Special teams making a difference
10/27/2013 8:23:00 PM | Football
Sam Houston's special teams are putting up impressive numbers for the nationally-ranked Bearkat football team.
The Kats lead the FCS statistics in blocked kicks (6), stand second nationally in punt returns (18.88 yards per return) and fifth in net punting (39.78).
In last Saturday's 44-10 victory over Northwestern State, special teams play turned the tide for the Bearkats.
With the game knotted at 3-3 midway through the second quarter, Keshawn Hill took a Demon kickoff inside the end zone and raced back 93 yards to the Northwestern State seven. One play later, Timothy Flanders scored. The tally started a 41-7 run for the Kats as the team upped its season mark to 6-2.
“The play gave us a big boost. It gave us a lot of momentum,” Bearkat quarterback Brian Bell said. “I know that was one of the biggest special teams plays we've had all year in the kicking game. That gave us a lot of momentum and a lot of confidence, knowing that we don't have very far to go for a touchdown.”
Two blocked field goal attempts also were big factors in the victory. De'Antry Loche got his hand on both scoring opportunities for the Demons.
“That's points on the board that you're not allowing up there,” said Kats cornerback De'Antrey Loche, who blocked a pair of field goals. “That's real crucial.”
Sam Houston has six blocks to its credit this season. The Bearkats totaled six blocks during both the 2011 and 2012 championship seasons.
“You can look at a blocked field goal as a turnover,” Bell said. “Any points that they could've had or should've had, they didn't have a chance to get because we got a hand on it.”
Sam Houston has returned 23 punts for 428 yards and 22 kickoffs for 478 yards this season. The Kats are averaging 42.8 yards per punt.
“We work on the kicking game like crazy. Robby Discher, our special teams coach, does a very good job with those guys. I really think the kick out of bounds was the only negative play we had with the kickoff team,” Fritz said. “There are big changes in field position. That's one of the things I go back on each week with where is our starting field position and where does their offense start with the ball.
“A few weeks ago, ours was the 42-yard line and theirs was the 19-yard line. Through 10 series, that 299 yards of hidden yardage. We're always trying to get our guys to go a shorter distance and their guys to go a longer distance.”
Special teams will most likely be a big factor in next weekend's 88th “Battle of the Piney Woods” at Reliant Stadium. Tickets for the Nov. 2 contest which kicks off at 3 p.m. are available online at www.gobearkats.com . The SHSU ticket office located in the Ron Mafrige Field House at Bowers Stadium will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 5p.m. Monday through Friday.
