SACRAMENTO, Calif. — One of the biggest transitions for the team will come at linebacker where Sacramento State has to replace Armon Bailey, Brock Mather and Jeremy Harris. The trio all finished among the top eight in tackles for the Hornets last season with Bailey leading the team with 97 stops.  
 

• The blow will be softened by the addition of Will Leota who transferred from Utah Tech and will be reunited with linebackers coach Misi Tupe. Leota earned first team all-WAC honors in 2022 and was a second team all-league choice in 2021 and 2023. During his time with the Trailblazers, he tallied 213 career tackles which ranked sixth in school history. Last season, he recorded 75 total stops, including four for loss and also had an interception.
• The only player on the roster who has a started a game at linebacker for the Hornets is junior Oge Feo (one start). Feo has been a stalwart on special teams the last two years, appearing in every game and recording 20 tackles in his career.
• Junior Mitchell Wolfe and sophomores Nakian Jackson and Hunter Boeddeker have each seen action on the field. Wolfe has 13 tackles in his two seasons. His 2023 campaign was highlighted by an interception against Idaho State as well as a career-high four tackles at South Dakota in the second round of the FCS Playoffs.
• Jackson played in the first nine games of the year before a thumb injury ended his season. He was credited with 15 total tackles during the year and had at least one stop in eight of his nine games.
• Junior college transfer Matthew Eskridge II  will add a veteran presence to the unit. Eskridge won a state title at Riverside JC and was named third team All-America by JC Gridwire.
• Alex Rocha, who missed the majority of last season with an injury and redshirt freshman Derek Houston round out the returners at linebacker.
• Other newcomers include James Tivao, Jerome Roberts and Chase Jackson. Tivao was a three-star recruit from Madison HS in San Diego where he tallied 271 career tackles. Roberts graduated high school early and took part in spring practice with the Hornets. While at Lincoln HS in San Diego he made 171 tackles as a senior and was named the Western League Defensive Player of the Year. Jackson was a three-star recruit from Damien HS and was twice named all-league.

 
NEWS & NOTES

• The final game time on the Sacramento State schedule was released earlier with the week and will see the Hornets kick off at Fresno State at 7 p.m.
• The team held its second scrimmage of fall camp on Thursday night. Unlike the opening scrimmage which was dominated by the offense, the second version saw some strong showings by the entire team.
• Jared Gipson caught a 14-yard pass from Kaiden Bennett on the opening drive of the scrimmage which pitted the projected starters on offense and defense against each other.
• The defensive reserves the produced back-to-back three-and-outs to spark their sideline.
• Two of the standouts for the offense were redshirt freshman Darren Gandy and junior Michael Johnson. Gandy had receptions of 25 and 23 yards while Johnson broke runs of 32 and 67 yards and also score a touchdown.
• The defense ended the night on a high note with an interception by DJ Houston.
• The Hornet kickers also showcased their prowess with Zach Schreiner and Isaac Espinoza both making 51-yard field goals. Schreiner finished 4-for-4 during the special teams portion with Espinoza going 3-for-4.