FCS Opening Round Playoff Game Notes
11/26/2014 7:13:00 AM | Football
BEARKATS BACK IN THE FCS PLAYOFFS
Sam Houston, New Hampshire and North Dakota State stand as the only programs to earn berths in FCS post-season play each of the past four seasons. The Bearkats reached the NCAA National Championship game in Frisco in both 2011 and 2012 (one of only eight universities to play in the finals in consecutive seasons) and made it to the second round last year.
With this year's playoff appearance, Sam Houston becomes only the second team in Southland Conference history to earn four consecutive FCS playoff berths. McNeese made five consecutive post-season appearances in 1991 through 1995 and four from 2000 to 2003.
The Bearkats and the Cowboys hold the league's top two FCS playoff records. Sam Houston stands 10-7 in post-season play while McNeese is 11-15.
SAM HOUSTON FCS PLAYOFF RECORD
This year marks Sam Houston's eighth FCS post season appearance after berths in 1986, 1991, 2001, 2004, 2011, 2012 and 2013. The Kats reached the National Championship Game in 2011 and 2012, the FCS semifinals in 2004, the quarterfinals in 2001, the second round in 2013 and lost in the opening round in 1986 and 1991.
BEARKATS & BISON ONLY FCS TEAMS TO HOST FOUR-YEARS IN A ROW
Sam Houston State and North Dakota State stand as the only two FCS teams to host playoff games in each of the last four seasons. The Bearkats and the Bisons met in the NCAA National Championship Game in Frisco in January of both 2012 and 2013.
AMAZING TURNAROUND IN 2014
After a 1-3 non-conference record that included a loss to then No. 2 ranked NCAA Division II program Colorado State-Pueblo, many wrote off the young 2014 Bearkat squad.
But new Sam Houston head coach K. C. Keeler took advantage of back-to-back open dates, labeling them “Get Better Weeks” and turned the season around. With a simplified defensive scheme, a more run-oriented offense and working to eliminate mental mistakes, the Bearkats rolled 7-1 through the Southland Conference (finishing with five straight wins) to earn the program it's sixth league championship. Previous titles came in 1991, 2001, 2004, 2011 and 2012.
PLAYING CLEAN PAYS OFF
From day one of practice, head coach K. C. Keeler has preached to his team about “playing clean” (without mental miscues and penalties) as the key to success. During Sam Houston's 1-3 non-conference games, the Kats led the league in penalties with 38 including 16 in the loss at Eastern Washington. In Sam Houston's last four games (all victories), the Kats have been flagged 12 times.
MATCH-UP FEATURES SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE CO-CHAMPIONS
Sam Houston and Southeastern Louisiana tied for the 2014 Southland Conference title, both with 7-1 league records. The two did not play each other during the regular season.
The Lions defeated the Bearkats in the FCS second round in Hammond, La., last year. Southeastern Louisiana marched 85 yards in 45 seconds for the winning touchdown with 36 seconds remaining. Sam Houston gave up an early 21-7 first quarter lead and trailed 24-21 at halftime. The Kats, however, shut down Southeastern in the second half and led by as many as 14 points.
Lion QB Bryan Bennett's one-yard touchdown pass to Jeff Smiley was the game-winner.
TWO VICTORIES THIS SEASON OVER FCS TOP 25 OPPONENTS
Sam Houston has wins over two FCS Top 25 teams, defeating McNeese when the Cowboys were No. 4 on Oct. 11 and No. 23 Stephen F. Austin Nov. 1 at the 89th “Battle of the Piney Woods” at NRG Stadium, the home of the NFL Houston Texans.
THE BEARKAT OFFENSE
Sam Houston ranks 4th in the Southland and 16th nationally with 474.0 yards total offense per game. The Bearkats lead the Southland and are 6th nationally in rushing (268.0) and stand 4th in the league and 14th nationally in scoring offense (37.3). The SHSU offense led the Southland and stands 7th nationally in red zone offense (0.911).
During the team's 7-1 run to the league title, Sam Houston averaged 320.9 yards rushing. The Bearkats out-gained their Southland foes 503.0 total yards and 367.6 and out-scored league foes 341 points to 162.
RUNING BACK KESHAWN HILL SHSU'S OFFENSIVE SENIOR LEADER
For a senior running back who has started only 11 games in his four years, Keshawn Hill has amassed an amazing number of career marks in the Sam Houston football record book.
Hill's SHSU career rankings include No. 2 in touchdowns (40), No. 3 in rushing TDs (34), No 4 in all-time rushing (2,397) and scoring (240 points) and No. 5 in all-purpose yards (3,721).
Looking at Bearkat season records, this year Hill stands No. 2 in single season TDs (20) and No. 3 in points (120) and rushing touchdowns (18).
Nationally, Hill stands 5th in points per game (10.9) and 6th in both rushing yards per carry (6.63) and rushing TDs (18). He is 2nd in the Southland in scoring and rushing touchdowns and third in rushing yards per game (90.8).
Twice this year, Hill has posted career bests. First, he gained 198 yards on 17 carries with TD runs of 74, 66 and 3 yards at Northwestern State. Then, in the regular season finale against Central Arkansas, he carried 32 times for 244 yards and a pair of scores (the seventh best single game performance in 99 years of Bearkat football).
In the victory over SFA, Hill rushed 14 times for 154 yards. He became only the fourth SHSU running back to score four TDs in a game.
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 games, only two seniors have started – running back Keshawn Hill on offense and safety Michael Wade on defense. In the Kats' league games, four freshmen and eight sophomores have been among the starting 22.
Several transfers from FBS programs joined the team this fall including LaDarius Brown (WR-TCU), Derrick Edwards (WR-Texas Tech), 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).
SOPHOMORE QUARTERBACK JARED JOHNSON
Sophomore Jared Johnson is the starting quarterback for the Kats this fall after serving as a back-up in 2013 to All-Southland Conference quarterback Brian Bell (Sam Houston's all-time passing and total offense leader).
The South Grand Prairie product ranks 5th in the Southland Conference in total offense with 2,997 yards (249.8 average). He stands as the league's No. 5 passer (193 of 344 passes for 2,244 yards, 15 TD) and is SHSU's second-leading rusher (62.8 yards per game, 5 TDs).
Johnson was Southland and FCS national offensive “player of the week” after accounting for
382 yards of total offense and four touchdowns in a victory over No. 4 ranked McNeese State. He set an SHSU single game school record for most yards rushing by a QB (190). Included in the total were touchdown runs of 73 and 67 yards. Johnson also threw for 193 yards with touchdown passes of 22 and nine yards.
OTHER KEY FIGURES IN BEARKAT OFFENSE
Donavan Williams from ASA College has 93 rushes for 575 yards and 7 TDs (including an 80-yard TD run). Texas transfer Jalen Overstreet has 71 rushes for 560 yards and 4 TDs. Overstreet is averaging 7.9 yards per carry while Williams gains 6.2 yards each rush.
LaDarius Brown, a transfer from TCU, has 30 catches for 467 yards and 3 TDs including a 52-yard touchdown reception. Donald Jackson III, Zachary Stevens and Brandon DeWitt all were starters in the offensive line last year.
TWO BEARKATS ON JERRY RICE WATCH LIST
Two Kat redshirt freshmen - defensive lineman P. J. Hall and wide receiver Yedidiah Louis were included on the “watch list” for the Jerry Rice Award presented annually to the top FCS freshman by The Sports Network. Hall is now a finalist for the award.
Hall ranks No. 30 in FCS tackles for losses with 20 for 78 yards. The Seguin product has 60 total tackles including eight sacks. He is one of only two freshman in top 50 in FCS tackles for loss this season. His 20 TFLs rank as the 4th highest single season total in Bearkat history.
Hall intercepted a pass at Northwestern State and has three blocked kicks to his credit. He is a three-time Southland “Defensive Player of the Week” winner. He earned the honor for his play in Sam Houston's league victories at Lamar, McNeese State and Central Arkansas
Hall also was The Sports Network National “Freshman of the Week” after the UCA win.
Louis leads the Bearkats with 52 catches for 633 yards. The New Orleans native is one of only three freshmen in the FCS national top 80 with 4.3 receptions per game.
THE BEARKAT DEFENSE
Senior safety Michael Wade and sophomore tackle Sione Latu are the only two starters this season who were in the starting line-up last year.
Wade is the only senior starting on defense for the Bearkats. A preseason All-Southland selection, he leads the Bearkats with 86 tackles (48 solo) and has two interceptions this season and five in his career. He ranks 10th in SHSU career annals with 248 stops in four years.
Latu has 31 tackles this year. Linebackers Tristan Eche and Myke Chatman have made 70 and 67 tackles, respectively. Cornerback Trenier Orr, a transfer from Cincinnati, ranks No. 4 in the Southland with 4 interceptions this year. He returned his first pick 55 yards for a touchdown in the Eastern Washington game.
In his first collegiate start against Abilene Christian, freshman linebacker A. J. Davis led Sam Houston with 8 tackles. He returned a fumble 27 yards for a TD and had 2 tackles for losses. Davis has 40 tackles to his credit this year.
The Kats limited the No. 4 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.
In Sam Houston's Southland Conference games, the Kat defense has created 17 turnovers (8 fumble recoveries, 9 interceptions) while the SHSU offense has given up only 12.
The Bearkats intercepted three passes at Northwestern State. Sam Houston recovered three Abilene Christian fumbles. The Wildcats had not lost a fumble in its first eight games of 2014.
AUSTRALIAN EDWARDS HAVING OUTSTANDING SEASON AS PUNTER
Junior Lachlan Edwards from Hastings, Victoria in Australia ranks No. 6 in FCS and leads the Southland in punting with a 44.4 average. He has 22 punts of more than 50 yards this season with a long of 59. Results of his punts have included 22 fair catches and 25 inside the 20.
With a 43.8 average in his two seasons at SHSU, he stands No. 2 in all-time punting average, trailing only Ryan Klaus, a Bearkat Hall-of-Honor member with a 44.8 average in 1995-98.
Edwards set a school record with his 49.8 average on five punts at Northwestern State. The previous record of 49.5 yards by Klaus stood for 16 years. Edwards' punts against the Demons covered 39, 49, 53, 51 and a then season best 57 yards.
SOPHOMORE KICKER LUC SWIMBERGHE
All-Southland Conference kicker Luc Swimberghe is 14-of-16 kicking field goals and has totaled 98 points, going 56 of 58 on his PATs.
The sophomore from Tyler earned Southland “Special Teams Player of the Week” honors after the McNeese victory. He kicked a season-best 44-yard field goal (the second longest of his career) and was 5-of-5 on PATs against the Cowboys.
Swimberghe is climbing in the SHSU career scoring standings. He now ranks No. 3 all-time with 195 career kicking points and No. 2 in PATs (129).
