Nov. 17, 2009

Complete UC Davis Game Notes in PDF Format

 

OPENING KICKOFF
• News, notes and headline items to get things started... Many will be expanded later on in these notes.

• UC Davis looks for its sixth win in its last seven games when it visits Sacramento State for the 56th annual Causeway Classic.

• A victory would deliver the Aggies their second three-game winning streak this season while also giving them their best mark over a seven-game stretch since moving to NCAA Division I FCS... It would also be their best such mark overall since 2002 when they started the season 7-1... A win would also provide the Aggies their highest win total since going 9-2 that same year.

• The Aggies' Great West Conference Championship last weekend was its first since 2005, its first outright title since 1992 when it won the Northern California Athletic Conference, and was the program's 30th league title overall.

• Last week's victory also gave the Aggies their first winning season since 2006 and their 38th in the past 40 seasons, a streak helped by 37 straight (1970-2006)... It also marked the first time they didn't need the last game of the season to secure the winning mark since 2004.

•The win also gave the Aggies their first winning season since 2006 and their 38th in the past 40 seasons, a streak helped by 37 straight (1970-2006).

• UC Davis has won eight of the past nine Causeway Classics with the Hornets' 29-19 victory at Aggie Stadium last year spoiling that run.

• After starting the season with a 51-0 shutout at Fresno State, the Aggies have outscored their opponents an average of 29.8-24.2 ppg to nearly even the season's scoring (244-269).

• UC Davis finishes the regular-season schedule on the road for the second straight year and just the seventh time in the 17-year tenure of head coach Bob Biggs... The Aggies are 4-2 in those games, including a 47-32 victory over the Hornets in the regular-season finale during Biggs' inaugural year in 1993.

• WR Chris Carter has 204 career catches, moving to within immediate striking distance of former WR TONY KAY's career mark of 207... Carter is currently fifth in career yards (2,350)... His 76 catches this season are second-most for the Aggies, trailing on Kays' school-record 93 in 2005... Carter also has the No. 4 mark (69) on the list.

• QB Greg Denham has moved up to No. 6 on UC Davis' career passing chart with 5,908 yards, moving past former signal-callers JEFF BRIDEWELL (5,773, 1987-90) and KHARI JONES (5,681 1991-93) by posting 284 yards last week... Denham is also on top 10 ledgers for total offense (8th, 5,688), touchdowns (T-5th; 44); completions (4th, 544) and attempts (4th, 861).

• LB Mike Morales was named the GWC Defensive Player of the Week for the second consecutive game after leading a strong UC Davis defensive effort against North Dakota... He had eight tackles and is now No. 3 for the Aggies in career stops (256), T-2nd in solo tackles (133, needs 3 more to tie for No.1) and No. 6 in assisted tackles (123).

• UC Davis' unofficial rankings of 28th by the Sports Network and T-30th by the FCS coaches, mark their highest apperances on the charts this season... The Aggies' were 30th and 31st, respectively, after beating Portland State in October to move to 4-3.

 

ALL-TIME SERIES VS. SACRAMENTO STATE
• UC Davis leads the all-time series between the programs, 39-17, a total that includes a 1998 NCAA Playoff win by the Hornets.

• The Aggies are 12-5 against Sacramento State at Hornet Stadium and 17-7 in the month of November.

• Last year's 29-19 win by the Hornets at Aggie Stadium snapped an eight-game winning streak by UC Davis in the series... UC Davis won a series-best 18 straight games from 1970-87 and also won four in a row from 1992-95.

• The Hornets' longest streak in the series came when they captured five in a row from 1988-91 which included their win in the playoffs.

• UC Davis did not score less than 30 points in the seven meetings prior to last year, has not been shut out by the Hornets since 1964 (27-0) and did not allow more than 27 points during any game of its recent eight-game winning streak.

• More Causeway Classic information is on page 6.

 

HEAD COACHES
• Bob Biggs (UC Davis `73) is in his 17th season at the helm of the Aggies and his 32nd with the program overall.

• He owns a 130-65-1 (.666) overall record and is 59-44-0 (.573) against NCAA Div. I teams... Biggs is also 40-17 (.702) in the month of November... He is 13-3 (.813) against Sacramento State.

• Biggs is the second-winningest coach in the history of the UC Davis program, trailing only Jim Sochor whose 156-41-5 record between 1970-88 led to his enshrinement into the College Football Hall of Fame.

• Four of Biggs' QB's have gone on to play professional football, including current Cincinnati QB J.T. O'SULLIVAN (1998-2001) and former San Jose SaberCats (AFL) starter MARK GRIEB (1994-96)... Others include KHARI JONES (1991-93) who had a standout career in the Canadian Football League and Kevin Daft (1995-98) who was a reserve on the Tennessee Titans when they went to the Super Bowl XXXIV.

• MARSHALL SPERBECK (nevada `84) is 13-20 and in his third year with the Hornets after joining the program from Foothill College where he posted a 15-year mark of 109-53.

• Foothill went 10-1 and advanced to the Silicon Valley Bowl during his final season.

• Sperbeck is a local product, having prepped at Valley High School before moving on and playing at Nevada.

 

BRIEF SACRAMENTO  STATE SCOUTING REPORT
• The Hornets had a season-high tying two-game winning streak snapped at Montana State while being held to less than 27 points for the first time in their past three games.

• Sacramento State has the No. 34 passing offense in the FCS (222.5) but is doing it with two quarterbacks: JASON SMITH (184.0 ypg) and McLEOD BETHEL-THOMPSON (57.0 ypg.)... Smith has 12 of the Hornets' 14 touchdowns... However Bethel-Thompson got nearly all the stats at Montana State, completing 24 of 41 passes for 269 yards (1 TD, 3 int.)

• RB TERRANCE DAILY led Sacramento State with an 88.1 ypg rushing average over seven games but will not play this weekend... RB SAM McCOWEN is averaging 32.6 ypg and 4.1 yards per carry... Sacramento State is averaging 127.9 ypg rushing overall.

• The Hornets had just 35 rushing yards against Montana State, much of their total affected by 6 sacks... Bethel-Thompson was sacked five times.

• WR BRANDYN REED (39-597, 5 TDs), WR DYLAN LANE (34-366, 3 TDs) and WR JOHN HENDERSHOTT (32-485, 2 TDs) lead a solid receiving corps, with Reed (15.3) and Hendershott (15.2) averaging better than 15.0 yards per catch.

• Four receivers had at least four catches and 44 receiving yards against tbe Bobcats.

• The Hornets' offense (350.4 ypg) is ranked 48th in the FCS.

• Defensively, Sacramento State is ranked 72nd (152.4) against the rush, 118th (284.8) versus the pass (and 114th overall (437.2) overall.

• CHRISTIAN CLARK has been a major force from his defensive tackle position, posting a team-high 10.0 sacks for 64 yards... His sack average (1.0 pg) is T-6th among all FCS players... Clark has 15.0 TFL's overall, tying for 10th in the country.

• SS ZACH SCHRADER has been prolific with tackles, charting 98 (including 48 solo) this season while adding a team-high four interceptions for 78 yards... His tackle total is nearly 30 more than his closest teammate... His average (9.8) is T-28th nationally.

• CB DURRELL OLIVER (2 ints) and CB MARQUESE SMITH (2 ints) have each returned picks for touchdowns this season... Oliver has six pass break-ups to lead the team in that department.

• MLB GEOFF WARNER stepped up against Montana State, posting a team-best and game-high tying 11 tackles.

• PK CHRIS DINIZ is T-33rd in the FCS at 1.1 field goals per game... He is an impressive 11 of 12 this season, made his first 10 and has a long of 52 yards which came against Montana State... His only miss was a 33-yarder against Northern Colorado... Diniz is 3 for 3 from beyond 40 yards.

 

NEWS, NOTES FROM THE NORTH DAKOTA GAME
• WR Chris Carter caught a career-high tying two touchdown passes in a game for the first time this season and the fourth time of his career... The last time he did it was against Iona last season.

• WR Conor Kirkpatrick's touchdown reception was his first of the year and third of his career... He had one each in 2006 and 2008.

• UC Davis forced "three-and-outs" on North Dakota's first three drives and five of its first eight... Those drives netted 0 yards.

• The Aggies held the ball for 11 minutes, 43 seconds of the first quarter and then more than nine minutes in the fourth.

• QB Greg Denham had a season-long 14-yard run, moving to the UND 6-yard line in the fourth quarter to help set up RB Josh Reese's 1-yard TD leap.

• WR Sean Creadick's 19-yard punt return in the second quarter was the longest of the season for the Aggies... He had three returns totaling 35 yards.

• UND's 265 total yards marked the third-lowest for a UC Davis opponent this year... It was also the second straight time - and fifth overall - that the Aggies have held an opponent below 300 yards.

• UC Davis had 20 first downs, 16 of them via the pass... The Southern Utah game (16 rush, 10 pass, 1 pen.) was the only matchup this season when the Aggies have rushed for more first downs than what they passed for.

• LB Mike Morales (8 tackles) has led UC Davis - or shared the lead - in stops in five of the Aggies' 10 games.

• UC Davis has won the past two games against North Dakota - both of them at home - to take a 2-1 series lead... UND's lone win came during in 2001 during the NCAA Div. II Semifinals.

• PK Sean Kelley didn't attempt a field goal for just the second time this season, both which have come in the last three games.

• UND PK BRANDON HELLEVANG's 52-yard field goal in the third quarter was the longest by a UC Davis opponent in 2009.

 

REESE HELPS SPARK RUSHING ATTACK
• RB Josh Reese has helped spark the Aggies' ground game by averaging 63.8 ypg over the last three contests while averaging a whopping 7.3 yards per carry.

• Reese has been helped by runs of 38 and 31 yards at Portland State, 18 yards at Southern Utah and 23 yards against Cal Poly.

• For the year, he's averaging 5.6 yards a carry with his 38-yard scamper the longest on the team in 2009.

• Reese also has the Aggies' only 100-yard game of the season, picking up 101 on 14 carries at Southern.

 

PUNT GAME IMPROVES WITH SCHMIDT
• UC Davis struggled with its punting in 2008 with five kicks blocked during the season... Freshman P Colton Schmidt has helped turn that special team into one of the Aggies' best.

• He's averaging 39.0 yards per kick but so far has landed 17 of 46 (.369) inside the 20  - UC Davis had eight last season - and has three boots beyond 50 yards.

• He landed a 53-yarder at South Dakota at the 1-yard line, had an impressive 48-yarder settle at the 2 against Cal Poly and last week rolled a 46-yarder to the North Dakota 1-yard line.

• Schmidt has a long of 67 yards against Winston-Salem State, averaging 48.8 yards on four punts that game. 

 

GRANT INTO TOP 10 RECEIVING CHARTS
• Like teammate WR Chris Carter, WR Bakari Grant is also making his way up the list of UC Davis' greatest wide receivers.

• With 43 catches for 523 yards, Grant is now eighth on the all-time receptions list with 152, just one behind No. 7 TAY THOMPSON (1970-72).

• Grant (1,819 yds) needs just 14 more receiving yards to move into that top 10 list and, with 17 career touchdowns, is one score away from cracking that chart.

 

WILDCAT CLAWING INTO OFFENSIVE ATTACK
• Throwing a wrinkle into their offensive attack, UC Davis has utilized its version of the Wildcat formation during the last three games. (Southern Utah, Cal Poly, North Dakota).

• FS Nick Aprile, who played quarterback at Escalon HS, has effectively directed the attack, rushing 24 times for 108 yards (4.5 avg.) and a pair ot touchdowns.

• He also completed his lone pass, a six-yard TD toss to TE Dean Rogers against Southern Utah... Both of his rushing TD's - one each game - have been from four yards.

• His high school resumè prepped him well... The Aggies' redshirt freshman rushed for 975 yards and passed for 540 during his senior year at Escalon, a year after amassing totals of 879 and 427, respectively.

 

GREAT WEST & CONFERENCE HISTORY
• The Aggies, one of three original members of the Great West Conference still competing in the league, are in their sixth year in the league, capturing their first title last week since they tied with Cal Poly in 2005.

• UC Davis is 15-11 (.577) all-time in the GWC, having also finished 2nd in 2004 and 2008 in addition to its two titles.

• The Aggies are no strangers to conference success, having won outright or shared 20 consecutive titles from 1971-1990 in the Far Western Conference and Northern California Athletic Conference.

• UC Davis also tied for the title in its only year of membership in the American West Conference.

• UC Davis has now won or shared 30 all-time league titles... Its first came in 1929 when it went 5-0 in the Far Western Conference.

 

ATTENDANCE MARKS FALLING IN 2009
• Thanks to spacious Aggie Stadium and high-profile opponents such as Fresno State and Boise State, the Aggies have been playing in front of program-record crowds.

• UC Davis averaged 9,908 fans through its five home games, barely missing the school-record average of 10,071 set in 1982.

• A new record for road games is assured... The Aggies are averaging 17,573 fans for its first five road games and - regardless of what happens in its last game at Sacramento State - will beat the previous best of 13,878 in 2006.

• UC Davis is averaging  13,740 fans overall in 2009 and will finish above the record 10,766 fans it averaged over 11 games in 2006.

• In addition, the 37,267 fans at Fresno State represented the largest ever to watch the Aggies play while the 32,497 at Boise State are second.

• UC Davis has three times surpassed 10,000 spectators at Aggie Stadium (Western Oregon, Winston-Salem State, Cal Poly)... The Aggies have gone over that barrier six times in the stadium's three-season history. 

 

LONGEST PLAYS/SINGLE-GAME HIGHS UPDATE
• WR Joseph Gray had an 81-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Winston-Salem State... It is the eighth-longest return in Aggie history and the fifth-longest returned for a score.

• PK Sean Kelley's 52-yard field goal against Cal Poly tied a school record achieved three other times.

• QB Greg Denham's 380 passing yards at South Dakota are 22nd-most in an Aggie game.

• WR Chris Carter's 190 receiving yards against Montana are seventh-most for a single game.

 

CARTER, DENHAM MARKS ARE TOPS IN NCAA
• QB Greg Denham and WR Chris Carter vaulted to the top of the NCAA FCS single-charts after big games against Montana on Sept. 12.

• Denham's 67 attempts is tied for tops by an FCS player this year while his 43 completions are tied for second... The completions also tied a school-record held by Kevin Daft (1997 vs. New Haven) while the attempts broke Daft's mark of 64 from that same game.

• Carter's 18 receptions against the Grizzlies are the most by an FCS receiver in 2009... And, yes, they are also a school record, breaking the previous mark of 15 established by WR Tony Kays in 2005.

 

MORALES CHARTING TACKLES IN TOP 10
• LB Mike Morales leads UC Davis in solo (42), assisted (34) and total (76) tackles, three areas where he is moving up among the Aggies' all-time leaders.

• He currently ranks second in career solo tackles (133), sixth in assisted stops (123) and third in total tackles (256)... Morales is also T-4th in TFL's since 2001 with 21.5... He needs three solo stops to tie LB JASON HAIRSTON (1992-94) for the top spot.

• Morales has nine career games with at least 10 tackles, including two this year when he posted 13 at Boise State and 12 at South Dakota a week later.

• He's added two picks this year and has five for his career... He's also twice been named the GWC Player of the Week.

 

NO SOPHOMORE SLUMP FOR KELLEY
• PK Sean Kelley was an All-Great West second-team pick last season after making 10 (of 13) field goals and all 42 PATs... He had a long FG of 36 yards.

• His sophomore season has been even more productive having already made 10 field goals and 28 of 30 PAT's... After entering the year with a long FG of 36 yards, he has already made three from 40-49 yards (46 vs. Western Oregon, 48 at Boise State, 44 vs. Winston-Salem State) and has a school-record tying 52-yarder against Cal Poly.

• For his career, he has 22 field goals (T-6th all-time), 25 FG attempts (7th) and 70 PATs (7th)... He is 70 of 72 in PATs overall.

• Kelley has made his last eight field goal attempts.

 

AGGIES EARN 10 GREAT WEST AWARDS 
• UC Davis has enjoyed 10 Great West Conference Players of the Week so far in 2009, three for offense, four for special teams, and three for defense.

• WR Chris Carter was honored with offensive accolades after picking up 11 catches for 190 yards against then No. 5 Montana on Sept. 12... QB Greg Denham added similar honors on Oct. 11 after passing for 380 yards at South Dakota... Backup QB Austin Heyworth, relieving an injured Denham at Portland State, threw a pair of key TD passes for the award on Oct. 25.

• P Colton Schmidt earned special teams honors the same week after pinning the Grizzlies inside their own 12-yard line three times... DT Jacob Maxson picked up the same accolades after blocking a pivotal PAT attempt in the overtime win on Oct. 10th... WR Joseph Gray had an 81-yard kickoff return to earn honors on Oct. 18 while K Sean Kelley had two FG's - including a game-winner - at Portland State to give the Aggies' three straight winners of the award... Kelley's three FG's - including one from 52 yards that gave UC Davis the lead for good against Cal Poly - also earned him the award on Nov. 9.

• CB Kenneth Brown picked up the defensive award after an interception, forced fumble  and two pass breakups on Sept. 26 against Western Oregon... He also blocked a PAT... LB Mike Morales earned defensive honors on Nov. 8 and 15 after posting a combined 21 tackles in key wins against Cal Poly and North Dakota.

• Additionally, Carter was named the GWC Male Student-Athlete of the Month for September, an award covering athletes from all conference sports... He had 33 catches for 308 yards to help highlight his month.

 

ALL-TIME RECORD
• UC Davis owns an all-time record of 478-355-33 (.571) as it plays its 91st season of football... The Aggies started playing in 1915 and have played continuously except for 1918, and 1943-45.

• A total of 15 head coaches, beginning with R.E. HARMON (1915-16) have directed the Aggies' program.

 

CARTER MAKING MOVE ON SCHOOL RECORD
• WR Chris Carter, despite missing most of his sophomore season with a knee injury, has entrenched himself as one of the most accomplished receivers in school history.

• Carter's career catches total 204, putting him second all-time at UC Davis and just three away from breaking the record of 207 held by WR Tony Kays (2003-2006)... With three catches against Cal Poly, he passed WR CHARLEY ENOS (195)... Carter has 2,350career yards and is sixth on the all-time list.

• He set a school record with 18 catches against Montana on Sept. 12 and had a career-best 190 receiving yards... He followed that with 11 more catches against Western Oregon.

• Carter has four double-digit receiving games in his career, after also gaining 13 at Central Arkansas last year and 10 at Sacramento State in 2006... He had his fourth 100-yard receiving game last month, also reaching the plateau with 189 at Central Arkansas and 104 against Sacramento State (2008) last season, and 127 vs. Central Arkansas (2006).

• Besides his catches against Montana setting a school standard, his yards were the seventh-most in an Aggie game and made him just the third Aggie to ever have at least 175 yards twice... WR Michael Oliva (twice in 2001) and WR Tony Kays (twice in 2005) are the others.

 

DENHAM'S 300-YARD GAMES NOW AT EIGHT
• QB Greg Denham threw for 380 yards at South Dakota, marking his eighth career 300-yard game and second this season... It was his second-highest yardage total, trailing only his 434-yard effort in last season's finale at San Diego.

• He ranks tied for fourth all-time in 300-yard games at UC Davis, trailing J.T. O'SULLIVAN (17; 1998-2001), Kevin Daft (11; 1995-98) while being tied with Jon Grant (8; 2003-06).

• Here are Denham's 300-yard games (in order):

 - 26-41-2, 361 yds, 1 TD vs. Portland State (9/13/08)

 - 20-30-1, 326 yds, 5 TD's vs. Iona (10/18/08)

 - 31-41-1, 320 yds, 2 TD's vs. North Dakota (10/25/08)

 - 27-48-2, 307 yds, 1 TD vs. Sacramento State (11/8/08)

 - 22-42-2, 332 yds, 4 TD's at Cal Poly (11/15/08)

 - 26-41-1, 434 yds, 2 TD's at San Diego (11/22/08)

 - 43-67-2, 362 yds, 1 TD vs. Montana (9/12/09)

 - 27-41-1, 380 yds, 2 TD's at South Dakota (10/10/09)

• Denham is currently sixth for all-time yards (5,908), eighth in total offense (5,688), T-5th touchdowns (44), and fourth for attempts (861) and completions (544) with more movement up the charts this season within reach.

 

NOTABLE STREAKS ON THE LINE

• C Tommy Hernandez and OT Mark Tos have each strung together impressive streaks on the offensive line during their careers.

• Hernandez has been in the trenches at the start of the last 32 Aggie games while Tos has been for 30 of the past 32.

• Longevity on the line is not a stranger at UC Davis... OG Jonathan Compas, currently with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, started all 40 of his career games before graduating last season, while OG Mario Gonzalez ended his career last year with 34 straight starts.

 

OTHER STREAKS OF NOTE

• UC Davis saw its streak of 212 games in which it had scored a point come to an end at Fresno State (L,51-0)... The last shutout prior to that was a 19-0 defeat to Cal Poly in 1990... The streak nearly ended in 2001 when the Aggies faced North Dakota in the postseaso but UND took a safety late in the game, helping the Aggies' preserve the streak... North Dakota won 14-2.

• They have, however, not been shut out in 108 home games. (includes "home" games at Hughes Stadium during Causeway Classic).

• The Aggies are believed to 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 442 games... UC Davis had 130 in that game.

 

TEAM CAPTAINS
• UC Davis has two team captains this season in C Tommy Hernandez and LB Mike Morales.

 

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 notable college or pro coaching careers, including:

• MIKE BELLOTTI (Oregon, former head coach), who played for Sochor in 1969-72 and was a subsequent assistant coach... He is currently the athletics director at Oregon.

• DAN HAWKINS (Colorado, head coach) played for UC Davis in 1981-82, was later an assistant with the Aggies and subsequently was head coach at Boise State .

• 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 2007 Fiesta Bowl.

• PAUL HACKETT (Oakland Raiders, asst. coach), who played from 1966-68, was an assistant at UC Davis as well a head coach at USC, Pittsburgh and an assistant with the New York Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

 

UC DAVIS HAS ITS OWN QUARTERBACK "U"
• The Aggies' coaching tree (see above) is just one trademark of the football program... The other is its ability to turn out prolific quarterbacks.

• Despite being a Div. II program until 2007, UC Davis had six signal-callers chosen in the NFL Draft since 1979: Mike Moroski (Falcons, `79), KEN O'BRIEN (Jets, `83), SCOTT BARRY (49ers, `85), JEFF BRIDEWELL (Cardinals, `91), Kevin Daft (Titans, `99) and J.T. O'SULLIVAN (Saints, `02).

• O'Sullivan has played with several teams and is currently a backup with Cincinnati, Moroski is in his 22nd year on the Aggies' coaching staff and Daft is an assistant coach at Cal.

• O'Brien was a member of the famed NFL QB class of `83 that also included Dan Marino, John Elway, Todd Blackledge, Jim Kelly and Tony Eason being drafted in the first round.

• In addition to the draftees, QB KHARI JONES (1991-93) enjoyed a prolific career in the Canadian Football League and was named the CFL's Most Outstanding Player in `01.

• QB MARK GRIEB (1994-96) was an ArenaBowl MVP and champion with the San Jose Sabercats and holds several league passing records.

• QB Jon Grant (2003-06) is a member of the Berlin Adler whose team won the 21st German Bowl earlier this season.

• Even current coach Bob Biggs played some professional football spending some time in the CFL and the WFL. 

 

 

UC Davis Aggies Football

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