Steer wrestler and ‘Magic’ are UC Davis football team’s freshman X-factors
Lan Larison fears no man in shoulder pads, nor any cattle with a nasty disposition.
Trent Tompkins competes with the sole focus of getting past guys who are trying to pulverize him, destination end zone.
The UC Davis football team is on the brink of advancing to the FCS Division I playoffs this shortened spring season, thanks in part to a pair of spectacular freshmen who can leave their chatty coach a bit speechless in describing their efforts.
For starters, Dan Hawkins doesn’t stress the measurables of height and weight when recruiting prospects. He’s looking for the “it” factor, if the player would be a good Aggie, if they’re good students and good guys, and this: if they make plays. He found a ton of all of that in these 6-foot playmakers.
Larison was a four-year starting quarterback in Idaho, scoring 112 touchdowns every which way imaginable. He also won a state championship steer-wrestling competition for kicks. That might be his best sport. Larison was recruited to UCD to run the ball, to get in open space and go.
On Saturday against Idaho State, Larison filled in for All-America running back Ulonzo Gilliam, out with a bad toe, and bolted for touchdown runs of 40 and 33 yards in earning ROOTS SPORTS Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors. Aggie players jump for joy when he makes a play, he has entrenched himself that quickly.
Larison looks every bit the role of UCD’s next dazzling runner, a speedster with instincts in avoiding collisions, which is a far cry from pouncing on a 600-pound beast that does not want to go down.
“You learn to take things head on in rodeo,” Larison said. “In football, you can use speed to avoid guys.”
Tompkins was a record-setting three-year standout prep quarterback in Fresno, called “Houdini” by more than one flummoxed coach who couldn’t figure out how to corral him. Tompkins’ gift is versatility, elusiveness and burst — and a willingness to play any position. That’s what allowed him to pass for 11,743 career yards at Central High School to go with 138 touchdowns. He got some of the gift of daredevil ability from his father, Tod, a world champion BMX racer.
Tompkins was unstoppable but he was lightly recruited because of his height, never mind the heart. Hawkins said he gladly made the nearly four-hour one-way trip to Fresno from Davis — and back — to see him live during the 2019 fall season.
“I loved the dude from the jump,” said Hawkins, the UCD coach. “I saw him and knew he was an Aggie and knew we had to get him. He’s an X-factor.”
A week after taking off for a highlight-reel 86-yard touchdown sprint against Cal Poly, cutting across the field and avoiding tacklers, Tompkins dashed Idaho State’s upset bid. He came off the bench and took a direct snap and raced up the middle for a 4-yard touchdown with eight seconds remaining for a 31-27 victory. That pushed the Aggies to 3-1 heading into Saturday’s home game against Eastern Washington in a regular-season finale meeting of ranked Big Sky Conference programs. UCD is No. 11 and Eastern Washington is No. 9.
“Those two do amazing things, and we’ve got to keep giving them the ball,” Hawkins said of his dynamic duo. “There’s a reason we call (Tompkins) Magic. Dude’s magical with the ball in his hands. He somehow gets it done. He’s been great. Hes a returner, a running back, a quarterback. Maybe we’re just not smart enough to get one guy to play five positions at once. We’ve got to figure it out.”
Following the Idaho State conquest, Tompkins spent more time crediting his offensive line and other quarterbacks than he did raving about his big-play ability. He even ribbed Larison, sitting next to him, for his shock of hair and blue eyes, suggesting that Larison is much more fierce in action than he is in relax mode.
Larison said Gilliam will return to his returning running back spot, perhaps as soon as Saturday, but reminds that he is ready for action, as he has been all spring. In four games, Larison is second to Gilliam with 252 yards rushing and leads the Aggies with four touchdowns.
That Larison is up for any task brings to mind how he made headlines in Idaho for rescuing his best friend in the summer of 2017. Wyatt Schmidt suffered cardiac arrest, likely from overexertion, during a pool party and went under the water, struggling to breath. Larison dove on, pulled Schmidt out and started CPR, buying enough time for paramedics to arrive. Schmidt’s heart stopped for nearly 10 minutes but he suffered no long-term effects.
Tompkins averages 13.8 yards per carry this spring, has reached the end zone three times and has attempted just one pass as he fills in on situational plays for starting quarterback Hunter Rodrigues, who has had a stellar spring.
There is no quarterback concern here. The Aggies are stacked and well stocked there. Everyone knows their role.
“I feed off this team and all the guys on it,” Tompkins said. “Wherever they want me to play, I’ll play. The quarterbacks are my closest friends. We all support each other. It’s really cool, and it’s unique at this level. I’m just glad to be here.”
This story was originally published April 2, 2021 at 5:00 AM.