Sam Houston State Football

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1 Sam Houston State Football For more information contact: Paul Ridings, Jason Barfi eld -- Sam Houston State University Sports Information Offi ce (936) , Fax (936) Press Box (936) Web Site: ridings@shsu.edu or jbarfi eld@shsu.edu GAME ELEVEN Sam Houston State Bearkats (6-4, SLC 4-2) vs. Texas State-San Marcos Bobcats (4-6, SLC 3-3) Thursday, November 15, p.m. - Bobcat Stadium (14,218) BEARKATS FINISH 2007 SEASON ON ROAD Sam Houston State completes its 2007 regular season schedule Thursday at Texas State-San Marcos. A Bearkat victory combined with a Central Arkansas loss to McNeese State on Saturday would give the Bearkats a runner-up fi nish in the Southland Conference for the second year in a row. SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE TEXAS I-AA TITLE Sam Houston and Texas State-San Marcos will be battling to earn Texas NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision bragging rights for the Southland Conference. Sam Houston has won or tied for the Texas FCS title nine of the 20 seasons the Bearkats, Bobcats, and Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks have been members of the Southland. SFA has won or tied for the title eight times. The Bobcats have fi ve Texas FCS titles. Past SLC Texas FCS champions have been: Year Team W-L Year Team W-L 2006 Sam Houston Sam Houston 2-0 Stephen F. Austin Stephen F. Austin 2-0 Texas St.-San Marcos Stephen F. Austin Texas St.-San Marcos 2-0 North Texas Sam Houston Stephen F. Austin Stephen F. Austin Sam Houston Sam Houston Sam Houston Sam Houston 2-0 Southwest Texas Southwest Texas Sam Houston Stephen F. Austin Stephen F. Austin Southwest Texas Stephen F. Austin Sam Houston North Texas 3-0 SAM HOUSTON ON CABLE TELEVISION Fox Sports Southwest will televise the Bearkat-Bobcat matchup Thursday to a six-state regional television audience. Past Sam Houston State television football appearances have been: Sept. 13, 1984 HSE SHSU 20, SFA 7 Nov. 7, 1987 HSU SHSU 31, SFA 17 Nov. 11, 1989 Fox McNeese 31, SHSU 14 Nov. 7, 1993 Fox SHSU 42, NW St. 19 Sept. 24, 1994 ABC SHSU 48, Alcorn St. 23 Oct. 8, 1994 Fox SFA 42, SHSU 6 Oct. 8, 1998 Fox Nicholls 36, SHSU 33 Nov. 13, 1999 Fox SHSU 21, NW St. 0 Oct. 18, 2001 Fox SHSU 24, SFA 21 Oct. 31, 2002 Fox NW St. 38, SHSU 10 Oct. 16, 2003 Fox SFA 34, SHSU 31 Nov. 15, 2003 FNC* No. Ariz. 34, SHSU 18 Sept. 18, 2004 Fox SHSU 41, Montana 29 Dec.. 5, 2004 ESPN2* SHSU 35, E. Wash. 34 Dec. 11, 2004 ESPN2* Montana 34, SHSU 13 Oct. 20, 2005 Fox SHSU 52, SFA 24 Nov. 5, 2005 CSTV* SHSU 35, SE LA 18 Nov. 12, 2005 Fox No. Colo 24, SHSU 3 Sept. 30, 2006 Fox Texas 56, SHSU 3 Oct. 7, 2006 Fox SHSU 30, NW St. 20 Oct. 19, 2006 Fox Cen. Ark. 38, SHSU 30 *National telecasts Sam Houston State Location: Huntsville, Texas Enrollment: 16,416 Head Coach: Todd Whitten (Stephen F. Austin, 1987) Coaching Record: in seven years 2007 Schedule A. 30 Angelo St. W S. 8 Ark-Monticello W S. 15 at North Dakota St. L S. 29 at Oklahoma St. L 3-39 O. 6 Central Arkansas L O. 13 at McNeese St. L O. 20 Northwestern St. W O. 27 at Stephen F. Austin W N. 3 Nicholls St. W N. 10 at Southeastern LA W N. 15 TX St.-San Marcos Away Texas State-San Marcos Location: San Marcos, TX Enrollment: 27,171 Head Coach: Brad Wright (Southwest Texas, 1981) Coaching Record: First year 2007 Schedule S. 1 Cal Poly W S. 8 at Abilene Christian L S. 15 at Baylor L S. 22 at So Dakota St L 3-38 O. 6 McNeese St. L O. 11 at Central Arkansas L O. 20 Stephen F. Austin W O. 22 at Northwestern St. W N. 3 Southeastern LA W N. 10 Nicholls St. L N. 15 Sam Houston Home SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE FOOTBALL STANDINGS Team Conference Overall McNeese State Central Arkansas Sam Houston State Texas State-San Marcos Nicholls State Northwestern State Southeastern Louisiana Stephen F. Austin SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE THIS WEEK Sam Houston State at Texas State-San Marcos Central Arkansas at McNeese State Stephen F. Austin at Northwestern State Nicholls State at Southeastern Louisiana THURSDAY FOOTBALL Sam Houston has played football on Thursday 24 times in its history. The Bearkats are 17-6 on Thursday. Eleven of the Thursday games were played on Thanksgiving between 1926 and BEARKAT-BOBCAT RIVALRY The football series between Sam Houston and Texas State-San Marcos is the oldest NCAA Division I FCS rivalry in Texas. The Bobcats lead in victories, 47 to 32 with four ties. The Bobcats have won fi ve of the last eight meetings.

2 SHSU FOOTBALL - Page 2 LAST YEAR - TX ST-SAN MARCOS 28, SAM HOUSTON 21 The Bobcats spoiled Sam Houston s hopes for a Southland co-championship with McNeese by rallying for a victory before 10,121 fans at Bowers Stadium. D. D. Terry scored on a 7 yard run and caught a 44-yard touchdown pass from Brett Hicks to put Sam Houston up 14-0 in the fi rst quarter. Then the Bobcats scored 28 unanswered points. Derrick Harris tied his own school record with a 90-yard punt return for a touchdown with 20 seconds remaining but the on-sides kick attempt failed. LAST WEEK - SAM HOUSTON 20, SOUTHEASTERN LA 16 The Bearkat defense stopped Southeastern Louisiana four downs in a row after the Lions had fi rst and goal at the two with nine minutes to play. Then, Chris Poullard picked up 53 of his 142 yards rushing as the SHSU offense used up the fi nal eight minutes to preserve a road victory at Hammond. Brett Hicks completed 20 of 30 passes for 296 yards and two touchdowns. Byran Richmond led the defense with eight solo tackles, including both stops at the one-yard line on third and fourth down in the goal line stand. BRETT HICKS TAKES OVER AT QUARTERBACK Senior Brett Hicks took over as the Bearkats starting quarterback and led SHSU to a victory at Southeastern Louisiana last Saturday. Hicks completed 20 of 30 passes for 296 yards and touchdowns of 35 and two yards. He also threw passes of 65 and 53 yards. Hicks took over the Bearkat offense in the Nicholls State game two weeks ago when junior quarterback Rhett Bomar injured his left knee on a three-yard run two minutes before halftime Saturday. Hicks passed for 92 yards against the Colonels. Hicks started eight games last season, leading Sam Houston to a Southland Conference runner-up fi nish. He earned All-Southland honorable mention honors as a junior in 2006 and also was an Academic All-Southland selection with his 3.19 grade point average as a business major. Hicks ranks 14th in career passing at Sam Houston, completing 187 of 334 passes for 2,318 yards and 10 touchdowns. With 21 yards passing Saturday, Hicks can pass Guido Merkins (who passed for 2,354 yards from 1973 to 1976 before playing in the NFL for the Saints). RUNNING BACK CHRIS POULLARD Sophomore Chris Poullard ranks as the third-leading rusher in the Southland Conference this season with 186 carries for 924 yards and 10 touchdowns. He is averaging 92.4 yards per game including a 61-yard touchdown run in the Northwestern St. victory. Poullard has rushed for more than 100 yards in fi ve games including 186 yards against Northwestern State, 142 yards in the Southeastern Louisiana victory, 131 yards in the season opener with Angelo State, 130 yards in the win over Nicholls State, and 103 yards in the McNeese game. With one game remaining, his 924 yards stand as the 7th highest single season rushing total at Sam Houston State. That total also is the second highest single season rushing mark by a sophomore running back at SHSU. Poullard carried 15 times for 74 yards and a touchdown as a true freshman in 2006 playing as the back-up to Southland Conference offensive player of the year D. D. Terry. Poullard has the opportunity to become the seventh Bearkat running back to gain 1,000 yards rushing in one season. Terry rushed for a school record 1,327 yards last year. Sam Houston State has never before had running backs gain 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons. Sam Houston Head Coach Todd Whitten TODD WHITTEN, a record-setting quarterback in the mid-1980s in the Southland Conference and the coach who set in motion the Bearkats current trend of offensive success, begins his third season as Sam Houston State head football coach in Whitten directed Tarleton State to a record in his six seasons as head coach of the Texans. He earned Coach of the Year honors four times, directing an offense that led the Lone Star Conference in total offense and passing yardage. He produced 80 All-Lone Star Conference players and led the Texans to the NCAA Division II post season playoffs twice. Whitten served as SHSU s offensive coordinator in 1999 and also was an assistant at Texas-El Paso, New Mexico State, and Texas Tech. He earned his Bachelor s from Stephen F. Austin in 1987 and his Master s from Texas Tech in He was an All-Gulf Star Conference quarterback for SFA. Sam Houston State Assistant Coaches Position Coach Alma Mater Offensive Coordinator James Ferguson SFA, 1981 Defensive Coordinator Duane Dirk Kansas State, 1980 Offensive Line B. J. Anderson SFA, 1997 Linebackers Mike Salinas TX A&M-Kingsville, 2000 Defensive Backs Trent Grona Tarleton State, 2000 Wide Receivers Tommy Mainord Tarleton State, 2001 Cornerbacks Mike Walton E. New Mexico 2000 SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE HEAD COACHES CALL Teleconferences featuring the SLC s head coaches are conducted each Tuesday morning during football season. To participate, dail in at code Sam Houston State Head Coach Todd Whitten is featured from 10:55 to 11:05 each Tuesday. SAM HOUSTON STATE TEAM STATISTICS RANKINGS Statistic NCAA Southland Rushing Offense th 6th Passing Offense th 2nd Total Offense th 3rd Scoring Offense rd 5th Rushing Defense th 5th Passing Defense th 6th Total Defense th 5th Scoring Defense th 2nd Punt Returns th 8th Kickoff Returns th 5th SAM HOUSTON INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RANKINGS Category Individual (Average) NCAA Southland Rushing Chris Poullard (92.4) 50th 3rd Passing Rhett Bomar (245.4) 14th 2nd Total Offense Rhett Bomar (290.6) 11th 2nd Catches Blake Martin (4.6) 54th 5th Receiving Yds. Justin Wells (63.9) 65th 3rd Punting Michael Capparelli (41.0) 30th 4th

3 SHSU FOOTBALL - Page 3 BEARKAT RECEIVERS Tight end Blake Martin leads Bearkat receiving with 46 catches for 561 yards. He ranks fi fth in the Southland in total receptions (4.6 per game). A pre-season All-Southland Conference pick, Martin has become the fi fth tight end in Bearkat history to gain 1,000 yards receiving in his career. He has caught 117 passes for 1,388 yards in 42 games as a Bearkat. Kevin Pesak totaled 1,682 yards in to lead all Kat tight ends. Others are Ricky Eggleston, 1,555 in ; Keith Heinrich, 1,050 in ; and Corey Roberts, 1,006 in Catron Houston, who played last season after transferring from Texas Tech, ranks second in receiving with 36 catches for 448 yards with two TDs and a long gain of 42 yards. Justin Wells, junior two-year letterman, has caught 39 passes for 639 yards including 65 and 55-yard touchdowns. He ranks third in the Southland in receiving yards per game (63.9). Junior letterman Darnell Jones has 15 catches for 225 yards. Jones caught a 56-yard TD against Arkansas-Monticello. Running back Chris Poullard has 32 receptions for 374 yards and a touchdown. OFFENSIVE LINE Four offensive linemen, who each started in all 11 games in 2006, return including center Brennon Williams, tackle Brandon Hale, and guards Ryan Dretke and Hunter Schmidt. Williams and Hale were preseason All-Southland Conference selections. BEARKAT DEFENSE The Bearkat defense has come up big to help SHSU win the past two weeks. In a victory over Nicholls State, the Kats held the Southland s top rushing attack to a season low 177 yards. After Taylor Wilkins kicked the game-winning fi eld goal with 6:58 to play, the defense forced Nicholls to punt after only three downs and the offense held the ball the fi nal 5:16. Last weekend in a victory at Southeastern Louisiana the defense stopped the Lions four downs in a row after the Lions had fi rst and goal at the two with nine minutes to play. Byran Richmond led the defense with eight solo tackles, including both stops at the one-yard line on third and fourth down in the goal line stand. Richmond is the Kats top tackler with 78 stops this year including six for losses. Linebackers Nolan Bucek (76 stops) and Luke McCall (60) and safety Josh Moore (60) also are among the top tacklers for the Kats. Defensive end Chris Brown, a transfer from the University of Texas, leads the team in quarterback sacks with fi ve. The defense has recovered 12 opponent fumbles and intercepted fi ve passes. Carlton Cobey returned an interception 56 yards for a touchdown in the Stephen F. Austin victory. SPECIAL TEAMS Sophomore Michael Capparelli ranks fourth in the Southland Conference and 30th in the national FCS rankings averaging 41.0 yards. His long punt is 66 yards. Sophomore Taylor Wilkins is 31 of 31 on extra points and 13 of 17 kicking fi eld goals. He kicked a career long 44 yard fi eld goal at Southeastern Louisiana. Titus Brothers, transfer from Nebraska, ranks fourth in the Southland in kickoff returns, averaging 21.5 yards per return including a long of 38. SAM HOUSTON vs. TEXAS STATE-SAN MARCOS Won 32, Lost 47, Tied Bobcats 32-0 A Bobcats 6-0 H 1920 Bobcats 32-0 A 1921 Bobcats H 1922 Bobcats 24-0 A 1923 SHSU 6-0 H 1924 Bobcats 13-0 A 1925 SHSU 12-9 H 1926 Bobcats 9-0 A 1927 Tie 0-0 H 1929 SHSU 19-0 H 1931 SHSU 6-0 A 1932 Bobcats 6-0 H 1933 Bobcats 3-0 A 1934 SHSU 6-0 H 1935 Bobcats 19-0 A 1936 Bobcats 14-0 H 1937 Bobcats 14-6 A 1938 SHSU 13-6 A 1939 Tie 0-0 H 1940 SHSU A 1941 Bobcats 29-7 H 1943 SHSU A 1946 Bobcats H 1947 Bobcats 7-6 A 1948 Bobcats 14-0 H 1949 Bobcats A 1950 Bobcats H 1951 Tie A 1952 Bobcats H 1953 SHSU A 1954 Bobcats H 1955 SHSU A 1956 SHSU 20-0 H 1957 Bobcats 9-0 A 1958 SHSU 9-0 H 1959 Bobcats A 1960 SHSU 7-0 H 1961 SHSU 9-7 A 1962 Bobcats H 1963 Bobcats 10-8 A 1964 SHSU H 1965 Bobcats 17-7 A 1966 Bobcats 17-7 H 1967 Bobcats 61-0 A 1968 Bobcats H 1969 Bobcats A 1970 SHSU H 1971 Bobcats 10-7 A 1972 Bobcats H 1973 Bobcats 28-7 A 1974 Bobcats 20-6 H 1975 SHSU 10-3 A 1976 Bobcats H 1977 Bobcats 16-5 A 1978 SHSU H 1979 Bobcats A 1980 Bobcats 55-7 H 1981 Bobcats A 1982 Bobcats N* 1983 Bobcats A 1984 SHSU H 1985 SHSU A 1986 SHSU H 1987 SHSU A 1988 Bobcats 10-3 H 1989 Bobcats 24-0 A 1990 SHSU H 1991 SHSU A 1992 Tie H 1993 SHSU A 1994 SHSU H 1995 SHSU A 1996 SHSU H 1997 SHSU A 1998 SHSU H 1999 Bobcats A 2000 Bobcats H 2001 SHSU A 2002 SHSU H 2003 Bobcats A 2004 SHSU 27-9 H 2005 Bobcats (OT) A 2006 Bobcats H *Houston Astrodome BEARKATS IN THE CLASS ROOM Sam Houston State football players also achieve in the class room. Senior quarterback Wade Pate was the winner of the F. L. McDonald post-graduate scholarship award in 2007 as the Southland Conference s top male scholar athlete. Pate earned his degree in business last December at the top of his class with a perfect 4.0 grade point average. In 2006, 35 Bearkat football players were named to the SLC Commissioner s athletic honor roll with overall grade point averages of 3.00 or higher. Six were named to the 2006 Academic All-Southland football team including quarterback Brett Hicks. BEARKAT COACHING STAFF NOTES Unique notes about Bearkat coaching staff include the following: * Head Coach TODD WHITTEN was drafted in baseball by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1983 and signed a free agent contract with the NFL New England Patriots in * Offensive Coordinator JAMES FERGUSON coached Whitten when the head coach was a quarterback at Stephen F. Austin. * TOMMY MAINORD, Bearkat running backs coach, is the son of CARLOS MAINORD, Texas Tech safeties coach. Carlos Mainord coached SHSU Director of Athletics BOBBY WILLIAMS at Rice University. * Defensive coordinator DUANE DIRK is the father of SHSU offensive lineman JOHN DIRK.

4 SHSU FOOTBALL - Page 4 BEARKAT OFFENSIVE TWO-DEEP QB 12 Brett Hicks Sr Bandera 10 Wade Pate Sr Arp RB 33 Chris Poullard So Killeen / Shoemaker 28 TyMagic Robinson Fr Klein / Klein Forest WR 4 Catron Houston Jr Houston / Spring Woods 88 Jake Lebens So Round Rock / McNeil WR 6 Darnell Jones Jr Galveston / Ball 9 Trey Payne Jr LaMarque TE 84 Blake Martin Sr Hemphill 87 Josh Brown Sr San Antonio / Southside OT 70 Brandon Hale Sr Grand Prairie 71 R. C. Fairchild Jr The Woodlands OG 78 Hunter Schmidt So Alvin 77 Brock McDaniel Sr Pineland / West Sabine C 62 Brennan Williams Sr Decatur 53 Nick Grimes Jr College Station OG 61 Ryan Dretke Jr Huntsville 64 Travis Best So Houston / Cy Falls OT 65 John Dirk Jr Stephenville 63 Aaron Saunders Jr San Antonio / Jay WR 15 Justin Wells Jr Huntsville 3 Chris Lucas So Hazel Green, AL Sam Houston State Two-Deep BEARKAT DEFENSIVE TWO-DEEP SE 97 Antonio Cobb Fr Pflugerville 90 David Branch Sr Houston / Cy Falls ST 68 Eric Mikolajchak Jr Houston / Mayde Creek 57 Kevin Smith So Klein / Klein Forest WT 46 Jerod Brown Jr Whitehouse 69 Chris Stewart So Magnolia WE 8 Chris Brown Jr Texarkana 95 Ryan Gloston Jr Houston / Westbury WLB 47 Nolen Bucek Jr Houston / Cy Creek 54 Shawn Weatherford Jr Paul s Valley, OK MLB 42 Luke McCall So Corpus Christi / Calallen 55 Frank Simon Jr Chickasha, OK BAN 11 Carlton Cobey Sr Woodbridge, VA 39 Derrick Raymer Jr Goodland, KS LCB 13 Wonseleh Brewer Jr Richardson 5 Randy Stewart Fr Magnolia RCB 31 Stanley Garrett Jr Arlington / Martin 21 Titus Brothers Jr San Antonio / Judson SS 2 Byran Richmond Sr Humble 34 Frank Onwuachi Fr Humble FS 37 Josh Moore Sr Alton 19 Billy Skinner Jr Arlington PRONUNCIATION GUIDE Nolen Bucek - BU CHECK Catron Houston -- KAY tron Eric Mikolajchak - MIKE UH LA CHECK Frank Onwuachi - ON UH WATCH EY Hendrix Otalor - OH TAY LOR BEARKAT SPECIALISTS P 26 Michael Capparelli So Klein / Klein Forest 39 Derrick Raymer Jr Goodland, KS K 17 Taylor Wilkins So LaMarque 26 Michael Capparelli So Klein / Klein Forest H 39 Derrick Raymer Jr Goodland, KS DS 48 Justin Humphrey So Huntsville Ret 4 Catron Houston Jr Houston / Spring Woods 21 Titus Brothers Jr San Antonio / Judson 31 Stanley Garrett Jr Arlington / Martin BEARKAT STARTERS GAME-BY-GAME OFFENSE TE OT OG C OG OT WR QB RB WR WR Angelo St. Martin Hale Schmidt Williams Dretke Dirk Wells Bomar Poullard Houston Jones Ark-Monticello Martin Hale Schmidt Williams Dretke Dirk Wells Bomar Poullard Lebens Jones No Dakota St. Martin Hale Schmidt Williams Dretke Dirk Wells Bomar Poullard Houston Jones Oklahoma St. Martin Hale Schmidt Williams Dretke Dirk Wells Bomar Poullard Houston Jones Central Arkansas Martin Hale Schmidt Williams Dretke Dirk Wells Bomar Poullard Houston Payne McNeese Martin Hale Schmidt Williams Dretke Dirk Wells Bomar Poullard Houston Payne Northwestern St. Martin Hale Schmidt Williams Dretke Dirk Wells Bomar Poullard Houston Payne Northwestern St. Martin Hale Schmidt Williams Dretke Dirk Wells Bomar Poullard Houston Jones Nicholls Martin Hale Schmidt Williams Dretke Dirk Wells Bomar Poullard Houston Jones Southeastern LA Martin Hale Schmidt Williams Dretke Dirk Wells Hicks Poullard Houston Jones DEFENSE DL DL DL DL LB LB BAN CB CB SS FS Angelo St. Branch Smith J. Brown C. Brown Bucek McCall Cobey Brewer Garrett Richmond Moore Ark-Monticello Branch Smith J. Brown C. Brown Bucek McCall Cobey Brothers Garrett Richmond Moore No Dakota St. Branch Smith J. Brown C. Brown Bucek McCall Cobey Brothers Garrett Richmond Moore Oklahoma St. Branch Mikolajchak J. Brown C. Brown Bucek McCall Cobey Brewer Garrett Sparks Moore Central Arkansas Branch Mikolajchak J. Brown C. Brown Bucek McCall Cobey Brewer Garrett Richmond Moore McNeese Branch Mikolajchak J. Brown C. Brown Bucek McCall Cobey Brewer Garrett Richmond Moore Northwestern St. Branch Mikolajchak J. Brown C. Brown Bucek McCall Cobey Brewer Garrett Richmond Moore Northwestern St. Branch Mikolajchak J. Brown C. Brown Bucek McCall Cobey Brewer Garrett Richmond Moore Nicholls Cobb Mikolajchak J. Brown C. Brown Bucek McCall Cobey Brewer Garrett Richmond Moore Southeastern LA Cobb Mikolajchak J. Brown C. Brown Bucek McCall Cobey Brewer Garrett Richmond Moore

5 Sam Houston State University 2007 Bearkat Football Statistics RECORD: OVERALL HOME AWAY NEUTRAL ALL GAMES... (6-4-0) (4-1-0) (2-3-0) (0-0-0) SHSU FOOTBALL - Page 5 DATE OPPONENT W/L SCORE ATTEND TEAM STATISTICS SHSU OPP Aug 30, 2007 ANGELO ST. W FIRST DOWNS Sep 08, 2007 ARKANSAS-MONTICELLO W Rushing Sep 15, 2007 at #4 North Dakota State L Passing Sep 29, 2007 at Oklahoma State L Penalty *Oct 06, 2007 CENTRAL ARKANSAS L RUSHING YARDAGE *Oct 13, 2007 at #6 McNeese State L Yards gained rushing *Oct 20, 2007 NORTHWESTERN ST W Yards lost rushing *Oct 27, 2007 at Stephen F. Austin W Rushing Attempts *Nov 03, 2007 NICHOLLS ST W Average Per Rush *Nov 10, 2007 at Southeastern La. W Average Per Game TDs Rushing RUSHING GP Att Gain Loss Net Avg TD Long Avg/G PASSING YARDAGE Att-Comp-Int Poullard, Chris Average Per Pass Bomar, Rhett Average Per Catch Sneed, Isaiah Average Per Game Robinson, TyMag TDs Passing Hardy, Chris TOTAL OFFENSE Martin, Blake Total Plays Jones, Darnell Average Per Play Wells, Justin Average Per Game Raymer, Derrick KICK RETURNS: #-YARDS Houston, Catron PUNT RETURNS: #-YARDS Payne, Trey INT RETURNS: #-YARDS Hicks, Brett FUMBLES-LOST TEAM PENALTIES-YARDS Total PUNTS-AVG Opponents TIME OF POSSESSION/GAME.. 28:21 31:32 3RD-DOWN CONVERSIONS... 57/136 55/141 PASSING GP Effic Cmp-Att-Int Pct Yds TD Lng Avg/G 4TH-DOWN CONVERSIONS... 9/16 8/ Bomar, Rhett INTERCEPTIONS No. Yds Avg TD Long Hicks, Brett Poullard, Chris Stewart, Randy Wells, Justin Brewer, Wonsele Total Garrett, Stanle Opponents Smith, Kevin Cobey, Carlton RECEIVING GP No. Yds Avg TD Long Avg/G Total Opponents Martin, Blake Wells, Justin PUNTING No. Yds Avg Long TB FC I20 Blkd Houston, Catron Poullard, Chris Capparelli, Mic Jones, Darnell Total Payne, Trey Opponents Sneed, Isaiah Lucas, Chris PUNT RETURNS No. Yds Avg TD Long Powledge, Matth Bomar, Rhett Garrett, Stanle Lebens, Jake Brothers, Titus Brown, Josh Houston, Catron Total Richmond, Byran Opponents Payne, Trey Total FIELD GOALS FGM-FGA Pct Lg Blk Opponents Wilkins, Taylor KICK RETURNS No. Yds Avg TD Long PATs Brothers, Titus SCORING TD FGs Kick Rush Rcv Pass DXP Saf Points Houston, Catron Garrett, Stanle Wilkins, Taylor Lucas, Chris Poullard, Chris Lebens, Jake Bomar, Rhett Brewer, Wonsele Wells, Justin Skinner, Billy Houston, Catron Total Robinson, TyMag Opponents Jones, Darnell Martin, Blake ALL PURPOSE G Rush Rec PR KOR IR Tot Avg/G Payne, Trey Cobey, Carlton Poullard, Chris Total Houston, Catron Opponents Wells, Justin Martin, Blake SCORE BY QUARTERS 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Total Brothers, Titus Total Sam Houston St Opponents Opponents

6 SHSU FOOTBALL - Page 6 Sam Houston State University 2007 Defensive Statistics Tackles Sacks- ---Pass Def--- -Fumbles- Blkd DEFENSIVE LEADERS Solo Ast Total TFL/Yds No-Yds Int-Yds BrUp QBH Rcv-Yds FF Kick Saf Byran Richmond Nolan Bucek Josh Moore Luke McCall Carlton Cobey Chris Brown Stanley Garrett Frank Simon Wonseleh Brewer Jerod Brown David Branch Eric Mikolajchak Derrick Raymer Ryan Gloston Jeff Sparks Kevin Smith Randy Stewart Frank Onwuachi Titus Brothers Antonio Cobb Chris Lucas Shawn Weatherford Jeremy Werland Chris Stewart Shane Richburg Cody Gatewood Patrick Massey John Goree BEARKAT INDIVIDUAL TACKLE STATISTICS GAME-BY-GAME TOTAL TACKLES UA-A TOT ASU UAM NDSU OSU UCA MCN NWLA SFA NIC SLU Richmond, Byran DNP Bucek, Nolan Moore, Josh McCall, Luke Cobey, Carlton Brown, Chris Garrett, Stanle Simon, Frank DNP DNP Brewer, Wonsele Branch, David DNP Brown, Jerod DNP Mikolajchak, Er DNP DNP Raymer, Derrick DNP Gloston, Ryan DNP Sparks, Jeff DNP DNP DNP 0-5 DNP 1-1 Smith, Kevin DNP Stewart, Randy DNP Onwuachi, Frank DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP - Brothers, Titus DNP Cobb, Antonio DNP - DNP DNP DNP Lucas, Chris Weatherford, Sh DNP 1-0 DNP 0-1 DNP DNP DNP - Richburg, Shane DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP Stewart, Chris DNP DNP DNP DNP 2-1 Werland, Jeremy DNP DNP DNP 0-1 DNP DNP DNP 0-1 Gatewood, Cody DNP 2-0 DNP 1-0 DNP 1-0 DNP Massey, Patrick DNP 1-1 DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP 0-1 DNP DNP

7 SHSU FOOTBALL - Page 7 BEARKAT TEAM STATISTICS GAME-BY-GAME OFFENSE First Rushing Passes Passing Total Penalties Punting Fumbles Times Down Conv. Inside 20 Poss. Downs No-Yds Att-Co-HI Yards Offense No-Yds No-Avg. Lost Sacked 3rd 4th Score-Chances Time Angelo St :03 Ark-Monticello :34 No Dakota St :46 Oklahoma St :32 Central Arkansas :36 McNeese :01 NW St :59 SFA :31 Nicholls St :57 SE LA :33 DEFENSE First Rushing Passes Passing Total Penalties Punting Fumbles Times Down Conv. Inside 20 Poss. Downs No-Yds Att-Co-HI Yards Offense No-Yds No-Avg. Lost Sacked 3rd 4th Score-Chances Time Angelo St :57 Ark-Monticello :26 No Dakota St :14 Oklahoma St :28 Central Arkansas :24 McNeese :55 NW St :01 SFA :29 Nicholls St :03 SE LA :27 BEARKAT INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS GAME-BY-GAME RUSHING #33 Poullard #7 Bomar #22 Snead #28 Robinson Angelo St / 1 TD Ark-Monticello / 1 TD 5-22 / 1 TD / 1 TD No Dakota St Oklahoma St Central Arkansas / 1 TD McNeese / 2 TD NW St / 2 TD 9-83 / 3 TD / 1 TD SFA / 3 TD / 2 TD Nicholls / 1 TD SE LA PASSING #7 Bomar Att. Comp. Int. Yds. TD Long Sack Angleo St Ark-Monticello No Dakota St Oklahoma St Central Arkansas McNeese NW St SFA Nicholls #12 Hicks Att. Comp. Int. Yds. TD Long Sack Angelo St Ark-Monticello Oklahoma St Nicholls SE LA RECEIVING #84 Martin #15 Wells #4 Houston #6 Jones #33 Poullard #9 Payne #3 Lucas #22 Sneed #40 Powledge Angelo St / 1 TD Ark-Monticello 3-26 / 2 TD / 1 TD (-5) ---- No. Dakota St / 2 TD 8-85 / 1 TD 5-44 / 1 TD Oklahoma St Central Arkansas / 1 TD (-2) 1-12 McNeese / 1 TD NW St SFA Nicholls SE LA / 1 TD 2-43 / 1 TD

8 Running back Chris Poullard By Jason Barfi eld, SHSU Sports Information Talk to Chris Poullard after a ball game and you ll notice something is different than most 20-year-olds. After running for a career-high 186 yards and three touchdowns in a homecoming victory, most young athletes will be pumping their chest wanting every to see what they just accomplished. Poullard is a little different. He is the last person he wants to be talking about after a game. Instead, the credit goes to everyone else. In an era of the me fi rst athlete in professional and collegiate sports, running back coach Nathan Reeves said Poullard is a refreshing change. You don t have to build him up, Reeves said. He is never one to seek attention. He is always just ready to learn and see what he can do to get better. It is so much fun coaching a guy like that. Following his 186-yard performance against Northwestern State, Poullard was quick to give the credit elsewhere, especially on his 61-yard touchdown run. The line did a great job, and on the long run, Justin Wells got out there and made a great block to spring me for the touchdown, Poullard said. I wouldn t be able to be the back that I am without the play of those guys. They make me who I am. Because of his humble approach to the game, he remains an easy guy to coach. Reeves said Poullard is always the fi rst person to point out his own mistakes and will work to fi gure out how to be better. He is so football smart, Reeves said. He is such an easy guy to coach, because he is always striving to get better. His work ethic is so great, and the best part is, you don t have to tell him to do something. He just goes and does it. Reeves said another strong quality about Poullard is his leadership qualities. Despite being a sophomore, he is a player the other backs look up to. Poullard said that was not something he was looking to become, it just turned out that way. It kind of happened naturally, he said. You just have to let things happen on their own. You can t force things upon people, but if you are doing the right things people are going to follow. It is like having a little sister. If you are setting a good example for her, she is going to grow up to be a good person, one you don t have to worry about. But even when talking about his leadership abilities, Poullard was quick to point out how much he has learned from the other running backs. They are my eyes while I am out on the fi eld, Poullard said. When I get to the sideline BEARKAT CLOSE-UPS Top Sam Houston State Single Season Rushing Totals Player Class year GP Carries Yards TD 1. D. D. Terry Sr , Charles Harris Jr , Fred Reese Jr , Luther Turner Sr , McNeil Moore So , Roger Wiley Sr , Chris Poullard So Bennie Boles Sr Curtis Thomas Jr Joe Rauls Fr Joe Rauls Sr Charles Harris So Tony January So Luther Turner Jr McNeil Moore Sr Bennie Wylie Sr McNeil Moore Jr they are the ones pointing out what I can t see while I am out there. They help me fi x my mistakes. Last season Poullard sat and watched as senior D.D. Terry broke the single season rushing mark with 1,328 yards while being named a fi nalist for the Walter Payton Award. With Terry gone, Poullard knew he was going to have an opportunity to play, he just wasn t expecting this. I just wanted to come in and help out the team, he said. I knew we were going to have a really good quarterback with Rhett (Bomar) and I just wanted to be able to give him a running game. SHSU FOOTBALL - Page 8 This season, Poullard has run for 924 yards and 10 touchdowns with fi ve 100-plus rushing games. During the 2007 season, Poullard has reached the end zone three times in a single game twice, joining Bearkat greats Charles Harris, and D.D. Terry who also did it twice (Harris scored a record four in 1992 against North Texas) and Luther Turner did it four times in his three year career. Poullard set some personal goals for himself with yardage and touchdowns, and he said he is on pace for one of his goals, but has already far surpassed the other. The numbers are something that is just going to come with the position, but there were a few marks I wanted to hit as a sophomore, he said. I wanted to get between 800 and 900 rushing yards and fi ve touchdowns. But I am way passed the touchdowns and I can t really explain why. But I still have to get better at catching the ball, he said, quickly changing the subject. Staying in and blocking and doing all of the things a running back is expected to do is what I need to continue to work on. Those are the things that will help this team win. With three games left to go in the season, Poullard said his goals are clear as the Kats hit the home stretch. The last three games we have to have a sense of urgency, he said. We have three weeks left of football to do something good. We want to go out and fi nish 7-4 and maybe fi nish as runners up. Then we start looking toward next season and winning a championship. Offensive lineman Ryan Dretke By Cody Stark Huntsville Item For a long time it was almost unheard of for Sam Houston State to recruit a kid from Huntsville High School. In fact, there was a span from 1990 to 2004 where a hometown player wasn t offered a scholarship to play football in his own backyard as a Bearkat. It s kind of strange that a good-sized school that bounced between Class 4A and 5A wasn t attracting attention from the same university it shared Bowers Stadium with. But that all changed when national signing day rolled around on Feb. 4, 2004 and center Ryan Dretke ended the long drought. He became the fi rst Hornet to receive a scholarship to play for SHSU in 14 years. Dretke says he had mixed feelings about staying in Huntsville, but on the verge of his fi nal home game as a Bearkat, the senior is glad he made the right decision. It s been a great experience, but at fi rst I

9 Ryan Dretke - continued was a little shady about it. I didn t know what to expect because you are supposed to go off for college and I wanted that freedom, said Dretke, who chose SHSU over Rice, North Texas and several other schools. Each year that has gone by I have started to appreciate (staying home). I appreciate my parents (Dee Dee and Doug Dretke) getting a chance to see pretty much every one of my games. Dretke helped reopen the door for other Hornets to have a future at Sam Houston State. Since he has become a Bearkat, three other Huntsville products have joined the team and SHSU has its eyes on several current Hornet players. The year after Dretke was signed, wide receiver Justin Wells and deep snapper Justin Humphrey were given scholarships, and Matthew Powledge was invited to walk on and has earned playing time at fullback. It seems that Dretke has started a trend that is good not only for SHSU and Huntsville, but the entire community. I don t want to say that I opened the door for Wells, Powledge and Humphrey, but I think I maybe opened the coaches eyes, Dretke said. There is some talent at Huntsville High School, and with me signing here, maybe it gave others the opportunity to play college football here. So it feels good to know or think that I played a part in that. Four years later Dretke is a key contributor on an SHSU line that paves the way for one of the Southland Conference s most productive offenses. Dretke has started the past two years at guard, but saw action as a sophomore and as a true freshman on the Bearkats 2004 SLC championship team and Division I-AA semifi nalist squad. Along with tackle Brandon Hale, center Brennan Williams and guard Hunter Schmidt, Dretke helped open holes for running back D.D. Terry, who set a school record for rushing yards in a single season with 1,328 last year. BEARKAT CLOSE-UPS Those four guys have started every game over the past two seasons and are a big reason SHSU is third in the SLC in both scoring offense (28.5 points a game) and total offense (426.4 yards per contest). Ryan is one of our best leaders, Bearkats head coach Todd Whitten said. He is a great weight room guy and has set a great example for our younger guys. He has been a great player for us on the offensive line, which has been one of our strongest areas since I have been here. Dretke has enjoyed his time at Sam Houston, especially his freshman year when he was part of the most successful team in school history. He played on the fi eld goal unit in 2004 and was on the fi eld when Lance Garner connected on the extra point that capped off the Kats dramatic comeback victory over Eastern Washington in the playoffs. Being part of a winning team wasn t something Dretke had been a part of until coming to SHSU. But after 2004, last year s 6-5 fi nish and with the Bearkats having a chance to have another winning record this season, Dretke has had a chance to be part of something special. This has really meant a lot to me, the senior said. As a starter at Huntsville High School, I went 4-16 or something. I didn t really know success in football. I come here and we win like 11 straight games and go deep into the playoffs. That was like three times the amount of games I won in high school. I had never known what it was like to go into a game and expect to not only win but blow out the team until I got here. Even though Dretke plays his fi nal home game today and has only two more remaining after that, he has made plenty of memories and because he chose to stay home, his family and friends have gotten to enjoy them with him. Among his list of accomplishments are a 4-0 record against rival Stephen F. Austin, a conference championship ring and being part of the legend that has become the Eastern Washington thriller. It s safe to say that Dretke did make the right choice. I was on the fi eld goal team when we kicked the extra point at Eastern Washington and I remember the thrill. It was unbelievable, Dretke said. The 2004 playoffs are top on my list of the best experiences I have had here. But last year when we played Texas, I have never played in front 90,000 people and there aren t many people that can say that have done anything in front of 90,000 people live. We didn t give up a single sack in that game and D.D. rushed for the most yards of any running back against Texas last year. That was special. It all has been pretty cool. SHSU FOOTBALL - Page 9 Defensive back Byran Richmond By Jason Barfi eld, SHSU Sports Information Byran Richmond almost never became a Bearkat. A standout safety from Humble High School, Richmond was set on attending Texas State-San Marcos. He made his visit to San Marcos and before he left gave his verbal commitment to the coaching staff. The next day, everything changed. When Richmond returned to school he was informed by one of his coaches that Manny Matsakis, the head coach of the Bobcats had been fi red. In swooped Sam Houston State and the rest is history. Sam Houston State had really been on me hard, and they were the fi rst to call me after the coach up there had been fi red, Richmond said. When I came in for my visit, it was over the Christmas holidays. There weren t very many people in town and I really liked it. Little did Richmond know the player who was showing him around would end up being a major infl uence in his life. Senior safety Paul Donelson was Richmond s host along with Andrew Higham. Donelson took the freshman under his wing so to speak and began grooming him for life as a Bearkat. I am so glad that I came in under him, Richmond said. I came in early in the summer and got to mingle with those guys. We played 7-on-7 all summer. I became close with Paul. I could tell he was a leader and some of the things he did then I could see in myself now. Neither player realize it at the time, but both of their careers have mirrored each other to this point in their careers. When Donelson was a freshman in 2001 he saw some playing time, but mostly learned the game from senior Keith Davis, who now plays for the Dallas Cowboys. Davis and the 2001 Bearkats advanced to the NCAA I-AA quarterfi - nals and Donelson went along for the ride. After missing out on the playoffs the next two seasons, Donelson was a leader on the 2004 defense that helped take the Kats one step farther in the postseason, falling to Montana in the semifi nals. Just like Donelson when he was a freshman, Richmond was there soaking it all in, and getting a ring in the process. Byran was a big part of that team and got quite a bit of playing time, said Donelson, who is now the defensive coordinator at New Waverly High School. I think the biggest thing Byran got from us was just a chance to see our work ethic in practice and how we carried that intensity over to games. Donelson said practice work ethic was the biggest thing he learned from Davis, but this lineage of strong safeties didn t start with Davis. When I was a freshman, K. D. used to tell

10 Byran Richmond - continued us stories about Jaquail Young who played the position before him, Donelson said. He could hit like you wouldn t believe. But K. D. said you can t go looking for that big hit. You have to trust your play and it will come to you. That is one of the things I used to tell the younger guys. The similarities don t end there. Both had to suffer through tough early season heartbreakers as well. In 2004 the Bearkats traveled to Southwest Missouri State and after scoring the apparent game-winning touchdown in the fi nal minute of the game, the defense gave it right back with just two seconds left to play. After the game Donelson put the loss on the defense and said it would never happen again. It never did. Three years later, Richmond can now relate. The Bearkats suffered some heartbreaks of their own. In Fargo, N.D., the Bearkats capped off a ferocious rally to take the lead over North Dakota State with 26 seconds left to play. With a defensive stop standing between the Bearkats and an upset of the No. 4 Bison, North Dakota State broke the Kats hearts, scoring a touchdown with just seven seconds left to play. Even though I wasn t on the fi eld for that last play, I felt responsible, Richmond said. I missed a coverage earlier in the game that could have ended a drive. They might not have had time at the end had I made it. Donelson knows exactly how Richmond feels. After getting back from Fargo, Richmond got a phone call from his one-time recruiting host. He just told me, You have to get those boys together, Richmond said. Donelson said he has no doubt his protégée will be able to get the job done. He is a natural leader, Donelson said. I saw that in him as a freshman. He has now waited for his turn to lead that defense and that is what he is doing. I see a lot of me in the way he plays. BEARKAT CLOSE-UPS Tight end Blake Martin By Jason Barfi eld, SHSU Sports Information Blake Marin will be the fi rst to tell you he is a country boy at heart. The son of a professional bass fi sherman from Hemphill, Martin never expected his football career would lead him in the direction it has taken. As a seventh grader at Hemphill Middle School, Martin played on the offensive line. He began the year there again the next season, when one of his coaches noticed something wasn t quite right, so he decided to make a change. I didn t have offensive line in my blood, Martin said with a laugh. I was too athletic. I had grown up running around and catching passes in the back yard, so I guess I had it in me. My coach at the time, Coach Campbell, moved me to tight end and told me not to forget him when I got a Division I scholarship to play tight end. The rest is history right? Well, not quite. Martin had doubts he was going to get enough looks playing football at Hemphill to get a scholarship. It wasn t until his sophomore year in high school he really started entertaining thoughts of playing college football. My sophomore year I saw some of the seniors on varsity get scholarships to play football, Martin said. I knew I was just as good if not better than some of those guys and realized I had a very good chance to get a scholarship. That opportunity fi nally came from Sam Houston State when one of the assistant coaches had visited Martin s home several times during the recruiting process letting the big tight end know how much they wanted him to be a Bearkat. There was only one problem. During one visit, Martin s mom asked who the head coach of the Bearkats was and then why he hadn t been to the house yet. On the next visit, the assistant brought then head coach, Ron Randleman, and offensive coordinator, James Ferguson. My mom was really impressed with Coach Randleman and, once we visited the school, I knew this is where I wanted to go, Martin said. It was not only the school and the coaching staff that attracted Martin to San Houston State. The program had also enjoyed a recent successful run of All-American tight ends. Keith Heinrich earned All-American honors in 2001 and was drafted by the Carolina Panthers. When Martin was a freshman, he watched as another Kat tight end, Corey Roberts, played his way on to the All-American team. Martin knew he was going to get his chance as well. When I was being recruited, they told me about the success of tight ends here at Sam Houston and said I would fi t right in, Martin SHSU FOOTBALL - Page 10 said. I thought it was an honor just to be mentioned with those guys and to have the chance to follow in their footsteps. Last season, as a junior, Martin caught 39 passes for 481 yards. He was named to the fi rstteam All-Southland squad and this year Martin was named to the preseason All-American team by College Sporting News. Now as a senior, Martin leads Bearkat receiving with 43 catches for 510 yards. He has become the fi fth tight end in Bearkat history to gain 1,000 yards receiving in his career. He has caught 114 passes for 1,337 yards in 41 games as a Bearkat. Kevin Pesak totaled 1,682 yards in to lead all Kat tight ends. Others are Ricky Eggleston, 1,555 in ; Keith Heinrich, 1,050 in ; and Corey Roberts, 1,006 in After the season is over, Martin will certainly entertain offers from NFL teams whether it comes via the draft or free agency. If football doesn t work, Martin might have a pro career in bass fi shing. His father, Tommy Martin, has been a professional fi sherman for more than 30 years, and this past summer, Blake won a pro-am event. We were on my home lake on Toledo Bend and I thought I might have a shot at winning it if I got a good draw, Martin said. I drew a couple guys from up north. They knew who my dad was and that it was my home lake. So they kind of let me show them where to go. We hit some of my dad s spots and got our limit. I was able to get enough to win it. Despite the fi shing background, Martin isn t sure he will do that the rest of his life. I have always liked fi shing, but I have never thought about doing it as a profession, Martin said. It is a tough job because you are away from home a lot, and you don t get to see your family as much. I joke with my mom about it a lot and she tells me no, that I have to go out and get a real job.

11 Quarterback Brett Hicks By Cody Stark Assistant Sports Editor Brett Hicks has been in this situation before: starting quarterback goes down with an injury and Hicks comes in to save the day. He did it last season and had Sam Houston State a win away from a Southland Conference championship and a trip to the playoffs. After Bearkat starter Rhett Bomar was lost for the season last week in a win over Nicholls State, the offense is once again in Hicks hands. The stakes aren t as high this time around. The Bearkats postseason hopes pretty much ended when McNeese State beat Stephen F. Austin last week to clinch the SLC s automatic playoff berth. But Hicks could help lead SHSU (5-4 overall, 3-2 in SLC) to its fi rst back-to-back winning seasons since with a pair of victories in the fi nal two games. Hicks second stint as the Bearkats starting quarterback begins Saturday on the road at Southeastern Louisiana. It s really nice to be back on the fi eld because for a while there I thought I had thrown my last pass, Hicks said. That s not the case now, but if I hadn t gotten another opportunity I would have been OK. I have enjoyed my time here and have some fond memories. With that said, it s going to be really funny to come out and compete before I hang them up. Hicks stepped onto the fi eld with two minutes left before intermission when the Kats lost Bomar. He guided SHSU home to a victory over the No. 25 Colonels. Perhaps his biggest series came at the end of the game when the offense ran out the fi nal 5:18. This wasn t the way I wanted it to happen for me, Hicks said. I feel really bad for Rhett. I went through the same thing in high school and it isn t a fun thing. Rhett is one of my close friends. Hicks moved into the starting role three games into last season. In his fi rst career start, he helped the Bearkats snap an eight-game road losing streak by throwing for 184 yards in a victory at Missouri State. After starting the following week in front of 90,000 people at the University of Texas Memorial Stadium, Hicks delivered a breakout game in a win over Northwestern State to start conference play. He threw for 299 yards and three touchdowns in that game to set the tone for a 4-2 fi nish in league action. The Bearkats might have lost their starter, but they have the luxury of having another one next in line. There is no question we have great confi - dence in Brett, SHSU head coach Todd Whitten said. That s one of the great advantages of BEARKAT CLOSE-UPS having a senior backup who has played. I know he has wanted to play more, but when he has, he has done a great job for us. With Bomar out, the Bearkats have to make adjustments to the offense. Hicks is more of a pocket passer, while Bomar was a dual-threat quarterback who has the speed to make plays with his feet. Hicks threw for 1,773 yards and eight touchdowns last season, so he has what it takes to give SHSU a fair shake down the stretch. And like 2006, Hicks doesn t need to run the ball. He had SLC offensive Player of the Year D.D. Terry in the backfi eld. Now, Hicks has promising young running back Chris Poullard (782 rushing yards, 10 touchdowns) to carry the load. We will be a little more pocket-oriented with Brett, Whitten said. He can t do the same quarterback run thing, but that doesn t mean we won t be effective. A year ago, he did a great job for us. Last year, Hicks was an unknown, whose only claim to fame during his fi rst two seasons was a perfect 11-for-11 passing for 131 yards in limited action during his freshman and sophomore seasons. But Hicks is a starter once again; the difference this time around is his teammates know what he can do. It s a lot easier to play when you aren t trying to impress people, and I felt like that was what I was doing, Hicks said. We have a bunch of starters back from last year and a lot of the same players. I think they genuinely believe in me. That helps a lot when you are out there, knowing they have your back and believing you can make plays. By Cody Stark Huntsville Item SHSU FOOTBALL - Page 11 Defensive ends Chris Brown and David Branch To say that Sam Houston State s pass rush was lacking last season would be generous. In fact, it was downright nonexistent. The Bearkats ranked at the bottom of the Southland Conference with only eight sacks in 11 games. The problem was so glaring the coaching staff made an improved pass rush one of the team s priorities in the offseason. SHSU added more blitzing schemes, and so far in 2007, the Bearkats have already reached last year s total for quarterback takedowns. But the defensive game plan hasn t been the biggest reason for the turnaround. It has been the emergence of defensive ends Chris Brown and David Branch, whose shoulders getting to the guy under center falls upon. Brown is a 6-3, 220-pound speedster who is new to the Kats this season after transferring from the University of Texas in the spring. And Branch is a 6-2, 255-pound rock who might as well be a newcomer after missing last season following shoulder surgery. Regardless of the fact neither had seen the fi eld in more than a year, Branch and Brown have added a dimension the Bearkats were sorely lacking last season when they came within a game of winning a Southland Conference title. There is no question about those two guys, Bearkats head coach Todd Whitten said. They are both really good players who work real hard on the fi eld. We are thankful to have them. Since last January, we have talked, stressed about getting more pressure on the quarterback. That was something we didn t do a year ago. Branch and Brown both bring something different to the table for the SHSU football team. Branch is the veteran leader who has been a big part of the Bearkats since his freshman year in As a sophomore, he started two games and played in 10 others as SHSU claimed a share of the SLC crown and advanced to the Division I-AA semifi nal round of the playoffs. The senior from Cy Falls had a breakout year in 2005, leading the Kats with seven sacks and was a fi rst-team All-SLC preseason selection in 06 before his injury. Branch s numbers might not show it (he has yet to register a sack this season), but he has been a big contributor in other ways. D-Bo, as Branch is known around the SHSU fi eld house, is the one the rest of the players can come and talk to whenever they are having problems on or off the fi eld.

12 Brown, Branch - continued This past spring, a former Bearkat player was going through a tough time, dealing with the loss of his newborn child. It was Branch who came to the rest of the team and asked the guys to chip in whatever they could to help with funeral expenses. That s the type of guy he is for his teammates the older brother away from home. His play speaks for itself, and his actions for the type of role model he has become. Our attitude has changed a lot this season. I think we have a lot more confi dence than we had last year, said Branch, who is second on the defensive line with 12 tackles (one for a loss), has forced a fumble and recovered two this season. I felt like last year we were somewhat lacking in leadership, and this year, the team just has a better morale all over. Whether it is the new players we have around or whatever it might be, we just have more confi dence. I try to do whatever I can to help this team succeed. Brown on the other hand is the explosive BEARKAT CLOSE-UPS playmaker. While Branch is pounding straight away at the line on the strong side, Brown is able to roam free. The coaches treat him more like an outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense than an end in the by letting him use his awesome athletic ability to make things happen. He played in six games for the 2005 national champion Longhorns as a true freshman and registered eight tackles (two for a loss) and a sack before breaking his leg. Brown has brought that talent to the Bearkats this season. He is second in the SLC in sacks with four and is eighth in total tackles with 26. There have been times this season when the sophomore from Texarkana s Texas High School has run down an opposing ballcarrier for a loss from the opposite fi eld. It is those type of plays which make Brown one of the most dangerous defenders in the conference. A lot of us look at it this way D-Bo is the dad and I m the kid, Brown said. I m always running around the fi eld and D-Bo is staying focused. It s kind of funny the way it works, but it works out great. Sometimes I get out of line and he tells me, Chris just stay focused. I m basically learning how to be a team-oriented player and do things right. D-Bo is helping me listen to my teammates more and be part of a group. But things haven t been all smiles on the defensive side of the ball for SHSU this season. A few weeks ago, the Bearkats came close to upsetting No. 2 North Dakota State in Fargo, N.D., only to give up the game-winning touchdown in three plays with 26 seconds left on the clock. The defensive guys have taken full credit for the letdown in the Fargodome and have used it as a rallying cry to carry over into SLC play. The SHSU offense has proven it can put points on the scoreboard, and the defense wants to prove it can keep the points off. SHSU FOOTBALL - Page 12 That game just really gave us the mind focus that we really need to fi nish, Brown said. That is the biggest thing. It has also taught us that no matter what happens, we really need to stick together. The offense had a good game but we struggled. We just need to be more focused and be more of a team defensively. While Branch had to watch from the sidelines last season and Brown was redshirting at Texas, both seem prepared to do whatever possible to add another conference title to the trophy case. The Bearkats stood toe-to-toe with one of the top FCS teams in the nation two weeks ago, so they know they have a team capable of winning it all. North Dakota State helped us by letting us know what exactly we needed to work on, Branch said. Mentally, physically, we are ready to play. The preseason is there for you to fi nd out those things, and it has prepared us for the battles that lie ahead in conference.