Squad Using Open Date To Improve For Opener
9/12/2015 8:17:00 AM | Football
Head coach K. C. Keeler calls an open date a “Get Better” week as the Sam Houston football team sees its only weekend without a game during the 2015 regular season Saturday.
An optimist who sees the glass as half-full, Keeler believes his Bearkat squad this year is as talented as any team in the Football Championship Subdivision.
“I think it was pretty obvious we matched up physically with them,” Keeler said. “The good news is that we are as talented as we thought we were. The bad news is that if we don't execute, then we aren't going to beat anyone turning the ball over four to one. We could've and should've won that ballgame. You don't get too many of those opportunities to go up and play at the FBS level.”
The Bearkats showed a lot of promise Saturday, especially on the offensive side of the ball.
Sam Houston State clicked immediately on offense, scoring 31 points in the first half. Still, the Bearkats came out on the losing end and, as Keeler said, there are no moral victories
“We are connected more than we did at the beginning of last year,” Sam Houston State running back Donavan Williams said. “We played well as a team. There are things we could've done better to complete the process, knowing that we played a full game and did what we were supposed to do.”
The Bearkats' rushing attack looked like it might be even more of a juggernaut than last season. Sam Houston ran for 351 yards, with Williams nearly gaining 100 yards, plus quarterback Jared Johnson and running backs Jalen Overstreet and Corey Avery each rushing for more than 50 yards.
The Bearkats' rushing stats are even more impressive when considering starting linemen Brandon DeWitt and Forrest Reedy didn't even make the trip to Lubbock.
“We went into the game without two starting offensive linemen,” Keeler said. “I thought the running backs played really well. I thought the wide receivers blocked really well and played really well. The quarterbacks, at times, played great and then they made a couple of mistakes that hurt us. On offense, there is a lot there to build off of. Without the couple of turnovers, we're looking at 700-plus yards of offense and 59 points.”
Williams added four touchdowns in goal-line situations, thanks in large part to the dominant performance in the trenches by Sam Houston State's offensive line.
Keeler said that Williams has come out of spring football and summer workouts a much stronger player physically, which is why Keeler has tabbed him as the primary back. It showed last Saturday, as it took multiple defenders to bring Williams to the ground when he got the ball.
Williams credits strength and conditioning coach Brian Hess for getting the Bearkats in the shape so they can push around opposing defenses.
“Coach Hess has put us on a lot of great workouts to get us better,” Williams said. “It's not just me. There is a lot of us that have gotten bulkier. It was the offensive line who did their job and I just went through the holes.”
A new face at wide receiver made a huge impact in Saturday's game as well.
Davion Davis, a freshman from Hutto, caught 12 passes for 102 yards, leading the team in both categories, and added a 29-yard touchdown grab in the second quarter.
Davis earned a starting spot during training camp, as he impressed the coaching staff with his play, much like Yedidiah Louis did last year when he became a starter as a freshman and led the team in catches with 71.
Davis was glad he was able to contribute in a major way in his first collegiate game.
“I wasn't expecting that, but the way our offense works it gets pretty much everyone open,” Davis said. “When I get the ball in my hand, I just want to do everything I can to get in the end zone.”
Defensively, the Bearkats had a tough time containing the Texas Tech receivers, but Keeler said that was more a testament to how fast and talented the Red Raiders' skill players were than any Sam Houston State deficiencies.
“They are really good on offense,” Keeler said. “They can really make some plays. Unfortunately, we let up a kick return for a touchdown and a pick six, so giving up 59 points we're not excited about, but they're going to score a lot of points on a lot of people. It's all right there for us to take. We just need to seize the opportunity.”
The Bearkats beat themselves last Saturday, committing mistakes that were typical of a first game, but helped Texas Tech jump out to a four-touchdown lead nonetheless.
Mistakes like missing a tackle to allow a kick returner to score a 94-yard touchdown, overthrowing a receiver and giving up a pick six in the process, and turning the ball over three times in Texas Tech territory.
Those types of mistakes are what Sam Houston State plans on correcting during the next week as they prepare for Lamar.
“With this bye week we just want to get better,” Williams said. “Those little things we didn't do right, we just want to pick at and try to get right because if we don't it's not going to be good for us as a team. Hopefully when we get out there next week, we'll get it fixed.”
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A new face at wide receiver made a huge impact in Saturday's game as well.
Davion Davis, a freshman from Hutto, caught 12 passes for 102 yards, leading the team in both categories, and added a 29-yard touchdown grab in the second quarter.
Davis earned a starting spot during training camp, as he impressed the coaching staff with his play, much like Yedidiah Louis did last year when he became a starter as a freshman and led the team in catches with 71. He is glad he was able to contribute in a major way in his first collegiate game.
“I wasn't expecting that, but the way our offense works it gets pretty much everyone open,” Davis said. “When I get the ball in my hand, I just want to do everything I can to get in the end zone.”
Defensively, the Bearkats had a tough time containing the Texas Tech receivers, but Keeler said that was more a testament to how fast and talented the Red Raiders' skill players were than any Sam Houston State deficiencies.
“They are really good on offense,” Keeler said. “They can really make some plays. Unfortunately, we let up a kick return for a touchdown and a pick six, so giving up 59 points we're not excited about, but they're going to score a lot of points on a lot of people. It's all right there for us to take. We just need to seize the opportunity.”
Mistakes helped Texas Tech jump out to a four-touchdown lead. Mistakes are what Sam Houston plans on correcting during the next week of preparation for the Bearkats' Southland Conference opener with Lamar Saturday Sept. 19.
“With this bye week we just want to get better,” Williams said. “Those little things we didn't do right we need to get fixed.”
Tickets for all six of Sam Houston's home games at Elliott T. Bowers Stadium plus seats for the 90th “Battle of the Piney Woods” presented by H-E-B Oct. 3 at NRG Stadium in Houston are now on sale online at www.gobearkats.com and at the Bearkat athletic ticket office at Bowers Stadium. The ticket office telephone is (936) 294-1729.
