Defense ready for Thursday opener
8/28/2011 7:15:00 PM | Football
The SHSU defense was a force against the run, holding opposing teams in check on the scoreboard for the most part. Entering the third full season under defensive coordinator Scott Stoker, the Bearkats look to be even stingier in 2011.
"We had a drastic improvement last year," senior linebacker Kash David said, "and that's because of these guys in the secondary being here for two years in the system and everybody maturing and getting the system down. Everybody has played football now, so nobody is new. It looks good."
During last year's turnaround season, the defense, which shaved off 682 yards off its production total, was not only one of the strongest units against the run in the Southland Conference but one of the tops in the country.
The Kats allowed only 80.3 rushing yards per game in conference play, second only to McNeeses Sstate (79.0). The Bearkats also finished the season ranked eighth in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision with 100.1 yards allowed on the ground.
"Our philosophy on defense is to stop the run at all costs," David said.
The secondary unit was another story as the Kats showed their youth throughout the season, giving up 256.7 yards through the air in league games.
"We gave up two many big plays," junior safety Darnell Taylor said. "I know this year, we've got five returning starters in the secondary and we've got to get the job done."
Looking ahead to Sam Houston's season opener Thursday with nationally-ranked Western Illinois, the Bearkats are a more confident bunch on defense.
"We feel as a whole defense we're going to be a much better team because we know what we are doing," Taylor said. "I know my first year, it took us a while to learn everything. I feel really good about the season with how everything has gone. I can't wait until Thursday's opener."
With another year to work with the defense and with enough game experience, Stoker wants his squad, which forced 16 turnovers last year, to take another step forward.
"Any time you're three years into it, obviously the guys have a little bit more knowledge about what we're trying to do and what we're trying to accomplish," the defensive coordinator said. "It's just time for us to take another step. We've made a decent step last year and we've got a lot of guys returning. With that many guys back, you ought to be able to make another step."
The Bearkats are counting on seeing improvement especially in the passing game.
"Our number one goal every week is to stop the run and try to get the opposing offense as one-dimensional as we can," Stoker said. "We've got to improve in not giving up big plays in the passing game. That's one of our team goals, to knock that thing down. If we can give up 40 or 50 yards less a game, that will be a huge difference."
Tickets for all six Sam Houston home football games at Bowers Stadium and the "Battle of the Piney Woods" rivalry contest with Stephen F. Austin at Reliant Stadium are on sale now online at www.gobearkats.com/tickets or at the Sam Houston ticket office.
The ticket office is located in the Ron Mafrige Field House. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday throught Friday. The ticket office telephone number is (936) 294-1729.
