SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Sacramento State football team will open its spring drills on Wednesday, March 28, inside Hornet Stadium. During the spring, the Hornets will hold 15 practices, including three scrimmages.
The first two practices of the spring will be no contact before the team dons pads on Friday, March 30. Beginning the following week, the Hornets will typically practice on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays from 3-5:15 p.m.
The first of three scrimmages will take place on Saturday, April 7. The second will come the following weekend and spring ball will culminate on April 21 with the Spring Game. All three scrimmages are slated to begin at 9 a.m.
Sacramento State welcomes back 40 players, including 12 starters, back from last season's team. The returners on offense include all-Big Sky receiver Morris Norrise and a veteran offensive line consisting of Clay DePauw, Derek Stickney and Tyler Worthley.
On defense, linebackers Jeff Badger and Todd Davis will be joined by defensive backs Ryan McMahon and Osagie Odiase and defensive tackle Matt Lawrence. Davis (96), McMahon (86) and Badger (85) were the top three tacklers on the team from a year ago.
This spring will also mark the debut for Offensive Coordinator Paul Peterson who came to Sacramento State from Southern Utah. Peterson will work with several different quarterbacks during the spring, including sophomore Garrett Safron and transfer Mason Magleby. Safron appeared in five games last season where he threw for 394 yards and three touchdowns and also rushed for 286 yards and three TDs.
A local product who graduated from Del Oro HS, Magleby played his first two collegiate seasons at Nevada. In 2011, he completed 10-of-11 passes for 109 yards and four touchdowns. Transfer A.J. Ellis, formerly of Fresno State, will also add some veteran leadership for the team at running back.
Head coach Marshall Sperbeck returns for his sixth season with the Hornets. Aside from Peterson, the only other new coach on Sperbeck's staff is offensive assistant Kyle Leitzke.
