Wait for Kats vs. Eagles opener is over
8/23/2014 12:26:00 AM | Football
The wait is over. Sam Houston and Eastern Washington are ready to battle in the FCS Kickoff at 2:35 p.m. Central Time on ESPN.
Sam Houston State head coach K.C. Keeler has spent the last few weeks talking about how good top-ranked Eastern Washington is. He is quick to point out how experienced the Eagles are, how good quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. is and the process of getting his team ready to compete with Eastern Washington.
“There's a little bit of a mystery in what we're going to do offensively,” Keeler said. “What version are they going to see of us? I think that may present some problems. I also think we'll have some speed that will be a bit of a shock to their system.”
Eastern Washington coach Beau Baldwin has no idea how Keeler will utilize the likes of newcomers Kiante Griffin, Derreck Edwards and LaDarius Brown at wide receiver, each of whom came to Sam Houston this offseason from Football Bowl Subdivision programs.
He has no film on how Sam Houston will operate on either side of the ball, or how it will utilize the influx of talent it acquired during the offseason.
Conversely, Keeler doesn't know if his 15 transfers have jelled with his returning players enough to develop the team chemistry necessary to defeat a top-ranked program on the road to kick off the season.
Quarterback Jared Johnson is untested as a starter in the new Bearkat offense and has had no way to help his defense simulate the efficiency of the Eagles' offense.
“It's impossible,” Keeler said. “That's one of the reasons we've spent a lot of time practicing good vs. good. Even though we're trying to get some time when we're doing their schemes, we also make sure we're doing stuff every day where our No. 1s are going against our No. 1s. The speed of the game is something we can't lose and that's why we practice that way.”
The answers all will come in front of a national television audience Saturday afternoon.
Bearkat alumni and fans across the state and the nation are scheduling FCS Kickoff “Watch Parties” for the August 23 SHSU versus EWU showdown. See this link for list of watch parties and locations.
Use this link to purchase Sam Houston football tickets.
