DAVIS, Calif — University of California Davis head football coach Dan Hawkins is stepping down.
According to a news release from the university, he is leaving after seven seasons "to pursue other interests and also to spend more time with his family."
Hawkins, who began his coaching career at UC Davis, was named the replacement for Ron Gould as head football coach of the UC Davis Aggies.
"I was honored to carry Aggie football forward and now will hand off to another," said Hawkins. "This is not a retirement or stepping aside from being involved with Aggie Athletics. Rocko is allowing me to stay on board as a special assistant. I've got plenty of juice and life left in me to help the Aggies and embrace any other adventures that lie ahead. I will continue to pursue my life's passion of making a positive difference in the lives of others. The journey continues!"
Hawkins played fullback for the Aggies under late head coach Jim Sochor from 1981-82. A year later, Hawkins was an assistant coach under Sochor and his career took off from there.
Hawkins' head coaching career started at Sacramento's Christian Brothers High School in 1986, where he spent two years before bouncing to several lower collegiate programs.
Following a head coaching stint with Willamette from 1993-97, Hawkins joined Boise State as an assistant coach to Dick Koetter in his first season with the Broncos. Koetter left for Arizona State three seasons later and Hawkins became head coach.
Hawkins wrapped his UCD coaching career with a 44-31 record, finishing 2023 with a 7-4 mark and tying for fourth in the Big Sky Conference with a 5-3 log. His teams were 31-22 in league play, finishing in the upper half of the Big Sky in all but his first season. The Aggies won his last three games, including the season finale over rival and playoff-bound Sacramento State in the Causeway Classic, 31-21.
According to the university, he is the third winningest-coach in UCD history with 44 wins, behind Jim Sochor, his college coach, who was 156-41-5 from 1970 through 1988; and Bob Biggs, who was 144-85-1 from 1993 through 2012.
Read the full press release from UC Davis here.