Locals headed to the NFL scouting combine and USC pays for bailing on UC Davis
Hitting the football regions near and far: locals in the NFL Scouting Combine, USC’s pricey payoff to UC Davis, coaching additions at UCD and Sacramento State.
NFL combine
Josiah Deguara and Lamar Jackson dominated the regional high school scene when they suited up for Folsom and Franklin, respectively. Now they’re going to get paid to play. Starting Thursday, Deguara, a tight end for Cincinnati, and Jackson, a cornerback for Nebraska, will be on full display in Indianapolis in the NFL Scouting Combine.
They’ll run, bench press, leap and have their brains thoroughly picked.
Deguara at 6-foot-3 and 245 pounds is a truck in cleats. He blocks and he catches — 72 receptions for 972 yards and 12 touchdowns his final two seasons. Tight end remains a vital position in the NFL, including George Kittle of the 49ers and Travis Kelce of the Chiefs. Deguara is projected to go as high as the third round.
Not to be confused with NFL MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens, the 6-3, 215-pound Jackson was a four-year player for the Huskers, tasked with covering the other team’s top receiver his final two seasons. Jackson had 13 tackles against ranked teams in 2019 and knocked down 15 passes on the year. A member of The Bee’s All-Decade team, Jackson is a projected third-round pick and could move to safety. Like Deguara, Jackson’s 40-yard-dash time will be paramount in where he falls in the draft.
USC cancels on UC Davis
UC Davis was scheduled to play at USC to open the 2021 season, which excited UCD folks and, apparently, appalled those in Trojans colors. USC athletic director Mike Bohn squashed the idea last week, informing UCD that the game has been canceled.
This is an image-issue thing. USC didn’t want to lower its standards by taking on the Aggies, bowing to the howls of discord from program donors and alumni who demanded better. USC prides itself in joining UCLA and Notre Dame as the only Football Bowl Subdivision teams to never play Football Championship Subdivision teams since the Division I split in 1978.
USC issued UCD a buyout check of $725,000. The school replaced the Aggies with San Jose State, which will receive $1.1 million from the Trojans for a body-bag game. UCD, incidentally, opened the 2018 season by beating San Jose State 44-38. UCD will now open the 2021 season at Tulsa.
Agnew with Hornets: Sacramento State replaced running backs coach James Montgomery (now at Cal Poly) with Malcolm Agnew. Agnew was on the North Dakota staff the previous three seasons as running backs coach. He played at Oregon State and rushed 33 times for 223 yards and three touchdowns in a 29-28 overtime loss to Sac State in 2011. His father, Ray Agnew, played 11 NFL seasons.
Coombs joins UCD: Matt Coombs is the new defensive coordinator for UCD, replacing Robert Tucker, who was not retained after three seasons on staff. Coombs last season was on the Oregon Ducks staff and has previous experience at Boise State. He played at Yale from 2004-07.
This story was originally published February 25, 2020 at 1:13 PM.