Caden Pinnick took advantage of spring break at Washington State to return to UC Davis and visit his former teammates. The quarterback stayed with wide receiver Samuel Gbatu Jr., who was the first player Pinnick contacted after deciding to accept thousands of dollars to play for the Cougars.
Gbatu did not try to talk Pinnick into staying because Pinnick got somewhere in the neighborhood of $600,000 to leave. Gbatu avoided the temptation to accept bids for his services by telling head coach Tim Plough before the end of last season that he would be staying put as a fifth-year senior.
“I wouldn’t trade this place for anywhere else,” Gbatu said Friday after the first spring practice. There are 13 practices and scrimmages on April 11 and 18. “(Pinnick) made the decision for himself and what he thought was best for him. I was shocked, but there’s no bad blood. I’m happy for Caden.”
Pinnick was responsible as a redshirt freshman for Gbatu becoming one of the top FCS receivers in 2025. Gbatu led the Big Sky Conference and ranked third among FCS receivers with a career-high 1,169 yards. He also led the Big Sky and set another career high in touchdown receptions with 11.
UC Davis once had stability at quarterback with three-year starters Jake Maier (2017-19) and Miles Hastings (2022-24). Pinnick was a one-season wonder. By throwing 32 touchdown passes in that one season, Pinnick had as many seasons with 30 as Maier (34 in 2018) and Hastings (38 in 2024).
Maier threw for more than 3,000 yards in each of his three seasons. Hastings did it twice and set a school record with 4,493 in 2024. Pinnick had 3,206 and also rushed for 437. Maier and Hastings finished with negative rushing yards because sacks count against rushing totals.
Hastings and Maier set records and won awards, but Pinnick had the distinction of being the first UC Davis player and second in Big Sky history to be the Offensive Player of the Week for three consecutive weeks. Im those three games, all victories, Pinnick threw for 949 yards and 1o touchdowns.
Pinnick overcame his lack of experience to become the starter after a close competition with fifth-year senior Grant Harper. The Aggies will again have a freshman starter in 2026 with Axel Eason, Treynor Cleeland and Jackson Kollock in a battle that may be decided until the opener Aug. 29 at Portland State.
Cleeland and his brother Roice, an offensive lineman, arrived last year. Roice spent two seasons at Washington before following his little brother to UC Davis. Their father Cam played tight end at Washington and spent seven seasons in the NFL after being a second-round pick in the 1998 draft.
Eason’s father Bo spent four seasons in the NFL after a storied career at UC Davis. His uncle Tony played at Illinois and was the fourth of six quarterbacks selected in the first round of the 1983 NFL draft. Tony and UC Davis quarterback Ken O’Brien were both picked ahead of Dan Marino (No. 23).
Kollock stands out alongside Cleeland and Eason because he is 6-foot-4, the tallest quarterback for the Aggies since Randy Wright (2010-13). Hastings was 6-1, while Maier and Pinnick were both generously listed at 6-0. Long Beach City College listed Maier at 6-1 when he played there in 2015.
Maier is preparing for his sixth season in the Canadian Football League and first with the Ottawa Redblacks. He was the backup quarterback last season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, who won the Grey Cup championship, after playing his first four seasons with the Calgary Stampeders.
