The more UC Davis football coach Bob Biggs sees his young team practice, the more he seems to like what he has to work with this season.

Plenty of redshirt freshmen and sophomores will play important roles for the Aggies, who finished 6-5 in each of the past two seasons. But then again, the Aggies were young last year, too.

Being young, the coach says, doesn't mean being inexperienced. "I just think we're a more mature football team than we were last year," he said.

That maturity includes 16 starters back from 2010 – eight each on offense and defense.

UC Davis entered fall practice with some question marks.

• Can the Aggies improve their run game?

• Who will replace their two leading tacklers from 2010 – Dozie Amajoyi and Danny Hart – lost to graduation?

• Who will replace last season's top wide receiver for the Aggies, Sean Creadick?

Biggs said the answers are coming nearly two weeks into training camp as the Aggies prepare for their Sept. 1 opener at Arizona State.

After UC Davis averaged just 2.7 yards per rush a year ago, Biggs said scheme changes were made to take advantage of an athletic offensive line. Four starters are back from that group, including first-team Great West Conference junior center Ray Wilburn. El Dorado High School graduate Ian Joseph, a redshirt freshman, may start at left tackle.

The Aggies return their top two rushers from last year – running backs Nick Aprile and Davis High's Josh Reese. They combined for 706 yards and eight rushing touchdowns.

Biggs said he likes the depth he has entering this season.

"One of the things that's hard to do early in camp is run the ball consistently, and we've been able to do that," Biggs said. "That's really encouraging."

Quarterback Randy Wright impressed while passing for 2,432 yards with 17 touchdowns and eight interceptions as a freshman.

"Last year, he was thrust into the role, literally two weeks before we played our opener," Biggs said. "He grew as the season progressed, and he was unquestionably the team leader."

The Aggies had narrow losses to Portland State (41-33) and South Alabama (24-21) last season but were encouraged by winning their final three games.

"I wasn't dialed in (during close losses) like I was at the end of the year," Wright said. "That cost us two games and maybe the (Football Championships Subdivision) playoffs." Wright said he is more comfortable handling the offense.

Anthony Soto steps up at wide receiver, having caught 29 passes for 344 yards and two touchdowns in 2010. Biggs also likes sophomore Tom Hemmingsen and a group of redshirt freshmen competing at the position.

Defensively, three of the four starting lineman spots have been filled. The unit is led by junior end Bobby Erskine, who Biggs said was the team's best defensive player during spring practice. Jesuit's Andrew Benjamin and Brock Galvin are expected to start at the tackle positions. Both are juniors.

Senior Jordan Glass and juniors Byron Gruendl and Reece Ludwig add experience at linebacker. Glass, an Elk Grove High graduate, made 66 tackles in 2010, most among returners. Ludwig, a transfer, had 52 tackles for Golden West College of Huntington Beach last season.

Biggs said the Aggies are loaded at safety, including the experience of senior Patrick Shelton and junior Kevyn Lewis of Foothill High.

Sophomore Jonathan Perkins was the best cornerback on the team last year, said Biggs. Senior Jonathan Calhoun and sophomore Dre Allen also are competing for starting spots.

"I think it's the best group of defensive backs in my 19 years as the head coach, so I'm excited about that," Biggs said.

The Aggies' home opener is Sept. 17 against the University of San Diego.

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