Special Teams
12/3/2011 7:01:00 AM | Football
It's difficult to deny what Sam Houston has been able to do offensively and defensively. With the No. 1 scoring offense, third-ranked passing efficiency game and seventh-ranked rushing offense in the Football Championship Subdivision, the Bearkats pack quite a punch.
On the other side of the ball, there's more of the same. The Bearkats boast the No. 1 scoring defense and rushing defense, are ranked second in total defense and pass efficiency defense and are fourth in turnovers gained.
But Sam Houston isn't just undefeated and come into the today's second round of the playoffs as the No. 1 overall seed for what it has done on typical downs.
Often overlooked, the Bearkats' special teams unit, known as special forces, has quietly gone about its business and made plays all season long in punt and kickoff return and coverage teams, blocking kicks and creating positive field position for the offense and defense.
"The attitude that you've got to have is that you're better than the guy across from you. You just need to do everything you can to succeed," said sophomore Jesse Beauchamp following Friday afternoon's walk-through practice session.
In the many different aspects of special teams, the Bearkats have helped to put the offense and defense in advantageous scenarios.
With players like Beauchamp, who play nearly exclusively on special teams, and offensive and defensive starters such as Torrance Williams and Will Henry, the Bearkats have made special teams a part of their game that can't be ignored.
Bringing back the "Block Party"
During now head coach Willie Fritz's previous stint with Sam Houston as the special teams coach in 1991 and '92, the Bearkats were known for their ability to get their hands on field goals and punts, which started a tradition that lasted for more than a decade. The "block party" saw Kat special teams block 80 punts, field goals and extra points in from 1991 to 2004.
Last season, the Kats started to find a way to the ball on defensive special team opportunities with three blocked kicks.
After a slow start in that department, Sam Houston got back in that habit in the latter portion of the season. In the final five games of the 2011 regular season, the Bearkats blocked one punt (Williams against McNeese State) and three field goals (Henry against Southeastern Louisiana and Preston Sanders against Southeastern Louisiana and Texas State).
Sam Houston scored 21 points off those momentum-swinging plays, including a scoop-and-score recovery by Robert Shaw off Williams' blocked punt against McNeese State.
"We've really done a good job of (blocking kicks)," Fritz said. "We've made some big blocks and come close on a bunch of others, too.
"We've got good schemes. We kind of tweak that each week depending on strengths and weaknesses.
"Since game 3 or 4, Getting three or four blocks is pretty darn good."
Punting and punt coverage
Whenever Sam Houston's offense couldn't find a way to put points on the board (scoring 409 points on 152 possessions), the Bearkats could rely on its punting unit to pin the opposition deep with a long field to work with.
In 49 punts this season, the Bearkats' Australian-born punter Matt Foster boomed kicks for an average of 40.1 yards. Foster's longest punt was a 62-yarder, he had 12 that were fair caught and also has 20 go inside the 20-yard line with six that were downed inside the 10 with four touchbacks.
"Where we punt from, the majority of the time it's around the 50, so it's easier for me to be able to try to pin it inside the 20 because it's a shorter kick and I can do my Australian punt," Foster said.
Foster also cited the Bearkats' punt coverage team as a reason for success in that part of the game. SHSU has allowed only 2.1 yards per punt return this season, which ranks the Kats fourth in the FCS.
"With our coverage, they're already down there before the other team can catch it. That pressure gives us a good opportunity to keep the ball down there," Foster said.
"Our coverage is probably the best in our conference easily because they run so fast and they try so hard. I can punt a ball with not much hangtime and they're already down there, even if it's a 40- to 50-yard punt. That's what gives us the zero return yards because we've got too much pressure on them."
Creating turnovers
Sam Houston has also found a way to use its special teams to turn defense into offense.
Three times - on either punts or kickoffs - the Bearkats booted the ball away with the defense anticipating taking the field, but Sam Houston found a way to loosen the ball from the returner's hands and take over within prime scoring range.
What those plays, especially after scores, have done is allow the Bearkats to take advantage and extend their lead.
"Coach Fritz stresses special teams a lot," Beauchamp said. "We work on it a lot and we try to get everything to perfection. If you're not going to contribute, you're not going to be out there.
"It starts with everybody doing their one-11th. If everybody executes what they have to do, it's going to work just as planned. We stress technique every day. We work on it every day in practice. We work on it a lot and we're very sound in what we do and that's how we roll around here. It's worked out well for us this season."
Kickoff coverage
Sam Houston has also excelled when it has had to kick off.
With kicker Miguel Antonio kicking off (averaging 62.5 yards) and Beauchamp taking charge, the Bearkats are able to prevent big returns on kickoffs.
"Jesse's done a nice job for us, he really has," Fritz said. "We're really proud of Jesse and the things he's done. He's done a great job on punt coverage and protection and he's done a very good job on kickoff coverage and kickoff returns. He's really one of the unsung heroes."
Sam Houston is allowing a little more than 20 yards per return with New Mexico receiver Deon Long being the only player to return a kickoff for a score.
Meanwhile, the Bearkats return team has given its offense excellent field position throughout the season with senior Brandon Closner, who averages 21.2 yards per return with his longest being a 34-yarder, returning a majority of the kicks. Keith Blanton has also returned kicks for the Kats this season with 11 returns for 22 yards (20.2 average).
"That play is really the first play of offense," Fritz said. "If we can get our offense to the 35- or 40-yard line and say you don't pick up a first down or you only pick up one, now you have a successful punt and turn the field and they've got to go the long field. Everyone's percentages of scoring are much greater on a shortened field."
PLAYOFF TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets still remain for Saturday's NCAA Division I Football Playoff second round game matching No. 1 seeded Sam Houston State against Stony Brook.
Kickoff is at 2:05 p.m. at Elliott T. Bowers Stadium. The Bowers Stadium ticket office will open at 10 a.m.
Tickets also are available online throughout Friday evening at www.gobearkats.com/tickets .
Sam Houston officials are preparing for a strong walk-up sale and have seen record presale numbers. Fans are advised to get to the box office by 1:15 p.m. if you want to be assured to be inside stadium for kickoff.
Sam Houston $5 student tickets still available. Students will need to come to the primary box office with their Bearkat OneCard id card. All student tickets will be for East Grandstand
