For Zach Jones to say no FCS team has a better set of wide receivers than UC Davis was a rather bold statement. The Aggies certainly have a dynamic duo in senior Sam Gbatu Jr. and junior Stacy Dobbins. A set is three or more receivers, however, so Jones must have included himself as No. 3.

That has nothing to do with Jones switching to No. 3 last year after wearing No. 12 since he arrived in 2023 from Archbishop Riordan High in Daly City. Jones also switched to custom thigh pads with his new number on one and first initial on the other. Both were clearly visible inside his game pants. 

None of that qualified Jones to become a member in the set, however. Ten receptions for 128 yards in 11 regular-season games last season did not bolster his candidacy. Tight end Ian Simpson made a stronger case for the set in his final year by catching 26 passes for 395 yards in the regular season.  

Then came the FCS playoffs. Jones rose to the postseason occasion Dec, 6 with three receptions for 58 yards and two touchdowns in a 47-26 win over Rhode Island. Jones followed by catching two passes for 83 yards against Illinois State, which eliminated UC Davis 42-31 in the quarterfinals.

Jones had an opportunity to keep UC Davis within striking distance after Illinois State built a 28-17 lead in the third quarter. Jones got behind Shadwel Nbuka II for a 65-yard catch, but Nbuka ripped the ball away before Jones landed. Nbuku recovered the fumble to leave UC Davis empty-handed. 

Making matters worse for Jones was Illinois State then going 80 yards in 11 plays for a touchdown that stretched the margin to 18 points. It reached 25 by the time UC Davis scored with 2:11 to play. The Aggies scored again with 47 seconds remaining to make the final score a bit easier to swallow.

A spoonful of sugar would not have helped Jones choke down a costly mistake. “It was really hurt after that. I felt like I let my boys down,” he said. “Two years ago, I would have been done after that. I would have given up. I just knew I had to bounce back. I’m not going to let one play define me.”

The definition of resilience is Jones’ kickoff returns of 33 and 67 yards after the fumble. “I felt like I owed it to my boys,” said Jones, whose arms are covered with tattoos. “I’m really blessed to just play on the field, play for one play even if it means I’m not getting the ball. It doesn’t matter because I just love being out there with the boys.”

His thigh pads might suggest otherwise, but Jones is not all about himself. “(The pads) are just a little swagger thing,” Jones joked. “Seeing my boys score, I’m happier for them than when I score.  I just love seeing my boys succeed and I love seeing us win. At the end of the day, that’s my goal.”

Jones then added, “I was very excited when I scored (against Rhode Island) because that means the whole 11 (offensive players) were on point. When all of our 11 are on point, we’re unstoppable. We’re the best team in the nation.”

The quest to rank with the best continues for UC Davis, which is 3-4 in the playoffs and 0-3 n the quarterfinals. Illinois State is the only team UC Davis has faced twice in the playoffs. The Aggies beat the Redbirds 42-10 in 2024.

UC Davis had the final practice of its three-week spring camp on Saturday. The players will reconvene in August to prepare for the season opener at Portland State on Aug. 29. The Aggies will be on the road for their first three games, traveling to San Diego on Sept. 5 and SMU on Sept. 12.