Sac State football signs 12, UC Davis adds 16 in 2nd signing period. Who are they?
Recruiting student-athletes is the lifeblood for college football programs, and UC Davis and Sacramento State secured strong signing classes this week during the second and final letter-of-intent signing period this winter in an effort to maintain program momentum.
Coming off of an FCS NCAA Division I playoff run and a nine-win season, coach Tim Plough and his Aggies staff signed 16 freshmen recruits and added eight newcomers via transfer — three from the FBS ranks, two from fellow FCS programs and two as junior college players.
Sacramento State, coming off of a seven-win season, signed 12 this week, making it 44 new Hornets total who have committed to the program since Alonzo Carter was hired as coach. Sac State signed nine players during the December early signing period and this week signed seven offensive players, four defensive guys and a special teams player.
“Our goal began with retaining the players that were signed by the previous staff, and we were able to do that,” Carter said. “We then set out to increase the size, athleticism and length of the team through the portal and this signing period. Our coaches swarmed California from Eureka to San Diego to find the best players for us at junior colleges and high schools. They have not rested since we started here and the results are visible (this week).”
The coach added, “Through the transfer portal, we were able to add several players with Power 4 and Group of 5 experience and many of our additions were three and four-star recruits out of high school. Overall, I’m really excited about what we were able to do with this class and think it’s a great starting point for our future.”
Plough said his emphasis will continue to be high school recruiting, though the transfer portal certainly provides players who have already been vetted through the NCAA process.
“Our staff did a tremendous job of identifying not only talented football players, but great young men that will help us continue to build an environment that represents everything we love about Davis,” said Plough, an alum of the school.
“We got a great group of guys coming in from the high school level, which is where we want to primarily recruit to build our team. But we also were able to add a few transfers to finalize our roster in areas we needed a little more depth. With those two factors coming together I’m excited about this group and I truly believe it’s a special class.”
Sac State’s weakness on offense last season was at quarterback, where Jaden Rashada and Cardell Williams struggled in passing, though the run game was often dominant.
Both of those quarterbacks have left via the transfer portal, and the Hornets signed three from the portal in recent weeks, including Carson Conklin, who was a freshman All-American at Sac State before he left for Fresno State amid Sac State’s coaching turnover.
UCD added via the portal former Minnesota Gophers quarterback Jackson Kollock, who will join a talented, if untested, quarterback crop already in the program. UCD will be tasked with replacing Caden Pinnick, who earned Freshman All-American honors at UCD in 2025 before transferring to Washington State.
Sac State signings this week
Matthew Auau, WR, Edison HS, Huntington Beach
Jack Hodge, TE, Jefferson HS, Colorado
Joshua Holani, DB, Santa Margarita HS, Irvine
Shaan Lathan, OL, San Jose City College
Iosefa Lealofi, LB, Barstow HS
Jahil Lindsey, WR, Salesian HS, Oakland
Saul Marks, K, Serra HS, San Mateo
Peyton McCutcheon, DE, Millikan HS, Lakewood
Liam Meeker, QB, Mira Costa, Manhattan Beach
Carlton Perrilliat, WR, Salesian HS, Oakland
Jeremiah Ponce, OL, Edison HS, Miami
Daniel Swinney, RB, Iowa Western JC
UC Davis signings this week
Robert Beverly, OL, Carmel HS
Nikolas Blocker, WR, Victory Valley HS, Victorville
Jack Brant, QB, Timberline HS, Boise
Jeremiah Brown, DB, San Jacinto HS, Moreno Valley
Drew Faulkner, DB, Golden West College, Los Angeles
Jackson Fay, WR, East Union HS, Manteca
Chaz Gilbreath, DB, Mayfair HS, Bellflower
Sam Haener, OL, Timberline, HS, Boise
Hayden John, DB, University of Idaho
Riley Johnson, LB, Independence HS, Bakersfield
Coby Herman, RB, La Costa Canyon HS, Encinitas
Ben Honebin, DL, Kailua HS, Hawaii
Jake Houseworth, TE, Cal
Jackson Kollock, QB, University of Minnesota
Jack Knudtson, LB, Saddleback Junior College
Marcus McGeilberry, DB, Aquinas HS, San Bernardino
Robert Meyer, K, University of Missouri
Ken Parnell, WR, Mater Dei HS, Newport Coast
Anthony Rodriguez, OL, Long Beach Poly HS, Long Beach
Chauncey Sylvester, RB, Weber State
Donnie Vercher, LB, Central Catholic HS, Portland
Corbin Wade, DL, Green Mountain HS, Lakewood, Colorado
Lucas Winkler, OL, Rancho Bernardo HS, Ramona