As head football coach, Bob Biggs works some of the longest hours on campus.

Starting this month, the 11-game season began with intense practice sessions aimed at preparing the Aggie football team for its first game Sept. 5 against Fresno State, and then beyond.

During the season, Biggs is in his office by 7:30 a.m., working until 11 p.m. most nights. What energizes him to keep such draconian hours is the refreshing nature of his job — working with young people on reaching their potential is exciting and stimulating.

“The best part of my job is working with student-athletes who are motivated academically and on the field,” said Biggs. “Seeing our players connect in the classroom and, at the same time, have success in football makes the long hours worthwhile.”

But it has not been easy for UC Davis, which is now in its third season at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision level.

The last couple of years have been tough ones — 5-7 in 2008 and 5-6 in 2007 — for a football program that had enjoyed 37 consecutive winning seasons.

The good news is that, even though it has arguably the toughest schedule ever in Aggie football history, UC Davis has been selected to win the Great West Conference by Phil Steele’s College Football Preview. With 18 seniors returning, Biggs thinks his team is ready to turn the corner.

‘More difficult than anticipated’

“We’ve had relatively good success attracting top-level athletes to play football at UC Davis, but we’ve had voids at certain positions. This is the first year since the transition where I have felt confident with all facets of our game,” Biggs said.

“The road to winning has been more difficult than I had originally anticipated — the top 20 teams in the Football Championship Subdivision are very good,” he said.

Division I has meant that UC Davis is competing against bigger, stronger and faster players, Biggs said. “The one area I would most like to improve is having depth at every position.”

At 58, Biggs’ stamp on UC Davis football goes back beyond his 16 years of coaching. His legend was sealed in 1971 when he was the quarterback for the Aggies’ “Miracle Win” over California State Hayward. In that game, he directed a comeback that featured 16 points in the final 20 seconds and resulted in a 30-29 victory. That win paved the way for the first of UC Davis’ record 20 straight league titles.

After graduation, Biggs played professionally with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League and the Portland Storm of the World Football League. He also spent time in the training camp of the NFL’s Denver Broncos.

After pro football, he unwound in Hawaii by surfing and working at a community center for two years. His goal, however, was to get a graduate degree so he could find work on the business side of athletics.

But destiny came calling.

Before enrolling in Sacramento State’s MBA program, Biggs accepted an offer from former UC Davis football head coach Jim Sochor, who asked him in 1978 to become the assistant coach of the freshman football team.

Biggs completed two years of graduate school before he was selected to be an assistant coach on the varsity squad. He later became the offensive coordinator under Sochor, and in 1993, he became the Aggies’ head coach.

“Today’s college football coach needs to have a vision about how their program can flourish and the patience to deal with the limited financial resources to be able to do everything you want to do as a coach,” said Biggs.

Sometimes a weakness can be turned into a strength. Lacking some of the high- tech equipment used by major Division I football programs, his coaches work harder to improve their teaching skills on the field, he maintains.

“Our coaches have become very good teachers, and know how to innovate,” said Biggs, noting that three former Aggie coaches now work in the NFL and another three in the college ranks.

Beyond this, he is especially proud about Aggie Stadium, which opened in 2007.

“It has been a real boon to recruiting and giving UC Davis the Division I profile that its history deserves,” said Biggs, adding that he wants to move the football operation from the Hickey Gym area to the stadium.

The relocation, he says, would improve the team’s efficiency by cutting down on travel time between the two locations.

“That’s where being understanding of the finite monetary resources helps one to remain patient,” Biggs said.

Despite the challenges, he is not about to put down the coaching headsets.

“I’m having so much fun coaching. We’re building leadership qualities in these athletes that will last a lifetime,” Biggs said.

What’s the best part of your job?

Helping the students achieve their goals. This includes paying attention to their coursework as well as their success on the football field. In turn, they encourage me when I see them reach their potential and become leaders on the field and off.

What’s the least favorite?

It is the frustration I deal with in the recruiting process. It is disappointing for me to know that some of the football players we recruit would flourish in our campus environment both scholastically and as an athlete. But some are attracted to other schools with big Division I programs with the promise to play; the reality is that they find themselves struggling and perhaps not finding the right fit academically.

What is your most treasured possession?

That’s easy — my wife and our two sons.

Is there something about you that many people may not know?

I love rock music — big fan of ZZ Top, U2 and Metallica. You have to remember I am a product of the 1970s, when rock was in its heyday. I play a mean air guitar and I love to sing, but I’m not very good at it!

More information: www.ucdavisaggies.com (Go to “Teams,” click on “Football).