GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum College football team will open spring practice this week as the Pioneers begin preparations to defend their South Atlantic Conference championship.

Head coach Frankie DeBusk and his coaching staff will have 82 players in camp as they begin drills culminating with Tusculum's annual Spring Game on Thursday, April 2nd at Pioneer Field. DeBusk, the 2008 SAC and AFCA Region Coach of the Year, brings back 20 starters from last season's 9-4 squad that advanced to the NCAA Division II Playoffs for the first time in school history.

Of the 20 starters, eight are on offense, five on defense and all seven starting specialists are back. The entire receiving corps returns, three of the starting five offensive linemen are back and almost the entire running attack is slated to return.

The biggest question heading into spring practice is who will replace SAC and Region Offensive Player of the Year Corey Russell at quarterback? Russell, a consensus All-American, established 15 Tusculum records this past season, including a pair of NCAA II bests. He recorded 300 or more total offensive yards on 11 occasions, which were the best in DII history. The All-SAC First Team signal caller established league single-season records in total offensive yards (4907), passing yards (4097) and touchdown passes (37).

The front-runner for the quarterback position is rising junior Brandon Behenna. Behenna, a 6-3, 190-pound product of Sharpsburg, Ga., will be serving double duty this spring. While competing for the starting quarterback job, Behenna is also playing his second season at third base on the Tusculum baseball team.

Also in camp is junior college transfer Collin Wigley. Wigley, a 6-2, 205-pound signal caller from Newport Beach, Calif., passed for 812 yards and seven touchdowns in only four games last season at Mount San Jacinto College. In 2007, he earned All-Conference honors as he passed for 1,377 yards and six touchdowns, while also rushing for 532 yards and a TD.

Leading the receiving corps is a pair of All-Americans in wideout Ryan Tallent and tight end Jarrell NeSmith. Tallent, a 5-10, 200-pound rising senior from Maryville, Tenn., established a pair of school records in 2008 with 92 receptions, including nine touchdowns. He also posted 989 receiving yards on the year.

NeSmith, a 6-2, 215-pound rising senior from Russellville, Ala., finished second on the team and in the league with 67 receptions last year. His catch tally is the third-best in school history. He totaled 635 receiving yards, while making seven touchdown receptions, which are tied for the fourth most in TC history. NeSmith was also recognized for his off the field success as he was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® College Division Third Team.

Also back in the receiving corps is a rising senior Nate Binder, who led the league in receiving yards per game (78.7 ypg). The 6-3, 190-pound native of Maidstone, Ontario, Canada made 49 catches for 944 yards and a school record nine TD receptions. Rising junior Calvin Britt (Augusta, Ga.) is also slated to return, recording 703 receiving yards on just 28 catches, including seven TD.

In the offensive backfield, Marcus Foster (Siloam, Ga.) is back after starting in nine of the 10 games he played in last year. He finished second on the team behind Russell in rushing as he ran for 368 yards on 88 carries (4.2 ypc), including four touchdowns. He also made 22 receptions for 203 yards.

On defense, the Pioneers return five starters, bu