It sucks that this is what college football has turned into. FCS teams who find real talent and develop them just for FBS teams swoop in after the fact. I hope Caden and Drew both stay, but I agree that keeping Drew will be the real challenge.

Totally sucks. Only good thing is players are finally getting compensation but the transfer portal sucks. It killed high school recruiting and development.

It sucks that this is what college football has turned into. FCS teams who find real talent and develop them just for FBS teams swoop in after the fact. — CA Forever

True.
And, FCS schools never land these guys in the first place and enjoy them for a year or two pre-portal era.

Somehow the courts under the guise of allowing players to earn from sales of their name image or likeness, have created a system of professional teams with an independent farm system where players are directly paid by the teams, totally disconnected from how their name image or likeness is marketed.
I suspect this is because the NCAA, who were defendants in the case, largely were representing the big programs interests, some of whom were very comfortable with the opportunity to raid other rosters.

The increase to 105 scholarships will allow the big programs to have their cake and eat it to. They can still offer 20+ scholarships to high school players, while bringing in a dozen transfers every year.

I think Cap Space rule is the only way to fix this a bit.

exactly. If I recall, the premise of the House case was really that if an individual who happened to be an athlete wanted to make YouTube music video, should they be able to monetize it. What we have here is something so far removed from that fundamental question. As per usual, the legislative branch was nowhere to be found, so judges legislated this. The NCAA and universities should be regulated with some cursory guardrails on the greed like power and insurance companies are. Said another way, congress should have slapped Ohio State right on the pp and said this is too corrupt even for politicians.

I think I heard he has already been offered a $1M deal from a team in the BIG. Can’t blame the kid for leaving. After seeing what happened to the Connor’s brothers grabbing the money is a smart financial move.

Sucks but that football today.

This is about money, not reps. The kids are often not the ones making any of the decisions. There are parents, uncles, street agents, 7x7 coaches, etc. brokering these deals and taking a cut of the action.

I know this stuff is pretty complicated (especially with some of LeFan's insights) but as an educator/coach, always keeping the kids first is essential. It can look like encouraging them to stay, and helping them navigate leaving. As long as Plough advocates in their best interest he's doing the right thing.

If he advocates for his guys, no matter how that looks, he can't lose in the long run and he'll continue to build a great program.


P4 FBS football is a different story. That's a cut-throat business where coaches are trying to survive and protect their own interests. I enjoy the FCS for many reasons, the fact that we aren't a football factory or media corporate arm is the biggest.

So scholarship offers aren't contracts? Or it's a one-way deal?

Why not build in a buyout like coaches?

This is exactly right. And the advocacy is part of the reason they had such a solid group of grad transfers. There are going to be some frustrating departures but keep the frustration private and market all of the successes publicly to attract the next crew.

It is a two way deal for practical purposes. Most guys in the P4 are on one year NIL packages and a good portion of the kids that wind up in the portal are there because they have been told to move on.

And here I was thinking to myself. Man how great of a 4 year run are we about to have with CP and Vargas both being freshman.

I mean, I'll admit I'm a pretty selfish fan and graduate of UC Davis. I guess these guys have to do what's best for themselves whether that's financially or career-wise in football. I don't wish ill on players that choose to leave, but I'm also not going to pretend that I'm happy for them that they are choosing opportunities over Davis. Idk, like I said, maybe I'm the outlier here.

Carter had less yards, less yards per carry, more fumbles and got the ball on the goal line majority of the season. I think with that being said who should’ve been more upset is Fisher.

Fisher is amazing, my point was that Carter has the it factor. An NFL scout would draft Carter over Fisher 100 times out of 100. Carter checks every box and he’s a freshman. Fisher is faster with better vision. Vargas is better at everything you can’t teach, plus his game translates more with these pass heavy offenses.

That may be true, we’ll see who does what but if you’re the coach and or fans of the team why rag on the guy who is more efficient in every way possible when you look at statistics. What exactly are you referring to when you say he’s better at everything you can’t teach?

Interesting that Rhode Island had AP All American transfer to Memphis and then change his mind and return to Rhode Island. AJ Pena.

I haven’t seen Fisher hurdle a guy nor jump over the line from the 3 yard line for us to score. I promise Fisher is one of my favorite backs to watch he’s really nimble and has amazing vision. Wasn’t trying to bash him, just giving props to Carter. My only statement was “Plough shouldn’t have said out loud that more carries were going to Fisher” talent level was too close to pick out a guy at that point in my opinion.

They are both talented. Fisher is a small as an NFL prospect but so what, this is college. Fisher has plenty of it factor.
Plough made fisher wait unused while he featured Lan. Then early in this season Plough said fisher was so good that Plough said he must be the dumbest coach in America not to give Fisher more carries. Vargas was getting plenty for a guy in basically his first year. Remember that the last games of the season, starting with Idaho State were the best rush defenses on the schedule.

Recruiting has changed even with the expanded scholarships.

Big State U P4 team will get any Blue Chips they want. But with pressure to win now or be fired by the governor or boosters, they will get a star from Boston College or Texas Tech to transfer to them. Sometimes they will even hire the coach.

A school like Texas Tech will then go the UNLV route and get players and coaches from there of SDSU. Oregon State was devastated this way. Then G5 teams dive into the FCS and go from there.

The other thing that was mentioned was that teams at the top will get Blue chip HS players but with the focus on the portal, a 3 or 4 star might drop to a G5 program. FCS teams might get a G5 quality player due to certain factors like school specific reasons, location, or that the G5 school is recruiting via the portal instead.

So FCS loses more this way, but some players may come for a year or two that wouldn't under the old system. I prefer the old system but you work with what you have. Some schools like UNLV have made their name as a stepping stone for coaches and players even if it means constantly having new faces.

One is a freshman. One is a junior. We gave up our future (not saying he would’ve forsure stayed) but I think we’re being in our feelings a bit. I mean no disrespect when I say Fisher’s ceiling is first team all big sky (hopefully next year) while Vargas’s ceiling looked more like FCS All American by his senior year.

The problem with Davis is not that they play two running backs, its that they should play three or four, like Sac or Montana State. Vargas isn’t leaving because the coach said he was the number 2 running back a few games into his first season except for some token carries last year.
Fisher is a redshirt sophomore.

Agree with you. Fisher is a great back. Vargas has the potential to be a great back.

One is a “freshman” and the other is a “sophomore” they both redshirted. But as I said before if you think Vargas is better because he chooses to hurdle a guy and it looks better that’s your preference. I’m not a fan of slighting fisher when he’s more efficient in every statistic and dosent give up the ball. My point is that what does it say abt character that one sat behind Lan for 2 seasons and now has to split with a talented young back despite being statistically better and the other transferred for who knows what. We’ll see how it all works out though!

He didn’t sit behind Lan last year, he sat behind Matteo Perez and that is the biggest slap in the face to Fisher I’ve ever seen. I wondered about that all last year. That’s what you should be upset about, Mr or Mrs Fisher but once again I just stated that Plough shouldn’t have said it out loud and that to a football scout, Carter has more upside.. Not knocking our all big sky runningback, just giving credit to who I think is a future NFL prospect who I think we mismanaged.

I've thought for years we don't play our 2s, 3s, and 4s enough, but maybe the HC is trying to build up stats for potential NFL draft status (LL) or higher ranking for the playoffs (MH, HR).

FWIW, Vargas had 2 big runs this year, Fisher 5+... not sure how much is speed vs scheme. Kai Acai has been great. Is RB Aden Jackson (5'10", 210, Frosh) ready to go?

BTW, I didn't realize we have seven QBs on the roster.

I love how we have a large QB group. Some of our best WRs, TEs etc were once QBs. Mastery of the offense is a major advantage in every position. Heck, LL was a QB in high school. This staff knows what’s up

Did you count Vargas long TD catches as well ?