Bearkats report for camp Wednesday
8/1/2011 7:22:00 AM | Football
Check in for the student-athletes will be from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. The Bearkats will hold organization team meetings at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. then take the field Thursday morning at 8 a.m. for the annual preseason camp Bearkat run.
After special teams and other group meetings Thursday afternoon the first full practice will begin at 7:15 p.m. Thursday night at Bowers.
"This is an exciting time and we're eager to get started," Sam Houston State head football coach Willie Fritz said. The second-year head coac heads into preseason camp with a different outlook in 2011.
In his first season as head coach at Sam Houston State in 2010, the Bearkats were set to field one of the youngest Southland Conference football squads ever. Only 29 returning lettermen and six seniors dotted the 90-man roster. The first day of preseason practice there were more newcomers in 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 11 points (losses by a field goal to SFA and Northwestern State and five points to McNeese).
Now, in 2011, Fritz comes to media day ready to welcome back11 starters on offense, nine on defense and three specialist starters plus 23 other returning lettermen.
"We're still a young team with a lot of growing to do, but these guys have shown they can compete in the Southland Conference," Fritz said. "Last year, we had more newcomers in preseason camp than veterans. With our youth, we were a ball control team, trying to use up as much clock as we could offensively. We were conservative and did a good job of not hurting ourselves with turnovers. But I've told the players this season that one-play touchdown drives are fine. We need to make more plays down the field, catching the ball and getting more yards after the catch.
"Defensively we are a blitzing, risk-taking team. We need to come up with more sacks and take-aways. If we can make more big plays on both sides of the both, the sky is the limit for this team."
Among the returning players for Sam Houston are Southland Conference "Freshman of the Year" Tim Flanders (5-9, 208) who rushed for 948 yards (94.8 per game) and scored 13 rushing touchdowns; quarterback Brian Bell (6-2, 162) who led the team with 1,371 yards passing; leading receiver Seth Patterson (6-3, 200) who caught 35 passes for 370 yards and All-Southland Conference kick return specialist Brandon Closner (5-10, 170) who averaged 11.5 yards returning punts and 25.8 yards on kickoff returns.
Eleven Sam Houston State football players were named to the 2011 preseason All-Southland Conference team last week at the league's media day. The preseason all-league team is selected by vote of the league's head coaches.
The tentative practice schedule for 2011 Sam Houston football preseason camp is as follows:
Thursday August 4 - 7:15 p.m.
Friday August 5 - 8:30 a.m.
Saturday, August 6 - 7:15 p.m.
Sunday, August 7 - 7:15 p.m.
Monday, August 8 - 8:30 a.m.
Tuesday, August 9 - 8 a.m and 7:45 p.m.
Wednesday, August 10 - 7 p.m. Scrimmage
Thursdsay, August 11 - 8:45 a.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Friday, August 12 - 8:30 a.m.
Saturday, August 13 - 8:30 a.m. and 7:45 p.m.
Sunday, August 14 - 7 p.m. Scrimmage
Monday, August 15 - 8:30 a.m.
Tuesday, August 16 - 8 a.m. and 7:15 p.m.
Wednesday, August 17 - 8:30 a.m.
Thursday, August 18 - 7 p.m. scrimmage
Friday, August 19 - 8:45 a.m.
Monday, August 22 - 8 a.m.
Tuesday, August 23 - 7 p.m. scrimmage
The Bearkats will open the season on Thursday Sept. 1 with a 6 p.m. matchup at Bowers Stadium against 2010 NCAA Division I playoff participant Western Illinois.
Season tickets for all 2011 six home games at Bowers Stadium plus the "Battle of the Piney Woods" contest with SFA at Reliant Stadium in Houston Oct. 8 are available now online at www.gobearkats.com/tickets .
Fans also can purchase season tickets by calling or visiting the SHSU athletic ticket office located in the Ron Mafrige Field House in the south end zone of Bowers Stadium. Ticket office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The ticket office telephone number is (936) 294-1729.
