OPENING KICKOFF
• News, notes and headline items to get things started... Many will be expanded on later in these notes.
• UC Davis heads to Portland State to take on the Vikings, trying to avoid its second 0-2 start in three years.
• The Aggies' last dropped the first two games of the season in 2005 with the Vikings delivering the second of the two in a 14-12 win at Toomey Field... UC Davis, though, came back the next week to stun Stanford, 20-17.
• The Aggies have dropped their last three games on the road with their
• Glanville, former defensive coordinator and head coach of both the Atlanta Falcons and Houston Oilers, was a longtime NFL coach beginning in 1974.
• He led his teams to four playoff appearances.
• Glanville later served as a NFL broadcaster for Fox, HBO, CBS and the NFL Network.
• He has also coached collegiately at Hawaii.
BRIEF VIKINGS SCOUTING REPORT
• Portland State opened the season with a No. 13 ranking from The Sports Network but lost 35-12 at No. 10 McNeese State.
• The Vikings had an early 3-0 lead but 14 first-quarter points from the Cowboys led to a 21-6 lead at the half.
• QB Tyge Howland was sacked four times and QB Brian White twice as Portland State was held to -10 yards rushing.
• White threw for 150 yards and Howland connected for 150 as PSU outgained McNeese State 276-191 through the air.
• David Lewis and Bobby McClintock each caught six passes with seven Vikings catching at least one.
• McClintock had 14 rushing yards, most on the team.
• McNeese State rushed for 204 yards, averaging 4.2 yards per carry.
• The defense recorded two sacks.
• Andy Schantz and Micheal Dorsey each had nine total tackles for PSU... LB Jordan Senn added eight... Senn (75) and Dorsey (74) led the team in tackles last year.
• Portland State returns 12 starters (7 off, 4 def., 1 special team) and 47 letterwinners off last year's 7-4 squad.
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UC DAVIS VS. THE BIG SKY
• The Aggies are facing a Big Sky team (besides rival Sacramento State) for the fourth straight year with a record of 3-3 record during the previous three seasons.
• Mix in Sacramento State and the Aggies move to 6-3.
• Other breakdowns: vs. Montana State (1-0); s. Northern Colorado (1-0); vs. Weber State (1-0), vs. Eastern Washington (0-1); Portland St. (0-2).
• UC Davis is 16-9 vs. the Big Sky during the Bob Biggs era.
UC DAVIS-W. WASHINGTON REVIEW
• The Aggies rushed for 167 yards which would've been the second-highest total of last year. (178 vs. San Diego)... They averaged 6.7 yards per rush.
• WWU held a 38:39 to 21:21 advantage in time of possession, including holding the ball for 12:07 of the third quarter.
• The Vikings were 12 of 21 on third down while UC Davis was 4 of 10.
• UC Davis lost three fumbles after not losing more than one in a game in 2007.
• The Aggie defense held the Vikings to 22 rushing yards, ranking the Aggies' No. 3 in Div. I FCS.
• The defense also had 13 tackles-for-losses, tied for No. 2 in the NCAA rankings.
• WWU had no turnovers, recovering both of its fumbles.
• WR CHRIS CARTER's touchdown reception (33 yds) was the sixth of his career while WR Brandon Rice (55 yds) had his second... The score was Rice's first since the 2005 season-opener.
• QB's Tim Plough and Matt Engle split time behind center with Plough throwing for 201 and Engle for 82... Both TD passes came from Plough.
• WR Chris Miller's six catches are a career-high... His previous best were four at Stephen F. Austin in 2005.
• Senior K Emmanuel Benjamin punted twice, the first two of his Aggie career... He averaged 39.0 yards... Benjamin punted at Beyer HS.
• CB Kenny Griffin had a career-high 10 tackles, including five solo.
• LB DAVE HECKMAN had eight stops, tying his career high set last year at Cal Poly.
STRONG DEBUT FOR TROMBETTA
• Redshirt freshman RB Joe Trombetta made the most of his first game as an Aggie, rushing for 189 yards on 19 carries while scoring on a 90-yard run early in the third quarter.
• His rushing yardage was third-best among Div. I FCS runners and is tied for 14th on the Aggies' all-time chart.
• His 9.9 yard average is third-best among single-game rushers in the UC Davis top 14... (Shola Adeyemo, 12.3 avg. vs. Sonoma St., 1988 -- 196 yds/16 carries).
• Trombetta's long TD, which gave UC Davis a 21-16 lead early in the third quarter, is tied for second-longest in school history... Adeymo went 90 yards against Saint Mary's in 1990... The record is 94 yards by Southern Oregon in 1953.
• Combined with five catches for 86 yards, Trombetta finished with 275 all-purpose yards -- the second-best in FCS.
• Altogether, his rushing (3rd). all-purpose yds (2nd), receptions (T55th), total offense (T51st) and receiving yards (T37th) all rank nationally.
• Trombetta is no stranger to rushing yards, having gained 5,447 at Casa Grande HS in Petaluma.
TURNOVER BUG BITES UC DAVIS
• The Aggies had three turnovers against Western Washington which led to 10 points for the Vikings (FG, TD).
• It was their highest turnover total since losing the ball four times at Youngstown State in the the fourth game of last year.
• The Aggies fumbled it three times, twice by RB Joe Trombetta who otherwise had an impressive collegiate debut... QB Tim Plough had the other fumble.
• Other than Youngstown State, UC Davis never had more than two turnovers in any game and over the last seven games, only had six.
• One fumble gave WWU possession at the Aggies' 23 and another put it at the 18.
FIVE ALL-GWFC RETURNERS FOR AGGIES IN `07
• UC Davis returns five players who earned All-GWFC honors in 2006, including three on defense.
• Defensively, DE James Amos, DL John Faletoese and LB Chris Buck each earned first-team accolades while OL Jonathan Compas was a first-team pick on the offense.
• WR CHRIS CARTER was selected to the second team as well as being named the conference's Rookie of the Year.
AGGIES LOOK TO IMPROVE RUNNING GAME IN `07
• UC Davis averaged just 103.0 ypg on the ground last year and just 3.2 yards per carry.
• The Aggies will look to improve on those numbers in 2007 with returner DeMario Warren, and redshirt freshmen Joe Trombetta and Brandon Tucker looking to carry the load.
• Warren rushed for 314 yards in 2005, Trombetta gained 5,447 yards as a prep at Casa Grande HS and Tucker was a multi-dimensional threat with 429 rushing yards as a junior and 1,568 receiving yards during his junior and senior seasons at Long Beach Wilson HS.
• UC Davis rushed for at least 100 yards just five times in 2006 with 178 in the finale against San Diego the season-high... Departed senior RB Marcus Nolan had 167 of them.
FALETOESE AND BUCK LEAD DEFENSE
• UC Davis allowed just 104.0 rushing ypg (9th in I-AA) last season and two big reasons were DL John Faletoese and LB Chris Buck.
• Faletoese, a three-time preseason All-America for 2007, had 9.5 tackles for losses, 35 tackles overall and was named to the All-GWFC first team.
• He was also selected the team's top sophomore after garnering top freshman honors in 2005.
• Buck was also named to the league's top team, posting 55 tackles, the most among the linebackers and second-most on the team.
• Buck added 7.0 TFL's for 47 yards in losses and three sacks.
• He had sacks in three straight games, earning them at Montana State, Youngstown State and rival Cal Poly.
WELCOME TO NEW AGGIE STADIUM
• Saturday's game marks the first-ever football contest at new Aggie Stadium, a $31 million facility whose primary funding (approx. $19 million) is coming from undergraduate students who approved the Facilities And Campus Enhancement (F.A.C.E) Inititiative in 1999.
• Construction began in 2005 with hopes of playing a part or all of the 2006 home season in the stadium... However, bad weather helped slow construction and force a delay until 2007.
• The stadium, also the home for Aggie women's lacrosse, saw its first action in April when UC Davis hosted Saint Mary's in lacrosse action... The Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships were held at Aggie Stadium at the end of the season.
• Aggie Stadium features nearly 9,000 permanent seats and almost 2,000 grass berm seats for a total capacity of 10,743... More than 2,500 season tickets have been sold, nearly quadrupling the previous high of 750.
• Also featured is a Daktronics scoreboard with 19'2" by 24' video display.
• The field is a Sportexe Synthetic Field... Wall-to-wall 104,000 square feet, if you're curious.
• The team building features three locker rooms and 160 total lockers, a team meeting room and large equipment/training room.
• 32 points of sale for concession and the Aggie Pride Outlet for souvenir merchandise are also available.
• The pressbox features two radio booths, a TV booth and seating for nearly 20 writers, in addition to coaches booths and two more booths for operations.
• 5,000 parking spaces within a 10-minute walk highlight transportation accomodations.
IN WITH THE NEW, OUT WITH THE OLD
• Aggie Stadium replaces venerable Toomey Field, which will remain as key competition venue for UC Davis track and field.
• UC Davis played its final game at Toomey Field against San Diego last November, a game which closed the facility that was opened in 1949 and secured the program's 37th straight winning season.
• UC Davis compiled a 192-86-8 record at Toomey Field.
• The Aggies enjoyed 14 undefeated home seasons, most recently in 2002 when it went 4-0.
• UC Davis posted a 10-11 record in NCAA Division II playoff games at Toomey Field.
• Toomey Field is named after Irving F. "Crip" Toomey, a coach, athletic adminstrator and teacher from 1928-61.
A LITTLE BIT OF TOOMEY AT AGGIE
• The Tavernetti Bell didn't want to be lonely at Toomey Field so it has made its way to Aggie Stadium.
• The bell, named in memory of former Assistant Dean Thomas Frederick Tavernetti (1889-1834), gets rung by the Aggie Band-uh! once for every point UC Davis scores in a home victory.
• The bell sat inconspicuously outside of Toomey Field but now sits prominently in the main plaza outside the main gates at Aggie Stadium.
• And, yes, look for the bell to make noise again after every Aggie win.
37-YEAR WINNING STREAK
• The Aggies enters the season with 37 consecutive winning seasons, believed to be the longest active streak of any non-Division III school in the country.
• UC Davis has not had a losing record since a 3-7 mark in 1969.
• The streak has been in jeopardy heading into the final game of the season six times, including last year... 2007 was the second consecutive year (and second time ever) UC Davis has entered the last game with a .500 record and needed a win to finish with a winning season.
• Former coach JIM SOCHOR (1970-88) started the streak, it was continued by BOB FOSTER (1989-92) and has been extended by Bob Biggs (1993-present).
• UC Davis is 300-101-7 (.743) during the streak.
OTHER STREAKS OF NOTE
• UC Davis has scored in 190 consecutive games... The last shutout was a 19-0 defeat to Cal Poly in 1990... The closest time in recent years the streak was jeopardy was in the 2001 NCAA Div. II Playoffs when North Dakota took a late safety in a 14-2 win.
• The Aggies have not had less than 200 yards in total offense since a 30-12 loss to Nevada in 1969, a span that now stands at 411 games... UC Davis had 130 in that game.
PRESEASON AND IN-SEASON HONORS PARADE
• DL John Faletoese was named a preseason All-American by Street & Smith's College Football Yearbook, The Sports Network (1st team) and by the College Sporting News.
• OL Jonathan Compas was selected to the College Sporting News All-America third team.
• Both were also named to Phil Steele's College Football Preview magazine's All-GWFC teams: Faletoese (1st team) & Compas (2nd).
• DE James Amos, LB Chris Buck and DB Adam Cook were also named to Phil Steele's first team while Compas and CHRIS CARTER were second-team picks on the offensive side of the ball.
CARTER CATCHES EYES OF DEFENSE
• With the graduation of WR Tony Kays (school record 210 catches), sophomore WR CHRIS CARTER will likely become one of the focal points of a lot of defenses.
• Carter had 54 catches for 703 yards, both second on the team last year, earning GWFC Rookie of the Year and All-GWFC honors.
• He had 100-yard games against Central Arkansas (127) and TCU (109) and posted 10 grabs against rival Sacramento State.
• Carter was named the team's top freshman (Mike Wise Award).
AGGIES PICKED THIRD IN GWFC
• Despite finishing fourth last season and despite three other GWFC teams being ranked in various top 25 polls, UC Davis was picked by the league's coaches to finish third this season.
• Defending champ North Dakota State was first, followed by Cal Poly, UC Davis, South Dakota State and Southern Utah.
SPEAKING OF THE GWFC...
• North Dakota State and South Dakota State are leaving the GWFC after 2007 and will become members of the Gateway Football Conference beginning next year.
• The GWFC won't have to make too many adjustments on its letterhead though, welcoming North Dakota and South Dakota to the fold beginning in 2008.
• Both schools are beginning reclassifications to Div. I FCS.
TWO CHRIS CARTERS BETTER THAN ONE
• It's not unsual for teams to have players with the same last name, many times the players being brothers.
• But UC Davis has two players named Chris Carter.
• Chris L. Carter and Chris J. Carter are both active players on this year's team but not related
• The former is a WR this season while the latter is a LB.
• While the stat sheet lists their middle initials to help the computer stat program from getting spitting up, media can drop the middle initials when referring to either player.
• For the record, UC Davis has two players with the last name of "Brown" (E.J,, Kenneth), two with "Rice" (Brandon, Andy), two with "Calhoun" (Jonathan, Mike), two with "Johnson" (Ryan, Thaddeus) and a pair of "Miller's" (Chris, Matt).
• None are related.
JUST TWO PERMANENT CAPTAINS
• For the first time since 1988, UC Davis will have just two team captains... Others will rotate for each game... WR Chris Miller and LB Tyler Pringle handled duties vs. W. Washington.
• OL Mario Gonzalez and LB Chris Buck are the only two captains since Jack Wildermuth and Cameron Boyer in 1988.
• UC Davis did have three in 1990 and 1996 but have had four every other year since 1988.
CONTINUITY LEADS TO SUCCESS
• A key to any successful football program is a continuity in the coaching staff.
• UC Davis has that one nailed.
• Five members of the staff enter the season with a combined 129 "coaching years" after having been together as a quintet the past 18 years.
• Bob Biggs (29 years total, 14 as head coach); Assistant head coach Fred Arp (40 years); defensive coordinator LOU BRONZAN (23 years); offensive coordinator Mike Moroski (19 years) and running backs/special teams coach Greg Chapla (18 years).
• For good measure, they're all graduates of UC Davis.
ARP DECIDES TO CLOSE CLUB FRED
• Assistant Head Coach Fred Arp will call it a career at UC Davis after the 2007 season, ending more than 40 years with the program.
• Arp, who played for the Aggies, coach JV and then with the varsity, will have amassed 44 years between all three.
• He joined the varsity in 1968 and has seen 302 wins, both ends of the current streak of 37 straight winning seasons, 20 straight league titles (1971-80) and 17 playoff appearances.
• Arp has coached with the varsity for 38 seasons (he was a grad asst. at Northern Colorado in 1972).
• His laid-back coaching style led his position players to label their group "Club Fred".
• Arp, who handles number distribution and locker assignments, will still provide those duties upon his retirement, while also helping with scheduling.
• Four of his players were been drafted into the NFL while five are in the Cal Aggie Athletics Hall of Fame.
AGGIES IN THE PROS
• OT Cory Lekkerkerker (2003-04) was a backup with the San Diego Chargers but was released on Saturday... He was picked up on waivers by the Miami Dolphins.
• TE Daniel Fells (2002-05) was with the Atlanta Falcons but was released on Saturday.
• He and Lekkerkerker were free agent signees out of UC Davis a year apart.
• QB J.T. O'SULLIVAN (1998-2001), the all-time passing leader at UC Davis, is currently with the Detroit Lions as a backup signal-caller... He was signed by the Lions after earning Offensive MVP honors with Frankfurt of NFL Europe this past spring.
• He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the sixth round in 2002, the last NFL draftee for UC Davis.
• Former MARK GRIEB (1994-96) led the San Jose Sabercats to the Arena Bowl title this summer and was named the game's MVP... He has played in two Arena Bowls and is one of the league's all-time best QB's.
• OT Elliot Vallejo (2003-06) is a rookie free agent signee with the Arizona Cardinals.
• WR Tony Kays (2003-06) was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals to a rookie free agent contract but was waived on Aug. 28.
AGGIE COACHING TREE INCLUDES BIG NAMES
• Besides becoming the all-time winningest coach at UC Davis, former mentor JIM SOCHOR has several former players and assistants who have gone to college or pro coaching careers, including:
• MIKE BELLOTTI (Oregon, head coach), who played for Sochor in 1969-72 and was a subsequent assistant coach.
• BOB FOSTER (California, LB coach) was an assistant coach under Sochor before taking over as head coach from 1989-92.
• He coached with DAN HAWKINS at Willamette (Ore.) and is now with Cal.
• DAN HAWKINS (Colorado, head coach), who played for the Aggies in 1981-82 and was later an assistant.
• He went to Colorado from Boise State last year.
• PAUL HACKETT (Tampa Bay Buccaneers, QB coach), who played from 1966-68, and was an assistant at UC Davis as well a head coach at USC, Pittsburgh and an assistant with the New York Jets.
• CHRIS PETERSEN (Boise State, head coach), who played for UC Davis in 1985-86 and was also an assistant... He led Boise State to an unbeaten season and a Fiesta Bowl win last season.
KEANE MOVES FROM CAPTAIN TO COACH
• TIM KEANE is in his first season as assistant coach with UC Davis, helping offensive coordinator Mike Moroski with the line.
• Keane is no stranger to the line having started the final 22 games of his career and earning the program's "unsung hero" award both years.
• He was part of an offensive line in 2006 that allowed just 13 sacks in 419 passing plays.
DIVISION I-AA GETS NEW NAME
• NCAA Div. I-AA underwent a name change to help forge a more distinct identity in collegiate football.
• Beginning last December, I-AA became known as the Football Championship Subdivision.
• Division I-A is now known as Football Bowl Subdivision.
HOME WEBCASTS AVAILABLE VIA INTERNET
• With its newly redesigned website (ucdavisaggies.com), UC Davis is offering video webcasts of all home games during the 2007 season.
• Webcasts will include a 50-yard camera shot of the game, and live audio from the radio broadcast on KHTK.
• Single-game costs are $7.95 while a season package is $19.95... Details on the website.
