The majority of the top athletes that Marion has landed are black athletes and I think a big piece of why Marion is getting so many highly rated recruits is due to the inviting, inclusive, black culture that Marion and Wood have established. This culture speaks personally to many of the black athletes and it means a lot to them on a personal level.

Many black athletes come from disadvantaged backgrounds and college football can provide an avenue for success for them and, for many, their families as well. Both Marion and Wood represent huge success stories to them especially having overcome difficult circumstances that they can relate to.

Black athletes represent the largest racial group playing D1 football:

Data from the NCAA Race and Gender Demographics Database shows that among Division I men’s college football student-athletes in 2020, 36.5% were white, 48.4% were black, 3% were Hispanic/Latino, 0.3% were Asian.

However, black D1 football coaches are very much underrepresented:

Race and Gender Demographics Database shows that among Division I college football head coaches in 2020, 81.7% were white, and 15.6% were black, with other minority groups also severely lacking representation. For Division I College Football Offensive Coordinators, 82.7% were white, and 14.8% were black. For Defensive Coordinators, 74% were white, and 20.6% were black. Additionally, for all other assistant coaches, 51.8% were white, 40% were black, 1.1% were Hispanic/Latino, and less than 1% were Asian.

Culture means a lot to everyone. It's normal for people to feel more comfortable and connected with others who share similar experiences and values. It gives us a sense of identity and belonging and fitting in. Marion and Wood understand that and the Sac football culture is currently filling that need very well for many of the athletes they are landing.

PS: I am not suggesting that white athletes and other racial group athletes would not be welcomed to play at Sac...not in the least. I'm only saying that the current football culture at Sac has been heavily influenced by Marion's personality, coaching style and previous success and, along with all the FBS hype from Wood, this is very attractive to many black athletes in a sport that is heavily underrepresented by black coaches and role models.

https://insight.balancenow.co/diversity-of-college-coaches-and-athletes-college-football/

Interesting to read that Ole Miss is still recruiting McDonald despite his verbal. This is a great coup and pick up for Sac, but they need to continue to recruit this kid until December.
I am a huge skeptic about what Sac is trying to do with FBS, but even I must admit they are getting some positive results in the short-term.

Black President, AD, HC, staff ... but if the HC jumps after a year, how many will stick? Local loyalties, educational goals? Sac is ripe for local, successful teams.

Maybe he “committed” to Sac based on the superior academic experience offered there ,,,,,

My guess is that maybe:
- The SEC offers weren’t that good as a 160 lb. 6’2” (and weight is normally fudged upward in football) would end up as a pretzel in SEC football although he could fill out
-he knew he would ride the bench for a while if not most of his career at an SEC school
- and in either case Marion - who obviously is quite charismatic- sold him “I will get you to the NFL” spiel. 18 year olds hear what they want to hear and Marion won’t be around long enough for those he recruited to experience reality. He seems to always be one step ahead of his promises. The reality is that many of theses young kids think they are going to the NFL and the reality is that very few make it. I don’t think a lot of coaches care about the degree or academic/job preparation of the players, and in that sense the athletes get taken advantage of.

Regarding the lack of role models for blacks in coaching.
How many role models does one need? If 40% of the Div 1 football assistant coaches are black that would seem to indicate role models are not hard to find, even if one assumes that your role model should look like you.
Expecting the % of head coaches should be equal to the % of players in Div 1, ignores that coaches are drawn from a larger pool. There are a ton of coaches who didn’t play in Div 1.
The journey to becoming a head coach or AD often includes time coaching high school, division 3 schools, volunteering for no pay as an analyst. There are individuals of all races that take that career path, but one can’t assume they do so in proportion to demographics of players. Cultural issues affect who wants to do what in life.

Matthew Sluka was recruited by Marion to UNLV (from Holy Cross) and according to Sluka’s agent Marion told him he would get a 100k NIL deal …. and when Sluka did not receive compensation he left.

I think it comes down to money, and Sac is willing to promise more than the going rate for a three and four stars.
It is cheap to make promises, when signing date comes around they’ll have to put it in writing,
Sac’s recruiting class is rated 56th by 247 among all schools, even after grabbing McDonald.

Including FBS?

I think there are a lot a valid comments here regarding my post about the new football culture at Sac and the various racial statistics of D1 football players. It's an interesting conversation.

My point of view comes from my own professional experience working with predominantly minority, junior college students at one point in my career. I'm a retired therapist and, for the last 11 years of my career, I split my time between my private practice and contracting with Sacramento City College to provide mental health counseling to students.

I have always been deeply interested in the dynamic interplay between our external environment and our individual biology and psychology and the profound effects it has on shaping our inner self, our personality and our world view. Multicultural influences adds yet another significant layer to all of this too. Oh well, don't let me get going on the "shrink" stuff! :lol:

Role models are particularly important to young people who didn't have successful role models who looked like them during their formative years. Sacramento City College offered College Success Courses that were available to all students but some were specifically aimed at various ethnic groups and they were taught by counselors who identified with those ethnicities. These classes were designed to help students learn the basic organizational, time management and disciplinary skills necessary to have a chance to succeed in college.

For example, there was a male, African American counselor who taught a College Success class aimed primarily at black males who were one of the highest risk groups to drop out. Many of his students took his class because he was black and they felt that he could relate to their cultural identity better than a non-black counselor. Similarly, various Asian students, Chinese, Hmong, Philipino etc, were drawn to the College Success Classes taught by Asian counselors and the same was true for Hispanic students.

So my point, regarding the current Sac football culture, is that many of the elite players they are getting may be strongly drawn to the culture that has been created by their largely African American football staff and an African American university president who are successful role models who look like them and share their cultural identity.

According to 247sports. Somewhat better than the revised Pac-12. But its early.
Idaho is ranked 81, Davis 100

These are verbals, right?

247 Sports is currently showing that Sac already has 7 hard commits for 2027 and they a have made an a whopping 295 additional offers.

https://247sports.com/college/sacramento-state/season/2027-football/offers/

We are talking 2026 class so the NLI signing period hasn’t occurred yet, so only verbals.

I completely agree with your analysis—it makes more and more sense the longer I think about it. How many historically Black colleges do we even have in California? I mean, is there anything out here that compares to a Howard on the West Coast? Honestly, I can’t think of any. Given how many successful Black men and women are out here, it would be incredible if SACST evolved into that kind of institution. If that’s the direction this is headed, it’s a really compelling idea. A “Howard” or “Grambling” of the West could have a huge impact and draw a lot of attention.

Copy. You think they are breaking rules?

i don’t think a black college is a viable model for a state where blacks make up 6% of the population, and a city where blacks are only 12%. Black colleges arose out of segregation in areas where there were large black populations.

As to whether I think Sac is breaking rules, i’m not sure. They may be able to stay under the 63 scholarship limit this year, as they got 40+ players to leave. The rule is 105 as an FCS independent in 2026 so thats also doable. It is legal to pay players.
I don’t think charisma accounts for their success. I think they are buying players with funds that there is no clear source for, making promises that will be unlikely to be met down the line. A kid doesn’t know what he’s signing up for if he stays 5 years at Sac State,

I'm well-versed in the history of HBCUs, and I truly believe there's space for one in California. Think about it—if you're a Black athlete looking to play Division I football, what are your options in the state? USC, UCLA, Stanford, Cal, Fresno State, and San Diego State. That’s it.

But let’s be honest—none of those schools reflect the cultural environment or legacy of an HBCU. And to make things more difficult, schools like Stanford, Cal, UCLA, and USC are academically elite, which can pose a significant barrier for many talented athletes.

If Sacramento State (SACST) could position itself as a culturally rich, HBCU-style alternative, it could open up powerful new opportunities for Black students and athletes in California. The state produces a massive number of D1-caliber athletes every year. Offering a program with cultural relevance and a more accessible academic threshold could fill a major gap that currently exists.

The more I think about it, the more potential I see. This could really work.

Also, regarding the stats—if around 40% of California high school football players are Black, that translates to roughly 36,000 athletes. Of those, even if just 3% go on to play Division I football, that’s about 1,080 Black student-athletes in California each year. That’s a serious talent pool.

Now, imagine being a young Black athlete who wants to stay in California. If Sacramento State (SACST) can position itself as a hub for Black athletes, that could really influence college decisions. Let’s say you’re from South Central L.A., Oakland, San Jose—somewhere where you didn’t have every academic advantage and graduated with a 2.9 GPA, but you're an exceptional athlete. A school like SACST offering both cultural relevance and opportunity could be incredibly appealing.

That’s why what SACST is exploring is so compelling to me. I’m not sure if it’ll work—but it clearly fills a gap. And honestly, I’d love to see an HBCU in California. It would be a powerful addition to the state's legacy of diversity and inclusion.

How would naming a school's designation after one particular ethnic group make it more inclusive again? How would that be more inclusive- seems less inclusive to me..

It's 2025.. it's time to move past race and tribalism. I thought this country was a "melting pot?".. When people say they feel uncomfortable "because people don't look like them" isn't that the definition of racism? Wouldn't it be a bit weird if in 2025 they started say a new historically White, or Asian university? There would be an outcry over that..

You say it would "help the state's legacy of diversity and inclusion" (not sure what you're talking about there), but diversity is the opposite of one ethnic group being promoted.. you realize promoting one ethnic group above others is the opposite of diversity, right?

Also, the H in HBCU stands for Historically.. There isn't any history regarding Sac State being a school that was majority black as a result of racial segregation, I just don't get what you're talking about here.

Morgan Freeman famously said: “I don't want a black history month. Black history is American history; there is no white history month. The only way to end racism is to stop talking about it... Stop talking about it. I’m going to stop calling you a white man. And I’m going to ask you to stop calling me a black man."

MLK once famously said: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."

Creating racially backed colleges and universities seems like a step backward to me.. and doesn't make any sense at all in the Sacramento State context.

The only things standing in the way of Sac State as a BCU (obviously it lacks the History) is the demographics of the school, the region, the fans, and I suspect, the band.

You shouldn't see this as "losing" something — it's more about recognizing that something new is being built. You got so worked up over Sac State becoming an HBCU alternative that you didn't even address the points I raised.

How many schools in California offer a pathway to play Division I football? Now, of those schools, how many provide a culturally supportive environment specifically for Black athletes?

Here’s a quick look at Black student enrollment across major D1 schools in California:

UC Berkeley: 4.1%

Stanford: 4%

UCLA: 6%

USC: 5%

Fresno State: 3%

San Diego State: 3%

I’m not debating whether Sac State’s strategy is right or wrong. I’m pointing out that Sac State has hired a majority of Black coaches in football and basketball — and they’re elite. They’re also bringing in big names like Shaq, Mike Bibby, and others, which is clearly having an impact on recruiting.

Why is that? My theory is this: Sac State is intentionally creating a school environment that feels welcoming to Black students. That would explain the increasing number of high-level Black athletes choosing Sac State. If this is their model, it fills a gap that no other California D1 school is addressing.

Take a step back and it makes perfect sense. What is Sac State historically known for? Not athletics. So why are kids committing now? Why the buzz?

My take: Sac State knows it can't compete with UC Davis, Cal, Stanford, or USC in terms of academics or prestige — so it's carving out a new lane. By focusing on culture, representation, and community, they're becoming relevant in a different way. And honestly, there's a real void in California that they might be uniquely positioned to fill.

Nice work SochorField.

I think you’ve built a theory with too many holes. Your thesis seems to be that Sac State has the capacity and intent to provide a culturally supportive environment for Black athletes, and will become a de facto [H]BCU within the CSU system.

1) To be meaningful and effective, a culturally supportive environment for Black athletes has to be based on a culturally supportive environment for all Black students. Black student enrollment at Sac State in 2024 was 7%. More than the other schools you listed, but I’m not sure it’s a significant difference. I certainly don’t think that it’s enough to provide the type of environment you’re talking about. The University of Mississippi has a Black student enrollment of 12%. The University of South Carolina has 15% (Journal of Blacks in Higher Education). I suspect that a survey of those campuses might not reflect a particularly culturally supportive environment for Black students.

Yes, Sac State has been recognized by the State Assembly as California’s first Black-serving institution, and should be congratulated for its efforts to increase Black student enrollment and graduation rates. However, Sac has previously been designated Hispanic-Serving Institution and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution. With the reality of budget, cuts, faculty layoffs, class cancellations and increases in student fees that are occurring, new initiatives like the Black Honors College will be impacted, as will students from underserved populations. There will be completion for the decreasing available funding.

It also runs counter to the current Federal approach to education. A Black Honors College is very likely to be seen in Washington as a DEI program, which could imperial Federal funding at Sac State and possibly the entire CSU system. Even the hiring “a Majority of Black coaches in football and basketball” could be cause for a Federal investigation in the current climate. Sad, but that’s the reality.

2) Sac State is largely a commuter college. Less than 10% of Sac State students live on campus, which has to make it a challenge to create any type of student-centered campus identity.

3) The new identity that you’re saying is being developed at Sac State would be top-down driven. That is always artificial, and seldom becomes self-sustaining. To be authentic, any cultural environment is evolutionary and almost always bottom-up. Since the intent of CSU enrollment has always been to primarily serve a geographically local student population, there’s going to be a limit on the growth of the Black student population. Hispanic/Latino students make up the largest ethnic group at Sac State (38%). I doubt that will change, so if anything a culturally supportive environment for Hispanic/Latino students and athletes will predominate. Futbol everyone!!

4) Your current thesis seems to also run counter to your previous thesis that the new paradigm in sports is that of athletes and coaches (and probably administrators like AD’s and presidents) will be made up of people who ARE NOT personally committed to an institution. Rather they are committed to building their brand and maximizing financial/personal gain. They will immediately move to wherever the best offer is made. That means athletes, coaches, and administrators will not stay at an institution. I don’t believe that a revolving door of people can build or sustain a positive, supportive environment for athletes, regardless of their ethnicity.

:rofl:

Southeast Aggie Fan here. Can assure you all Sac State is not a topic of discussion even among the sports crowd here except for the occasional honorable mention in the bloopers. In the absence of the Woods saying anything ridiculous this week, it seems like we had to write our own content. Here’s hoping our main man puts his collectible sneaker right back in his mouth soon. It was better reality TV that way.

You have hit on Sac State’s problem, no one wants to be their rival.
That’s a combination of being tier 2 in Football (FCS), tier 2 in the California public college systems, and tier 2 among Universities in the greater Sacramento area.

HBCUs are such due to the 1890 land grant (second round of Morrill Act) establishing land grant Universities so Sac State will never be an HBCU or even a land grant for that matter (UC system in CA are land grant Universities.

Good post. Let's see where this is come December. If SACST has successful season we might have to rethink this whole thing.

SACST becoming an HBCU in name only, but a school that caters to black athletes is pretty cool. It doesn't have to be anything formal, think Cal or Davis which has a large % of Asian students.

Typo. Despite proofreading, that one slipped by.