DAVIS, Calif. – The UC Davis football team concluded its winter training on Saturday with a scrimmage to wrap up the 15-practice session.

"This was really productive, it might have been our best offseason session since I have been here," head coach Dan Hawkins said. "A lot of that had to do with veteran key players. I liked the intensity and we got better at the little things."

The Aggies took to the field for the first time on February 14 and continued with five practices a week until the Saturday morning finale.



"It was really cool to see the young guys stepping up and starting to assert themselves," Hawkins added. "I feel like we have a chance to be pretty good."

The three weeks of work were instrumental in the assimilation of newly appointed offensive coordinator Mike Cody and recently hired quarterbacks coach Quinn Shanbour. Cody was promoted to offensive coordinator on Jan. 9, after working with the offensive line the past two season. Cody has coordinated an offense before, holding the position at College of Idaho. Shanbour came to Davis on Jan. 19, after working at North Texas since 2019.

"Mike has called plays before," Hawkins said. "He knows how we do things and why we do things, and they always bring their little flare to it, which is good. Quinn is doing a really good job with the quarterbacks as well. He brings a fresh approach to that so that's all good and really positive."

UC Davis is coming off a 6-5 season, marking the fourth winning season in the last five years under Coach Hawkins.

The 2023 Aggies return a lot of pieces from a year ago, including Big Sky passing leader Miles Hastings. UC Davis also returns All-Big Sky first-teamers Rex Connors, Zach Kennedy and Lan Larison. Second-team selection Jordan Ford returns and is joined by third-teamers Chubba Maae, Teddye Buchanan and Jehiel Budgett.

UC Davis will open the 2023 season on the road at Texas A&M – Commerce. The season-opener is slated for Thursday, Aug. 31 in Commerce, Texas. Football season tickets are now on sale. Click HERE or call the ticket office at 530-752-2471 for more information.