Bearkats report for preseason camp Thursday
8/4/2015 2:19:00 PM | Football
Based on the fact that 54 lettermen including 22 starters return from last year's Sam Houston football team that won the Southland Conference championship and reached the FCS semfinals, the 2015 Bearkats have been tabbed as the preseason favorite in this fall's league race.
But a strong group of newcomers and red-shirt players has head coach K. C. Keeler and his staff even more excited about the 95 players who will report for the Bearkats' pre-season training camp Thursday.
As Sam Houston prepares for the opening game of the university's 100th football season on Sept. 5 at Texas Tech, Keeler predicts there will be battles for starting roles at every position.
“This is about as deep and talented team as I have ever coached,” Keeler said. “There's competition at every position on our roster. That's something that will make us a better team.”
Sam Houston placed 13 players on the preseason All-Southland Conference squad selected by vote of the league's head coaches. Seven players were first-team selections and six were on the second team. The 13 honorees marked the most by any of the league members.
Linebacker Myke Chatman, punter Lachlan Edwards defensive end P. J. Hall, offensive lineman Donald Jackson III, quarterback Jared Johnson, defensive back Trenier Orr and kicker Luc Swimberghe comprise the Kats' first-team selections.
Earning second-team honors for Sam Houston include junior running back Jalen Overstreet, senior wide receiver LaDarius Brown, sophomore wide receiver Yedidiah Louis, junior offensive lineman Brandon DeWitt, junior defensive lineman Mouf Abedo and senior defensive back Mikell Everette.
Ten starters on both offense and defense plus the Kats' all-conference kicking specialist and punter return along with 33 other lettermen who saw action during the 11-5 championship campaign. Nine players who red-shirted as true freshmen last season also dot the team's pre-season depth chart.
New faces in camp will include 19 true freshmen who signed with the Bearkats last spring plus a talented group of transfers from FBS programs.
Quarterback Jeremiah Briscoe from UAB and offensive lineman Curtis Riser from the University of Texas in Austin both participated in spring training last March and April.
Other transfers who have joined the Bearkats this summer include running back Cory Avery from Kansas, defensive end Codi Brooks from UTSA, linebacker Hunter Brown and offensive lineman Tyler Tezeno from West Virginia, offensive lineman Sam Hardy from Wyoming, cornerback Michael Jacob from Louisiana Tech and wide receiver Blake Webb from Oklahoma State and defensive back Duran Workman from Nevada.
“This year we know a lot more about ourselves that we did when we came to training camp last season,” Keeler said. “We know we have a lot of hurdles to get over to hoist a trophy again this November. We have a tough road schedule with games at McNeese, Abilene Christian and Central Arkansas. No one is going to give us anything along the way. Championships are not given too you. If you truly are a team that can repeat you have to take it. Our players know that if we do the right things, we have an opportunity to do some great things this year. Everyone can't wait to get started.”
Thursday, the players will check out equipment, attend camp orientations and two team meetings.
The first practice session will run Friday from 8 to 10 a.m. on the turf at Bowers Stadium. The Kats will work daily from 8 to 10 a.m. with strength and conditioning lifting sessions and individual position meetings in the afternoons through Tuesday, August 11. The team will take a day off from on field sessions before resuming workouts with a two-a-day session Thursday, August 13.
Season tickets for Sam Houston's six home games at Elliott T. Bowers Stadium plus the 90th “Battle of the Piney Woods” are on sale now online at www.gobearkats.com or at the SHSU Athletic Ticket Office now located on the west side of Bowers Stadium.
Beginning Thursday and running for the first week of Sam Houston practice, any fan who buys a season ticket will be eligible to win a special prize in a daily season ticket holder drawing.
TENTATIVE SAM HOUSTON FOOTBALL TRAINING CAMP SCHEDULE
(Subject to change)
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Thur. Aug. 6 – Team Reports |
Tue. Aug. 18 – Practice #13 – 8-10 a.m. |
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Fri. Aug. 7 – Practice #1 - 8–10 a.m. |
Wed. Aug. 19 – Practice #14 – 8-10 a.m. |
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Sat. Aug. 8 – Practice #2 – 8–10 a.m. |
Practice #15 – 3-4:20 p.m. |
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Sun. Aug. 9 – Practice #3 - 8-10 a.m. |
Fri. Aug. 21 – Practice #16 – 8-10 a.m. |
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Mon. Aug. 10 – Practice #4 – 8-10 a.m. |
Practice #17 – 3-4:20 p.m. |
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Tue. Aug. 11 – Practice #5 – 8-10 a.m. |
Sat. Aug. 22 – Practice #18 – 8-10 a.m. |
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Thur. Aug. 13 – Practice #6 – 8-10 a.m. |
Sun. Aug. 23 – Practice #19 – 8-10 a.m. |
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Practice #7 – 3-4:20 p.m. |
Practice #20 – 3-4:20 p.m. |
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Fri. Aug. 14 – Practice #8 – 8-10 a.m. |
Tue. Aug. 25 – Practice #21 – 8-10 a.m. |
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Sat. Aug. 15 – Practice # 9 – 8-10 a.m. |
Wed. Aug. 26 – Class Begins |
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Practice #10 – 3-4:20 p.m. |
Practice Daily from 8 – 10 a.m. class days |
