Sam Houston Playoff Notes
11/30/2011 9:28:00 AM | Football
NCAA DIVISION I FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS
The only unbeaten team in the Football Championship Subdivision during the 2011 season, Sam Houston State has been named as the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Division I Football Playoffs which begin this Saturday, Nov. 26.
The Bearkats received a first round bye and will face the Stony Brook in the second round of the playoffs Saturday, Dec. 3, in Huntsville. The Seawolves defeated Albany 31-28 in the first round.
SAM HOUSTON PLAYOFF HISTORY
Sam Houston is making its fifth NCAA Division I Football Playoffs appearance. The Bearkats reached the national semifinals in their last appearance in 2004. Sam Houston was a 2001 national quarterfinalist and lost in the first round in both 1986 and 1991.
The Bearkats are 2-0 in home NCAA Division I Playoff games, defeating Northern Arizona in 2001 and Western Kentucky in 2004.
PERFECT 11-0 SLATE
In the 96-year history of Sam Houston State football, the 2011 squad is the first to go through the regular season with a perfect 11-0 record.
SHSU's 1956 squad rolled 9-0 through the regular season and won the Refrigerator Bowl in Evanston, Ind., in post-season play.
Sam Houston is the eighth squad in the 48-year history of the Southland Conference to post a perfect regular season slate. The previous teams were Arkansas Sate 1970 (10-0) and 1975 (11-0), Louisiana Tech in 1972 (11-0) and 1974 (10-0) and McNeese State in 1979 (11-0), 1995 (11-0) and 2007 (11-0).
Counting post-season play, only three times before 2011 has a Sam Houston team posted double digit victories - 10-0 in 1956, 10-3 as 2001 NCAA Division I quarterfinalists and 11-3 in the Kats' 2004 NCAA Division I semifinals run.
FIRST UNDISPUTED SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE TITLE
The Bearkats' 2011 Southland football championship is their fourth in the program's 25 years in the league. However, the first three were co-championships, making this year's title the Bearkats' first undisputed league crown.
Sam Houston tied with McNeese State for the title in 1991 and 2001 and with Northwestern State in 2004.
THIRTEEN-GAME WINNING STREAK
Sam Houston closed the 2010 season with victories over Central Arkansas and Texas Sate and are 11-0 this season to put together a 13-game winning streak. That stands as the longest Bearkat winning streak in Sam Houston history. The previous record was 12 games as Bearkats won the final two contests of 1955 and went 10-0 in 1956. That streak ended with a loss in the 1957 season opener.
PERFECT SEASONS AT BOWERS STADIUM
The Kats finished the 2011 regular season 6-0 at Elliott T. Bowers Stadium. The Bearkats stand 94-42-1 all-time in the facility opened in 1986. Sam Houston previously has posted perfect home records five times - 1986 (6-0), 1987 (4-0), 1990 (4-0), 2001 (6-0) and 2004 (8-0).
BEARKATS VICTORIES IN 2011
SHSU's 11 victories in 2011 include a perfect 7-0 Southland record, two wins over FCS nationally ranked opponents (No. 18 Central Arkansas and No. 24 McNeese State) and a win over FBS Mountain West Conference member New Mexico. The win over the Lobos marked Sam Houston's third victory over an FBS opponent.
The victories over UCA and McNeese are the Kats' 21st and 22nd wins over a top 25-ranked NCAA Division I FCS opponents and were the Kats' first Top 25 victories since defeating No. 25 Nicholls in 2007.
SAM HOUSTON IN NATIONAL RANKINGS
The 2011 football team has earned Sam Houston State its highest national poll rankings in its 25-year NCAA Division I FCS history.
Previous, the program's highest ranking was No. 3 twice during the 2004 season (Nov. 8 and the final 2004 poll).
Sam Houston equaled that ranking on Nov. 7, moved up to No. 2 on Nov. 14 and received the No. 1 ranking in the Sports Network NCAA Division I FCS poll on Nov. 20.
The Bearkats have been included in the national top 25 since a win over No. 18 Central Arkansas Sept. 17. Before the UCA win, Sam Houston had gone 55 weeks out of the poll, the longest drought since the Bearkats went from Oct. 16, 1994 to Sept. 4, 2000. Ironically, it was a 35-14 loss to Central Arkansas that knocked Sam Houston out of the polls in 2007.
NCAA NATIONAL STATISTICS RANKINGS
Sam Houston State ranks among the top 10 teams in the nation in nine NCAA statistics categories:
Rushing Offense - #7 - 250.09 yards per game
Scoring Offense - #2 - 39.45 points per game
Pass Efficiency Offense - #3 - 160.71 rating
Rushing Defense - #1 - 59.0 yards per game
Total Defense - #2 - 259.91 yards per game
Scoring Defense - #1 - 12.64 points per game
Pass Efficiency Defense - #2 - 92.68 rating
Turnover Margin - #2 - plus 24 (34-10)
Fewest Sacks Allowed - #7 - 0.73 per game
SHSU IN NCAA DIVISION I CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYOFFS
1986 Jonesboro, Ark. - 1st - Arkansas St. L 7-48
1991 Murfreesboro, Tenn. - 1st - Middle Tennessee L 19-20 ot
2001 Huntsville, Tex. - 1st - Northern Arizona W 34-31
Missoula, Mont. - QF - Montana L 24-49
2004 Huntsville, Tex. - 1R - Western Kentucky W 54-24
Cheney, Wash. - QF - Eastern Washington W 35-34
Missoula, Mont. - SF - Montana L 13-34
SOUTHLAND PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Ten times this season Bearkats have earned Southland Conference "Player of the Week" honors.
Running back Tim Flanders is a three-time winner (New Mexico, McNeese and Texas State) while safety Darnell Taylor and wide receiver Richard Sincere each are two-time winners. Taylor won defensive honors for the Central Arkansas and Northwestern State games while Sincere took offensive honors after the UCA & SFA games.
Linebacker Darius Taylor and safety Dax Swanson earned the defensive award after wins over SFA and Southeastern Louisiana, respectively. Punter Matt Foster, completed the sweep of league honors after the SFA win with the special teams award.
BEARKAT OFFENSE
The Sam Houston offense dominated the Southland Conference this season, out-scoring league opponents 308-67. The Bearkats lead the Southland Conference in rushing offense, scoring offense and pass efficiency and stand number two in the league in total offense.
The Bearkats have scored 30 or more points in nine of their 11 games. SHSU's lowest point outputs were 20 vs. Western Illinois and 22 against UTSA.
THIRD QUARTER BEARKATS
Sam Houston is at its most dominate in the third quarter when the Bearkats have out-scored opponents 142-17.
KATS HAVE TRAILED IN ONLY THREE GAMES
The Bearkats have trailed in only three games this season.
Stephen F. Austin led 3-0 with 6:43 remaining in the second quarter before a 45-10 win by SHSU. Southeastern Louisiana was up 3-0 with 8:39 to play in the first quarter in a 38-9 Bearkat victory.
McNeese State tied SHSU 7-7 with a TD at the 10:41 mark in the second period before falling 38-14 in Lake Charles, La.
New Mexico's Deon Long returned the game's opening kickoff 98 yards to give the Lobos a 7-0 lead just 14 seconds into SHSU's overtime win at Albuquerque. The game was tied four times (7-7, 14-14, 21-21 and 42-42). The Lobos kicked a field goal in overtime to take a 45-42 lead before Tim Flanders scored the game-winning touchdown.
RUNNING BACK TIM FLANDERS
Sophomore running back Tim Flanders, a candidate for the Walter Payton Award in 2011, leads the Southland Conference in rushing (103.0 yards) and scoring (132 points). He stands No. 2 in the nation in scoring and No. 21 nationally in rushing.
In 21 games as a Bearkat, Flanders already has set or tied eight Sam Houston football records:
Most points, season: 132 (2011)
Most TDs, game: 5 (2011 vs. New Mexico)
Most TDs, season: 22 (2011)
Most rush TDs, season: 20 (tied Luther Turner1987)
Most career 100-yard rushing games: 13 (2010-11)
Most yards rushing by a freshman: 948 (2010)
Most yards rushing by a sophomore: 1,133 (2011)
Most 100-yard rushing games, season: 7 (2010)
Flanders ranks high in several other rushing and scoring catergories for the Bearkats.
Most rush TDs, career: 33 (2nd behind Luther Turner 35)
Most rushing yards, season: 1,133 (3rd, D.D. Terry 1,327 1st)
Most rushing yards, career: 2,081 (9th, Charles Harris, 2,688 1st)
Flanders' 22 touchdowns and 132 points also are Southland league season marks. Brent Grimes of Central Arkansas set the old marks of 21 and 126 in 2008. Flanders is tied with SHSU's Luther Turner (1987) for the Southland record for most rushing TDs (20) in a season.
The Midwest City, Oklahoma, product, started his sophomore season ranked 31st in Bearkat career rushing. He now stands 8th.
His 194 yards (including TD runs of 61, 53, three, two and four yards at New Mexico) ranks as the 11th highest single game rushing total by a Bearkat back.
Flanders has produced runs of more than 50 yards four times this year and plays of 20 or more yards 19 times (including six catches). His longest run was a 61-yard touchdown at New Mexico.
Flanders leads Sam Houston in pass receiving (27 catches for 404 yards and two scores) and all-purpose yards (1,499).
MULTI-TASKING WIDE RECEIVER
Richard Sincere, sophomore from Galveston Ball, is a true triple threat with his ability to run, catch and throw the ball. A wide receiver who also lines up behind center in the "Wild Bearkat" formation, Sincere has rushed 91 times for 725 yards and nine touchdowns. He has caught 21 passes for 394 yards including a 77-yard touchdown strike on the opening play of the Lamar victory.
Sincere has posted four 100-yard rushing performances including 137 at Southeastern Louisiana,111 at Reliant Stadium against SFA, 107 against Central Arkansas and 102 versus Lamar.
The sophomore has 19 offensive explosions (plays of more than 20 yards), 11 on running plays and eight on receptions.
SOPHOMORE QUARTERBACK BRIAN BELL
Since becoming SHSU starting quarterback as a true freshman in the third game of the 2010, the Brian Bell has led the Bearkats to a 16-3 record. An All-District quarterback at China Spring for his coach and father Mark Bell, Brian completed 110 passes for 1,381 yards and 7 touchdowns last year. This season he ranks No. 2 in FCS football in passing efficiency. He has completed 105 of 166 passes for 1,607 yards and 14 touchdowns. He has 30 passes for 20 or more yards.
From last season's McNeese State until this year's Southeastern La. contest, Bell threw 132 passes without an interception. He leads an offense that ranks No. 2 nationally in turnover margin and has dominated possession time with a 33:40 average this season. In 11 games, the offense has only 10 turnovers (six lost fumbles and four interceptions).
EXPLOSIVE BEARKATS
Sam Houston has the potential for explosive plays. In 11 games this season, the Bearkats have produced 79 explosions (plays of 20 or more yards) including 29 rushing plays and 32 passes.
NATIONALLY-RANKED DEFENSE
The Bearkats rank No. 1 nationally in rushing defense and have held 10 of their 11 opponents to double digit rushing totals. Only New Mexico produced more than 300 yards total offense against the Kats.
TOP DEFENDERS
Safety Darnell Taylor leads the Bearkats with 95 total tackles. Other leaders include defensive backs Kenneth Jenkins (66), Mike Littleton (58), Robert Shaw (53) and Bookie Sneed (47) and linebackers Darius Taylor (60), Kash David (54), Will Henry (44) and Eric Fieilo (42).
TURNOVER CITY
The Bearkat defense has created 34 turnovers this year including 19 interceptions and 15 fumbles. A total of 117 points (16 touchdowns and two field goals) resulted because of the turnovers.
Sam Houston's secondary has picked off at least three interceptions in five games (4 vs. SFA and 3 each vs. UTSA, Nicholls, Lamar and Southeastern Louisiana).
The Sam Houston school record for most interceptions in one season is 20 in 1987.
DAX SWANSON TOPS SOUTHLAND INTERCEPTIONS
Daxton Swanson ranks No. 3 in NCAA Division I FCS football and leads the Southland Conference with seven interceptions this season. Swanson has returned the interceptions for 82 yards including a long of 64 that set up a touchdown in the Lamar victory.
With his second interception in the Southeastern Louisiana game, Swanson tied the school record for most interceptions in one year (7) set by Allen Boren in 1954, Ronnie Choate in 1959 and Billy Anderson in 1987.
Swanson intercepted two passes in 2010, bringing his career total to nine. That ties him with Charles Stanley (1975-77) for sixth place in Sam Houston career interceptions. Ronnie Choate (1955-59) holds the Bearkat career record with 13.
ROBERT SHAW TOUCHDOWNS
Junior Robert Shaw from Converse Judson has become a special teams and defensive scoring machine. Shaw covered a punt blocked by Torrance Williams for a touchdown in the win at McNeese State. It was his second TD on a blocked punt as a Bearkat (the first coming last year in a win over Southeastern Louisiana). Shaw has returned three interceptions for touchdowns in his career including a 61-yard score on Oct. 15 in a win over Nicholls State.
PUNTER FROM DOWN UNDER
Matt Foster, Sam Houston's "Punter from Down Under," played in his first American football game before 42,521 fans in the 2010 season opener at Baylor. He boomed a 43-yarder on his first attempt. The 25-year-old, who is the oldest player on the Bearkat team, grew up in Melbourne playing Australian rules football.
Foster owns a 40.1 average this season to rank No. 3 in Southland Conference punting. The Bearkats rank No. 19 in NCAA Division I FCS net punting with a 36.83 average. Foster has 10 punts of more than 50 yards including a long of 62 yards. He has 20 punts that have been downed inside the opponents' 20-yard line.
BLOCK PARTY RETURNS
After several close calls, Sam Houston special teams finally got their first punt block of the season at McNeese State. The Kats picked up another two blocks (a field goal and point after attempt) at Southeastern Louisiana and a blocked field goal in the win at Texas State. Torrance Williams blocked a punt from the McNeese 16-yard line and Robert Shaw recovered the ball in the end zone for six points.
Preston Sanders blocked the field goal and E. J. Nduka the extra point in the victory at Southeastern Louisiana. Sanders picked up another blocked field goal at Texas State.
Bearkat special teams blocked punts and returned the blocks for TDs twice during the 2010 season. The blocks marked the return of the "block party," a Bearkat special teams tradition established when Willie Fritz was special teams coordinator for Sam Houston in 1991 and 1992.
The "block party" saw Sam Houston block 80 punts, field goals and extra points in the 14 seasons from 1991 to 2004.
WILLIE FRITZ EDDIE ROBINSON AWARD FINALIST
Sam Houston head coach Willie Fritz is one of 20 head coaches in the nation who have been named as finalists announced for the 25th Eddie Robinson Award, which honors the national coach of the year in the Football Championship Subdivision.
The winner of the Robinson Award, presented by The Sports Network and sponsored by Fathead.com, will be announced at the national awards banquet on Friday, Jan. 6 in Frisco, Texas - the night before the national championship game.
A panel of more than 150 sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries will select the Robinson Award winner. Voting will reflect only the regular season.
BEARKATS DOMINATE ALL-SOUTHLAND SELECTIONS
With eight first team selections, seven second team honorees and three honorable mention choices, Sam Houston dominated the 2011 All-Southland Conference team.
All three major award winners were Bearkats as well with running back Tim Flanders named Southland "Player of the Year," wide receiver/utility player Richard Sincere Offensive "Player of the Year" and safety Darnell Taylor "Defensive Player of the Year."
Willie Fritz is the 2011 Southland Conference "Coach of the Year."
Flanders, Sincere and offensive linemen Travis Watson and Chris Crockett are first team offensive selections.
Taylor, defensive lineman J. T. Cleveland, linebacker Will Henry and defensive back Kenneth Jenkins are first team defensive honorees.
Named to the second team are quarterback Brian Bell, offensive lineman Kaleb Hopson, defensive linemen Andrew Weaver and Gary Lorance, defensive backs Dax Swanson and Bookie Sneed and punter Matt Foster.
Wide receiver Torrance Williams, linebacker Kash David and linebacker Darius Taylor were honorable mention selections.
A LONG WAY FROM SPRING TRAINING 2010
Only 34 players from Willie Fritz and his staff's first spring training in March-April, 2010, remain as members of the 2011 squad.
In his first season as head coach at Sam Houston, Willie Fritz fielded one of the youngest Southland Conference football squads ever. Only 29 returning lettermen and six seniors dotted the 90-man roster. There were more newcomers that reported for August preseason camp than veterans.
But that group of youngsters responded to the challenge by meshing together into a squad that won six of its final nine games. Picked to finish next to last in the preseason poll, Sam Houston tied for third in the league race. The three conference losses were decided by a total of only 14 points (losses by a field goal to SFA and Northwestern State and five points to McNeese).
Fritz and his staff started their second season in 2011 with 11 returning starters on offense, nine on defense and three specialist starters plus 23 other returning lettermen. The Bearkats were tabbed to finish fourth in the 2011 Southland Conference race.
PLAYOFF TICKETS ON SALE
Tickets for the NCAA Division I Football Playoff games at Bowers Stadium may be purchased now online at www.gobearkats.com/tickets or at the Bearkat athletic ticket office in the Ron Mafrige Field House at Bowers Stadium will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Ticket prices are $25 for reserved chairback seats, $20 for bleacher reserved and $15 for general admission seats.
The SHSU athletic ticket office telephone number is (936) 294-1729.
Sam Houston students may purchase playoff tickets for the discounted price of $5 thanks to the contributions of local Huntsville- and Conroe-area business supporters. There are no free admissions to the playoff games due to NCAA rules. The $5 student tickets are on sale at the ticket office Monday through Friday and in the mall area on campus, in front of the Lowman Student Center, Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
