With Humboldt’s Lumberjack football gone rugby can take the spotlight.
Rugby will never be able to replace the gap left by Humboldt State University’s football departure. If youth athletes within the Humboldt community want youth to play a contact sport and watch anything that resembles football, it’s rugby. Not only are they going to be able to watch a contact sport, but they are also going to watch a top level team.
HSU’s rugby team has been a part of the campus since 1973. The team was Division 1 and battled with the likes of Cal Berkeley and Chico State until 1998, when they became a Division 2 team.
As a Division 2 team they had their most success in 2005, when they made it to the National Championship but came up short to Colorado State.
Since then, HSU Rugby has been a part of the National Collegiate Rugby league. The team had great success over the last four years, ranking seventh in the nation without the chance to play the national championship due to COVID-19.
Much of the team’s success is thanks to ex-football players at HSU and the recruiting of local and Division1 club rugby. Latufeao Kolopeaua, a junior at HSU and former football player, was recruited to join the rugby team after the football team was disbanded in July of 2018.
“If it weren’t for rugby here at Humboldt I would have transferred over to Montana Tech to play football,” Kolopeaua said. “Even though I sometimes dislike the decisions by this university, I’m very happy I was able to stay here and play rugby because the university is cheap, close to my home of LA, compared to Montana, and I really like it here.”
HSU Rugby is a great opportunity for local high school athletes, like myself who went to McKinleyville High and played rugby for Chico Rugby club, to still play a contact sport while also staying local. Tali Fonoti, an incoming freshman for the rugby team, was a running back for St. Bernard’s Academy’s team, who won the Division 3 state championship.
“I wouldn’t be staying here if it weren’t for rugby,” Fonoti said. “If Humboldt offered football then I would be playing for them. I’m happy to be able to stay here and play a sport and to be honest, the rugby team is the only reason I’m staying up here. It is my first time playing rugby, but it is something I’ve watched a little bit growing up. There is just no youth rugby in Humboldt which is the only reason I didn’t play.”
Picking up rugby came easy to Fonoti. He believes rugby could be the sport to fill the gap of HSU football for local high school athletes.
“I don’t think it is that hard to transition from football to rugby,” Fonoti said. “I was always in a sport so I am confident in my ability to pick one up easily. The fundamentals of tackling and running the ball are almost the same. If any high school kids wanted to stay up here and play a contact sport I would be for sure talking them up to play rugby because it’s not that hard to learn.”
Logan McDaniel, a freshman from Belmont, never would have heard of HSU if it weren’t for rugby.
“I would be playing rugby or football at another school,” McDaniel said. “Humboldt wouldn’t have even been on my radar. I’m happy I was recruited and they have some sort of contact sport at Humboldt because I love it up here.”
Although HSU football is disbanded and can never be fully replaced by any sport, rugby could be the one that comes closest to filling the gap for the community. Local athletes will be able to stay home, save money and play for a nationally ranked collegiate team.
HSU adds another pro football player to its record, but not for the league you think
The XFL is back after a 19-year break and is the next football league to try to fill the gap between NFL seasons. Former Humboldt State University running back Ja’Quan Gardner has joined the Seattle Dragons along with former NFL prospects and players.
This isn’t the first professional league that Gardner has played in. A story by the Lost Coast Outpost said he spent a short time in the NFL after being signed as a non-drafted free agent by the San Francisco 49ers, only to play one preseason game in 2018 before being waived. He also played for another rival league to the NFL, the now-defunct Alliance of America Football where he led the league in rushing on the San Diego Fleet before having to undergo shoulder surgery.
It may seem like just another NFL, but the XFL does have some aspects that make it stand out.
The XFL originally started in 2001, and ran for a season with poor ratings as it tried to turn football into a reality show similar to the WWE. After learning his lesson the first time, WWE Chairman and founder of the original XFL Vince McMahon has brought the league back with familiar faces.
In October, Gardner was drafted to the Seattle Dragons, who lost their opener 31-19 against the D.C. Defenders with Gardner rushing for only 36 yards in nine attempts. In their second game against the Tampa Bay Vipers on Feb. 15, they came out victorious with the Dragons winning 17-9. Gardner rushed for 27 yards in 10 attempts.
It may seem like just another NFL, but the XFL does have some aspects that make it stand out.
An NPR article explained the league has a few notable rule changes that make it unique.
In the NFL, nearly every score ends with an extra point try. In the XFL, they have ditched the kick and replaced it with 3-point, 2-point and 1-point tries from the 10-yard, 5-yard and 2-yard line, respectively. Paired with this is a so-called comeback period where the clock will stop after every play in the final two minutes of each half. This will give trailing teams a better chance at making a comeback.
The play clock has been shortened to 25 seconds, teams only have two timeouts, halftime is only 10 minutes and the clock doesn’t stop after incomplete passes and out-of-bound plays like in the NFL. These time changes are in an attempt to shorten the three-hour-long games the NFL is accustomed to and limit the downtime in the game.
These are just a few of the new rules the XFL is changing to try and become a reasonable substitution for the NFL during the spring.
You can watch Ja’Quan Gardner and the Seattle Dragons take on the Dallas Renegades Feb. 22 at 5:00 p.m.
First candidate for HSU’s next athletic director makes his case for the job
Allan Jones is one of three candidates in the running for Humboldt State University’s next athletic director. While speaking to open forum attendees, Jones said investing in the community and working with the community members are some of the keys to making a successful athletics program.
“We’re going to be heavily involved in this community asking for support,” Jones said. “But in order to do that we need to be invested as well. Not just our student athletes, but our coaches, our administrators, our staff.”
Jones, originally from a small community in Conyers, Georgia, pointed to his additional work in the Waco, Texas area as an example of what he would hope to bring to HSU.
“There’s a reason why I’m on the Rotary Club of Waco,” Jones said. “Why I’m on the little league board for baseball and softball in Waco and why I’m on the Museum Association Board of Waco, and it’s because I need people to know that when I’m out in the community asking for their support, that there’s a return on that investment.”
“I want to bring those best-in-class practices and successes we’ve seen and measure those to scale here with Lumberjack athletics.”
Allan Jones
Jones comes to the table with 20 years of experience in college athletics, most recently working with the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in Waco as the president and CEO. Jones has also held positions at Arizona State University, University of North Texas, University of Louisville, University of Maryland and Georgia Institute of Technology.
Coming to HSU having held positions at several major universities, Jones was confident that his experience there and at smaller schools would help him improve the programs at HSU.
“I want to bring those best-in-class practices and successes we’ve seen and measure those to scale here with Lumberjack athletics,” Jones said. “So I think those experiences at the bigger schools and bigger institutions mesh with having been at places that were smaller, that were rural as well my background having grown up in the second smallest county in the state of Georgia.”
“Let’s figure out, is there a Band-Aid approach that gets us through this next three to four months? And then let’s have the best softball complex between San Francisco and Portland.”
Allan Jones
On the subject of HSU football, which was cut under the previous administration, Jones was open to having the conversation of a return in the future, but he stressed being able to support athletes as a whole.
“I’m comfortable having a conversation down the road about football,” Jones said. “But what it needs to be is a very open, honest, transparent discussion as someone who’s actually brought a sport to a full time NCAA status, understanding not just the scholarship cost, but recruiting, travel budget—all the other things that go in.”
In regard to existing programs on campus, one big facilities issue that Jones sees at HSU is the condition of the softball field, which often becomes unusable when it rains. He said the softball field would be at the top of his list of things to address if he is hired.
“As I understand, left field has got an issue four feet down that it won’t drain,” Jones said. “Well, why would we put $1 million into that when we’re going to have to go back four years later and build a brand new stadium? Let’s be strategic. Let’s figure out, is there a Band-Aid approach that gets us through this next three to four months? And then let’s have the best softball complex between San Francisco and Portland.”
Why HSU should bring back baseball in the post-football era
It has been over a year since the Humboldt State University football team played their final game ever, leaving local sports fans wondering how we are going to fill the void the HSU football team left in its wake.
Now that I’ve had some time to get used to a fall semester without the green and gold jerseys at the Redwood Bowl, it’s begun to feel more normal for HSU to be a school without a football team.
I know that bringing back the football team, at least in the near future, is an idea that seems like a pipe dream. Once you cut a program that was as much of a financial strain as the football team was, it is really hard to justify bringing such a program back. I think we need to explore alternatives of bringing back other, less expensive sports to HSU, and I know exactly what sport it should be.
Humboldt State needs to revive its baseball program, and I know that HSU baseball would be very well supported by the community.
For one, sports fans in Arcata and the rest of Humboldt County love baseball. There is no bigger example of this than the support that Arcata’s summer collegiate baseball team, the Humboldt Crabs, receives every summer from June until early August.
“From a baseball perspective, an HSU baseball team would be a huge benefit to both the athletes that would play here and the Humboldt Crabs organization.”
Liam Warner
Experiencing a Crabs game is one of the purest forms of Arcata that you will ever experience. From the world-famous Crab Grass Band to the unique heckling coming from the fans, thousands of people pack the Arcata Ballpark every summer to watch the Crabs play. Unfortunately, this is when most of the student population is home for the summer.
Another reason why an HSU baseball team would be easy to start is because finding a facility to play at won’t be a problem. The Arcata Ballpark, which is located right next to Arcata City Hall, is considered to be one of the best ballparks on the summer baseball circuit. For a Division II baseball school, I’m sure we would have one of the best baseball facilities on the West Coast.
Having an HSU baseball team that plays at the Arcata Ballpark would also give fans a lot more opportunities to watch baseball in downtown Arcata. Typically, college baseball season runs from February into late April. The Humboldt Crabs season starts in late May or early June, meaning that we would have six months of baseball with a gap in May between the seasons.
I’m sure extending the season of high-level baseball in Arcata would provide a boost to the economy downtown, as it would allow the opportunity for more people to watch quality baseball at the ballpark.
From a baseball perspective, an HSU baseball team would be a huge benefit to both the athletes that would play here and the Humboldt Crabs organization. The Crabs draw quite a few of their homegrown players from the College of the Redwoods baseball team, so an HSU baseball team would naturally become a feeder of players to play on the Crabs during the summer.
HSU Jacks players would have the opportunity to continue their season on a well-established summer baseball club, and the Crabs would have a local pool of baseball players they could pick from.
Ultimately, it’s up to HSU athletics to make the decision to bring back a sport. But I think all of the factors are there to make an HSU baseball team a successful part of the community.
Only four students attended the first University Resources and Planning Committee’s public budget forum, according to Associated Students President Yadira Cruz.
Around 50 faculty, staff and community members were in attendance as well, according to Art Education Assistant Professor and URPC Co-Chair James Woglom.
Woglom said the URPC’s presentation, which can be found online at budget.humboldt.edu, focused on the URPC’s work toward creating a scalable budget model, or a budget that can be altered periodically to represent changing values.
“It ends up bringing more people into the process of decision-making, and thus hopefully reflecting more people’s feeling of what we want this organism to do,” Woglom said of the URPC’s new model.
James Woglom, art education assistant professor and University Resources and Planning Committee co-chair, checking his laptop in the Humboldt State Univeristy library on Nov. 14. Woglom said the URPC has created a new scalable budget model that allows for more flexibilty and input from the HSU community. | Photo by James Wilde
URPC has been meeting over the course of the semester to form a three-year budget for Humboldt State. Woglom said the first step for deciding where to allocate funds is to clarify which values HSU should prioritize.
Besides the forum, the URPC is taking feedback online through an online submission form, a Google survey designed to scale which campus values are most important and a pie chart budget simulator that allows proposals of how HSU should divide funds. Woglom said he’d also be happy to take suggestions through direct emails.
While Cruz said she appreciated the existence of the online feedback forms, she said they can be obscure due to budgetary jargon.
“Although it’s available, it might not be accessible in that way,” Cruz said.
The Google survey, which is not yet released, lists a series of California State University values and asks the respondent to rate how much they agree with each one.
“It’s not saying that we want to devalue any of them, but it’s trying to get a quantitative sense of where the University’s priorities are in terms of allocation of resources based across a series of ideas,” Woglom said. “And then hopefully with that quantification we can make decisions based on where we can make things happen.”
The URPC’s current projections show a $5.4 million budget gap by the 2021-2022 school year, which reflects the impact of reduced tuition due to declining enrollment. According to the presentation, every 100 students generate about $560,000 in tuition.
The University Resources and Planning Committee pointed to declining tuition numbers as the cause of HSU’s current projected $5.4 million budget gap.
Joseph Reed, a political science and economics double major and a student representative on the URPC, said the key challenge has been ramping down the budget with the declining student body.
“It’s kind of been hard to keep this budget for about 8,000 students when we don’t have 8,000 students anymore,” Reed said.
Cruz said the budget should focus on the students HSU has now, and not the students it had in the past.
“Being in that cutting mindset is potentially jarring for morale. I mean, you’re coming from a space where you’re like, ‘Alright, what do we have to not do this year?’”
James Woglom
“I think every campus goes through these sorts of financial challenges, but I think how we move forward is centering students,” Cruz said.
Reed said the URPC has no plans to cut whole departments. Instead, Reed said cuts are more likely to be smaller and broader across the board.
“Every department is being affected, but each one has its own budget, so each one has its own certain amount that it’s being reduced by,” Reed said.
Over the past three years, URPC reduced the budget by $11.5 million. However, Woglom emphasized a difference between past and future cuts due to the new scalable budget model.
“[In the past] we’ve cut what we’ve determined to be at the fringe of the project of the University—so maybe not in direct agreement with the strategic plan of the University or the general values of the University,” Woglom said. “Being in that cutting mindset is potentially jarring for morale. I mean, you’re coming from a space where you’re like, ‘Alright, what do we have to not do this year?’”
The University Resources and Planning Committee showed three possible enrollment and budget scenarios in its Nov. 7 public forum presentation.
With the new model, Woglom said HSU can start with a specific budget number and then distribute it to the things HSU values most. Woglom said the budget can be continually changed, which allows HSU to scale back up or down if monetary realities change.
“We don’t want to make hurried and necessary decisions every year,” Woglom said.
The URPC uses Financial Information Reporting Management System codes, which are used in higher education to categorize expenses by their function, to compare HSU’s spending to other CSUs.
FIRMS codes break down HSU’s spending into five categories: instruction ($56.6 million in the current budget), institutional support ($21.6 million), operations and maintenance of plant ($16.3 million), academic support ($15.6 million) and student services ($12 million). Each of these categories represent a FIRMS program, and the budget determines what percent of the total amount of funding goes to each category.
Using these categories, the URPC also compares HSU’s spending to other CSUs. According to the presentation, spending at HSU in comparison to similar-sized campuses for the 2017-2018 school year was 17% higher at HSU for instruction, 24% higher for academic support, 3% higher for student services, 10% higher for institutional support and 1% higher for operations and maintenance of plant.
The presentation also showed three possible scenarios for the future of enrollment and its effects on the budget. The best case scenario, called the growth scenario, shows a leveling off of the enrollment decline and a budget gap in the $4 million range by the 2021-2022 school year.
The current scenario, upon which URPC’s projections are based, shows a continued decline that leads to the budget gap of $5.4 million. The worst-case scenario shows further decline and a budget gap of up to $7 million by the 2021-2022 school year.
The URPC’s current budget plans are based on the middle scenario of a $5.4 million gap.
Woglom said the URPC still has to figure out how to allocate its funding to keep current programs intact.
Budget projections from the University Resources and Planning Committee’s Nov. 7 public forum presentation show a $5.4 million budget gap by the 2021-2022 school year.
“It raises interesting questions about where you can move within that,” Woglom said.
Just one day after the URPC’s public forum, HSU released a campus announcement detailing the process for filling staff vacancies during the current enrollment decline and budget deficit. The announcement said that while current staff positions will not be eliminated, positions deemed “non-critical” by the vice president of the relevant division won’t be backfilled when a person leaves that position.
Woglom confirmed that announcement.
“The intention of the University at this point is to work to determine where attrition will happen and backfill positions in that manner,” Woglom said.
This backfiring process does not apply to faculty, according to the announcement.
The URPC’s next and final public forum is scheduled for Dec. 3 at 11:30 a.m. in the Goodwin Forum, during which the public can review the URPC’s draft plan before it is sent to the University president for review. Woglom urges everyone to give their input.
“Any ideas that people have that they’d like to share with us, the better our decision-making process can be,” Woglom said.
“I think [student input is] a challenge in itself,” Cruz said. “But I think that just because it’s challenging doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be pursued.”
Yadira Cruz
Reed and Cruz said they don’t think two public forums are enough to gather sufficient student input.
“I think overall we should be making a stronger effort to connect with students and get their overall opinions,” Reed said.
Reed suggested that the URPC should seek to get input not just from some students, but from the majority of students. Cruz agreed.
“I think that’s a challenge in itself,” Cruz said. “But I think that just because it’s challenging doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be pursued.”
HSU football brought two communities together and now we’re at a loss
In July of 2018, with most of the student population home for the summer, former Humboldt State President Lisa Rossbacher and former Athletic Director Duncan Robins made the announcement that the HSU football team would be cut following the conclusion of the 2018 season.
The efforts of many community members to raise money for the football program earlier in the year were seemingly for nothing. Many community members, including myself, were outraged about the decision to cut the football team, but some applauded the move, saying that a football program was unnecessary and a drain on academics. Either side you may be on, it was a polarizing move for the university to make.
I am part of the small percentage of HSU students that grew up in Humboldt County. In fact, I grew up right here in Arcata about a mile away from the HSU campus. I am as local as a local student can get. I spent a good portion of my life going to HSU football games and it became a significant source of pride that my small town had a Division II college football team. When I started attending HSU, this was not just my school’s football team, this was my hometown team as well.
When I transferred to HSU from College of the Redwoods, the first thing that caught me off guard about HSU was how separate it seemed from the rest of Arcata. Even though I was going to school in my hometown, HSU felt like a world of its own, far from the Arcata I grew up in. I felt that my identity as a native of Arcata and a student at HSU were two separate worlds, even though in a geographic sense I was in the same place.
HSU football games were one of the only times that these two worlds felt one and the same. The games became some of the only times where I saw both students and local community members in the same place, at the same time, rooting for the same team. People from Arcata and Los Angeles alike, all rooting for the Jacks.
It wasn’t just about the football team itself, but it was how football brought the entire community together. Getting rid of the football team felt like severing one of the last ties between the campus community and the local community.
The only good news I can gather from this is that the Redwood Bowl is actually seeing more football this season than when the HSU football team was active. My alma mater, College of the Redwoods will be playing their football games at the Redwood Bowl starting on October 5, and both Arcata High and McKinleyville High are playing their football games on campus as well.
I hope that someday HSU football will be brought back, but in the meantime, all of the other HSU athletes that are still here deserve our full support. Go Jacks!
Lumberjacks football player named GNAC Player of the Week
Editor’s Note: For transparency, Skye Kimya is the Lumberjack Sports Editor
Humboldt State University’s sophomore safety Adam Herrera was named Great Northwest Athletic Conference special teams player of the week after an outstanding performance in Lumberjack football’s game against Central Washington on Oct. 27.
The following week Herrera continued to hold down the defense as he intercepted the ball against Azusa Pacific in their second to last game of program history. Herrera talks about how he predicted his opponents play, and just like that he was able to outsmart them and regain possession of the ball for the Lumberjacks.
“I saw the play happening right in front of me,” Herrera said. “And I just opened up right away towards the post. He threw the ball, so I ran up under it.”
Herrera had a successful 2018 football season. He finished with 23 tackles and 19 assisted tackles for a total of 42, two interceptions for a total of 76 yards and a touchdown and 562 return yards with a game high of 193 total yards against Central Washington.
Adam Herrera side peddles as he waits for the offense to make a move in a home game against Central Washington on October 27. Photo credit: Walter Hackett
Football has been one of Herrera’s greatest passions for a majority of his life. Starting at a young age in elementary school, he knew football was something he would continue to pursue. Getting more serious about the sport, he knew he wanted to play for his local high school team in Los Banos, Calif.
Playing both offense and defense for the Los Banos High School Tigers, Herrera hustled hard to earn his accolades, including MVP and offensive player of the year multiple times.
As he took on unfamiliar positions such as quarterback, high school football challenged Herrera to become a well rounded athlete, as well as a versatile player on the football field.
“He was a phenomenal player and a great teammate,” Head coach of Los Banos High School football Dustin Caropreso said. “He was a leader. Adam showed up to practice everyday and never complained.”
Not only did Herrera join varsity as a sophomore but he was captain of the Los Banos Tigers both his junior and senior year.
“When I found out he won GNAC player of the week it was pretty special,” Caropreso said. “He’s worked really hard to get to where he’s at, and it couldn’t have happened to a better person than Adam.”
Though Herrera is known as a football player, he is also a son, big brother, and student. Family and friends have always been important to him and his daily life. His parents and grandparents had always been some of his biggest supporters as they watched him play growing up.
“It had been a while since he received any recognition for all of his hard work,” Adam’s mother Cynthia Gonzalez said. “So it was nice to hear him receive the GNAC award in college.”
His girlfriend Skye and closest friends Ereon, Watts, and Mark continuously inspire him to be the best he can be. Ereon Nash and Demetrick Watts play right beside Herrera on the defensive side of the Lumberjacks.
Ereon Nash, Demetrick Watts, and Adam Herrera gather for photos after their 2018 homecoming game against Simon Fraser. Photo credit: Skye Kimya
As a brother to four younger siblings, Herrera has been a huge role model and support system within his family. His only brother Moses is following in his footsteps as he too plays football and is already a recognized all-star on his Pop Warner League team.
“Every time before a football game he calls me and pumps me up,” Moses Herrera said. “He tells me how to play the game, and he is always encouraging me.”
As HSU’s football team completed their final season, Herrera accomplished a lot within his football career, but he’s not done yet. He has already been contacted by outside coaches and is looking to play at another university for the last two years of his collegiate career. Herrera hasn’t made any decisions yet in regards to football next fall but awaits opportunities.
“I don’t want this to be my last year,” Herrera said. “I’ll continue to do what I need to do to keep playing football and if everything goes well for me I hope to continue on to the next level.”
The Azusa Pacific field goal that beat the Lumberjacks on Nov. 3 sailed through the uprights. At this moment it dawned on me that this was the final play of HSU football. The empty feeling in my gut is all too familiar.
Born and raised in San Diego, I could never tell local Jacks fans how to feel or how they should feel. However, after over 30 years of cheering for the San Diego Chargers, I have a pretty good idea.
Year after year, heartache after heartache, I remained loyal to the Chargers. When they went 1-15 after using the second pick in the draft on University of Washington Cougars quarterback Ryan Leaf (the biggest flop in professional sports history), I stuck with it. When management fired head coach Marty Schottenheimer after going 14-2, I stayed true to my team. Get rid of L.T? Why not? There was no quit in me.
Then, Chargers owner Dean Spanos made the decision to move the Chargers to Los Angeles in Jan. 2017 because he felt it couldn’t compete with the rest of the league financially at his old stadium in San Diego. Loyalty was never on the menu for ownership and I no longer have a team.
The same can be said for HSU administration. People are pointing the finger at HSU president Lisa Rossbacher and rightfully so. This is the second football program to be eliminated under Rossbacher’s watch.
Many locals will be getting their wish. Rossbacher’s announced retirement begins at the end of the Spring 2019 semester. One must wonder if future university presidencies are in her future and which team will be on the chopping block next.
After playing the blame game, the reality of the loss begins to set in. For me, it was the fact that my home team that I had literally bled for was going to leave my city for our rival city to the North. Watching them be successful in Los Angeles this season has been hard to watch to say the least.
There’s no more cheering for Lumberjacks football even if you wanted to. The game against Azusa was the last game to ever be played at the Redwood Bowl. That is the reality.
Never again will locals be able to come down early on a Saturday to tailgate before a big game. There won’t be any more Lumberjacks moving on to the NFL, like Jacks All-American offensive lineman Alex Cappa in this year’s draft. At least not in the near future.
The people with the most to lose in this situation are the players. Many of whom moved up to Humboldt County away from their comfort zones just to play the game of football. For some, HSU was the only offer received. For others this university was their choice.
Even though HSU won’t fully admit to having a diversity problem, many students would agree that there is one. Losing Jacks football will have a negative effect on the diversity that HSU tries so much to promote.
90 years of Jacks football apparently means nothing to HSU administration.
The program is over and the lights at the Redwood Bowl are off. It’s a slap in the face and the feeling will never go away.
HSU has 3-year grace period after football cut to meet Title IX requirements
With the effects of Title IX looming after the cut of football at Humboldt State, many fear the impact on women’s sports while others look forward to it’s advancement.
HSU Crew member Bailey Cochran sees it as an opportunity to make women’s sports more competitive.
“It might change the team to be more focused on being competitive and being successful,” Cochran said.
HSU President Lisa Rossbacher’s decision to cut football on July 17 was due to budgeting concerns. The fight to keep the team started during the 2017 fall semester when Rossbacher announced the team would stay for another season as long as the community could put up the $500,000 that the University would match.
The amount of money raised was cut short by $171,000, leading Rossbacher to announce the discontinuation of the football program.
“It’s football that’s at risk,” Interim Athletic Director Duncan Robbins said, “not any other sports.”
Title IX is part of a federal law that was passed in 1972 to allow for equal opportunities for men and women on college campuses. It’s broad in scope and is often used to open opportunities in athletics.
Title IX requires that each university allow for equal opportunity in different ways. The number of athletes required to stay in compliance is directly related to the ratio of men to women on campus. It also encompasses dollars spent for gear and scholarships.
With over 90 male athletes cut from the 2017 football roster, the fate of women’s sports at HSU has left some wonder about the future. Robins doesn’t mince words.
“We’ve been trending more and more women dominated on this campus over time compared to years ago,” Robins said. “We have to try to keep up with that as an athletic department.”
HSU’s campus currently has a ratio of about 47 percent male to 53 percent female. Because of that, the school needs more women athletes to stay in compliance with Title IX, which means the risk to women’s sports is lower. This means that sports teams with large rosters won’t be dramatically impacted.
The Jacks women’s crew team competed at the Blue Heron Redwood Sprints Regatta on March 24. | Photo by Robert Cranfill.
Women’s sports have three extra teams with no male counterpart. They are softball, volleyball, and crew. At the moment, there is no foreseeable way to add more male teams because of budgeting concerns.
“Every time we add a sport, we add cost and we don’t have the money,” Robins said.
Track and field is a dual gender sport, and because there are more men than women on our HSU track team, Robins does not believe it will be a huge problem complying with Title IX.
“Turns out that there are a lot of young men who want to run and throw in college,” Robins said, “so we think we’ll have an easier time than in other places.”
Jamey Harris, the head distance coach, a subcategory of the track team, said that women in the sport aren’t in immediate danger of being cut. He said they will still be recruiting women as well as men to grow the roster as a whole.
Harris said the football teams termination won’t have “a huge impact, just a few more guys each year won’t be cut.”
“At this point we turn away any male student athletes that are just not at the level that they need to be to be competitive right away,” Harris said.
However, more men will now have the opportunity to be trained up and compete at the college level.
In fact, being able to grow the roster on both sides will be advantageous to the track team as a whole. With 21 events and only 40 athletes on each team, the track team may benefit from the effects of Title IX.
“Adding more athletes gives us more event coverage,” Harris said.
Robins said that no change is easy in university level sports, but said HSU has excelled at balancing the roster numbers.
“We’ve done a very good job at giving opportunities to women’s athletes,” Robins said. “On a typical roster size they might not have been given that opportunity.”
Cochran, a junior and three year crew member, is a recipient of those opportunities. She had never considered crew as an option in college until she was handed a flyer and joined with a few other young women.
She sees this as a growing opportunity for the crew team to take their competition to the next level. She thinks this may give the crew team the edge to be able to focus on specifics rather than training people up who have never been in athletics before.
“We have so many people that it’s not necessarily all focused in on the people who want to get to championships right now,” Cochran said.
Cochran does admit that taking away opportunities for women who have never competed before is a reality.
“It’s a give and a take,” Cochran said, “depending on what aspect you’re looking at.”
Tyla Turner (#12) floats between Cal State East Bay defenders Kayla Blair (#21) and Savannah McGill (#32) for the layup. | Photo by Zac Sibek.
Students entering sports now as freshman don’t have much change to worry about. Schools are given a three-year period to come back into compliance after a major shift, such as the football roster cut.
Robins said that this helps cycle through the current athletes so it doesn’t affect their graduation.
“Every student athlete that comes in will want to know what their life is going to look like for the next four to five years,” Robins said.
But after the abrupt dismissal of football, athletes may be left feeling uncertain. Cochran just wants open communication between administration and the student athletes.
“I hope they don’t pull the same thing on us where we don’t expect that to happen,” Cochran said. “But then it does.”
Early this afternoon, Humboldt State University announced that after this 2018 season the football program will be cut.
“This [decision] is due to ongoing financial challenges within athletics and at the university as a whole,” Humboldt State University President Lisa Rossbacher said. “We cannot allow the budget deficit in athletics to continue or to deepen further.”
This April, Rossbacher announced the two-year budget plan in reducing costs by at least $9 million and many hoped that the football program would not be a part of this cut. However, according to the HSU Athletic Department, the net cost of about $1 million annually became too expensive for the University to support and subsidize indefinitely.
“It is the only realistic path for us to take,” Rossbacher said.
Redshirt Sophomore Kyle Martorella called home as soon as he received the news. He said he was very surprised and upset after hearing the program would be cut.
“I can really only see myself playing at Humboldt so it sucks,” Martorella said. “I thought we were guaranteed another five years and that was what the money was raised for.”
Since December 2017, HSU boosters, alumni and community members put forth their utmost effort in reaching a goal of $500,000 that would have ensured another solid year of football at the Redwood Bowl. During that time Rossbacher announced if $500,000 was collected by January of each year, for the next five years, the University would match it with another $500,000 to keep the program.
Although SaveHSUAthletics confirmed nearly $511,000 in pledges last fall, only $329,000 in cash donations were collected in June, according to Rossbacher.
However, SaveHSUAthletics Co-Founder and HSU alum Jim Redd shared that in fact, a total of $410,000 was collected.
“I know that a payment of $80,000 was scheduled to come in, and received on July 15th,” said Redd.
The total amount of donations that were collected will be used for this last football season at HSU and all of the scholarships awarded will be honored to eligible players through the 2018-2019 academic year.
“We are going to be very supportive of the current players and coaches this year,” Redd said. “The support is going to drop way off for HSU athletics as a whole.”
Although several boosters donate to other HSU athletic programs as well, Redd and his fellow boosters believe cutting the program was all a part of Athletic Director Duncan Robins’ plan and because of that, many supporters no longer want to give money to HSU athletics at all.
“There are a lot of donors upset and wanting their money back,” said Redd. “I just feel like Robins was hired to get rid of the program. It took him seven months longer than he would have liked but he succeeded.”
HSU’s athletic department said it plans on providing as much support as needed for current players, whether they choose to complete their academic years at HSU or to transfer to another school and continue playing football.
HSU junior and 2018 captain Isaiah Hall said he plans on “riding out” with a strong team for this last HSU football season and hopes to ensure his team that this decision should not interrupt what they have accomplished for the success of this season so far.
“I always had a feeling that this was bound to happen,” Hall said. “When [Rossbacher] was on the podium talking about keeping the program, her words felt untruthful.”
After this season, Hall is eligible to play two more collegiate years of football and after speaking with his family he plans to have a successful season and transfer to play at another university come spring.
As for new recruits, Chris Quirarte from Buhach Colony High School and Braden Gordon from Independence High School, new beginnings have already come to an end. Both of the newly announced Jacks from Southern California said they were not sure what to think about the news and immediately contacted family for support.
“I am stuck on whether I want to redshirt or play this year,” Quirarte said. “The decision changes my outlook on the season a little but I am not trying to pull the trigger on my decision too early.”
Last year, HSU athletics held a deficit of about $750,000 in which the university covered; and three years ago that deficit was at $250,000. The rate of cost increases in the athletics department at HSU has been roughly double of the university costs in whole.
Rossbacher said she still plans on maintaining a Division II athletics program at HSU and in order to remain eligible for NCAA Division II competition, the University is required to have 10 sports. According to the HSU Athletic Department To remain in the California Collegiate Athletic Association, HSU’s primary conference, the 10 sports are required to be chosen from a specified list, and football is not included on that list.
After this 2018 football season, HSU will sponsor 11 sports: men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s track & field, crew, softball and volleyball.
“At this point we just have to come together as a team,” Martorella said. “We still have 10 games like any other season and we can still win a ring like any other season.”
Failure is not an option for coach Mason Mitchell. He plans on pushing the football program in the right direction with the continuous support of the community and the Humboldt State University student body.
“It is more than just being able to put something on your resume,” Mitchell said. “I am here to help push this program in the right direction, and help continue its success.”
Mitchell was hired as the defensive line coach on March 22 by interim head coach Damaro Wheeler. He was previously at American River College in Sacramento, where he helped more than 45 defensive linemen move onto the four-year level within a five year time period.
As of the 2018 spring semester, the Lumberjacks have hired three new coaches and six others have volunteered to help coach throughout spring ball, and possibly the fall season.
These volunteer coaches have been out on the field at 6 a.m. several times a week to help conduct spring practices. They have also been in the football offices daily to help with logistics for the success of the program.
The work that they have already put in has shadowed the commitment from the community in fall of 2017 in keeping the program alive and successful.
Lucas Govan has volunteered with the Lumberjacks since fall 2017, and is an HSU alum.
“The comradery that comes with [HSU Football] is special,” Govan said. “There is no place really like it.”
As a former Jacks player, he mentions how neither the players nor coaches would be where they are, and as successful as they are, if it weren’t for the support from the community and student body.
The Lumberjacks hold a very reliable stance with their community, alumni and student body, given that they have helped sell out the Redwood Bowl and raised $500,000 during a time of need.
“I was a lead in trying to raise the money,” HSU alum and booster Jim Redd said, “but there were about 250 donors that came up with the $500,000.”
It is the 250 donors who made it possible for these young men to get back in the Redwood Bowl this spring, as well as allowing the new coaches to step in and pick things right back up in preparation for a successful fall 2018 season.
After a successful inter-squad spring game, The Lumberjacks will take a quick summer vacation before they begin to prepare for their first season game in Wichita Falls, Texas against Midwestern State University on Sep. 1.
“We want everyone to continue to come out and support us,” Mitchell said, “But with that, we want them all to understand how important their support is for us.”
The Lumberjacks and their fans took over the Redwood Bowl April 21 for their annual intersquad Green & Gold Scrimmage. Defense suited up in their green home jerseys while offense suited up in their away white jerseys.
“I thought [defense] was successful,” coach Wheeler said. “They were fundamentally sound, which caused all of the turnovers.”
Defense finished the scrimmage with a total of four interceptions and one fumble recovery. They only let offense score two touchdowns and won the scrimmage 35-14.
“I knew the ball was in my hands,” defensive back Alonzo Davis said. “Once I got tackled, I got up hyped and knew this was my game.”
Davis had the first interception of the scrimmage and as a Lumberjack. Davis is a freshman and will be joining the Jacks for his first official collegiate season in fall 2018.
Defensive back Herman Ochoa picked up another interception, along with linebacker Demetrick Watts who walked away with two interceptions and the most stops on defense.
“The whole game I just knew that wherever the ball was was where I had to be,” Watts said.
Watts is a redshirt sophomore who is looking forward to the fall season and watching all of their hard work in the weight room and during practice pay off.
Although offense struggled to finish in the end zone, running backs Jonathan Branch and Tyree Marzetta helped put some points on the board.
“Offense is coming along,” coach Wheeler said. “They had a few big plays and I thought it was a competitive game on both sides.”
The stands of the Redwood Bowl held enough fans on Saturday to create an encouraging and supportive atmosphere for the Jacks. They get a little vacation before things kick off for their first season game at Midwestern State on Sept. 1.
“Our energy was good,” coach Wheeler said, “and these [young men] had fun, but most importantly, we came out healthy.”
Jacks star left tackle gearing up for NFL draft in April.
Humboldt State University football player Alex Cappa tore down the house at the 69th annual Reese’s Senior Bowl on Jan. 27 in Mobile, Alabama.
This year’s match-up featured top NFL prospects from around the country. The game was located at Ladd-Peebles Stadium aired on the NFL Network.
“I had a lot of fun being out there,” Cappa said. “It was great representing HSU and smaller schools.”
“There were a few (NCAA) Division II guys out there and I tried showing them that all guys, at all levels, are able to compete against anybody.”
Cappa has earned a series of accomplishments while starting at left tackle over the past four years at HSU.
Not only was Cappa a finalist for the Gene Upshaw Award, he also earned his fourth consecutive Great Northwest Atlantic Conference Offensive Lineman of the Year Award in 2017.
The biggest factor for the left tackle position in the NFL is the player’s ability to pass, block and stop the defensive end from getting to the quarterback.
At 6 feet and 7 inches, scouts are questioning if Cappa’s ability to protect the quarterback from elusive pass rushers will translate on the big stage.
“The critics aren’t paying attention because he throws them out the club, regardless of how fast or strong they are,” HSU senior right guard Robert Williams said. “His football IQ is insanely high. All he has to do is use his right or left hand and he’ll toss you.”
Cappa started the game at left guard. Eventually, he played the left tackle and right guard positions for the South Team. They went on to win 45-16, thanks to the help of University of Richmond QB Kyle Lauletta, who threw three passing touchdowns.
Potential draftees will most likely participate at the NFL Scouting Combine event, which is hosted from Feb. 27 to March 5. The NFL Draft will then take place on April 26-28 in Arlington, Texas.
“It’s gonna be exciting no matter what,” Emily Morehead, Cappa’s partner of nearly seven years, said. “His draft is during my finals period. So, all I hope is that he gets that phone call while I’m not in a final.”
Regardless of the round that Cappa is drafted, he will always be a legend at HSU.
Through trials and tribulations, Humboldt State football will be playing another year in the Redwood Bowl, as was announced by President Lisa Rossbacher and Interim Athletic Director Duncan Robbins on Tuesday, Dec. 5.
In front of HSU students, athletes, boosters, administration and coaches, it was announced that the team will return after months of doubt by Rossbacher.
“Through a lot of work by the boosters and the community,” said Rossbacher. “Alumni generating pledges for support make this possible for next year. “
President Rossbacher said she was impressed by the passionate group of boosters who led a recent fund drive. This convinced her they could bring in the resources needed to help continue the football program.
Six months of doubt have been put to bed for now, as boosters led by Jim Redd and Ceva Courtemanche worked endlessly to provide a solution to HSU Athletics financial woes. Redd and SaveHSUAthletics were able to confirm that almost $511 thousand in pledges and donations for 2017-18 has been reached.
“Not all of this is local community, there are previous athletes from all over the United States that have donated,” said Redd. “People that have just heard about our cause that have donated. It just speaks volumes, that athletics and the student athletes are very important to this community.”
The future of Jacks football, which is the University’s most expensive athletics program, had been in question due to financial challenges.
The Athletics Department, Office of Advancement and the boosters struggled to maintain a balanced and working relationship to find a solution to the department’s financial woes. In terms of balancing the budget, the University is working to address an ongoing structural deficit that has been on Rossbacher’s plate for a few years now.
With an additional $395 thousand for year two, $375 thousand for year three, $355 thousand for year four and $335 thousand for the fifth year, the community of Humboldt showed how much HSU football means to them.
“We never gave up,”said Redd. “We kept fighting until the very end and the community support is absolutely unbelievable.”
Several players walked away from the Redwood Bowl Plaza this afternoon with plenty of appreciation for their community and Rossbacher.
“It feels great, it feels like I got a lot of relief off of my shoulders. Now I can get ready and focus for next season,” said returning player Jamere Austin.
Plenty of players have been worried about where they would have headed next, but they are looking forward to continuing in their first step foward after today’s decision – Spring Ball.
“President Rossbacher made the right decision,” said returning player Joey Sweeney. “Next year should be a really good year.”
Head Coach Rob Smith held a meeting with players, urging them to notify their families that the team will be back. He understands that because of the uncertainty surrounding the program some players won’t return. But he hopes players will stay and be a Jack for life.
“Most coaches and most players had kind of checked out, they saw the writing on the wall, anticipated the program not being here next year and were preparing for life after this,” said Smith. “Now we all kind of need to get together and figure out how to move forward.”
One of HSU’s best defenders, junior linebacker Curtis Williams, is excited for the prospects of a great season next year.
“It feels great,” said Williams. “Knowing we have another season is a great feeling.”
Humboldt State has been playing football for decades. The prospect of losing the team is something the players, coaches, school and community couldn’t face. Head Coach Rob Smith has his work cut out for him next season.
“Coaches will come and go, Presidents will come and go, but this team belongs to Humboldt State,” said Smith
Lucas Miller is a local product of Humboldt, he was honored by Humboldt Heroes, a local recognition for Humboldt Veterans. Lucas starred at Mckinleyville High from 2007 to 2011. After he served in the Marines before coming back to to play for Humboldt State University.
LJ: What made you decide to join the marines?
LM: In my opinion, It’s the most honorable branch of service. Tat that moment in my life my attention should be served in the military. I had always had a passion for it.
LJ: What was it like when you first enlisted, where you nervous, scared, anxious?
LM: I was definitely anxious at first, then it kinda hit you in the face. You have to move on your feet, so there’s not really time to feel sorry for yourself. Had to roll with the punches.
LJ: How has being in the military changed you life for the better?
LM: It definitely gave me a lot of core values.
LJ: What one thing you you take from military that you use in daily life, a routine, a motto, anything?
LM:Communication, I took the ability to communicate, you learn how to communicate with everybody. It could be verbal or non-verbal. Communication in hostile or regular situations. It helps to be able to talk to people everyday.
LJ: What was the hardest moment you faced when you were serving?
LM: Being away from family, I missed them a lot.
LJ: For anyone interested in joining the military, what would you tell them.
LM: Go for it, know what you want to do, do your research. If that’s what you want to do I think it’s a great decision.
LJ: What does being honored by Humboldt Heros mean to you, especially as a member of the community yourself?
LM: I means that sometime in my life someone looked to me for something I’ve been doing all my life.
It’s Saturday night at the Redwood Bowl. The fog and mist comes over the trees, suddenly 7,000 screaming fans echo off the trees like owls in the night. Daunting to any opposing team, especially when the chainsaws roar as Humboldt State scores.
In the midst of a historic season, this could all be gone as of Nov. 1, when Humboldt State administration will decide on the fate of HSU Football as they continue to handle the school’s intercollegiate athletics program and its financial deficit.
“We’re not just looking for pledges for the first year, we also hope to get pledges for the next five years,” said Athletic Director Duncan Robbins. “We don’t want to just save football for a year, we want to plan for the future as well.”
Robbins and the Office of Advancement are working together with alumni and community volunteers to raise the needed initial funds and future pledges by the November deadline. The suggested number being around $500,000 before the deadline.
“We know what we need to raise to remove the red ink from our budget,” said Robbins, “so we have a definitive target from what we need from HSU’s campus and community members on saving the program.”
The goal is to save the program with options of cutting or putting the team on a two year hiatus.
As a program that has gained national recognition from the New York Times and Sports Illustrated, there’s a noticeable crazed fan base in this community. With that comes the emotion and outrage of potentially not having a football team at Humboldt State. Former players like Taylor Mitchell want President Rossbacher to know they won’t let the program go silently.
“The program means everything to me, the opportunity to play out my dream of playing college football,” said Mitchell. “It’s the heart of the community.”
There’s a sentiment from a few players on this year’s current team that Rossbacher and Robbins aren’t doing everything in their power to keep football at HSU.
“Lisa Rossbacher and Duncan Robbins, if they wanted to fix it, they could,” said senior lineman Jarred Layel. “They’re trying to kill the program.”
Head Coach Rob Smith’s not just coaching a group of football players, but a group of young men that are growing and developing everyday as Jacks, something that goes beyond the field.
“Frustrated, disappointed, a touch of anger at the work these kids are putting in on a daily basis,” said Smith.
Coach Smith believes there’s value in college sports, the value it brings to the community, to the students on campus. If it wasn’t for the school’s athletics program. Getting the community of Humboldt County onto the campus would be difficult.
“There’s value to community, our players and our student body,” said Smith. “There’s entertainment value.”
You go to the games, you see kids asking for players autographs. That’s when you know the impact has been made. This football program doesn’t belong the current AD, president or coach. It belongs to Humboldt County. It was here before them and the hope is it will be here when they are gone.
“What other program on campus brings in 7,000 people from the community on to this campus,” said Smith. “This community appreciated us.”
Going from playing and hosting a Division II playoff game in 2015 (the first time since 1968) to getting its program cut sounds like a cruel and unusual punishment. It’s a realization that all the success in the world can’t save the team from what looks like insurmountable debt.
“The deficit isn’t of our doing,” said Smith. “It has to do with enrollment and what I believe is a flawed funding in the way athletics is funded at HSU.”
There’s an understanding between athletic director Robbins, President Rossbacher and Head Coach Rob Smith that preserving what historically has been a rich tradition at HSU is a good thing for the community. HSU has lead the conference in attendance since coach Smith has been here.
Players will also have the option of transferring to another school without facing an eligibility penalty because HSU dropped the program.
“Our goal if the worse thing happens would be to place the players and coaches in the best situations possible.” said Robbins.
Robbins and Smith both have reiterated that the coaching staff and athletic department would work to help players find new schools if they want to keep playing.
“I think with a segment of the community that would be a huge loss,” said Robbins. “That’s why there’s so much passion to save the program.”
The community’ support for the team, alumni and boosters have a tall task in front of them to keep football in Humboldt.
“We’re have a specific plan for fundraising, we’re out making phone calls and kissing babies,” said Robbins.
This weekend the Humboldt State Lumberjacks faced off against rival, Azusa Pacific Cougars, on the road for its first 2017 season game. The Jacks defeated the 8th ranked Cougars 30-19.
After losing to Azusa twice last season by a combined score of 83 – 40, the Jacks were ready to create a different narrative this year. The win also snapped the Cougars’ nine-game GNAC win streak and also ended their eight-game home winning streak.
Ereon Nash, a sophomore defensive back who played against Azusa Pacific last season, knew they had to come back and play better this year.
“We prepared all week,” Nash said, “we know we had to bring it and come out here ready.”
An offensive battle, the jacks outgained the Cougars in total offensive yards 456-405. Senior Running Back Ja’Quan Gardner had 168 yards on 31 carries, scoring three touchdowns. The preformarnce helped him claim the GNAC Football Offensive Player of the Week award.
Junior John Todd led the Jacks with 58 receiving yards, including a 14 yard catch that secured the school’s all-time passing record for Senior Quarterback Robert Webber.
“We stepped up when we needed to step up,” Todd said, “we want that ring, so we need to make things happen.”
With the win, Humboldt State finds itself top of the list among teams receiving votes in the AFCA Division II Coaches Poll. The Lumberjacks trail No. 25 Slippery Rock by just four points.
Humboldt State continues its conference schedule next weekend, hosting Simon Fraser on Sat., Sept. 16 at the Redwood Bowl. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.
“We just showed up, handled business, and shut it down,” Nash said.
‘The Humboldt Chainsaw Massacre’ is what new Humboldt State football defensive coordinator, Barry Sacks, calls the team’s new defensive system.
“There are 11 links on the chain, and you have to earn each link,” Sacks said. “ You have to play for one another and not for the individual.”
Sacks talked about how the defense has to pursue the ball so hard and so fast that it feels like there are 12 guys on the field, when there are actually only 11.
Spring practices are officially under way at HSU, which means it is time to train and evaluate players. It is also time for coaches to get settled into their new roles on the team.
Coach Sacks said the first week of practice was fun getting to know the players and work with head coach Rob Smith. Sacks said coach Smith is incredibly knowledgable, and it takes a special person to coach at this level, with the daily grind of football.
Sacks has been coaching for over 30 years, for several different programs, including Portland State, Boise State, Adams State, University of Nevada, and University of New Mexico. Sacks spent the 2016 season at San Jose State University as the defensive line coach.
Sacks has known about the HSU football program since his days as a coach at Portland State in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Sacks chose to come to Humboldt State mainly do the recent run of success, and winning culture that head coach Rob Smith has installed at HSU.
Humboldt State head football coach Rob Smith spoke about new defensive coordinator Barry Sacks now that week one of spring practices are in the books.
“I love the energy,” Smith said. “I do not know where Coach Sacks gets it…but again he has great energy and it is fun to see.”
After finding out about the HSU opening, Sacks called Coach Smith to inquire about the position. The two were both born in Washington, they are the same age, but they had never met until the American Football Coaches Convention in Nashville, Tennessee in January. From there Coach Smith invited Sacks to HSU for a formal interview and to take a look at the campus.
Sacks knew immediately that Humboldt State was a huge part of the community in Arcata. HSU really does not have to compete with other colleges in the area for football, so HSU gets a lot of local fans that did not necessarily go to the school, but enjoy rooting for this team.
“We are the show in town,” Sacks said. “We are in a community that is starved for this type of venue.”
Humboldt State’s head football Coach Rob Smith understands that there is a stigma that comes with recruiting at Humboldt.
“We address the marijuana reputation head on and say yes that element exists here, but we think it exists anywhere…and that is not who we are,” Smith said.
Despite the stigma HSU’s football staff feels there are many reason’s for football recruits to choose to play for Humboldt.
“This is a football program with a proud tradition, and a solid success rate recently, seven consecutive years nationally ranked…that is what we focus on here,” Smith said.
The recruiting process is arguably the most important part of the offseason for college football programs. With all the turnover from season to season because of graduating seniors or students transferring elsewhere for eligibility purposes, coaches need to fill the voids that are left by these departures.
That is why Humboldt State Football is very fortunate to be returning a majority of their offensive core, including quarterback Robert Webber, running back Ja’Quan Gardner, and All-American lineman Alex Cappa.
“There is always a good group of seniors that leave, but I feel we have a good base to build around, and we have high expectations for next season,” Cappa said.
With the retention of the offensive core, it allows Humboldt State Football to focus primarily on the defensive side of the game when it came to recruiting.
Linebacker Curtis Williams remembers what it was like when he went through the recruiting process.
“It was stressful, but also exciting with the coaches showing an interest,” Williams said. “Overall I would say I enjoyed it.”
Williams went on to say that he felt that Humboldt State was the right fit for him.
“Out of the schools I visited with, Humboldt was the most family oriented,” Williams said. “The coaching staff really makes you feel wanted.”
Head Football Coach Rob Smith says that recruiting is really time consuming. He relies heavily on his coaching staff to help with the process, including setting up official visitation days where the recruits and parents can come see what Humboldt has to offer.
“I am upfront and honest with the recruits, and sell them on the athletic benefits at Humboldt State,” Smith said.
Smith went on to say that relationships are the key to landing a recruit.
“There’s no magic formula to it, just be yourself and develop a relationship with not only the recruit, but the recruits parents…and continually show that recruit that he is wanted at Humboldt State,” Smith said.
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