Spring drills open with up-tempo practice
3/16/2016 12:09:00 PM | Football
Bearkat head football coach K. C. Keeler admitted that, before his team's opening spring practice Wednesday morning, he took a selfie of himself with a big smile on his face.
“I sent it to my daughter just to say I'm coaching again,” Keeler explained. “You miss the kids. You miss being out here interacting with them and challenging them on the field. It's awesome to be back out here on the field.”
Sam Houston returns 17 starters (seven on offense, nine on defense and two specialists) plus 38 other lettermen from last year's 11-4 squad that reached the NCAA Division I Football Championship semifinals for the fourth time in five years.
“For a first day in helmets, I thought we had a good day,” Keeler said. “After having our first staff meeting with the entire staff together Sunday night at 6:30, I was pretty happy with the effort. We had great tempo. The kids did a good job and the staff did a good job in coaching them. We've got a long way to go but it was a good day.”
Sam Houston has rolled up a record of 22 victories and only nine losses in Keeler's first two seasons as Bearkat head coach. The total includes six playoff wins over nationally-ranked foes and conference champions on the way to back-to-back semifinals appearances.
“I think these guys understand there is a certain standard we want to have here at Sam Houston,” Keeler said. “I thought they came out and tried to live up to that standard this morning.”
The Kats lost seven starters from last year including All-America offensive tackle Donald Jackson III. Six of those seven were All-Southland performers. The coaching staff is looking to do more this spring then just filling out the two-deep.
“We have this common theme this spring that we're trying to find that special ten percent,” Keeler said. “We're 10 percent away from being national champions. That last 10 percent is going to be really, really hard. Are we going to find it in special teams, in playing cleaner, trusting each other more, keeping things a little more simple so we can fast?
“There are a lot of ways we can find that 10 percent . Our guys understand it's going to be really really hard and the effort and enthusiasm was good. We got a lot of good work in today. We're excited about Thursday and Friday's workouts. Saturday will be a big day for us with leadership training with Col. David Yebra at the ropes course.”
The spring training schedule calls for practices on March 17, 18, 19, 21, 23, 24, 28 and 30 and April 1, 2, 4, 6 and 11. Practice sessions may be changed due to weather.
Fans will have their opportunity to see the 2016 Bearkats in action at the annual spring game on Friday April 8.
Season tickets for Sam Houston's five 2016 home football games at Elliott T. Bowers Stadium plus the “Battle of the Piney Woods” presented by H-E-B at NRG Stadium in Houston now are on sale.
Football season ticket holders from 2015 have the convenience of renewing their seats through their My Bearkat Account , by calling the athletic ticket office at (936) 294-1729 or by visiting the box office located on the west (press box) side of Bowers Stadium.
