Trenier Orr's TD-saving tackle a highlight
12/10/2015 6:52:00 AM | Football
Sam Houston's 34-29 victory over No. 4 seed McNeese State Saturday in Lake Charles, La., was full of big plays. But what fans will always remember about the NCAA Division I Championship second round game is the bizarre final nine minutes.
Trailing by five points with 9:21 to play, the Cowboys took over possession at their own 20-yard line. On third-and-nine from the 21, quarterback Daniel Sams hit Kent Shelby for what looked like it would turn into a 79-yard go-ahead score.
But, incredibly, Sam Houston's first team All-Southland Conference cornerback Trenier Orr caught Shelby and brought him down at the one-yard line.
“That was the one play I showed to the team at our meeting on Sunday,” Sam Houston head coach K. C. Keeler said. “In a lot of ways, that played showed how we could have our playoff run end this week or how we could go all the way to a national title.”
With a third-and-ninth situation, Orr was in the wrong coverage and was beaten by the receiver.
“All season long we've preached to the players 'Know your job, do your job.' My frustration with the play was that Tre was not in the right coverage,” Keeler said. “Those kind of mental mistakes have cost us at times this year and could hurt us again this weekend if we make them against a team as good as Colgate.
“At the same time, what shows me we might not lose the rest of the season is the effort Tre made to track that guy down and make the tackle on the one-yard line. It was simply amazing. Ninety-nine percent of guys who get beat like that are just going to jog it. Tre absolutely turned on the jets and stopped him on the one. That kind of effort wins championships.”
Orr's tackle was followed with an amazing goal line stand.
First, McNeese was penalized five yards to the Sam Houston six after a false start. Then Sams was sacked for nine-yard loss to the 15-yard line by Kiel Heidman. Next, a holding call moved the Cowboys back to the 25-yard line. After an incomplete pass, a sack by P. J. Hall and a delay of game flag, McNeese faced fourth-and-goal from the 39 and was forced to punt.
“Who knew that first-and-goal at the one would end with fourth-and-goal at the 39 and a punt,” Keeler said. “But that happened because Tre never gave up and made the big play.”
McNeese never touched the ball again as Sam Houston's offense picked up three first downs to run out the final six minutes and six seconds and advance to this week's quarterfinals.
“Yes, we are an up-tempo offense that wants to run 100 or more plays a game. But we've shown several times this year that, with the game on the line, we're not going to give the ball back,” Keeler said. “Our offensive line feels pretty good about themselves right now and that's a good thing.
“We had two big pass receptions on third downs to keep that drive alive. I enjoyed watching the quarterback's knee going down on those last three plays to end the game. That was a really good win.”
Following the game, Keeler confessed that, from the sideline, he thought that Shelby had scored.
“McNeese was lining up to run a play and I thought they were going for a two-point conversion,” Keeler said. “I was already talking with our offensive coordinator about what we were going to do on offense to get the touchdown back. What a great finish.”
The Bearkats' head coach believes that coming through in the clutch in a post-season playoff situation has become part of the culture of Sam Houston football.
“Our players seem to relish pressure situations where you either win or your collecting the equipment the next day,” Keeler said. “Playing and winning playoff games is why you come to Sam Houston.”
The Bearkats are one of only three teams that have earned berths in each of the last five consecutive NCAA Division I Football Championship events. Four-time national champion North Dakota State and New Hampshire are the other two.
Sam Houston reached the national championship game in both 2011 and 2012 and was in the semi-finals last year in 2014. The Bison and the Bearkats have dominated the FCS playoffs since 2011. North Dakota State owns a 17-0 record in post-season play while the Kats stand 12-4. New Hampshire has gone 5-5 in those five seasons.
Colgate and Sam Houston kickoff Saturday at 11 a.m. Tickets are available online at www.gobearkats.com or at the SHSU athletic ticket office located on the west side of Elliott T. Bowers Stadium. The ticket office telephone number is (936) 294-1729.
