‘Told our guys we’d win’: Eighth-ranked UC Davis hopes to keep its red-hot start rolling
Dan Hawkins has coached a long time, since 1993 leading a program, but he pulled a first last Friday in Utah.
The fifth-year UC Davis football boss told his team they would defeat Weber State. Flat out said it. The team soaked it in. This was no bluster move. It was gut and instinct.
UCD delivered a stirring 17-14 win over the host Wildcats in a battle of Big Sky Conference heavyweights. That moved UCD to 4-0 for the first time since 2004 and halted a five-game skid to Weber State, which handed the Aggies a painful 18-13 setback in the spring season.
UCD finally cleared that Weber State hurdle, departing Ogden with a sense that there could be a rematch in the playoffs. Weber State entered the season expecting to win at least a share of its fifth consecutive Big Sky championship and can still do so but will need help.
Heading into Saturday’s 7 p.m. home contest against Idaho, UCD is now ranked No. 8 in the FCS, its highest showing at the Division I level since reaching No. 5 in 2018, the season UCD won a share of its first Big Sky crown.
“I don’t have enough command of the English language to express my pride,” Hawkins said Tuesday of his surging Aggies, “but I told our guys we’d win. I’ve never done that before as a coach. I didn’t do it for bragging or for confidence.”
The coach added, “I’ve seen our guys and what they’ve gone through and they work they’ve put in. You have to go through experiences in life, and sometimes get punched in the face. I’ve seen this group really mature. I had such a great feeling about our club and how smooth it, how flawless it is, how seamless it is.”
It’s been so smooth, flawless and seamless that UCD used three quarterbacks against Weber State and never broke stride, and it used four tight ends in a remarkable show of team depth. Hunter Rodrigues had his sizzling start to the season dulled when he was rocked on a play. He suffered a concussion and was on the sideline receiving medical care as backups Miles Hastings and Trent Tompkins led the late rally, capped by Tompkins racing in untouched off a direct snap in the closing seconds.
Tompkins goes by “Magic” by his coaches for his ability to do a little bit of everything. The redshirt freshman has scored on kickoff and punt returns, he’s reached the end zone as a quarterback on fourth down, or on two-point conversions. He can also catch the ball the ball and play in the secondary in a pinch.
“Can’t say enough about Magic,” Hawkins said. “He’s an electric player. We’re not quite sure where to play him. He can do it all, and he’s a giving soul.”
He’s also a terrific teammate, about the best compliment one can give in team sports. When Rodrigues left the Weber State game, Tompkins was ready to replace him, or to step in for any role. Hastings was composed in his role, encouraged by Tompkins and a wobbly Rodrigues. It’s this sort of brotherhood that has bonded the Aggies.
“Me, Hunter and Miles are all great friends, and when Miles went in, I knew we’d be fine and you could tell the confidence was there on the sideline.,” Tompkins said. “When my number is called, I go in and play ball. We all back each other. We all want the same goal.”
Hawkins said Rodrigues is fine but wouldn’t go as far to say if he will start against Idaho. The coach does know the days of a player or coach downplaying a head injury are in the distant past. Players now are conditioned to raise a red flag if they’re seeing stars, or a teammate needs to raise one if he’s concerned for a brother.
“We’ve flipped the switch on that culture,” Hawkins said. “You can play with a banged up shoulder, a banged up hip. Those are part of football. But we’re not messing around with the head. That’s a different animal. Back in the day, we made fun of it: ‘Stay away from the trainer!’ We don’t do that now.”
Hawkins said he believes in everyone offering up something. Tompkins was a quarterback marvel at Central High School in Fresno and he’s found a role of versatility at UCD.
“Do something well consistently and we’ll find a place and role for you,” he said. “We work hard on that. I don’t like the term ‘starter.’ To me, it’s being a contributor.”
Hawkins found out the hard way that team first is the motto here from his UCD coaching mentors Jim Sochor and Bob Foster.
“When I came to UCD as a JC guy (from the College of the Siskiyous in 1981), all I wanted to do was play. I was concerned about me and my playing time, and what about me and I should be starting,” Hawkins said. “I started to learn real quick that’s not what Aggie football is all about. It’s what I can do for the club. I learned that, I played more, and we won. It’s hard to get that all the time in today’s society, but man, when you have it, it’s beautiful, and it’s great when guys do anything it takes. That’s what’s happening here.”
Idaho is 1-2 but has faced FBS programs in Oregon State, a 42-0 loss, and Indiana, a 56-14 setback after opening with a 68-0 win over Division II Simon Fraser. The Vandals of Moscow had a bye last week.
Sacramento State (2-2) has a bye this week after beating Idaho State on the road 23-21 in a Big Sky opener. The Hornets host Southern Utah on Oct. 9.
Idaho (1-2) at No. 8 UC Davis (4-0)
When: Saturday, 7 p.m.
On air: Sports 1140 KHTK; ESPN+
Of note: Idaho founded its football program in 1893 and won nine Big Sky titles between 1965-92. ... UCD leads the 117-FCS level with 10 interceptions and it leads the FCS in turnover margin. ... Ulonzo Gilliam Jr. moved to third on the school’s all-time career scoring list for running backs with 29 touchdowns, trailing Matt Brown (38, ending in 2000) and Preston Jackson (40, ending in 1993). ... UCD is 17 of 19 in red-zone scoring opportunities this fall. ... UCD is one of three FCS schools with a 4-0 mark (East Tennessee State and Eastern Washington).
This story was originally published September 30, 2021 at 7:45 AM.