Coach, players look forward to challenge of new season
7/29/2010 7:12:00 AM | Football
LAKE CHARLES, La. - Sam Houston State head coach Willie Fritz knew coming into the season that he was going to have his hands full turning around the Bearkats' football program.
The rest of the coaches in the Southland Conference apparently agree.
Coming off a 5-6 season, a fifth-place finish in league play and the loss of 15 starters, Sam Houston State has been tabbed to finish seventh in the SLC preseason coaches' poll, which was announced Wednesday during the Southland Conference Football Media Day at the L'Auberge du Lac Resort.
"We lost a bunch of guys - 27 seniors - a bunch of lettermen from last year's group," the new Bearkats' head coach said. "I'm excited about the kids we have coming back and the body of work they are doing. I like the direction we are going and I feel like we signed a good class."
Fritz knows there is plenty of work to be done when the Bearkats report for preseason camp on Thursday August 5 but the new head coach is looking forward to the challenge.
"I want to see the mix with the new guys," Fritz said. "It is going to be a mix of about 50-50. We are going to mesh that group and make a team out of it. We have had quite a few new guys on campus getting to know everyone. That is the tough part for me getting to know everyone and see how they fit in.
"I like the staff we have put together and the guys we have coming back. We have brought in some new guys as well and I think this is going to be a good mix. It will be an interesting season that is for sure, but we are looking forward to it."
The biggest changes for the 2010 Bearkats will come on offense where Sam Houston will look to become more balanced.
"I think you have to run the ball successfully to win," Fritz said. "We are going to control the game and we are going to look and see where the weaknesses are and see what we can take advantage of. We will have a lot of different formations, but most everything we are going to do is with the same philosophy."
Two Bearkat seniors, quarterback Bryan Randolph and defensive back Jarvis Pippins represented Sam Houston State at media day. Both realize the importance of their roles as seniors this fall.
"As quarterback and as one of the few seniors on this year's squad, I've really got to be a leader for the young guys," Randolph said. "All the seniors will take these young freshmen under their wings and show them around, not only on the field but on campus and around the town. We're going to be a very young team this year but there's an enthusiasm around the young players that's contagious. We've got to keep that going."
"With a new coaching staff and a new offense, spring ball was a real learning experience. We had to learn a lot of new terminology and new philosophy, but everyone this spring worked hard and we made a lot of progress," Randolph added. "Coach Fritz and his staff really are good coaches and we accomplished a lot in the spring.The offense is different in a lot of ways from last year. We're going to be more balanced. We're going to have a bunch of young running backs and wide receivers. But we're ready to get started. We had a big group that stayed in Huntsville this summer to work together and everyone is pulling together and is ready to play."
Pippins was impressed by the work ethic of the young squad that will take the field for Sam Houston this year.
"Spring training was a lot of hard work but it was a lot of fun too," Pippins said. "With the new coaching staff, there was a lot of energy on the field every day. We're going to play every down with high energy and be aggressive all the time.
"As one of the few seniors, I know I have to try to be more of a leader this year. I was to lead by my actions as well as vocally. I need to be one of the guys running hard to the ball every play. We're looking forward to playing Baylor in the opener and we'll be taking the games one at a time. But there's no doubt there's been a lot of buzz on campus this summer about the "Battle of the Piney Woods" game with Stephen F. Austin at Reliant Stadium in Houston. That's going to be awesome and I know a lot of students who have already gotten their tickets."
With all the changes for the Bearkats, it wasn't too surprising to see where Sam Houston fell in the preseason poll, and it was even less surprising to see which schools are at the top.
Defending Southland Conference co-champions Stephen F. Austin and McNeese State are pegged to finish first and second, respectively.
The Lumberjacks, who just a few years ago went 0-11, put together a remarkable 2009 campaign, going 6-1 in SLC play and 10-3 overall, including a 44-33 victory over Eastern Washington in the opening round of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
SFA received seven of the eight possible first-place votes from the coaches mainly because the Lumberjacks return 2009 SLC co-player of the year in Jeremy Moses. The senior quarterback from Baytown Lee High School threw for 4,124 yards and 40 touchdowns last season.
"It's a great honor that we are (picked atop the poll) because that is obviously where everyone wants to be," SFA head coach J.C. Harper said. "We just want to be there consistently. That would be nice. But I think this year it is because we have a really good quarterback who is a senior and has had quite a few accomplishments at SFA.
"He is a Walter Payton Award candidate and an All-American. We also have an All-American on the other side of the ball in (linebacker) Jabara Williams. Anytime you have two guys like that, (being picked to finish first) comes with the territory. Now, you just have to go out and get it done on the field."
McNeese State received the other first-place vote. The Cowboys, who year after year are among the top teams in the SLC, also went 6-1 in league play last fall and finished with a 9-3 overall mark following a 49-13 loss to New Hampshire in the first round of the playoffs.
McNeese has a steeper mountain to climb this season with the daunting task of replacing quarterback Derrick Fourroux, the SLC co-player of the year, and all-conference running back Todd Pendland. But the Cowboys do return 10 starters on one of the SLC's top defenses.
"You have to pick (SFA and McNeese) at the top until someone beats them," Fritz said. "SFA went two rounds deep in the playoffs and McNeese made it. That is what we aspire to build our program to. We want to be a team that competes for championships every year."
Southeastern Louisiana is picked to finish tied with Texas State for third in the preseason poll. The Lions came close to a breakout year in 2009 under head coach Mike Lucas.
Southeastern finished fourth in the SLC at 4-3, which included a one-point loss to McNeese in Lake Charles. That was the Lions' best showing since joining the conference in 2005.
Southeastern compiled a 6-5 overall record, its first winning season since 2004.
"We have worked very hard to get ourselves into position to compete for the conference championship and have a chance to get into the FCS playoffs," said Lucas, who served as the defensive coordinator at SHSU from 1987-2001. "There was a time when I was at Sam Houston that whenever we got into the playoffs there was such a lift to the campus, the community and the entire fan base. We need to experience that at Southeastern. That is a goal this year."
Texas State went 5-2 in the SLC in 2009 and 7-4 overall. The Bobcats have won two conference championships in the past five seasons.
Central Arkansas, which is eligible to compete for the SLC championship and the FCS playoffs after transitioning from Division II the past four years, is slated to finish fifth.
Northwestern State, which is looking to get things turned around under second-year head coach Bradley Dale Peveto following an 0-11 season, was picked sixth ahead of Sam Houston State.
Nicholls was voted into the eighth spot. The Colonels will totally revamp their offense this season, shifting from the triple option to pass oriented scheme under new head coach Charlie Stubbs.
Season tickets for Bearkat football at Bowers Stadium are available through the new exciting "2-2-2" offer, order your tickets now by going to the Bearkat tickets page on www.gobearkats.com or call (936) 294-1729.
Fans also may visit the Sam Houston athletic ticket office located in the Ron Mafrige Field House located in the south end zone of Bowers Stadium. Ticket office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
