Sam Houston vs. Baylor game notes
9/1/2010 7:55:00 PM | Football
BEARKATS OPEN 2010 SEASON AT BAYLOR
Sam Houston State University begins its 95th season of football Saturday, Sept. 4 when the Bearkats kick off against the Baylor Bears at Floyd Casey Stadium (50,000) in Waco. The Bearkats own a 51-39-4 record in season opening games. Sam Houston has won 10 of its last 12 season openers and owns a 16-8 record in opening games since moving up to NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) play in 1986.
BEARKAT RADIO
KSAM 101.7 FM will broadcast all Sam Houston games with Kooter Roberson and Leroy Wilkinson calling the action. The broadcast also may be heard anywhere in the world online at www.gobearkats.com
14TH SHSU HEAD COACH MAKES DEBUT
Willie Fritz became the 14th head football coach at Sam Houston last December. In a 28-year career both as an assistant and a head coach, Fritz has produced a record of 220 victories, 78 losses and five ties. Fritz has coached the past 13 years at the University of Central Missouri where he became the "winningest" head coach in the 113-year history of Mules football. Fritz compiled a 97-47 record that included eight consecutive years with seven or more victories.
From 1993 to 1996, Fritz was head coach at Blinn College where he turned around a program that had gone 5-24-1 in its three previous seasons and led the Buccaneers to two junior college national championships. Fritz went 39-5-1 in three years at Blinn including back-to-back 12-0 seasons his final two years.
The new Bearkat head coach is no stranger to Sam Houston. He served as a graduate assistant for Bearkat squads that went 16-6 in 1984 and 1985, winning the Gulf Star Conference championship in 1985. He was secondary and special teams coach for the Kats in 1991 and 1992, helping led SHSU to a Southland title in 1991.
All four of his years at Sam Houston, Fritz worked for head coach Ron Randleman who coached Fritz when the new coach was a four-year starter as a defensive back at Pittsburgh State University. Fritz played on two conference championship teams at Pittsburgh State.
SAM HOUSTON BEARKAT FOOTBALL IN 2010
Sam Houston head coach Willie Fritz knew coming into the season that he was going to have his hands full turning around the Bearkats' football program. Sam Houston returns only 29 of the 63 players who lettered on last year's 5-6 squad.
The 34 lost letter-winners is the highest total of departed players since the Bearkats moved up to the NCAA Division I FCS level in 1986. The previous high was 28 lost lettermen in 1993 when Sam Houston went 4-7 for the year and 2-5 in Southland action. Just eight starters (two on offense and six on defense) are among the returnees. Sam Houston does not return a running back who touched a ball in the 2009 season and the Bearkats' top six receivers from last year are gone.
Of the 90 players who reported for the opening of preseason camp on August 6, only 48 took part in Fritz's spring practice in April. The other 42 players were either freshmen or transfers.
The Bearkats' 44-man two-deep for the Baylor game breaks down as follows - 12 freshmen (7 offense, 5 defense); 16 sophomores (7 offense, 9 defense), 10 juniors (6 offense, 4 defense) and 6 seniors (2 offense, 4 defense).
"We lost a bunch of guys - 27 seniors - from last year's group," Fritz 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. I feel like we signed a good class. I like the staff we have put together. 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."
SHSU's coordinators both are former Southland Conference head coaches - Bob DeBesse (Southwest Texas) and Scott Stoker (Northwestern State).
THE BEARKAT OFFENSE
The biggest change 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."
Senior quarterback Bryan Randolph earned the starting role during spring practice. He has been the backup the last two years, playing behind Rhett Bomar (now with the New York Giants) in 2008 and Blake Joseph (who passed for 2,440 yards and 14 touchdowns last year). Backing up Randolph is redshirt junior Greg Sprowls.
With no running backs who carried during either the 2009 season or in spring practice, Sam Houston has collected a strong stable of runners in preseason camp. Freshmen Ridgeway Frank (Spring HS) and Cameron Brown (Austin LBJ HS) and Louisiana Tech transfer D. J. Morrow (Palestine Westwood HS) will carry the load.
Junior center Travis Watson and left tackle Chris Crockett were starters in 2008 who missed playing in 2009 because of injury. Sophomore tackle Kaleb Hopson was a starter as a freshman last year and sophomore tackle Rily Smith and guard Cameron Pound were backups last year, giving the Kats an experienced front line.Wide receivers Brandon Closner and Melvis Pride and tight end T. J. Jones were the only returning Bearkats to catch passes last year (combining for 13 catches for 170 yards).
THE BEARKAT DEFENSE
It is no secret that one of Sam Houston's biggest weaknesses last season came in the secondary. The Bearkats started three freshmen, two safeties and a cornerback, who got on-the-job training while taking their fair share of lumps. Sam Houston ranked sixth out of eight teams in the Southland Conference in pass defense at 253.5 yards a game. Things got better towards the end of the season including a victory over Central Arkansas in which the Kats gave up only 106 yards passing and picked off two passes.
What was once a major weakness could now be a strength for the Kats heading into this season. Those three freshmen - Darnell Taylor, Kenneth Jenkins and Robert Shaw - are a year older, and more importantly, have now been in defensive coordinator Scott Stoker's scheme for an entire season.Throw in senior cornerback Jarvis Pippins and senior safeties Victor Carmichael and Brandon Bruce, and Sam Houston all of the sudden has a veteran secondary.Linebacker is another solid position with four veterans - Will Henry, Kash David, Darius Taylor and Eric Fieilo - all returning. Henry is the only player among nine Bearkats who were recognized as All-Southland Conference last year back for 2010.Up front, the defensive line is untested but has performed well in preseason camp with E. J. Nduka, Dwight Kennedy, J. T. Cleveland and Eddie Decambre listed as starters.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Miguel Antonio, who led Sam Houston in scoring with 73 points on 12 field goals and 37 PATs as a true freshman in 2009, returns. Matt Foster, a veteran of Australian rules football in Melbourne, will handle punting chores. A redshirt at Purdue last year, Foster will be playing in his first American football game Saturday.Another area where the Kats expect to create opportunities for the offense through special teams play is the "Block Party." A special teams tradition established when Willie Fritz was special teams coordinator for Sam Houston in 1991 and 1992, the "Block Party" has seen Sam Houston block 80 punts, field goals and extra points in the 14 seasons from 1991 to 2004. Already, special teams has blocked three field goals in preseason scrimmages.
THE SENIORS SPEAK
Senior quarterback Bryan Randolph
"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. 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. 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."
Senior cornerback Jarvis Pippins
"The work ethic from our young guys has been impressive.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."
BEARKATS TABBED SEVENTH IN SOUTHLAND PRESEASON POLL
Stephen F. Austin has been tabbed as the favorite in the 2010 Southland Conference football race according to a vote of the league's head coaches. Sam Houston was picked to finish seventh in the eight-team league race. The league's head coaches predicted the race to finish with SFA in first, McNeese State second, Southeastern Louisiana and Texas State tied for third, followed by Central Arkansas, Northwestern State, Sam Houston and Nicholls. A sign of the overall lack of experience which characterizes the 2010 Sam Houston team, for the first time in SHSU's 24 years in the league, no Bearkats were named to the preseason All-Southland Conference squad..
"With only nine starters and 29 lettermen returning from last year's Sam Houston team, not having a selection on the preseason All-Southland squad isn't surprising," Fritz said. "Of the 90 players in preseason camp, almost half were newcomers - either freshmen or transfers. Preseason honors are nice but it's the players selected all-conference at the end of the year that go in the record book. We're going to have a lot of newcomers, freshmen and transfers, in the lineup. I think that's exciting."
SAM HOUSTON'S FOOTBALL HISTORY
Since moving up to the NCAA Division I FCS level in 1986, Sam Houston has earned post-season playoff berths four times - 1986, 1991, 2001 and 2004. The Bearkats became Southland Conference members in 1987 and have won the Southland championship three times - 1991, 2001 and 2004. Sam Houston reached the NCAA FCS semifinals in 2004 and the quarterfinals in 2001. Sam Houston's highest final national ranking was No. 4 in 2004.
The Southland Conference will host this year's NCAA Division I championship game on January 11, 2011 in Frisco, Texas. This year's NCAA FCS field has been expanded to 20 teams. Last year, Stephen F. Austin and McNeese State represented the league in the NCAA nationall playoff.
DEBUTS FOR BEARKAT COACHES
Only six of Sam Houston's previous head football coaches won their debut game. In fact, two of the program's most successful coaches, Ron Randleman and J. W. Jones, lost in their openers. Here's a look at how each of the previous Bearkat head coaches faired in their openers:
All-Time
Head Coach Record Year Opponent Result
S. R. Warner 5-3-1 1912 Rice Lost 20-6
Gene Barry 14-13-1 1914 Conroe HS Won 18-0
James Gee 6-7-4 1920 Rice Freshmen Lost 32-17
J. W. Jones 57-55-9 1923 Texas A&M Lost 53-0
H. O. Crawford 7-12 1936 Texas A&M Lost 39-0
T. F. Wilson 50-49-6 1938 Trinity U. Won 15-14
Paul Pierce 94-52-7 1952 Louisiana College Won 41-6
Tom Page 20-19-3 1968 SW Oklahoma Won 7-0
Allen Boren 7-14 1972 Lamar Lost 22-19
Billy Tidwell 11-30-1 1974 Texas Southern Lost 17-15
Melvin Brown 12-29 1978 SW Oklahoma Won 12-0
Ron Randleman 132-124-3 1982 Texas-Arlington Lost 63-10
Todd Whitten 25-28 2005 Bacone Won 77-7
SAM HOUSTON VS. NCAA FBS OPPONENTS
As a member of the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) since 1986, Sam Houston has faced Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) 25 times. The Bearkats have won two of those encounters, defeating Louisiana-Lafayette 21-14 in 2000 and Louisiana-Monroe 20-9 in 2001.
All 25 of the contest with FBS foes have been on the road with Bearkats playing in front of several huge crowds. In 1990, when Baylor edged Sam Houston 13-9, the 34,413 fans at Floyd-Casey comprised the largest audience to date for a Kat football game. Since then, however, Sam Houston has played in front of crowd of 88,913 at Texas (2006), 58,659 at Texas A&M (1997), 51,738 at Kansas (2008), 50,180 at Texas Tech (2005) and 41,139 at Oklahoma State (2007).
The complete list of Sam Houston games vs. FBS opponents
Year Opponent Result Stadium Attendance
1987 Houston L 34-38 Astrodome 21,738
1988 LA-Lafayette L 18-33 Cajun Field 19,533
1990 Baylor L 9-13 Floyd Casey 34,413
1990 UTEP L 10-17 Sun Bowl 21,017
1992 Rice L 14-45 Rice 20,545
1993 Rice L 13-14 Rice 18,614
1996 Houston L 25-43 Robertson 19,143
1996 LA-Monroe L 31-34 Malone 12,534
1997 Texas A&M #24 L 6-59 Kyle Field 58,569
1998 Utah St. L 17-47 Romney 14,447
1999 Louisiana Tech L 17-55 Joe Aillet 16,055
1999 Arkansas St. L 20-41 Indian 13,041
2000 LA-Lafayette W 21-14 Cajun Field 15,721
2001 LA-Monroe W 20-9 Malone 2,420
2001 Northern Illinois L 16-41 Huskie 12,441
2002 Central Michigan L 10-34 Kelly Shorts 18,834
2003 Baylor L 6-27 Floyd Casey 27,827
2003 UTEP L 14-59 Sun Bowl 17,259
2005 Houston L 10-31 Robertson 15,631
2005 Texas Tech #25 L 21-80 Jones 50,180
2006 SMU L 14-45 Ford 17,445
2006 Texas #7 L 3-56 Memorial 88,918
2007 Oklahoma St. L 3-39 Boone Pickens 41,139
2008 Kansas L 14-38 Memorial 51,638
SAM HOUSTON STATE UNIVERSITY
Sam Houston State University was founded in 1879 and stands today as the third oldest public university in Texas. Created to train school teachers, today SHSU offers a broad range of programs leading to bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees.
The university is named for General Sam Houston, the only man in U.S. history to be governor of two states (Tennessee and Texas). He led Texas to independence with the victory over Santa Anna at San Jacinto. He was the first president of the Republic of Texas and served as a U.S. senator and governor for the state of Texas.Sam Houston died in 1863 and is buried in Huntsville not far from the campus named in his honor.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE / BEARKAT TICKET INFORMATION
Sam Houston will follow the Baylor game with a second road contest Sept. 18 at Western Illinois.
Sam Houston opens its home schedule on Saturday Sept. 25 with Bearkat Family Weekend against Gardner-Webb. Special events during the evening include an appearance by the Houston Texans cheerleaders, a salute to Hillcrest Heroes honoring local police and fire-fighters, a huge pregame tailgate and a postgame fireworks display.
Other home games will be Oct. 16 (Homecoming) vs. Southeastern Louisiana, Nov. 6 vs. McNeese State and Nov. 20 vs. Texas State. The final three home games will kickoff at 2 p.m.
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.
The "2-2-2" offer also includes two corner tickets to the "Battle of the Piney Woods" game with Stephen F. Austin at Reliant Stadium in Houston on October 23.
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.
