing our DE / edge rusher / veteran team leader was huge. Too much after losing the Connors.

Most of my alumni friends and work colleagues view Davis as D2 in football but all began to get interested the previous few months since they thought football was also moving to “real D1”s/mountain west conference but were disappointed when I told them that was for all sports except football. I feel like we will get a lot more attention and donors once we move up but agree that we gotta walk before we run. So I am hoping we break ground on phase 1 of stadium expansion asap and the. Add the additional seats in 2028 so that we move up by 2030.

My conspiracy theory is that Rocko reads this thread.

You would think an English major could actually spell :lol: *fixed, thank you haha

Thanks for the perspective. I've only been on the bandwagon for 25 years and that's from a distance. I honestly don't have a great understanding of what drives the Aggie alumni base since I ain't one. I've just looked at a lot of college football, seen a lot of programs drop the sport and others make a go of it way over their skies only to get stuck in football purgatory, hoping at best for that bid to the Toilet Bowl sponsored by Ajax. Personally, I like the concept of playoffs and to be a part of those every year at the D1 level took a lot of work by UCD. They've gone from hoping to get in to expecting to get in. Plenty of teams would kill for that. I support a move to the MWC if and when our facilities are ready and the program (players and coaches, support staff, operations budget) is funded at a level to be competitive in the MWC. We don't need to be Cal or Fresno St., but we need to be on par with UNLV, New Mexico, and even North Dakota State before it makes any sense to move-up to me.

Agreed. I would argue he is the best college football coach in the state. We won't be able to keep him long, but I really hope he can bring a title to the school before he goes...but coach is the real deal.

yeah I’m really curious what our admins response was when the conference told us NDSU wants to join and gave us the opportunity to apply. Did we do it? Is there a plan in place where we have a deal to move in 2028 or something? I feel the transition period is not really a point of contention, the FCS is great and all but losing members like NDSU doesn’t make it a stronger conference in competition, just an easier one to win a trophy from (in which no one outside of FCS niche fandom actually understands what it means). I would be a hell of a lot happier joining the MW with NDSU then staying in the Big Sky with new members SUU and Utah Tech.

Totally agree. If UC Davis is the top academic institution they say they are, navigating this move should be easy. The great minds should be able to strategize the move and be proactively moving forward like the institution you purport to be instead of living in a program that is clinging to the great victory at cal state Hayward or Stanford. Stop spending time letting sac state live rent free in your minds. Too much good at the university to let let would could go wrong dictate the decisions. Act like the institution you say you are.

To be fair, this is momentum killing for most Aggie fans who saw hope with the MWC deal and contract. We could always point to the fear of debt or the low donation level, but why would we give our money to a $3 billion endowment that can’t write its own checks if we aren’t excited? Sometimes you have to build it before they come.

It’s cute, like a girl that’s not interested in you but knows you have resources. Keeps asking for gifts, but never reciprocates. The attendance problems will not improve in FCS and without Sac St there’s not a game worth attending with my time or money. So, the 3,000 or so fans that attend games now (non-students) can continue to enjoy our purported big time academic institution playing “we are nexxxxxxxxxxt” forever, but the tens of thousands who might care about non-directional state opponents are nauseated.

Comparing the excitement of football to FBS with the attendance at MBB vs. UCSB is so funny too. As mentioned, there is zero marketing for our basketball program and UCSB is not a peer athletic institution. So stop. Now if we drop football it would be a peer institution.

No reason UC Davis is less ready after 23 years in D1 from the Athletic Department standpoint financially. Rocko trading stadium expansion photos on X is bad leadership, as is letting NDSU jump us.

The debt Cal is in that’s always referenced here has to do with a stadium renovation from earthquake retrofit for a Power 5 facility, not a simple upgrade/expansion to a home in the ground built, allegedly, for an expansion that’ll never occur and was just a ploy to excite donors for more money for something that’ll never occur.

So go on, make excuses as to why not, instead of “why not us?” We actually have the resources, the money in the bank, the alumni to fund it (if they don’t keep getting disappointed in the ICA stagnation), and the media market and population center to support it. While I think Sac St. in now way should do this, I have to credit their leadership with motivating their donors vs. decades of boring the crap out of them.

While things have been done facilities-wise for football, it has been the absolute bare minimum to field a competitive Big Sky program. For example, building the smallest stadium we could, and waiting 16 years to build Edwards / Biggs so the team could work out / practice at the stadium (and not be embarrassed to bring recruits around).

Mrak has allowed us to fall behind, yet again. Remember we've been D1 for 23 years now
If football were a top priority as it is at NDSU, UC Davis is such a giant we could have this thing ramped up for FBS in a year. Its not what Mrak has ever been interested in. We moved into D1 pretty much alongside all the Dakotas and they are beginning to pass us up. Football just isn't of the same importance economically / socially in CA compared to the Dakotas. And this University does not show the passion required to grow it.

Lucky for me, I personally enjoy the FCS and the Big Sky where I see us for the next 20 years. For better or worse.

I would rather dominate the FCS then move to the FBS right now. We are not ready to move to the FBS. Just my opinion.

Looks like an awesome crowd! Was about to buy tickets and drive up but the north bay to Davis at 5 pm sounded dreadful. Great game! Despite my frustrations with les (some founded, some me just being cranky) I loved that he jumped in with the student section after the game

Accuracy aside, if we can get the Colfax kid to bang it out of the end zone each kickoff, that'd be a nice improvement on the Kickoff team.

Just got home from the signing party. Great group. The room was packed. I enjoyed visiting with Paul Sheldon and Matt Coombs. Both are terrific guys. Tim didn’t talk about every recruit, but highlighted several. Overall, they are very excited about this class of Aggies. There was a lot of discussion about NIL money. One problem that Tim has discussed several times is that players often don’t have the money to pay their summertime rent. Apparently an apartment complex stepped up and is offering football players free rent in July and August if they rent the rest of the year. Lots of enthusiasm this afternoon.

Outstanding group! Kudos to the coaching staff, they put so much effort into recruiting and it is paying off with Top 5-10 classes every year. Davis guys...

PACIFICO's 5-CENT NEW AGGIE SIGNEE EVALUATIONS:

I think Gilbreath and Sylvester are the steals of the class...

Gilbreath will play early. 6' 185 as an freshman FCS corner is BIG. Faulkner is nice as well. And he hits, which you don't always say about Corners. The CB from San Bernardino is quality depth, will redshirt.

The Idaho Safety (John) fits a very specific need on the back end. Big cat that will fill it up and can deal with Big Sky TEs. And he's played in the Conference. He's a sleeper.

Kollock had crazy high school numbers. He's going to be in an absolute dogfight with Cleeland, maybe even Eason, we'll see. Shout out to SailorGabe. GREAT problem to have for Plough and Shelton. My early money is on Cleeland vs. PSU.

Looking at the film, both Sylvester and Herman are dudes. More dudes to go with some dudes already in the RB room. Dudes everywhere. The new Running Back coach will be happy.

Houseworth the Cal/Fortuna TE is a load! Classic, in-line run blocking TE that might surprise in the passing game but doesn't have to for another year.

JUCO LB Knudtson is a downhill guy, rangy, but only had 36 tackles in 11 games last season. Why? I obviously don't know the scheme he played in, and he has a good frame. Should be in the mix to play or back up depending on what the returners are like. The two young LBs will need to develop and are probably redshirts unless something happens. Not convinced the Johnson kid doesn't end up playing some Safety but we'll see. Nice athlete. The Portland kid will be a player eventually, he's all over the field.

I like the fact that we got into Hawaii with Honebein. Uses his hands well and has a motor. Redshirt. The kid out of Colorado is long and gets off like he's shot out of a cannon, but doesn't use his hands yet. Some vet will cave his chest in July and he'll figure it out at some point. Redshirt. Both of these cats are high caliber outside guys, we'll see them on the field in 2027 or 28.

As for the WRs, Parnell is 6'4" or something, will likely be a "tweener" WR or Hybrid Y. Not a burner but good ball skills at 6'4". Fay from Manteca is quick and has some giddyup.

Don't have time to go into the weeds on each of the OL signings but I trust Cody. None of them should see the field until their year 3/RS Sophomore season at best. That's the sign of a healthy program. Maybe I'll go back on them and evaluate the unit at some point as the dog days of a late spring ball start day drag on...

Sounds like an Aggie Square. I’m glad we started building before them, but I am also glad for the higher education investment.

We can call them "student-athletes" all we want but it's different from what it used to be. — cmt

I disagree when it comes to Davis and it's why I donate and am so passionate about our athletics programs. I love hearing all of the stories about kids who stopped playing after college, then went on to do something else that is equally remarkable. I truly believe in the "Aggie guy" mantra.

I'm just excited to watch Fisher hit holes like his hair's on fire

Pinnick as a first year starter, led an offense that was marginally more effective than the prior year where we had an all conference QB and an all american running back. I feel like rooting for Pinnick but I’ll have some mixed emotions. I hope he does well because if he doesn’t the narrative will be that this FCS star can’t play at FBS level. The whole FBS/FCS distinction is the most irritating yet omnipresent theme in college football.

?? Why? He isn't an Aggie. In 3 years from now, nobody will remember him. I'll put up money that CP's replacement will be a better football player once their careers are over and the a Davis degree is much more valuable than a WAZZU degree, especially if he want to live in California.

Here is the link to the football development fund that is controlled by the program:

https://give.ucdavis.edu/ICAI/SPTDFBE

That's where i donate.

here’s the signup link. Wednesday noon at Sudwerk’s, $25 for lunch. This is the time/place of normal monthly lunches.

https://ucdavisaggies.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetEventInfo?ticketCode=GS:UCD:DEV2526:LWBC0204:&linkID=twucd&dataAccId=779&locale=en_US&siteId=ev_twucd&fbclid=IwVERFWAPniDpleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeUmZLuSWDHEvJYh42zyO-8uKuFaQ5jUW6p20RJndolBSVt9Q3gsNjxut0Brs_aem_TcMfcDPnImqqro1tPBkD6A

JDur, yes the Weills did apparently take their beloved dog, Angel, to the veterinary oncology department at UC Davis to receive chemotherapy for squamous cell cancer. I wonder when that was because I have made the same trip from sonoma to davis many times for essentially the same treatment for our dog Rosie. For such a dismally sad trip for a very sick dog I actually came to look forward to it. Why? The incredibly great facilities and the fresh and optimistic attitude of the residents and vet students (All young women) who took care of Rosie. She survived.. not cured but had a good life, extended only due to the fantastic treatment she received from UC Davis Vet. So I say thank you to the Weill family for your unbelievable support for a great cause.

Also, another serious upgrade to the stadium would be ribbon video boards around the inside rim of the stadium. This is revenue producing as they can run advertisements during the game.

The attitude from the Davis community and alumni has not changed since I was a student over 20 years ago. People aren't donating to the program in a meaningful way. No passion.

Until that changes, we aren't going anywhere.

It can change, but Mrak / AD has implemented a "show me" attitude. They've put it on us, and things are stagnant.

I don't think it's a matter of "moving up" to play the big boys, but more a matter of "waiting for them to come down" as fiscal responsibility becomes more important. The programs with relatively low costs are in a much better position than the over-spenders right now. For all we know, Big Sky teams could be better on avg than MW teams in the future (they're not that far apart now even).

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.

No team will move to MW before Davis. It is in MW contract Davis has first consideration to move up to MW for football. Any other FCS team moving up to FBS/ MW will do so alongside Davis. ND State and Tarletan State and who are rumored to also move up with Davis.

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

At this rate, the MWC could look a lot different (in a bad way) by the time we're ready for FBS. The patient approach is the only prudent one at this juncture. Watching JMU in the CFP did make me jealous, though. Who's to say that couldn't be UCD soon