By admin 
Saturday appeared to be a routine fall football practice day for the Sacramento State Hornets, though the heat made it feel every bit the summer day it was.
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There was no idle time as players and coaches were in motion in preparation for a new era of playing at the highest-classification FBS. The season opener is Aug. 28, a Mid-American Conference opener at Eastern Michigan.
The Hornets traditionally bring in an alum to watch practice and to address the team.
On Saturday, that was Jerry Haflich, a 1982 Hornets team captain and a record-setting linebacker for coach Bob Mattos. Haflich later coached the Sac State linebackers in the 1980s before coaching nearby American River College to championship seasons. His post-game theme was to maximize every day, every drill, every practice and to ask if that day’s practice film would concern any opponents. If not, up the intensity.
Sacramento State President Luke Wood and Hornets Athletic Director Mark Orr were also on hand for practice drills. They both shared with The Sacramento Bee curiosity and optimism about the move up to the FBS after 33 years at the second-tier, yet wildly competitive and entertaining, FCS. Sac State competed at NCAA Division II level from 1973-1992.
Wood said that Sac State’s two biggest seasons in program history, which dates to 1954, would be this campaign and in 2027. How fast can the Hornets acclimate to a new conference and the toughest schedule in school history will define this FBS move. The two also talked scheduling, including the Hornets visiting the FBS powerhouse Oregon Ducks early in 2028, marking the first Big Ten opponent in Hornets football history.
Wood and Orr said that they will continue to look into scheduling UC Davis to revive the Causeway Classic, a series that started in 1954, but is dormant for now. UCD is a member of the FCS’s Big Sky Conference.
After the long practice, Wood addressed the team about sharing their enthusiasm for the history-making season in the Mid-American Conference, the first of a five-season deal with the MAC. All other Hornets sports will play in the California-heavy Big West Conference.
“Exciting times,” Wood said.
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First-year Hornets head coach Alonzo Carter bounded across the field during practice, his norm, dressed in all black. He invited the heat of the day just as much as he invites the challenges ahead.
Sac State’s defense is led by linebacker Derek Houston, a product of Rocklin High School in Placer County. He tied for second on the Hornets in 2024 with 62 tackles and started five games last season at middle linebacker, missing six games due to injury. He said he is “ready to go” for 2026.
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Sac State returns just four starters from a 7-win season, but retooled through the transfer portal and with a strong recruiting class. One of the portal additions was a familiar face.
Carson Conklin returns to the Hornets after playing for Fresno State last season, where he started some games. The southern California native was an FCS Freshman All-American at Sac State two years ago and impressed in Sac State’s spring game in April.
He has competition in Idaho State transfer Jackson Sharma, a southern California native who played in 14 games over four seasons with the Bengals, including during his redshirt season of 2023.
Hornets offensive coordinator Eri Kiesau and quarterbacks coach Bobby Fresques like their quarterback depth and talent. Conklin and Sharma are good friends who push each other, coaches Carter and Fresques said.
Carter is also keeping close tabs on the competition.
“Jackson understands who Conklin is, and he understands what he was walking into when he came here, and he’s competing to be our starting quarterback,” Carter said.
Talent and depth in trenches
The offensive line has been a program strength since Sac State’s rise to FCS power in 2019 under position coach Kris Richardson. He said on Saturday that the Hornets are a youthful lot up front but determined.
The defensive line is coached by first-Hornets assistant Manako Tuifua. Carter raved about his line coaches as “second to none.”
“The most important thing is the depth. I’ve been impressed with the depth on our O line and D line. We have guys that will make people go, ‘Who is that?’ You have to have the trenches. The O line and D line are going to make or break you,” Carter said.
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