SLC Co-champions to meet this Saturday

[blackfordpu]

Here is a look at the Northwestern St. @ Sam Houston game. Will be a huge tell as to how the SLC will look this season.

http://www.gobearkats.com/football/release.html

Note that Phillip Daugherty will start at QB for this game.

[TexasTerror]

My weekly game preview, that I share with the students...

Northwestern State
vs. Sam Houston State Bearkats
Saturday, October 8th, 2 PM, Huntsville, Texas (HOMECOMING)

An Eye on the Kats: Remember the Bearkats? Last we left them was two weeks ago when they were shown what being scored 80 points on by a very prolific offense was. Now after a cancellation and the annual bye the week before SLC play that Coach Ron Randleman always enjoyed to have, it's SLC time. The Kats get going againt the team that they split the title with them. The Kats had eyes on running the table in the SLC, but they went to Nachitoches last year and came up empty. Many will say that the Kats lacked intensity in the trip to Northwestern State last year and in the trip to Missoula as well. This is a revenge game for a Kats team that has dominated Northwestern St in Huntsville the last few times. Even the 2-9 team in 2003 led by Travis Tobaden and true freshman Wade Pate knocked off the Demons.

An Eye on the Demons: A tough schedule and a 1-2 record. Like the Kats, the Demons have played two I-A teams. The Demons split the Louisiana matchups with ULM and ULL, beating the Indians in Monroe. In between, the Demons found time to get whooped at home by a really solid North Dakota State team. This is a team projected as the #1 team in the SLC and a third loss would not be good for a team that hopes to go to the playoffs. The Demons know they have to win this game to keep their playoff hopes alive. Coach Scott Stoker believes this is another Top 10 team, but up to this point, they haven't proven it. A win infront of a homecoming crowd in Huntsville may just be what the doctor ordered.


Keys for the Kats:
1) Stop QB Davon Vinson. This is their main man in all aspects of the game. He's run 41 times for 215 yards and one touchdown this season. Any team that has problems with Northwestern State this year, it's simply because they can not stop Vinson. In the win against ULM, he threw three INTs, but he also threw three TDs. In the loss against North Dakota St, he was held to 48 yards on 5 of 19 passing before being pulled. He's only been sacked twice this year. The Kats will have to pressure him and if he leaves the pocket, don't let him go anywhere.

2) One QB. This team needs some consistency. Being off two weeks due to a cancellation and a bye does not help. Phillip Daughtery is now the starting gunslinger and the problem early in the year has been botched routes and dropped passes. We now have Vitan Moore back to full health at WR. With some young guys in Skyler Albritton and Justin Wells expected to hit the field as well, we need some consistency because if this QB does not gel with the WRs, we're in for a long year. Daughtery needs to get in a rhythm and deliver. No changing QBs, so give us a reason for Coach Whitten to keep you in!

3) Special Teams. Last year, an All-American performance was had by Lance Garner. The Bearkats "Block Party" was out in full force and we even had big kick blocked against SFA by Steven Hagler to win that game. A year later, we've been blocked and our once-All-American kicker has become a dud. In SLC play, this can not be tolerated especially when the team your opposing has a guy named Toby Ziegler who is averaging 33.3 yards per punt return and is getting over 22 yards each time he returns a kick. The Kats need to win the battle of field position and make those kicks. Stewart Pearcy needs to do what he can on the kickoffs and Curtis Parks will need to bury some punts inside the 20 while the Kats "special forces" do their parts with solid tackles on first contact instead of letting the Demons break tackles.

TT's Prediction: Sam 38-34 Northwestern State. This is going to be a battle for two teams who have had games cancelled and know their playoff fate lies in this game. It's early to talk playoffs, but the Kats and Demons can only afford one loss in SLC play, if even that as the SLC may not have a good chance at getting two teams into the I-AA playoffs this year. A tough battle next week in Thibodaux against a run-crazy Nicholls St squad and then the big "BATTLE of the PINEY WOODS" at home follows.

Hope to see everyone out there backing the Kats. Eat'em Up!

[blackfordpu]

My weekly game preview, that I share with the students...

Northwestern State
vs. Sam Houston State Bearkats
Saturday, October 8th, 2 PM, Huntsville, Texas (HOMECOMING)

An Eye on the Kats: Remember the Bearkats? Last we left them was two weeks ago when they were shown what being scored 80 points on by a very prolific offense was. Now after a cancellation and the annual bye the week before SLC play that Coach Ron Randleman always enjoyed to have, it's SLC time. The Kats get going againt the team that they split the title with them. The Kats had eyes on running the table in the SLC, but they went to Nachitoches last year and came up empty. Many will say that the Kats lacked intensity in the trip to Northwestern State last year and in the trip to Missoula as well. This is a revenge game for a Kats team that has dominated Northwestern St in Huntsville the last few times. Even the 2-9 team in 2003 led by Travis Tobaden and true freshman Wade Pate knocked off the Demons.

An Eye on the Demons: A tough schedule and a 1-2 record. Like the Kats, the Demons have played two I-A teams. The Demons split the Louisiana matchups with ULM and ULL, beating the Indians in Monroe. In between, the Demons found time to get whooped at home by a really solid North Dakota State team. This is a team projected as the #1 team in the SLC and a third loss would not be good for a team that hopes to go to the playoffs. The Demons know they have to win this game to keep their playoff hopes alive. Coach Scott Stoker believes this is another Top 10 team, but up to this point, they haven't proven it. A win infront of a homecoming crowd in Huntsville may just be what the doctor ordered.


Keys for the Kats:
1) Stop QB Davon Vinson. This is their main man in all aspects of the game. He's run 41 times for 215 yards and one touchdown this season. Any team that has problems with Northwestern State this year, it's simply because they can not stop Vinson. In the win against ULM, he threw three INTs, but he also threw three TDs. In the loss against North Dakota St, he was held to 48 yards on 5 of 19 passing before being pulled. He's only been sacked twice this year. The Kats will have to pressure him and if he leaves the pocket, don't let him go anywhere.

2) One QB. This team needs some consistency. Being off two weeks due to a cancellation and a bye does not help. Phillip Daughtery is now the starting gunslinger and the problem early in the year has been botched routes and dropped passes. We now have Vitan Moore back to full health at WR. With some young guys in Skyler Albritton and Justin Wells expected to hit the field as well, we need some consistency because if this QB does not gel with the WRs, we're in for a long year. Daughtery needs to get in a rhythm and deliver. No changing QBs, so give us a reason for Coach Whitten to keep you in!

3) Special Teams. Last year, an All-American performance was had by Lance Garner. The Bearkats "Block Party" was out in full force and we even had big kick blocked against SFA by Steven Hagler to win that game. A year later, we've been blocked and our once-All-American kicker has become a dud. In SLC play, this can not be tolerated especially when the team your opposing has a guy named Toby Ziegler who is averaging 33.3 yards per punt return and is getting over 22 yards each time he returns a kick. The Kats need to win the battle of field position and make those kicks. Stewart Pearcy needs to do what he can on the kickoffs and Curtis Parks will need to bury some punts inside the 20 while the Kats "special forces" do their parts with solid tackles on first contact instead of letting the Demons break tackles.

TT's Prediction: Sam 38-34 Northwestern State. This is going to be a battle for two teams who have had games cancelled and know their playoff fate lies in this game. It's early to talk playoffs, but the Kats and Demons can only afford one loss in SLC play, if even that as the SLC may not have a good chance at getting two teams into the I-AA playoffs this year. A tough battle next week in Thibodaux against a run-crazy Nicholls St squad and then the big "BATTLE of the PINEY WOODS" at home follows.

Hope to see everyone out there backing the Kats. Eat'em Up!

Great read Terror. You should send that to the Item or the Houstonian.

[TexasTerror]

Great read Terror. You should send that to the Item or the Houstonian.

The Houstonian folks get it, no worries. It's up on the student boards as I try to get students interested and informed about Bearkat athletics...

[Dallas Demon]

It's real simple for the Demons. We cannot continue to turn the ball over (14 turnovers in 3 games) and continue to make mistakes (for example, 16 penalties in just the LAST game, lots more for the season). Yes, I'm sure the opposing teams caused some of these, but when it is a pattern regardless of the team you are playing then it becomes your problem.

Unfortunately, the loser of this game is in a bit of a bind for this year. That's the breaks for playing a tough schedule (2 I-A schools) and having a season cut short due to mother nature.

[blackfordpu]

Northwestern St. will be playing without two of their star players, RB Shelton Sampson and DE Ed Queen. Not good for the Demons but good news for the Bearkats.

Demons will play without Sampson, Queen at Sam Houston
10/5/2005
FOOTBALL: A.J. Franklin will start at tailback, Charlie Brooks at defensive end in SLC opener


NATCHITOCHES -- Two of Northwestern State's star players, senior tailback Shelton Sampson and junior defensive end Ed Queen, have injuries that will sideline them for Saturday afternoon's Southland Conference football opener at Sam Houston State, coach Scott Stoker said Wednesday.

Both preseason All-SLC selections are out indefinitely, although Sampson might return sooner than later, said athletic trainer Ed Evans.

full story: http://www.nsudemons.com/story.asp?id=1694

[exbearkat]

Northwestern St. will be playing without two of their star players, RB Shelton Sampson and DE Ed Queen. Not good for the Demons but good news for the Bearkats.

Demons will play without Sampson, Queen at Sam Houston
10/5/2005
FOOTBALL: A.J. Franklin will start at tailback, Charlie Brooks at defensive end in SLC opener


NATCHITOCHES -- Two of Northwestern State's star players, senior tailback Shelton Sampson and junior defensive end Ed Queen, have injuries that will sideline them for Saturday afternoon's Southland Conference football opener at Sam Houston State, coach Scott Stoker said Wednesday.

Both preseason All-SLC selections are out indefinitely, although Sampson might return sooner than later, said athletic trainer Ed Evans.

full story: http://www.nsudemons.com/story.asp?id=1694

Well, we are without our starting MLB and SS, so no real advantage for either team.

[blackfordpu]

Well, we are without our starting MLB and SS, so no real advantage for either team.

Way to be a downer ex.

[Hansel]

I'm taking NW St by 7

[Dallas Demon]

Well, we are without our starting MLB and SS, so no real advantage for either team.

Ed Queen's injury has silently had a major effect this year. He was incredible last year, but has struggled so far because of the injury. It's to the point now where he just can't play. Sampson being out really hurts, but he is also not having a great year so far. You never can tell, perhaps someone else will step up and take advantage of the situation.

BTW, how do I get to the Zion Church BBQ place?