Any insight on who is trending up for QB1? Seen a lot of clips on the official IG account of Cleeland, but also a decent amount of Kollock.

Also, what ever happened to Damon Wrighster? Entered the transfer portal after last season but haven't heard or seen any info about him since. Really liked his tape

“ Any insight on who is trending up for QB1?”
Tim talked about it yesterday. What’s interesting is that Eason is right up there in the mix. I think the starter will be announced 1 week before the PSU game, or at least the starter will be decided. Ultimately the team picks the starter.

Also, what ever happened to Damon Wrighster? Entered the transfer portal after last season but haven't heard or seen any info about him since

According to google he transferred to Ventura JC.

Anyone planning on going to the scrimmage tomorrow?

Also it looks like they are actively working on updating the roster now. It's not complete yet, but it is updating.

Rex Connors and Samuel Gbatu Jr. Named To East West Shrine Bowl 1000

DAVIS, Calif. — Already tabbed on multiple preseason Big Sky and All-American lists, UC Davis football seniors Rex Connors and Samuel Gbatu, Jr. have been tabbed as two of 40 FCS players to be named to the East West Shrine Bowl 1000.

UC Davis is one of nine FCS schools to feature multiple players in this year's 1000.

https://ucdavisaggies.com/news/2026/8/8/football-rex-connors-and-samuel-gbatu-jr-named-to-east-west-shrine-bowl-1000.aspx

What time does the scrimmage start? Practice schedule says 9-11am....but not sure if the scrimmage is at the end or what...

the only info I had was the practice schedule... So somewhere between 9 and 11

in the updated roster we have a new 3* defensive end Jason Davis Jr. 6’3” 270lbs. From Gridley

Scrimmage warmup will start at 9 and the actual playing will start shortly after

The two recruits from Timberline High in Boise aren’t listed on the roster. Jack Brant and Sam Haener.

I noticed that too. Those were the only 2 missing from what I could tell, but strange that it was both Idaho recruits.

A package deal, high school teammates who want to go to the same school.

Great day out here.
A few notes (according to my interpretation of players’ numbers):

Porter on the field and playing
Rex not dressed
Winston not dressed, but doing drills
Cleeland is faster than I thought
#16 is lighting on KR.
WR Guess / Streets played a lot
Pickett made some nice grabs
Boogie Sylvester RB (from Weber) is a great addition
Big TE #0 got lots of reps
Fisher rested
Scott Nixon changed numbers to #9 made a great TD catch from Cleeland

To my eye, Cleeland looks like the guy based what everything looks like when he’s out there.

They seem to really like LaDanian Streets WR from Reedley JC.

Boogie Sylvester moves like Lan. Him and Fisher are going to be dynamite.
Axel looks like he played with the 3rd team. Very raw.

Thanks for the update/insight.

I know others have mentioned that Ceeland looked like he had a leg up on the others at previous practices and the team's Instagram page featured him heavily over the other QBs in a recent post (though I don't necessarily think that is a serious indication of who will be starting).

Hopefully the special teams strategy is looking different from last season now that we have a dedicated guy to lead that group. Woefully bad last year.

Sounds like they were featuring young guys and guys who haven’t been at the top of the depth chart. Was the #16 on kick returns the true freshman WR (5’10) or the DB (6’0”)? I guess it was Jackson Fay the wide receiver.

Looked like someone the size of Fay

Didn't realize, but Nova and William & Mary are also moving to the Patriot League for football starting this season --- Richmond moved last year --- the PL also includes Lehigh, Lafayette and Holy Cross as well. This is a dramatic improvement to the football conference.

The team is really deep in fast wide receivers. Zach Jones, Xzavior Guess, and Jackson Fay all have impressive 100M bests. Fay and Guess’ times are wind aided
Zach Jones 10.55 this year in college.
Jackson Fay 10.58
Xzavior Guess 10.84

On the manner which plough picks his starting QB. By team vote according to recent legend. I say this because my BIL up in Boise has seen this reported locally, along of course with interest in Hawk and son who the locals like very much. It is rather a very interesting and smart method and I hear that coaches all over the west are talking about it. One of the things that it does is remove the issue of the “Coaches favorite “ out of the equation and allows the guys to just play at their best and treat the rest of the guys with respect. Then whoever is chosen owes a mental debt to the team to do his best in each and every game. My question is does the entire roster vote and when is it done?

Plough didn’t suggest the team actually selects the starter by vote. That would be crazy. He meant you can tell by how the unit operates who the guys have confidence in.

Nice report. The TE group should be a strength. They are all the rage these days but more importantly that is a position where Davis has an advantage recruiting (as with Harbs Stanford teams) relative to WR. Need to use some of those guys as big options in the slot to offset some of the size issues in the wr room.

Lafan, I have not heard Plough articulate your description anywhere but maybe I missed it. If that is the case, then it is no less subjective that any other method of choosing any player’s performance at any position. So I guess the media just got it wrong. I think many people are under the impression that my view is the correct one even if wrong. And what is so crazy about having a meeting of the players with the QBs out of the room and passing out anonymous ballots?

in Plough’s interview on the podcast he did say that the players essentially select the QB by how they react etc to his leadership and how things operate. I am sure Plough has his own thoughts and am pretty sure he would override a “popularity contest” sort of vote by players - which is not done anyway in the classical mechanical sense. My hunch is that both the team and his preference will ultimately align.

he said the same at lunch. QB’s are graded daily and they can see their relative performance but ‘the team tends to make the selection’. Not literally but, as I suggest, by how they respond

I went to the Blue Gold game afterwards festivities when CJ was competing, and a QB coach said, "We love CJ, but the accuracy just isn't there." Coaches see the daily reps.

We've got rushing yards to fill from Vargas and Pinnick. Seems like most of our WRs are back.

Yessir on the big options...Dixon was really effective last year when he got to get physical w/ ball in hand (even in the couple chances he got at UW). Great change of pace vs. the quick elusive guys. It can really shake a defense to challenge them to get a big guy down. I'm all for more TE action for sure.

I really like Cleeland as a more durable and imposing running threat vs. Pinnick's elusiveness. I feel there will be no drop off at QB this year.