UC DAVIS AGGIES
Aggies Reach For Second Straight Title

It's been 40 years since the start of the UC Davis football team's signature accomplishment, a streak of 37 consecutive winning seasons (snapped in 2007), and the Aggies hope to sustain the success that has defined the program since then.

With 17 starters and 51 letterwinners returning from last year's Great West Conference championship team, UC Davis will look to a blend of experience and newcomers as it navigates a schedule that includes Cal, San Jose State and Cal Poly. The Aggies finished 6-5 overall last season, their 38th winning campaign over the past 40, and grabbed their second-ever Great West title with a 3-1 mark.

The biggest changes will come on the offensive side of the ball, where UC Davis will try to replace three pieces of a potent passing attack that averaged 274.5 yards per game last year, 12th-best among NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) teams. All-time leading receiver Chris Carter (213 career receptions) and Bakari Grant (154) both graduated, while two-year starting quarterback Greg Denham (2, 932 yards in '09) opted to bypass his senior season to pursue a career in the ministry.

Their departures have opened the door for other Aggies who will try to keep the offense rolling along. Redshirt freshman Randy Wright won the starting signal-calling job during preseason camp and started the opener at Cal on Sept. 4, the only freshman besides Ryan Flanigan (2000) to start the opening game under center.

Senior Sean Creadick, who had 39 catches for 466 yards last year, will be one of Wright's primary targets. Creadick had a team-high-tying five TDs last year, including two at Boise State.

All-Great West senior tight end Dean Rogers (6 foot 3, 250) had 30 catches for 329 yards and two touchdowns and also returns to the offense.

Senior Joe Trombetta (395 yards) and junior Josh Reese (375 yards) help lead a committee of running backs that will try to help the Aggies find necessary balance in their attack. The line is led by senior Mark Tos (6 foot 6, 300), a preseason All-America tackle, while the other four spots will be occupied by a redshirt freshman, a sophomore and two juniors.

The defensive side of the ball has talent throughout its lineup. A key will be replacing All-America linebacker Mike Morales, who had a team-best 81 stops last year but 18th-year head coach Bob Biggs is confident senior linebacker Dozie Amajoyi (6 foot 1, 245) will help fill the void. Amjoyi had 50 tackles last year, fourth-best on the team.

Senior Marshall Congdon (6 foot 1, 237) and junior Neil Pierce (6 feet, 205) will flank him in the Aggies' 4-3 set. Up front, junior Jacob Maxson (6 foot 2, 280) and Andrew Benjamin (6 foot 1, 270) have been effective in not only stopping the runners but creating the opportunities for the linebackers to come up and make plays. Maxson led UC Davis in both tackles for loss (TFLs) with 7.5, and 3.5 sacks in 2009.

Sophomore Bobby Erskine (6 foot 3, 245) will move from linebacker to end and will play opposite senior Eric Sobotka (6 foot 2, 238) who had 5.0 TFLs last season.

Senior free safety Danny Hart (6 feet, 210) returns to the defensive secondary, anchoring a unit that last year gave up 335.3 ypg. while facing a difficult schedule that included Boise State, FCS power Montana, Fresno State and Cal Poly. Hart was second on the team with 53 total tackles, twice compiling at least 13 in a game, including posting 14 stops at Boise State.

Sophomore safety Kevyn Lewis and corners Jonathan Calhoun and Marcus North will also provide support.