Jalen Overstreet Joins 1,000 Yard Rushing Club
10/25/2015 11:29:00 AM | Football
Running back Jalen Overstreet joined a prestigious group of Sam Houston football players Saturday night in the Bearkats' 37-7 victory over Nicholls at 2015 Homecoming.
With a career night that saw the junior from Tatum carry 28 times for 202 yards, Overstreet became the 35th member of the Sam Houston football 1,000-yard career rushing club. In his 23 games as a Bearkat since transferring to the Huntsville campus from the University of Texas in Austin, Overstreet has rushed for 1,197 yards to rank 32nd in all-time Bearkat rushing.
Saturday's 202-yard performance ranks No. 14 among single game rushing totals by Sam Houston backs and is the sixth highest total by a Bearkat against a Southland Conference opponent. Overstreet's touchdown came on a 12-yard run in the second quarter. His longest gain of the game was for 51 yards.
“I'm glad all of the coaches have had faith in me to put the ball in my hand,” Overstreet said. “It's all a credit to the offensive line. They blocked their butts off today. Those 202 yards are for those five guys in front of me just as much as they are for me.”
Sam Houston ranked No. 2 in the nation in total offense (548.4 yards per game), scoring (47.6 points per contest) and total first downs (198). The Bearkat rushing attack's total of 255.6 yards per game stands No. 9 in FCS and is second in the Southland Conference.
Another Bearkat standout, sophomore defensive end P. J. Hall, totaled six tackles including one for a loss. That up his career total tackles for losses to 35 to move last year's Southland Conference “Freshman of the Year” to fifth in Sam Houston career TFLs.
“As a defense, we just have to make sure we start fast and get off the field,” Hall said. “The coaches have pointed out to us that when the defense gets three-and-outs in the first series we've been playing well, both on offense and defense.”
The defense limited Nicholls to 143 yards rushing and only 35 yards passing for a total output of 188 yards.
NCAA Division II top 10-ranked Texas A&M-Commerce visits Elliott T. Bowers Stadium in for a non-conference tilt this Saturday at 6 p.m.
The contest marks the first game between the Lions and the Bearkats since 1985. The serries between the two schools dates back to 1919, however. A&M-Commerce (then known as East Texas State) and Sam Houston were rivals in both the Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association and the Lone Star for more than six decades.
