UC Davis football head coach to step down after 7 seasons
Nov 30, 2023, 8:44 AM
DAVIS, CALIFORNIA- OCTOBER 07: Head coach Dan Hawkins of the UC Davis Aggies looks on during a game against the Montana Grizzlies at UC Davis Health Stadium on October 07, 2023 in Davis, California. (Photo by Tommy Martino/University of Montana/Getty Images)
(Photo by Tommy Martino/University of Montana/Getty Images)
Dan Hawkins, who led the UC Davis football team for seven seasons and has a decorated history leading several other football teams, is stepping down as the Aggies’ head coach.
A press release from UC Davis explained that he is leaving to spend more time with family and to “pursue other interests.” Hawkins himself graduated from UC Davis in 1984.
But his time with the football team is not done yet.
“I was honored to carry Aggie football forward and now will hand off to another,” Hawkins said in the release. “This is not a retirement or stepping aside from being involved with Aggie Athletics. Rocko is allowing me to stay on board as a special assistant. I’ve got plenty of juice and life left in me to help the Aggies, and embrace any other adventures that lie ahead. I will continue to pursue my life’s passion of making a positive difference in the lives of others. The journey continues!”
Coach Hawkins announced that he is stepping down as head coach of the UC Davis Football program.#GoAgs | @ucdavisaggies https://t.co/InRDmY6a39
— UC Davis Football (@UCDfootball) November 28, 2023
Hawkins emphasized that he is not being pushed away from coaching at Davis.
“I want to make this clear for people, I’m not being pushed out. I’m subtilty pushing myself out,” said Hawkins. “I always say I don’t want to be the ghost of Christmas past. I think [the program] is in a good place and I can hand it off in a good place. Things are good, we have a great football team coming back.”
When Hawkins took over, the Aggies had six straight losing seasons. He turned that around to give UC Davis some notable achievements:
- Five winning seasons
- Two FCS playoff berths
- A 44-31 record (3rd all-time in program history)
In one of his last three games as head coach, he led the team to defeat Sacramento State in the annual Causeway Classic.
Before UC Davis, he served time with Christian Brothers High School in Sacramento, College of the Siskiyous, Sonoma State University, Willamette University, Boise State and the University of Colorado.
Read the full release detailing his accomplishments here.
This story was first published by our partner KCRA. Thank you for reading SactownSports.com. Follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
