Bearkats Opens 2012 Season With Win Over Cardinals
by Cheval John
In front of a crowd of 11,061 at Elliot T. Bowers Stadium, the Sam Houston State Bearkat football team dismantled the University of the Incarnate Word Cardinals 54-7.
The win gives them a 1-0 record for the season and increase their win streak to 10 games at Bowers stadium.
Running back Tim Flanders carried the ball 15 times for 117 yards and two touchdowns.
In the process, he became SHSU’s All-Time leader in career rushing yards (2,709), breaking the career mark held by Charles Harris (2,688).
The Bearkats started the route in the first quarter when Flanders broke a few tackles and went 41 yards for the touchdown that made it 6-0.
The Cardinals made things interesting early on when corner back Chavis Barron intercepted a pass from ‘utility’ player Richard Sincere and returned it 20 yards to the Bearkat 36.
Three plays later, quarterback Zach Rhodes connected with running back Trent Rios for an 18 yard score that tied it at 6.
The extra point gave them a 7-6 lead.
The Bearkats regrouped as Flanders rushed 8 yards for the score to regain the lead 13-7.
They added another score when wide reciever Trey Diller took a shovel pass from quarterback Brian Bell and went 21 yards for a touchdown to increase the lead to 20-7 by halftime.
The Bearkats picked up from where they left off when running back Keshawn Hill rushed 11 yards for the score that made it 27-7.
Their defense played their part as they held the Cardinals offense to 88 total yards for the night.
One of their playmakers, Robert Shaw intercepted a pass from Rhodes on the Bearkat 47 and took it 19 yards all the way to the Cardinal 19.
Several plays later, Bell threw a 3 yard strike to tight end J.D. Stanley to increase the lead and put the game out of reach for the Bearkats.
Linebacker Darius Taylor led the Bearkat defense with 9 tackles while defensive lineman J.T. Cleveland and line backer Jesse Beauchamp each had five tackles.
The Bearkats face their first test of the season when they play Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) member, Baylor Bears on Saturday in Waco, Texas at 6 p.m.
The game will be televised on Fox College Sports.
Five Bearkats Named To Pre-Season All-America Squad
by Cheval John
With the 2012 football season less than two months away, the SHSU Bearkats are more focused than ever.
Along the way, they are receiving attention locally and nationally after a remarkable run at the national championship.
For example, five members of the team were named to the pre-season All-America squad by the Sports Network.
Here are the profiles of the five players named to the All-America squad:
In 2011, the junior running back set a single season Southland Conference record in rushing yards (1,644), touchdowns (24) and points scored (144) and was ranked nationally in scoring (No.4), rushing yards (No. 16) and all-purpose yards (No.24).
He was named to five All-America squads including the America Football Coaches Association and the Associated Press and finished 7th for the Walter Payton Award.
Though Sincere was a wide receiver, he was more of a utility player at best.
He was ranked third in the Southland Conference in rushing yards (979) and seventh in total points scored (78).
His best performance came in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoffs as he torched Montana State for 160 yards on 11 carries that propelled the Bearkats to a 49-21 beatdown over the Bobcats.
He received the nod for “Offensive Player of the Year” by the Southland Conference and was named to the first-team All-America squad by College Sporting News.
The Bearkat defense showed that defense do win championships and Darnell Taylor was one of the reasons why the defense deserved a share of the spotlight during the historic run.
Taylor led the team with 128 total tackles, the highest in one season since 1988.
He was named “Defensive Player of the Year” by the Southland Conference and made five All-America squads.
Cleveland is looking for a repeat performance from last year’s run.
The three-year letterman posted 46 tackles including nine that went for losses.
He was named to the All-America squad by Phil Steele Magazine in 2011 for his efforts.
Swanson had a career-high eight interceptions, the most in school history.
His interceptions was also the most in the Southland Conference and ranked him third in the nation.
He was named second team in the All-Southland Conference and third team in the Associated Press and College Sports.com All-America squad.
The first game to the 2012 season will begin on September 8 as the Bearkats host the University of the Incarnate Word at Elliot T. Bowers Stadium in Huntsville, Texas.