Gee, I wonder why. s/

Is Troy Taylor interested in the job?

By all reports he is also a finalist for the job. Some guys over on their forum are saying Carter is basically a done deal at this point.

This has a real Gould like feel. Big groundswell for a successful coach with ties to the program (Hawkins in our case) bypassed for a position coach with a reputation for recruiting. That move turned over football alum for a long time here.

from what I recall, Gould was a Terry Tumey hire and Tumey was a Katehi hire. Incompetence begot incompetence squared. I don’t know whether Katehi or Ralph Hexter fundamentally found Kevin Blue, but what a refreshing corner turn that was. Sure seemed like alumni and donors appeared out of nowhere after that. Wood would be wise to get out of his own way here and allow Orr to make a hire with some level of buy in from the Hornet community, but I don’t think that’s his style.

My understanding was Hawk was offered the job by TT, and Hawk laid out his requirements - which may have included increased salaries for assistants, more financial support, additional support for players, etc. Tumey came back months later with the same bare bones offer, which surprised Hawkins.

So it may not have been incompetence in identifying Hawkins, but in not gathering the needed financial support. In his defense, Coach Gould supposedly had the same requests for increased support, same which Coach Biggs needed. We had survived with minimal support for decades. Going into the basement likely woke up Mrak Hall, ICA, and alumni.

that’s how I understand it. I suspect there’s some of that going on in Sac (FBS uncertainty, schedule issues). Best decision Dan could make, by the way.

I think Alonzo Carter is a good hire for sac state. I can imagine the coaching search was probably intimating with all the uncertainty right now at sac. What I do seem to get is that he has great recruiting connections in California, has proved himself worthy of his position (heck Brennon brought him from SJSU to Arizona), and he seems like a really solid, high energy dude. I know all the drama about Taylor at Stanford is controversial in and of itself, but getting a guy that is in a currently ascending program seems like a piece of solid ground in the constantly changing sac state saga. I don’t know how this will work out, but he seems like a guy who has done some damn good coaching at every opportunity he has had whether at hs, juco, group of 5 or lower 4 conference. (And holy crap the dude has some crazy stories, he was a backup dancer for MC Hammer when he was younger?!)

The sac forum is LOSING it

Position coach Carter > proven Sac State HC Troy Taylor?

the circumstances at Sac are VERY different now than his time coaching there. There's zero guarantee he would be immediately successful there again.

And while he was successful before at Sac are we totally discounting the fact that his Stanford teams were pretty bad?

With connections he might be able to add some critically needed games to the schedule. Few games, few players, players leave, finances hammered. Seems a death spiral.

:shade:

Carter is a good hire. He's not Troy Taylor, but he is a great fit for Sac State. My guess is that Taylor turned it down. Plus, he doesn't know Hammer as far as I know. That HAD to be a selling point for Woods.

McClure is a name up there, everyone knows him and he can recruit. These guys will right the ship if that is even possible. Could be the Titanic...

It sounds like Taylor wanted it, the AD wanted Taylor, but Dr. Wood chose Carter.

Fitting!

AI overview of Alonzo Carter:

Alonzo Carter is the newly hired head football coach for Sacramento State, an Oakland native known for his successful high school/community college coaching and his recent role as Assistant Head Coach/RB Coach at the University of Arizona and San Jose State, with a unique past as a backup dancer for MC Hammer. He's celebrated for his recruiting, developing elite running backs, and his deep Bay Area roots, taking over a Sac State program looking for stability.

Key Career Highlights:

Sacramento State Head Coach (2025-Present): Hired to lead the Hornets football program, replacing Brennan Marion.

University of Arizona (2024-2025): Served as Assistant Head Coach and Running Backs Coach under Brent Brennan.

San Jose State (2017-2023): Assistant Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator; his running backs dominated, powering the team to a Mountain West title and national recognition for ball security.

High School/Community College (1990s-2010s): Head Coach at McClymonds High (Oakland) and Contra Costa College, winning multiple championships and earning Coach of the Year honors.

Unique Background:

Before coaching, Carter toured globally as a backup dancer and choreographer for hip-hop artist MC Hammer, appearing in hit videos like "You Can't Touch This".

Coaching Style & Reputation:

Known as an exceptional recruiter with strong ties to Northern California.
Believes in developing players and impacting lives, drawing from his diverse experiences.

Significance of Hiring:

His hiring brings stability and extensive local knowledge to Sacramento State, following a period of coaching turnover at the program.

AI overview of Angus McClure:

Angus McClure is a veteran American college football coach, primarily an offensive line specialist, known for his extensive experience with West Coast teams like UCLA, Cal, Nevada, and Sacramento State, with recent roles including Offensive Analyst at the University of Kansas (since 2024) and stints coaching offensive/defensive lines and recruiting, valued for his recruiting skills in Northern California.

Key Coaching Roles & Experience:

Current: Offensive Analyst for the University of Kansas (joined June 2024).

Nevada (Multiple Stints): Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach, also served as Assistant Head Coach.

Cal: Offensive Line Coach (hired 2020).

UCLA (Long Tenure): Coached Offensive Line (5 years) and Defensive Line (6 years), also served as Recruiting Coordinator.

Nebraska: Special Teams Coordinator.

Buffalo: Run Game Coordinator.

Sacramento State: Assistant Head Coach (early career).

Coaching Style & Reputation:

Highly regarded for his recruiting, particularly in Northern California.

Experience across offensive line, defensive line, tight ends, and special teams.

Personal Background:

Played football at Sacramento State (1987-1991).

Started coaching at McClatchy High School in Sacramento.

Has also worked as a guest coach in several NFL training camps (e.g., Cowboys, 49ers).

Sac board fans claims.

I like the new sac coach from his press conference. Dude is a hard worker, loves his family and honestly is much more likely to stay around in Sac considering his family lives an hour away. I also like how he’s been talking about wanting to focus on football and not his dance/media career haha, dude is locked in.

I do think it’s a little interesting though hearing him talking like sac is an uphill battle or struggling program (which may be the right mentality but is the opposite of how Luke wood talks about the program lol)

Thoughts overall: He could become a really strong recruiter and I love his California roots, but with all this hype he’s espousing he needs to back it up with success as the incoming head coach. I do love his focus on community and his story of getting through hard times to get where he is. Seems like the guy you would want your kids to be mentored by, talks a ton about the importance of education, I’m positive on him!

Zo is a very likeable guy and a good man. Been around the block a little, and there is no doubt he is connected in the Bay Area (especially on the eastside and Oakland), and I would even say, into Sac and the Valley. BUT... has he even coordinated? He will need to hit it out of the park with those three hires. I think he is right in saying Sac is an uphill battle, and he needs to keep telling himself that. No conference, no schedule, big-talking president, massive roster voids, facility issues, and so on and so forth. If you put those tags on any other program in America, you would be labeling it an uphill climb too.

Truth be told, both they and Cal Poly are looking waaaaaay up the hill at the Aggies, from the president's office down to the support infrastructure for football. Let's keep it that way.

So many similarities to Ron Gould. Both really good, respected dudes, position/assistant coaches, good recruiters. I keep thinking Ron Gould II, but he does have HC experience. 10 years in Oakland/Berkeley publics where he won some titles. 129-69-3 record as a High School head coach.
Gould had never done it, so Sac has that going for them. I think Sac may be able to hang on to some of their players with this hire.

Eleven in the portal, plus graduates. And gets staying for a bowl game as a position coach.

I was wondering what effect Carter’s late hiring will have on recruiting. It’s been almost exactly 1 year since Marrion was announced the new Slak head coach. With a late start on recruiting, he was able to bring in a lot of talent fast and seemed to do a good job putting the team together. It would seem Carter is going to have to rely on the same formula- bringing in players from the portal to produce a team. Will this new crop of kids buy into the same song, or will Carter’s recruiting efforts be hampered by all the drama? We should know soon.

Carter said that he is currently talking with many of the players who have already announced that they are going into the portal and he believes that quite a few will change their minds. We'll have to wait and see.