NCAA Football: Sacramento State at Stanford - Source: Imagn

"Giving offers to anyone with a heartbeat": Football fans react to Sacramento State's offer to 2030 Class RB as they aim for FCS to FBS move

Modified Apr 04, 2025 18:29 GMT

Sacramento State’s recent scholarship offer to Rudolph Blaze Ingram, a young running back from Tampa, Florida, has stirred reactions across the college football landscape. Ingram, part of the Class of 2030, now holds three collegiate offers, with Sacramento State joining Florida A&M and DeSean Jackson’s Delaware State.

Ingram’s recruiting journey began at age 11 when Florida A&M extended his first offer. Delaware State, led by former NFL wide receiver Jackson, followed suit. Sacramento State has joined the race, with 247 Sports announcing it on Instagram on Thursday.

His announcement fueled mixed reactions, with one fan commenting,

“Sacramento State giving offers to anyone with a heartbeat and under the age of 16.”

Meanwhile, another supporter expressed optimism, saying,

“As a Sac native and someone that’s been following you for a few years, not mad at it. I just hope we can gain your trust to come here.”

Here is how others reacted:

"That’s future Heisman winner BLAZE," a fan said

"Yoo my 3 year old cousin got an offer from Sacramento State," a fan remarked

The Hornets' aggressive recruiting aligns with their ambitious push to transition from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).

In December, Ingram announced a full-ride offer to play high school football at St. Frances Academy (Maryland). Last season, he competed for the Westchase Colts in New Tampa.

Sacramento State files for FBS status as independent, eyes 2026 jump despite no conference invite

Sacramento State is taking a bold move toward top-tier college football. According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the university has officially filed paperwork to the NCAA seeking a transition from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) as an independent program.

Without an invitation from an existing FBS conference, Sacramento State filed a waiver to facilitate its transition. The NCAA must approve the move, which would see the Hornets continue competing in the Big Sky Conference for the 2025 season, then shift to FBS independence in 2026.

The program would be ineligible for postseason play in 2025 and 2026 but could qualify for a bowl game in 2027.

Newly appointed head coach Brennan Marion, previously the offensive coordinator at UNLV and architect of the “Go-Go Offense,” is leading the team’s overhaul. Marion is also Sacramento State’s first Black head football coach. The Hornets finished 3–9 in 2024 and missed the FCS playoffs for the first time since 2019.

To qualify for FBS status, schools must meet NCAA requirements, such as sponsoring at least 16 varsity sports, scheduling at least five games against FBS opponents, averaging 15,000 fans over two years, and either offering 200 scholarships or spending a minimum of $4 million on athletic aid.

About the author

Aman is a journalist who has been covering college sports at Sportskeeda since 2023. Graduating with a specialization in Transportation Technology, he believes his educational background, although seemingly unrelated, helped him develop the research, analysis and critical thinking skills important for his current role.

Aman is adept at contextualizing current events within historical narratives. He is also good at technical deep dives and presenting comprehensive report strategies, coaching tactics, and player performances with precision. Through meticulous research, multiple sourcing, timeliness, transparency, and adherence to ethical standards, Aman works to ensure accuracy and relevance in articles.

Caitlin Clark's recent achievement of becoming the NCAA Division I all-time leading scorer is his current favorite college sports moment. He also admires Clark and Angel Ree¬se, Caleb Williams, Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders. Iowa Hawkeyes basketball, LSU, Alabama Football, Michigan Football are his all-time favorite college teams.

Aman finds relaxation and inspiration in activities like reading, hiking, playing badminton & table tennis.

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