It?s tough for anybody to find any positives out of a 2-9 overall football season, but Sacramento State head coach John Volek found a few reasons to look forward to 2002.

“I think there?s a lot more positive than negative you can take out of this (season),” Volek said. “Are we happy to be 2-9? No. Do we know what we?ve got to do to correct that? Yes.”

What has Volek giddy for next season are the underclassmen that came through despite being thrown into the fire early on in the year due to the bevy of injuries the Hornets suffered at the beginning of the season.

Multi-faceted junior Garrett White was slated to start as quarterback for Sac State, but he injured a thumb in practice just days before the team?s first game against St. Mary?s College. In addition, senior All-American nose tackle Bilal Watkins tore an anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee vs. the Gaels.

And the injury list, which included starting defenders Drew Bogetti (defensive end), Lee Turner (middle linebacker), Maui Borden (defensive end) and Elton Gabourel (cornerback), ballooned from there.

“I was concerned with the amount of youth that we were going to have to play and I could not plan for all the injuries,” Volek said. “I hate to make excuses, but that?s something a coach doesn?t really plan on. (The injuries) really hurt us.”

As a result, several underclassmen were forced to produce right away, and to Volek?s surprise, they did just that.Freshmen Ryan Leadingham, Fred Amey and Kendall Riley each made significant contributions on offense.

On defense, freshmen Reza Williams and Ramon Payne made their presence felt after stepping in because of injuries suffered to the starters ahead of them. Sophomore strong safety Camron Mbewa was also an impact player, making the All-Big Sky Conference defensive first team. Juniors Park McAllister (outside linebacker) and Brandon Coleman (cornerback) joined Mbewa on the list as second-team members. Leadingham was a vote away from winning co-Newcomer of the Year honors while Amey earned Honorable Mention recognition. In all, 11 Sac State players were featured on the all-conference list.

“At the beginning of the season, all everyone could talk about was our defense, but our offense stepped up big time,” Amey said.

The Hornet defense returned eight starters from 2000 and was supposed to be the cornerstone of the team?s success. In fact, Sac State was picked to finish fourth in the Big Sky Conference coaches? poll and was even placed as high as No. 24 in the nation according to Lindy?s magazine preseason Division I-AA ranking because of its defense.

Yet, with over half of their defense struggling with injury, the offense was forced to gel quickly and make up for the Hornets? deficiencies on the other side of the ball.

Leadingham certainly left the biggest mark on offense, smashing program records in single-season yards (2,532), completions (180) and passing attempts (393) while placing himself second on the list in touchdown passes (17). He also held a 122.46 quarterback rating by season?s end. Leadingham was even a threat with his feet, as he racked up 203 yards, third best in the team.

“It?s good to know that ?Lead? will be here for three more seasons,” Amey said. “He?s growing in the weight room and he?ll be a lot stronger next year.”

Last spring, Amey was the fifth wide receiver on the depth chart, with Antone Bogetti, Gary Austin, Jr., Kenan Smith and Michael Johnson, Jr. ahead of him.

When Smith was unable to play in the opening contest against St. Mary?s due to injury, however, Amey was moved up the chart and made an immediate impact. He scored two touchdowns in the contest, one of them the game winner to help lift the Hornets to a 13-6 victory. Amey, who also returned kick offs for the Hornets, etched his name into the Sac State record books in three single-season categories, including receptions (54, tied for second), yards (885, fifth) and touchdown catches (seven, tied for fourth).

Johnson and Austin, both juniors, joined Amey to form one of the dangerous triumvirates of receivers in the Big Sky. Johnson had 50 catches, 747 yards and five touchdowns while Austin finished with 39 receptions and 492 yards.

“We?ve got a stable of wide outs with Amey, Johnson, Austin and the other guys,” Volek said. “That?s what we need in every position. The competition that we had at tight end and wide receiver we need at offensive line, at running back and our defensive front. To be successful at the Big Sky, you need depth, and I think we were exposed because of that this year.”

The Hornets had a rough time filling in the cleats left behind by Charles Roberts, an All-American who broke the NCAA Division I-AA career yards and rushing attempts records with 6,553 and 1,124, respectively. Senior Derard Barton was up to filling in the role as the team?s featured back, leading the squad with 606 yards and six touchdowns. But the biggest surprise was the emergence of Riley, a freshman fullback who made his first start on Oct. 20 against Eastern Washington University. Riley scampered for 113 yards and two touchdowns that day, following that performance with 91 yards the next week against hated rival University of California, Davis.

“He gave us a running game, which was something we were really lacking. We need to have that next season; we can?t be a one-dimensional team,” Volek said.

Riley is expected to team up with sophomore Brett Collins, freshman Royce Barber or red-shirt freshman Tyrone Gross in the backfield next year.Defensively, Mbewa led the team with 88 tackles and had a career game against Eastern Washington, when he tallied 12 tackles and returned his own blocked punt for a touchdown. Williams, who started at outside linebacker in place of an injured Jason Rowell, was second on the squad with 76 tackles.

“I think Camron went through what ?Lead? did on offense,” Volek said. “Those guys had to learn on the run.”

All in all, injuries and inexperience stifled Sac State?s growth. But in up-and-coming seasons, the Hornet coaching staff promises to be prepared for anything that gets in its way in the program?s quest for its first big Sky championship.

“We need to bring the pride back,” Volek said. “I was really excited to again see us improve ?We enjoyed the 5-6, 6-5 and 7-4 (records) the past three seasons that Ricky (Ray), Lamont (Webb), Charles (Roberts), Anthony (Daisley) and those other guys led us with. That?s my biggest disappointment. We didn?t keep building on that, but I think we?ll be back on track next season.”