Cal Football Countdown: 94 Days Left, A Look at UC Davis

The Justin Wilcox ‘when I left you I was but the learner, now I am the master,’ revenge tour continues against his first boss. Dan Hawkins, he of ‘go play intramurals’ fame, made his way back to the coaching ranks at UC Davis, getting them back to the FCS playoffs in year two of his tenure, and winning the Big Sky for the first time.

Now, Hawkins is in year three, coming back to California Memorial Stadium for the first time since he came with Colorado in 2010.

2018 Record: 10-3

Common Opponents: Idaho State (Cal won 45-23, UC Davis won 44-37)

Davis lost three games, all to ranked teams in 2018. They couldn’t replicate 2005 in a 30-10 loss to Stanford, and lost twice to Eastern Washington, including a playoff quarterfinal loss, where the Eagles scored in the final minute. Davis did beat an FBS team in San Jose State (who went 1-11 in 2018), as well as beating Montana for the first time in program history.

Key losses: WR Keelan Doss and LB Mason Moe

Among the top receivers at the FCS level, Doss reeled in 118 receptions for 1334 yards and 9 touchdowns. He was coached in 2017 by current Cal WR coach Burl Toler. He leaves a massive hole among Davis’s wide receiver group. He signed as a free agent with the Oakland Raiders.

Moe led the Aggies in tackles, tackles for loss, sacks, and interceptions in 2018, with 83, 20.5, 10.5, and 3 respectively. He was a finalist for the FCS defensive player of the year award (the Buck Buchanan award).

Key Returners

QB Jake Maier

364-557, 65.4% completions,3,931 yards and 34 touchdowns to 10 interceptions

Maier impressed in his second full year as the starter for the Aggies. He was the sole Big Sky QB to average 300 yards per game, as the Long Beach CC transfer earned 1st-team all Big Sky honors and Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year honors. He’s not a runner (had 37 carries for -17 yards in 2018), but he can make throws all over the field.

RB Ulonzo Gilliam

Gilliam busted out for a near 1000 yard season, with 976 yards on 186 carries (5.2 YPC) and 13 scores, along with four receiving touchdowns. He’s a smaller back who the Aggies will throw to on swings out of the backfield and was a finalist for the Jerry Rice award (top FCS freshman)

WR Jared Harrell

The likely successor to Doss, who hauled in a respectable 62 receptions for 896 yards and 5 scores in 2018, Harrell’s a big bodied receiver who the Aggies will ask a lot from, whether that’s in the screen game or over the top of the defense.

TE Wes Preece

Preece had 29 receptions in 2018, 9 of which went for scores, including 3 receptions for 75 yards and a score against San Jose State. He’s a big framed TE at 6’5” and 238 who moves well in space.

ILB Montrell Bland

Bland jumped out on the tape of the Aggies against Eastern Washington, as he was second on the team in tackles in 2018, having a strong redshirt freshman campaign with 78 tackles, 7.5 for loss, and 2.5 sacks. He’s undersized, but quick and a solid hitter.

DB Devon King

Another freshman standout for the Aggies, who had 49 tackles, 2 interceptions, and three forced fumbles in an impressive debut season.

Other Notes

Davis runs a lot of similar things to what Cal runs offensively and defensively. It’s a multiple offense, and a base 3-4 defense that uses a lot of 2-4-5 nickel. One wrinkle though is RB coach Mark Speckman, who created the ‘jet sweep.’ Justin Wilcox brought him up when asked about jet sweep post National Signing Day in February.

“He used to be the coach at Willamette University in Salem,” Wilcox said, “Oregon for years, anyway, he’s a fantastic guy, he has no hands. JC coach, Willamette University, he was the fly guy, and now he coaches at UC Davis. You should, if you really want to learn about it, go see Speck, he does motivational speaking, he comes to camp sometimes.”

There’s lots of fly motion in Davis’s offense because of him, and it’ll be one of the hallmarks for Cal to look out for on August 31st