Orange White spring football game Saturday at 10 a.m.

4/15/2008 1:00:00 AM | Football

By: GoBearkats.com

BEARKAT FANS CAN RENEW THEIR SEASON TICKETS
FOR 2008 AT SATURDAY'S ORANGE-WHITE GAME

Spring training for 2008 will conclude Saturday, April 19, with the annual Orange-White football game to kickoff at 10 a.m. at Bowers Stadium.

Head Coach Todd Whitten and his staff plan to divide the teams evenly to produce an exciting match-up.

"We're trying to make the teams as even as we can to give everyone a chance to show what they can do," Whitten said. "We think we're on schedule. The work ethic has been good. We were extremely pleased with the improvement we've seen in the scrimmage last week as compared to two weeks ago."

Sam Houston returns 12 starters and 30 other lettermen returning including eight players who earned All-Southland Conference honors last year on the Bearkats' 7-4 Southland Conference runner-up squad.

Whitten has seen strong competition for starting roles in a number of areas where the Bearkats must rebuild.

"One of our goals this spring was to find a backup quarterback for Rhett Bomar and we've been pleased with Ryan Hinojosa, a senior transfer from Hardin-Simmons," Whitten said. "Our freshmen quarterbacks have been improving as well."

Key returning players include All-Southland Conference Chris Brown who made 60 tackles including seven for losses and Nolan Bucek who led the SLC with 88 tackles last year. Also returning is linebacker Luke McCall and defensive lineman Eric Mikolajchak.

Running back Chris Poullard, who rushed for 1,038 yards to earn All-SLC honors last year, returns to lead the offense. Starting wide receivers Catron Houston, Darnell Jones, and Justin Wells also return.

SAM HOUSTON STATE PRE-SEASON FOOTBALL INFORMATION

Starters returning: 12 of 22 (7 of 11 offense, 5 of 11 defense)
Lettermen returning: 42 of 57 (19 offense, 20 defense, 3 specialists)

OFFENSIVE STARTERS RETURNING
Rhett Bomar	QB	6-2	215	Sr-1L	All-Southland
John Dirk	OL	6-3	278	Sr-2L	11 starts
Catron Houston	WR	5-11	182	Sr-2L	46 catches
Chris Poullard	RB	5-10	194	Jr-2L	All-Southland
Hunter Schmidt	OL	6-3	303	Jr-2L	All-Southland
Justin Wells	WR	5-10	182	Sr-3L	42 catches
OFFENSIVE STARTERS LOST
Ryan Dretke	OL	6-0	292	4L	All-Southland
Brandon Hale	OL	6-3	334	4L	All-America
Blake Martin	TE	6-3	236	4L	All-America
Brennan Williams	OL	6-0	273	4L	All-Southland
DEFENSIVE STARTERS RETURNING
Wonseleh Brewer	DB	5-8	161	Sr-1L	43 tackles
Chris Brown	DE	6-2	218	Jr-1L	All-Southland
Nolan Bucek	DB	5-10	202	Sr-3L	All-Southland
Luke McCall	LB	6-0	235	Jr-2L	72 tackles
Stanley Garrett	DB	5-10	183	Sr-3L	51 tackles
Eric Mikolajchak	DL	6-4	302	Sr-3L	All-Southland
DEFENSIVE STARTERS LOST
David Branch	DL	6-2	251	4L	All-Southland
Jerod Brown	DL	6-2	267	4L	31 tackles
Carlton Cobey	DB	5-10	202	2L	All-Southland
Josh Moore	DB	6-2	194	4L	71 tackles
Byran Richmond	DB	5-9	226	4L	All-Southland
SPECIALISTS RETURNING
Michael Capparelli	P	5-8	162	Jr-1L	All-Southland
Justin Humphrey	DS	6-4	230	Jr-2L	Deep snaps
Taylor Wilkins	K	5-7	151	Jr-2L	All-Southland
OTHER RETURNING OFFENSIVE LETTERMEN OL - Travis Best, R. C. Fairchild, John Goree, Nick Grimes, Aaron Saunders; WR - Jake Lebens, Chris Lucas, Trey Payne; RB - TyMagic Robinson, Isaiah Sneed; FB - Matthew Powledge; TE - Paul Mansfield OTHER RETURNING DEFENSIVE LETTERMEN DL - Antonio Cobb, Ryan Gloston, Frank Simon, Kevin Smith, Chris Stewart; DB - Cameron Jenkins, Frank Onwuachi, Derrick Raymer, Billy Skinner, Jeff Sparks, Randy Stewart; LB - Shane Richburg, Patrick Robinson, Shawn Weatherford, Jeremy Werland.