The coaches know what they have on offense at Sacramento State, a dynamic group of returners led by quarterback Kaiden Bennett , but what about stoppers?
What do the Hornets feature on defense? Do they have enough manpower on that side of the ball to pursue a fourth Big Sky Conference championship and a fifth FBS playoff berth since 2019? The more immediate question is whether they have enough to take down higher-division San Jose State on the road in Thursday’s season opener.
The quick answer is: They had better produce stops as college football is unkind to inexperienced or out-of-sorts defenses. The Hornets were solid to stout on defense in recent years with pass rushers, hard hitters and guys who can cover receivers. Sacramento State returns one every-game defensive starter in defensive back Gavin Davis-Smith as the Hornets prepare for a Spartans program that is the defending co-Mountain West Conference regular-season champion. The game will be televised on TruTV.
“We’re trying to gel a group on defense that hasn’t played a lot of football together, but they’re very talented and they’re extremely hard working,” Hornets head coach and defensive coordinator Andy Thompson said. “I’m having fun molding that.”
Davis-Smith started at nickelback and free safety last season, ranking fourth on the team in tackles with 65, the most among any returning Hornets player. Patrick Dean and Zelmar Vedder also started games at cornerback in 2023 for Sacramento State.
The program graduated standout linebackers Armon Bailey and Brock Mather but gained Will Leota via transfer from Utah Tech. Leota was a two-time All-Western Athletic Conference pick, piling up 213 career tackles. The Hornets defensive line lost key personnel, though Brandon Knott is back on the interior, a regular in the rotation for three seasons.
“We have a lot of talent and a lot of guys who can play,” Thompson said. “We’re excited to see what happens.”
Success vs FBS
Ranked in the top 10 in multiple preseason FCS rankings this season, Sacramento State has fared relatively well against higher-level FBS competition over the years, all of them road games. The Hornets upset Oregon State in 2011 and Colorado in 2012 before rolling Colorado State 41-10 in 2022. Last season, Sacramento State defeated Stanford in a thriller when Bennett connected with Marcus Fulcher for the winning touchdown in a 30-23 victory.
“We like our chances to have another good season,” Bennett said. “We have the guys to do it on both sides of the ball.”
The Hornets return a veteran offensive line, headed by Jackson Slater, a preseason FCS All-American, and Nathan Mejia, a preseason All-Big Sky pick. Receiver Jared Gipson, tight end Coleman Kuntz and running back Elijah Tau-Tolliver are preseason All-Big Sky selections.
About San Jose State
San Jose State went 7-6 last season under coach Brent Brennan. He led the program to three bowl games in his seven seasons before accepting the head job at the University of Arizona.
The Spartans are now under the direction of Ken Niumatalolo, the all-time wins leader at Navy, where he coached 11 bowl teams over 16 seasons. San Jose State has 101 players on the roster, one of the lowest totals in the FBS. The team’s 53 returning players are the second-fewest in the FBS to North Texas, which has 46. FBS teams are allowed to have 120 players, including non-scholarship walk-ons. FCS teams can have up to 105 players, including walk-ons.
San Jose State has not announced who will start at quarterback. It will either be Washington State transfer Emmett Brown or redshirt junior Walker Eget, who has attempted two passes over three seasons at San Jose State. Both are Southern California natives.
“We know who it is. We’re just not going to tell you guys,” Niumatalolo told reporters with a laugh Tuesday. “We’re all anxious and excited to see what we have.”
The same can be said of the Sacramento State defenders tasked with dealing with those quarterbacks.
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