Coach David Elson said Wednesday that it all starts up front.

Coach David Elson said Wednesday that it all starts up front.

“Any good, smart running back will tell you that you can’t (run the ball well) without his offensive line,” Elson said.

Western’s run game averaged four yards a carry on 428 carries a season ago.

Defensive coordinator Mike Dietzel said he’s not at all worried about the upcoming season after his promotion to defensive coordinator – after all, it’s not the first time he has had the position.

Dietzel returns to defensive coordinating in 2009, a post he held in 2004 and 2005.

Last season, coach David Elson gave the responsibilities of the safety positions to two red-shirt freshmen.

Now, safeties Ryan Beard and Mark Santoro are going into their sophomore years as they look to keep their starting jobs.

Maintaining their starting spots is far from a guarantee, however.

Western’s most experienced quarterback this spring has thrown 35 total career passes.