UC Davis Football
                                                  UC Davis Football Preview

                              By: Patrick Crawley

 

August 28, 2008 - UC Davis Football Preview

The UC Davis football season is nearly upon us. Soon, thousands of Aggie fanatics will be flooding Aggie Stadium, adorned in blue and gold, hoping for beads, tube socks, and, most importantly, a winning season for their Ags.

After all, the Aggies have a winning tradition to re-establish. After 37 consecutive seasons of winning football, fans witnessed the end of the Aggies' winning streak on October 27, 2007 with a 28-21 loss to South Dakota State.

As such, the 2008 season will be one of redemption for the Aggies.

Leading the charge is head coach Bob Biggs, who is beginning his 16th season at the helm for the Aggies. Biggs has developed a successful program based on integrity, teamwork, and a healthy dose of Aggie Pride. That formula has served him well. With an overall record of 119-54-1, Biggs is the second-winningest coach in UC Davis history.

Biggs, however, faces a new challenge in 2008: coaching without long-time assistant Fred Arp at his side. 2007 was the last season in an illustrious 40-year coaching career for Arp, who had a hand in more than 400 career wins for the Aggies. Club Fred was well-respected by not only Aggie players, coaches, and fans but also by his opponents.

Taking over at assistant head coach is Keith Buckley, a former defensive back for the Aggies. Buckley spent time on the Stanford coaching staff as a defensive assistant before returning to UC Davis in 2005. In addition to his assistant head coaching duties, Buckley will continue working as the defensive backs coach for the Aggies.

On the field, the Aggies will be led by team captains Jonathan Compas (OL), Mario Gonzalez (OL), and Tyler Pringle (LB).

Compas, a senior guard on the offensive line, is one of UC Davis' most decorated players. Last season, he was named to the All-Great West Football Conference First Team, an honor he received for the second consecutive year. Compas also picked up an Great West All-Academic Honors selection for his dedication in the classroom.

This season, Compas was named to Phil Steele's Preseason All-American Second Team. He is one of only two Aggies to receive preseason All-American honors this year. The other is defensive lineman John Faletoese. Or, as we like to call him in The Deli, The Beast.

Faletoese figures to be a crucial part of UC Davis' success on defense this season. In three years of play, Faletoese has racked up 100 tackles, 10 sacks, and five blocked kicks. Steele considers him a preseason favorite for Defensive Player of the Year.

Joining Faletoese in the defensive corps are heavy-hitting linebackers Tyler Pringle and Mike Morales. Morales, a junior, led the team in tackles last season, with 74. Pringle, a senior, will be the captain on defense. He finished second on the team in tackles in 2007, with 69, and was the recipient of the Aggie Pride Award. He is the first non-senior in UC Davis history to receive that distinction.

Junior safety Kymm Snowden and junior cornerback Jeremy Scott shore up a defensive secondary that allowed its fair share of big plays in 2007. The year of experience gained should benefit both players. Snowden was named to the All-Great West Second Team and Scott finished the 2007 on a positive note, with 28 total tackles and an interception.

The Aggies have an improved defense this season, but the trademark of this team will be offense. New starting quarterback Greg Denham (who will sit the first game of the season with a knee injury) inherits a first-rate offensive arsenal, including standout wide receivers Brandon Rice, Bakari Grant, and Chris Carter. Rice -- a 6'4", 207 lb monster with terrific hands -- had a breakout season in 2007, finishing first in the Great West with 59 receptions. He also accumulated 870 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. For his efforts, Rice was named to the All-Great West First Team.

Like Rice, junior receiver Bakari Grant experienced a breakout season last year. Grant, also 6'4", had three 100-yard games in 2007 and finished the season 621 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns. Grant enters the 2008 season as a member of the Preseason All-Great West Second Team.

Carter, though a bit shorter than Rice and Grant at 6'0", is a terrific possession receiver. Though he was injured for the majority of the 2007 season, he flashed brilliant skills as a redshirt freshman in 2006. That season Carter made 54 catches for 703 yards and 5 touchdowns. He was named Great West Rookie of the Year. Carter should return to form in 2008, giving the Aggies three legitimate receiving threats.

Also returning are sophomore running backs Joe Trombetta and Brandon Tucker. Trombetta and Tucker are a pair of hard-nosed tailbacks with a knack for breaking big gains. When Trombetta suffered from stingers last season, Tucker took the starting position and amassed 6 total touchdowns (4 rushing, 2 receiving), earning him Most Improved honors. Both backs figure to play a prominent role in the Aggies' offense this season.

Those offensive weapons, paired with veteran offensive linemen Compas and Gonzalez, should create a number of scoring options for Denham, a well-regarded sophomore with a strong arm. Though Denham should be able to provide a spark for the Aggies, he will have to wait until Week 2 of the season to showcase his talents. Due to Denham's knee injury, junior QB Daniel Alfaro will receive the start on Saturday against San Jose State.

With an improved defense and a firework offense, the playoffs are not out of reach for this UC Davis team. Especially if Denham can return in top form from his injury.

Don't forget to come out and support the Aggies as they open their season on Saturday, August 30 at San Jose State. Gametime is at 5:00 p.m. with a pre-game celebration beginning at 2:30 p.m.

Go Ags!

 

 

 

 

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