UC Davis Aggies Welcome New Football Coach Ron Gould

The UC Davis Aggie football team is gearing up for their season opener later this month, and they’re doing it under new leadership for the first time in nearly 40 years.

Beloved Aggies head football coach Bob Biggs retired at the end of last season, and was replaced by former UC Berkeley assistant coach Ron Gould. Recently, players have been getting their first taste of coach Gould’s new style of leadership out on the field. According to the Sacramento Bee:

“We feel like we have this clean slate, that there’s new blood,” [senior defensive end Nick] King said. “Coach Gould put it out there that it’s possible to do big things and be competitive in the Big Sky (Conference).”

Gould has been preaching conditioning and accountability since his arrival. Practices are fast and furious, players prodded to run at all times, and mistakes come with consequences.

Gould also is hands-on. In his first fall practice as coach Monday, he moved quickly from station to station offering encouragement, insights and, when he thought necessary, criticism.

“Well, I’m not going to bite my tongue,” Gould said. “If I see something, I’m going to say it.”

“I love the energy by the young men,” Gould said. “Guys are flying around. There’s a lot of enthusiasm. They feel good about themselves because they are in great shape now.”

The sense of urgency is understandable for a team that opens Aug. 31 at South Dakota and last year went 3-5 in its maiden voyage in a Big Sky Conference that keeps getting better.