Aggies sign head football coach Tim Plough to five-year contract extension

Aggie coach continues to build program with regular playoff appearances

After two years of unprecedented success, UC Davis head football coach Tim Plough has been rewarded with a five-year contract extension that will keep him on the Aggie sideline through Jan. 31, 2031.

The new contract was announced Wednesday by UCD Athletic Director Rocko DeLuca.

Plough, 40, is a former Aggie quarterback who has served in various assistant coach capacities at Cal, Boise State, Northern Arizona and UC Davis.

Tim Plough

Plough’s commitment to his alma mater is particularly significant in an ever-changing college football landscape that just this week saw longtime FCS power North Dakota State move up to college football’s highest rung, the FBS, by joining the Mountain West Conference starting with the upcoming 2026 season.

UC Davis will also join the Mountain West July 1 for most of its men’s and women’s sports, except football, where the Aggies will continue to compete in the Big Sky Conference. Big Sky power Montana State claimed the FCS national championship last month with a dramatic overtime win over Illinois State.

In Plough’s first two seasons, the Aggies have qualified for the FCS playoff twice, reaching the quarterfinal round both times.

“My family and I are excited to continue our journey here at UC Davis,” Plough noted.

“I love Davis, love this program, and I’ve been proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish in the last two seasons. We will continue to push forward to make this place grow into the championship program that we know it’s capable of.”

Plough has been named an Eddie Robinson Award finalist for national FCS coach of the year, and under his coaching, seven Aggies have earned First Team All-America honors. Rex Connors, David Meyer and Jacob Psyk have all been named Buck Buchanan Award finalists on defense, while running back Lan Larison and quarterback Miles Hastings were named Walter Payton Award finalists on offense.

Larison was signed to a National Football League contract, while Hastings saw time in the Canadian Football League. Each received the final push they needed to reach their potential through Plough’s commitment to helping them finish their careers at UC Davis.

“Tim has done an exceptional job building on the strong foundation of Aggie football and guiding our program into its next phase of growth,” said DeLuca.

“Our tradition, leadership and alumni support have long positioned us for success, and Tim has embraced that legacy while elevating our national profile and competitive standard. He has strengthened our culture, sharpened our identity and clearly defined what Aggie football represents on and off the field. He leads with authenticity, invests deeply in relationships and takes tremendous pride in representing UC Davis. This extension reflects our confidence in his vision and our belief that he is the right leader to help us take the next steps toward sustained championship-level success. Tim cares deeply about this university, our student-athletes and the Aggie community, and we are excited to continue building that momentum together.”

Added Plough, “I’ve learned and grown a lot in the past two seasons. I know I have not been perfect and have made mistakes, but I’m very thankful for the opportunity to learn and grow and become a better coach, mentor and leader for UC Davis Athletics. We have big goals here and we still need a lot of help to get there. I’m hoping that my commitment to the program will get others to do the same. We are growing, building and working to be something unique in this new world of college athletics. I really believe in the next couple of years, that if we continue to do that together, there’s nothing we can’t accomplish.”

A key part of Plough’s impact at UC Davis has been his focus on developing student-athletes for success on the field while attracting transfers who want to finish their careers and pursue another degree. Since arriving in Davis, he has brought in 12 graduate transfers who have made immediate contributions. The program has also maintained one of the highest retention rates in the FCS, reinforcing that once student-athletes come to UC Davis, they want to stay.

Players such as Cal Poly transfer David Meyer, who set a program record for tackles in a single season, and Harvard transfer Jacob Psyk, who had an All-American 2025 season, showcase the impact of what Plough is building.

Said Cal Aggie Athletics Hall of Famer Bob Biggs, a former Aggie quarterback and head football coach, “I think the fact that Tim is willing to sign an extension reinforces everything he said when he took the job. He has a genuine connection to UC Davis, this program and the community, and you can see that in the way he leads and the pride he takes in representing this place. With the university and athletics making this commitment, it speaks volumes about where the program is headed. Tim is a man of his word, and his experience here as a student-athlete helped shape the passion he brings to this role every day. His energy, transparency and commitment to the student-athletes have built strong trust across the program, and I’m excited to see what the future holds for Aggie football under his leadership.”

UC Davis and its newly extended head coach will begin the 2026 season with a Big Sky showdown at Portland State on Aug. 29. During the remainder of the Big Sky season, UCD will host Montana, Eastern Washington, Northern Colorado, Utah Tech and Cal Poly, while visiting Southern Utah, Weber State and Idaho.

Added Plough, “In the transient world of college athletics right now, it’s hard to find loyalty and consistency. I was taught by my coach, Bob Biggs, to live life with humility and integrity. Therefore, I will continue to make my career decisions off two key factors: (1) who are the people that I’m working with every single day and are they good people that I want to be around, and (2) is this a place where I can grow, learn and become a better coach-teacher-mentor going forward. Davis provides both of those things for my family and me because we continue to be surrounded by great people in our administration like Rocko, Chancellor May and Josh Flushman, a great coaching staff that buys into our beliefs and values, led by Jeff Bourque, and a supportive Davis community that continues to look out for us and make us feel like part of their family. As much as I want to bring a championship to UC Davis, I equally want to be a good father and husband. Davis allows me the chance to do that.”