Drew Cofield has his choice of easy prey when defensive backs went one-on-one against receivers during practice Friday at UC Davis. The sophomore cornerback could have picked on a second- or third-string receiver who would have little chance of getting open. That is not how Cofield rolls, however.
Cofield waited for Sam Gbatu Jr. to step to the line of scrimmage and jumped out in front of him. Any defensive back in his right mind would avoid Gbatu like the plague after the senior caught 70 passes for 1,169 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2025. Cofield is not one to steer clear of a challenge.
Gbatu learned that lesson last August when he faced off against Cofield and thought he could have his way with the freshman. The two tussled to the turf and that is when Cofield realized he was no longer at Newbury Park High in Thousand Oaks. Cofield was initiated to Division I football.
“I’m not going against high schoolers. I could just thrown them off me,” Cofield said. “These guys are stronger than me, older than me. When Sam and I both went to the ground, I was thinking ‘This guy’s a grown man.’ But there’s a part of it where you have to hold your own. You can’t be bullied.”
When Cofield and Gbatu went at it Friday, it was two players testing one another. “I know he’s the best receiver in the country, so going against him every day in one-in-ones and seven-on-sevens gives me the most work,” Cofield said. “In order to be the best, you have to go against the best.”
Gbatu got the best of Cofield on one play Friday. Gbatu juked to his right to get Cofield to bite and then bolted to his left. Cofield spun around trying to find Gbatu and was bailed out when the pass sailed over Gbatu’s head. “Sometimes you lose reps and sometimes you win them,” Cofield joked.
Cofield and Gbatu recently spent four days together when they were selected by head coach Tim Plough to attend the 2026 Big Sky Football Kickoff Weekend in Airway Heights, Wash. Each of the 13 Big Sky teams was represented by two players. Cofield was the only sophomore in attendance.
And Cofield was likely the least heralded of the 26 players. Montana State brought twins Caleb and Taco Dowler, who led the Bobcats to the 2025 FCS national championship. Montana’s Eli Gilliam was also on hand after leading the Big Sky in rushing yards (1,540) and touchdowns (23) last year.
Gbatu belonged in such company after being first in touchdown receptions and second in receiving yards in 2025. Cofield’s claim to fame was being one of two true freshmen to start every game at cornerback for an FCS team. The other was Idaho’s Caleb Ricks, who transferred to San Diego State.
“I’m the new kid on the block,” said Cofield, who had 36 tackles and two interceptions last season. More will be asked of Cofield this season after the loss of three defensive backs – Khalani Riddick, Jayden Stanley and Cole Batson – who each had at least 50 tackles for the 9-4 Aggies last season.
Cofield admitted he his still recovering from the 45-31 loss to Illinois State in the FCS quarterfinals last December. The Aggies allowed touchdown passes of 37 and 93 yards in the first quarter. And that was after Chris Taylor’s 91-yard kickoff return for a touchdown gave the Redbirds a 7-3 lead.
UC Davis trailed 21-17 after the first quarter, but Illinois State then scored 24 unanswered points to pull away. “As a defense, we take pride in eliminating explosive plays,” Cofield said. “We watch a lot of film and we prepare, so it’s frustrating when things don’t go our way. We know that one play can change the outcome of a game.”
