In nearly the three seasons with head coach Steve Mooshagian, the Sacramento State Hornets have amassed only eight victories in 32 games, but there is optimism from the coach despite the struggles.

“People will just have to be patient,” Mooshagian said. “There will be good things on the horizon from this program.”

A main reason for Mooshagian’s optimism is his team will only be losing 12 seniors after Saturday’s game against Montana. Of those 12, only seven have been regular starters on this year’s team. This includes quarterbacks Bred Tredway and Chris Hurd who have taken turns as the Hornets starting quarterback.

The Hornets will return 51 of the 63 players on their roster next season.

Team Captain Matt Logue and offensive lineman Dustin Nicolodi are the only two seniors who have been regular starters for the past four years. Reserve lineman Mason Mitchell is in his sixth year with the program after being a medical-redshirt for two seasons. These are the only players who are left from John Volek’s rein as head coach.

“I don’t think we’re that far off,” Mooshagian said. “We will get one more year of experience from these players.”

Going into next season, the Hornets will have 27 juniors next season, most of who will have been with Sacramento for three seasons. This year only eight guys have been with the program for more than two years. The majority of the juniors and seniors are transfers.

Logue, the starting weak-side linebacker, became the school’s all-time leader for tackles-for-loss in this past week’s game at Montana State. He has also been one of the school’s top defensive players the past three seasons and earned second-team all-Big Sky in 2004. He was named Big Sky defensive player of the week for his performance Saturday with a game-high 10 solo tackles and 11 total tackles; to go along with 2 fumble recoveries, an interception and was credited with a half of a safety in the fourth quarter.

Nicolodi has started all four years when he has been healthy and played all across the line, starting at center, guard and tackle throughout his four years.

The Hornets have improved plenty from their 2004 campaign despite their abysmal record. In each game this year, there has been a point where a played here could’ve turned the game for the Hornets, but in every one of the losses those plays went against them.

On Saturday against No. 12 Montana State it was no different. The Hornets led 14-10 midway through the second quarter after running back Kris Daniels finished off two drives with short touchdown runs. Filling in for injured starter Ryan Mole, Daniels rushed for a career high 132 yards.

The inability to capitalize in key moments of the game came up and bit Sac State once again. Late in the second quarter, with a chance to cut into a 23-14 MSU lead, a Hornet drive ended with a Brad Tredway interception deep in MSU territory. In the third quarter, two more drives ended with missed opportunities as a fumble and turnover on downs cost the Hornets as both drives were nearing the MSU end zone.

“The biggest knock on this year’s team is being opportunistic,” Mooshagian said. “This is the biggest difference from two wins and five wins.”

Despite playing well early in the ball-game the Hornets lost 37-16. The team was ravaged by injuries as seven regular starters were either out going into the game or knocked out during the game.

On senior day, the Hornets will face perennial Big Sky power Montana. The Grizzlies (7-2 overall, 4-1 Big Sky), last season’s runner-up in the I-AA National Championship game; will enter the contest 10-0 against the Hornets, including a 4-0 mark at Hornet Stadium.

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Mitch McLaughlin can be reached at [email protected]