Bearkats vs Abilene Christian Game Notes
10/22/2014 8:50:00 AM | Football
PURCHASE TICKETS NOW
OLD LONE STAR CONFERENCE RIVALRY RENEWED
This Saturday at Elliott T. Bowers Stadium, Sam Houston and Abilene Christian renew a football rivalry that dates back to the Bearkats' Lone Star Conference days. The pair have not faced each other on the gridiron since 1984.
Sam Houston was a Lone Star member from 1932 to 1984. Abilene Christian was a charter member of the Southland Conference in 1964 but moved to the Lone Star in 1972.
The two universities competed in the LSC from 1972 until 1983. The Bearkats left the Lone Star to move up to the NCAA Division I level in 1987. This is Abilene Christian's first year back competing in the Southland Conference in football.
ABILENE CHRISTIAN CHALLENGING FOE
After an 0-2 start, the ACU Wildcats have four of their last six games and carry a 2-2 Southland Conference record into their game against the Bearkats. The Wildcats are 2-2 on the road this season and are 6-9 on the road since head coach Ken Collums took over in 2012.
Collums looks for both junior outside linebacker Lynn Grady and senior defensive end to return from injuries that have kept them each out of the last two games.
In 42 Southland Conference games (1964-72, 2014), ACU is 13-28-1 all-time, including 6-13-1 at home, 7-14-1 on the road and 0-1 in neutral-site venues.
The Wildcats bring the Southland Conference's top-ranked passing offense into Huntsville Saturday. Abilene Christian has rolled up 2,319 passing yards (289.9 per game) and sport a completion percentage of 66.4).
ACU also has the league's third-best scoring defense (22.98 points per game) and are fifth in total defense (398.6 ypg).
The Wildcats started the season with a victory over one FBS opponent (Troy) and a one-point loss to a second (Georgia State). ACU's 11-point loss at McNeese State last week marks just the 10th times in their last 102 games (dating back
to the start of the 2006 season) that the Wildcats have lost a game by double digits.
AUSTRALIAN LACHLAN EDWARDS SETS SINGLE GAME PUNTING RECORD
Junior punter Lachlan Edwards from Hastings, Victoria in Australia set a Bearkat school record with his 49.8 average on five punts at Northwestern State. The previous record of 49.5 yards stood for 16 years. It was set by Ryan Klaus versus Angelo State, 1998. Edwards' punts covered 39, 49, 53, 51 and a season best 57 yards.
Edwards leads the Southland Conference and ranks No. 4 nationally in FCS with a 44.9 average. He has 17 punts of 50 or more yards this year. Thirteen have resulted in field position inside the 20 for SHSU foes and 15 have been fair caught.
KESHAWN HILL POSTS CAREER ACHIEVEMENTS IN NORTHWESTERN STATE GAME
Senior running back Keshawn Hill posted a career best 198 yards rushing on 17 carries Saturday at Northwestern State. The total included touchdown runs of 74, 66 and 3 yards. The 198 yards rank as the 13th best single game performance by a Bearkat.
The game moved Hill up in three Sam Houston career statistics categories. He now stands No. 5 in career rushing touchdowns (24), No. 9 in career all-purpose yards (3,076) and No. 14 in all-time Bearkat rushing yards (1,873).
Hill is 127 yards away from becoming the 11th Sam Houston running back to amass 2,000 or more career yards on the ground. Saturday's contest marked Hill's third 100-yard rushing game. The other two were 132 yards vs. Southeastern Louisiana in 2012 and 133 yards at Eastern Washington in the 2014 season opener.
EIGHTH ANNUAL PINK OUT GAME
Saturday marks the eighth annual “Pink Out” football game at Elliott T. Bowers Stadium. Special events at halftime and during the game will highlight the importance of breast cancer awareness. The Bearkat football team will be wearing special “Pink Out” shoelaces and wrist bands.
1964 CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM CELEBRATES 50TH ANNIVERSARY
The 1964 Sam Houston football team that won the Lone Star Conference championship and shared the NAIA national title with Concordia College of Minnesota will be honored Saturday on the 50th anniversary of their achievements.
Under the leadership of head coach Paul “Red” Pierce, the 1964 Bearkats rolled to a record of nine victories, one loss and one tie. Eleven Bearkats were honored as All-Lone Star Conference players. Two were named NAIA All-America and four others received NAIA All-America honorable mention.
The 1964 Kats were unbeaten in regular season non-conference play and earned the right to hoist the Lone Star Conference championship trophy with a 5-1 league record. Sam Houston's only loss was to conference runner-up Sul Ross. The Lobos finished a half game behind the Bearkats in the standings, however, after losing to Stephen F. Austin and a tie with Texas A&I.
In the semifinals of the NAIA national playoffs, Sam Houston defeated Findley of Ohio 31-21. The victory advanced the Kats to the national championship game in Augusta, Georgia, where Sam Houston battled to a 7-7 tie with Concordia.
SAM HOUSTON STATE AT ELLIOTT T. BOWERS STADIUM
In the 29 years since Elliott T. Bowers Stadium opened in 1986, the Bearkats stand 112-43-1 on their home turf. Sam Houston has not lost a Southland Conference football game at Bowers since 2010 (against McNeese), winning their last 10 home league contests.
PLENTY OF NEW FACES ON THE 2014 BEARKAT FOOTBALL SQUAD
When Sam Houston opened the 2014 season August 23 at Eastern Washington, there were 18 players in the starting lineup who did not start in the spring game. Only seven players who started during the 9-5 campaign in 2013 returned this year.
In the Bearkats' Southland Conference opener against the Lamar Cardinals, running back Keshawn Hill on offense and safety Michael Wade on defense were the only seniors in the starting lineup.
Several transfers from FBS programs have joined the team including LaDarius Brown (WR-TCU), Derrick Edwards (WR-Texas Tech), Kiante' Griffin (LB-Baylor), Josh Hunt (LB-Wake
Forest), Jacobi Hunter (DT-California), Jarrell Oliver (RB-Utah), Trenier Orr (CB-Cincinnati), Jalen Overstreet (RB-Texas), Ernest Payton (CB-Missouri) and Xavier Smith (CB-Missouri).
KEY FIGURES IN BEARKAT OFFENSE
Sophomore Jared Johnson is the starting quarterback for the Kats this fall after serving as a back-up to All-Southland Conference quarterback Brian Bell last year. Bell finished his career as Sam Houston's all-time passing and total offense leader in 2013. Johnson is averaging 194.0 yards passing and 255.4 total offense per game in his six starts this season.
Johnson has completed 125 of 235 passes for 1,358 yards and 8 touchdowns. He has rushed 81 times for 430 yards including three TD runs of more than 50 yards. Fellow sophomore Don King III has gone 9 for 13 for 107 yards and a score coming off the bench.
Senior Keshawn Hill is a preseason All-Southland selection at running back. The back-up to All-America Timothy Flanders the past two seasons, Hill has carried 76 times for 477 yards and 8 scores. His 79-yard touchdown run at Eastern Washington is his longest career rush.
Texas transfer Jalen Overstreet has rushed 44 times for 326 yards in the Lamar victory. He scored on a 50-yards touchdown run up the middle in the Lamar victory. Overstreet has 37 carries for the season for 286 yards. He is averaging 7.4 yards per carry. Transfer Donavan Williams from ASA College has 56 carries for 264 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Redshirt freshman Yedidiah Louis has 33 catches for 362 yards including a 48-yard catch-and-run at LSU. His 51.7 yards receiving per game rank second among FCS freshman receivers. LaDarius Brown, a transfer from TCU, has 19 catches for 259 yards.
Donald Jackson III, Zachary Stevens and Brandon DeWitt all were starters in the offensive line last year. Jackson both is a preseason All-Southland selection. DeWitt was a freshman All-America selection in 2013.
THE BEARKAT DEFENSE
Only three 2013 starters - safety Michael Wade and Desmond Fite and tackle Sione Latu - are back this fall on the SHSU defense. However 19 players who played in reserve roles plus several top newcomers have stepped in for the Bearkats.
Wade is a preseason All-Southland selection after an outstanding junior season. He is the team's top returning tackler with 105 stops and two interceptions last year. He leads the squad again this fall with 33 solo stops and 24 assists. His interceptions versus Alabama State and Northwestern State give him five career picks.
Redshirt freshman defensive end P. J. Hall is a two-time Southland defensive “player-of-the-week.” Hall led the team with seven stops and blocked a field goal to win his first award at Lamar. He is on the Southland's list of candidates for the Jerry Rice Award as the FCS's top freshman. Hall leads the squad in tackles for losses (13-50) and has 43 total stops this fall.
Sophomore linebacker Myke Chatman is the Bearkats' second-leading tackler with 45 stops including six for losses and a sack. Junior linebacker Tristan Eche has totaled 39 tackles.
Cornerback Trenier Orr, a transfer from Cincinnati, has made an immediate impression in the secondary with 33 tackles. He returned an interception 55 yards for a touchdown in the Eastern Washington game.
The Bearkat defense has created seven turnovers in their three Southland Conference contests. P. J. Hall, Mikell Everitt, Trenier Orr and Michael Wade all have interceptions while Myke Chatman, Darron Harris and Steve York have fumble recoveries to their credit.
The Kats limited the No. 5 ranked McNeese Cowboys to 298 total yards. McNeese passed for only 89 yards and gained just 209 on the ground. Sam Houston allowed McNeese only one score through the first three quarters as the Bearkats built a 35-7 lead.
SPECIAL TEAMS HAVE BEEN A BEARKAT STRENGTH THIS FALL
Australian punter Lachlan Edwards leads the Southland Conference and ranks third in FCS with a 44.9 average on 49 kicks. He has 17 punts of 50 or more yards. All-Southland Conference kicker Luc Swimberghe is 9-for-9 on field goals this year including a long of 44. The sophomore was the team's leading scorer with 97 points last year.
