Kats clash with HBU on Saturday in Houston
9/23/2016 7:00:00 AM | Football
HOUSTON – When Sam Houston State football lines up across from Houston Baptist on Saturday, it will be against a different type of Huskies squad than the Bearkats have seen previously.
Sam Houston (2-0, 1-0 Southland), which enters the weekend as the second-ranked team nationally, has defeated the Huskies by a combined score of 213-16 in the first three meetings since the Huskies joined the Southland Conference. This season, however, HBU has turned the corner.
“Vic (Shealy) has obviously done a phenomenal job,” head coach K.C. Keeler said. “I think if you're looking at the preseason rankings, Abilene Christian was going to be one of those teams up there in the hunt and for HBU to get that win makes it two in a row for them. Their talent level has improved dramatically.”
The Bearkats and HBU will kick off at 7 p.m. from Husky Stadium with the game being televised on Fox College Sports (DirecTV 608; Verizon Fios 301; AT&T UVerse 648). Sam Houston opened up league play a weekend ago, defeating Lamar 44-31, with all three phases of clicking.
The Kats held the Cardinals to three first-half points helped by FCS Defensive Player of the Week, P.J. Hall, who recorded nine tackles, including 4 ½ tackles for loss, two pass breakups and a safety. Keeler believes the defensive front has played a major role in the squads' early-season success.
“I really like this defensive line a lot and we haven't had everyone playing,” Keeler said. “We're still a couple guys shy. We got a couple guys back this last week that made a big difference. Luis Carreno is a really good football player as is Codie Brooks. You are watching an All-American in midseason form with P.J. Hall. He was just playing at a special level.”
Offensively, Sam Houston ranks first in the nation in total offense (633 yards per game), second in passing (358.5 yards per game), third in scoring offense (51.5 points per game) and 10th in rushing offense (274.5 yards per game).
Special teams has also proven to be an asset as punter Joseph Figenshaw downed four punts inside the 10-yard line against the Cardinals while all five landed inside the 20. Place kicker Luc Swimberghe, who has yet to attempt a field goal, is 9 for 9 on point after attempts while the Kats rank 16th in kickoff return yardage (25.14) and 31st in punt returns (11.50).
Meanwhile, the Huskies are coming off their first back-to-back wins in program history including an overtime victory against Abilene Christian, 24-20, in the league opener. HBU junior linebacker Garrett Dolan is tied for third in the nation with 14.0 tackles per game and had 17 tackles and a sack against ACU while junior safety Taylor Thompson recorded a career-high 14 tackles.
“Their defense has improved a whole bunch,” Keeler said. “They are better all the way around. All they needed to get was some confidence and they've got that by winning two in a row. I would think they feel really good about who they are and where they're going. We're going to play a dangerous football team.”
