Fresno State had a pretty good season on the defensive side of the football a year ago under then-rookie head coach Tim DeRuyter and his first-year staff.

A new scheme got put in and absorbed, and the Bulldogs played it well enough to make a huge jump in turnovers gained, as well as their total and scoring defense numbers. And all of that has shown through in the early sessions of spring, particularly in a secondary that is without NFL-bound strong safety Phillip Thomas but does return three starters.

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The Bulldogs are making plays, and the difference from this time a year ago is rather large.

"I feel real good," defensive coordinator Nick Toth said Wednesday. "Our kids are showing up and they're playing pretty hard right now -- the intensity is real good, they're running to the ball.

"So we're getting to worry about more technique and scheme stuff and the DBs, they're the ones we're seeing a whole bunch of results with that. Three of the four are back and they're light years ahead.

"They're all self-correcting, which is a sign of the scheme sinking in. I saw (linebacker) Kyrie Wilson today self-correct. As he was making a mistake, he felt it, and that's because he had all those reps from before. I feel good about that stuff. Everything looks good, but we don't have pads on. We'll find out more on Friday, but I'm happy with where we are."

The Bulldogs will put on the pads for the first time Friday and scrimmage for the first time next Monday.

Participation report

Defensive lineman Andy Jennings was back after missing the first spring practice because of a death in his family.

Wideout Dillon Root was at practice but not practicing after he was involved in an auto crash Sunday that left him moving a bit stiffly.

Tight end Marcel Jensen was excused for a day, so the Bulldogs moved third-string tackle Andrew Gustafson over to fill in.

DeRuyter, who labeled Monday's session sloppy, had this to say after Wednesday's second practice: "It was much cleaner than it was on Monday, which is to be expected. I thought our intensity, we had a good bounce in our step.

"We took care of the ball much better on offense. We put two fumbles on the ground -- we can't do that. The defense did a good job of stripping the ball. They were contact fumbles. But overall, I like what we're getting done on both sides of the ball."

Also ...

-- A decision regarding the status of receiver A.J. Johnson is expected Friday. Johnson, who missed last season for violating team and NCAA policy, is under suspension for a violation of team rules.

-- Backup long snapper Chad Preacher, who is graduating this spring, has decided not to return to the team, leaving the Bulldogs short behind starter Dylan Detwiler. DeRuyter said there are some in-house candidates to provide depth, including junior college transfer Josh Tremblay, who is running at the No. 2 left tackle.

-- Starting quarterback Derek Carr has a simple target for these sessions: "My whole goal throughout spring ball is to not turn the ball over once. Keeping that as a goal, keeping my eyes right, that will help me get better and that will help the offense."

-- Wideout Anthony Riggins, now a junior, had trouble catching the ball last season, getting his eyes, hands and the football to intersect. But he did a lot of work after practices last year, and over the winter, and is catching it much cleaner. "I'm a lot more confident and comfortable playing the game at this speed," said Riggins, who prepped at Rodriguez High-Fairfield. "I just have to get my eyes on the ball -- they told me to take a picture of it when I'm catching the ball and that's what I'm working on. I have to make that second nature."