When people think about spring sports, baseball and playoff basketball are usually the words that are tossed around, but this time of year is also geared for the preparation of a new season.

All throughout April, college football players learn their team’s offensive and defensive sets. Sacramento State football is no exception.

Although the first game is still 126 days away, the Hornets are already looking toward the upcoming season and all eyes are focused on the defense.

In 2012, Sac State finished fifth in the Big Sky Conference in total defense, allowing 394.1 yards per game and forcing 14 turnovers, but without linebacker Jeff Badger and defensive back Ryan McMahon who graduated, new leaders will have to be formed.

“There is always going to be a little bit of loss when you lose seniors like they were, but the great thing about it is that they had such a good influence on the younger guys who are emulating what (Jeff and Ryan) did,” said defensive coordinator Anthony Parker.

Badger and McMahon both ended the season with more than 75 tackles and a combined five forced fumbles, but Parker said a new group of leaders has emerged.

“Todd Davis and Markell Williams are stepping up and they are guys that have contributed a lot for us,” Parker said. “We have a bunch of guys that really know how to do things right.”

Last year, Davis recorded three and a half sacks to go along with a team-high 103 tackles.

To complement the senior leadership, Sac State welcomes in 10 new recruits, including Washington State transfer defensive back Tyrone Duckett, Butte Junior College defensive back Robby Kendall and freshman linebacker Cole Hannum from Nevada Union High School.

“We want to figure out how these guys can contribute to this system and how fast they can pick it up,” Parker said. “We always want to improve on our fundamentals and our tackling.”

As for Badger and McMahon, who wait patiently to see if they will be drafted by an NFL team on Thursday, they know how important spring football was to them.

“It was the most beneficial thing for me during football because I learned the entire defense in just a matter of weeks,” Badger said. “It really can help the younger guys.”

Spring football practice continues this week with a final spring game kicking off at 9 a.m. on Saturday at Hornet Stadium.

Ryan be reached on Twitter at @rskuhn