Bearkats announce roster for spring game

4/17/2008 1:00:00 AM | Football

By: GoBearkats.com

By Cody Stark -- Assistant Sports Editor, Huntsville Item

Sam Houston State head football coach Todd Whitten and his staff have decided to shake things up this year by going with a different format for the annual Orange and White Game on Saturday at Bowers Stadium.

In the past, the Orange and White Game, which brings to an end five weeks of offseason workouts, has pitted the first-team offense against the first-team defense. This year, the coaching staff decided to split the teams evenly hoping to better evaluate players battling for spots on the depth chart.

“What we are trying to do is have the two teams split evenly because on the team we have some jobs up for grabs,” Whitten said Wednesday afternoon. “I just wanted it to be a little bit more even so we can evaluate things better. Sometimes when you have the first-team offense versus the first-team defense, it might give one side a little bit of an advantage.

“We feel like doing this we give us a better assessment of where we are at.”

The three biggest areas of concern this spring has been finding three new starters on the offense line, a backup quarterback and help in the secondary.

So far, senior transfer Ryan Hinojoza (Hardin-Simmons) has really stood out this spring and seems to have a leg up in the fight for the second-string quarterback job behind starter Rhett Bomar, who is still recovering from knee surgery.

Hinojoza will be the starting quarterback for the White squad and will be throwing to targets Jason Madkins, Justin Wells, Chris Lucas and tight end John Clark.

Redshirt freshmen Jeff Welch and Taylor Weidman will split time at quarterback for the Orange team, which also features junior running back Chris Poullard, who rushed for more than 1,000 yards in his first season as the Kats' starter in 2007.

“We have had some of our young linemen step up and our quarterbacks have progressed and gotten better with each practice,” Whitten said. “We are just thin at the safety spot and we need to address that. All in all, I have been impressed with the progress.

“We have two senior quarterbacks and three freshman quarterbacks, so there is a big gap there. Ryan Hinojoza has done some good things and is an older guy that has played some college football. I think the younger guys have improved and had good days.”

One of the highlights this spring has been the play of the SHSU wide receivers. This time last year, who was going to catch the ball from Bomar was one of the team's biggest questions.

But so far, receivers Catron Houston, Wells, Lucas and Trey Payne have all shown big-play capability. Throw in Madkins, a 6-6 transfer from Navarro College who made several highlight-reel catches Wednesday, and the Kats have the potential to stretch the field come August.

“That is the way college football is. What is a negative one year turns into a positive the next when you get some guys some experience and playing time,” Whitten said about the progression of the receivers. “I think this is the first time since we have been here as a staff that we have established veterans at the receiver spot.

“I think Catron has had a great spring. Jason Madkins has had a good spring and so has Justin Wells. A lot of our guys have stepped up like Trey Payne.”

The Orange and White game is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.