2008 Football Preview

With the history and tradition of the Hardin-Simmons football team a 6-4 record provides one thing - motivation. 

If there is one silver lining in the Cowboys' 2007 season is the fact the Cowboys young players received plenty of playing time and the cupboard is stocked with talent that not only has experience, but is also a year older.

The Cowboys return most of what was one of the most dynamic offenses in the country led by All-American candidate quarterback Justin Feaster. The junior from Glen Rose threw for 2,946 yards and 31 touchdowns in his first year as the Cowboys' starter. He went into the first game as the third quarterback on the depth chart. He split time in the first two games and then won the job outright.

"We have had some talented quarterbacks and Justin is right there with them," said Keeling. "He makes all of the throws, he is extremely athletic, maybe the best athlete on our team and he has the ability to make plays when the initial one breaks down. He is still relatively young as far as experience goes, but we are excited about him leading our offense."

The Cowboys ranked sixth in the nation, averaging 41.6 points per game and their 470.9 yards per game were 10^th in the country. It was a brilliant offense, which will return eight starters.

Feaster will have plenty of options on where to throw the ball and will have an experienced offensive line protecting him.

The receiving corps may be one of the best in the country and it is loaded with big, experienced talent and because of injuries a year ago it became even deeper with other players getting their shot.

The biggest question is Mychal Carrillo. He has another year of eligibility, but it is up to him  if he is going to use it. The slotback had 86 catches for 1,043 yards and 14 touchdowns in his junior campaign. He has a chance to get to second on the HSU career receptions, touchdown and receiving yard lists.  If he does not play, junior ZaVious Robbins has shown his open-field ability in the return game and also in the double slot package. He caught 17 balls for 242 yards and three touchdowns. 

With two talented speedsters causing havoc in the middle of the field, the outside is as loaded as the Cowboys have been, since probably the 2000 NCAA Semifinal team. Travis Watson and Justice Baker ended the season as the starters at split end and flanker. They both took over later in the season after injuries cut short the season of Matt Fields and Adam Podzemny. Fields played a limited amount in two games after a preseason hamstring injury. Podzemny started four games and had nine catches for 162 yards.

Watson finished the year with 38 catches for 680 yards and four touchdowns and Baker started the final six games and had 25 catches for 476 yards and five touchdowns. Baker also averaged 19 yards per catch, giving the Cowboys an over-the-top threat.

That gives the Cowboys experienced playmakers at all three receiver spots and gives the Cowboys flexibility to go to four and five receiver threats. Travis Tatsch, Tim Thomas and Thomas Labian are all three freshman that showed promise splitting time between the varsity and junior varsity last year.

"When you build a reputation that we have for throwing the football, it makes it a little easier to get good receivers in the program," said Keeling. "I don't know that we have ever had a better unit and we have had some good receivers go through our program."

For Feaster to have time to get the ball to the talented receivers, the offensive line has to be up to the task. Feaster has good scrambling ability and he was only sacked 14 times in 316 passing attempts last season. The Cowboys will start four senior offensive linemen, along with one sophomore.

HSU returns three starters on the line in quick guard Glen Revell (6-0, 270), center Ryan Hunter (5-10, 265) and strong tackle Brian Fitzgerald (6-3, 280). Sophomore Kurston Williams (5-11, 320) will move into a starting role at strong guard and Aaron Nolte (5-9, 250) will get the nod at quick tackle. It is a veteran line that has played a lot of games together and not overly big it is an exceptionally quick pass blocking unit.

 The second unit is a group that received plenty of playing time and includes sophomores John Rosch (6-3, 260) Cody Honeycutt (5-10, 265), Aaron Stahlecker (6-3, 295) and juniors Hunter Seigler (6-0, 270) and Jake Smith (6-0, 245).

"We have a talented group of offensive lineman that is a solid two deep," said Keeling. "We always want to have two units on the front and we have always rotated those lines and we are excited about our front line. It will be one of the strengths of our team."

The Cowboys will also start a senior at tight end in Jerrad Grisham, who started all 10 games and caught 15 balls for 169 yards. Aaron Willman played a lot as a blocking tight end as a freshman and Jimmie McAfee is another big target that is a converted wide receiver.

The most uncertain position on the offensive side of the ball is running back. The Cowboys do not return a running back that had a carry in a game last season. Paul Thebeau has the most experience as he had seven carries for 23 yards in 2006, but he missed last season with a broken back.

Transfers Stephen Rockwell (Harleton), Jonathan Price(Wolfe City) and Carlton Brown (Coleman) will also get a look. Sam Gray is a guy that has been in the program and could be in the mix. Bryce Hogue was a promising recruit last year, but he tore his ACL in the first drill of fall camp. M.J. Stewart had a solid year as freshmen on the junior varsity last season. 

"Obviously, we have to find someone that can run the ball," said Keeling. "The thing is we have some very talented guys back there, it is just the matter of one or two of them stepping up and taking the job. I am not worried, because we are going to have a good running back. They just are not going to be very experienced in what we try to do from that position as far as blocking and running routes."   

There is one thing for sure for the Cowboys to improve its record they have to better on defense and the good news is that is almost a certainty. The Cowboys finished last in the nation in defense a year ago, allowing 520.9 yards per game. They were 226^th out of 231 teams in scoring defense, allowing 42 points per game.

There is a total change in the defensive coaching staff. Longtime defensive coordinator Jim Abbate has left and newcomers Steve Barrows and Jay Neimann will be the co-defensive coordinators. Both have been head coaches on the Division III level and Neimann was in the playoffs as recently as 2003. Longtime junior varsity coach Sam Shields is also back in the fold on the defensive side of the ball.

The good news for the Cowboys is they have a lot of players back on the defensive side of the ball that received significant playing time a year ago and the majority of them were freshmen and sophomores last year. The majority of those players were on the defensive front and just another year of maturity will make them better for this year.

The defensive line will return three sophomore starters and, if Jacob Morrison is able to return to form after missing last season, it could be a super-talented all sophomore starting front line. Sophomores Hank Hornsby and Shelton Rainey came on strong at the end of the year. Hornsby started three games as a freshman and had 11 tackles, three tackles for loss, a sack, broke up two passes and blocked a kick. Rainey had four tackles. Junior Aaron Clough had 19 tackles with six tackles for loss and two sacks and will be in the rotation.

Joe Bob Ratliff has slid up from linebacker to end and is a playmaker. He had nine tackles as a reserve a year ago. Seth Walluk, Gary Frierson and Waylon Obermier are all sophomores that came on strong at the end of the year.

The middle will be better than it was a year ago, just with depth. At times the Cowboys were playing a pair of 220-pound freshmen tackles. M.J. Hatchett had a solid freshman campaign with nine tackles, including two for losses in eight games. Adam Rogers started five games before being hurt. He had 13 tackles, two for losses, forced a fumble, recovered a fumble and blocked a kick.

Jacob Morrison gives the Cowboys beef in the middle, but he tore up his shoulder in the first game of the year and received a medical redshirt. Sophomore Jonathan Proud is a talented player that had four tackles in five games.

"We had boys playing against men at times on the defensive line last year," said Keeling. "However, our boys grew up and showed great promise for the future. We are going to be young again, but we at least have seven or eight guys up front that have played in games. We played nine guys on the defensive line last year that had never played in a varsity game and that is the quickest way in the world to get beat. The good news is most of them are back and they are all stronger with an offseason in the weight room."

The Cowboys will be faster at linebacker as well. David Joseph will be one of the leaders of the defense as an outside linebacker. He was second on the team a year ago with 71 tackles and he also had 7.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. Roy Gamboa will join him on the outside. The sophomore showed great promise last season with 12 tackles and an interception. He flies around and makes plays.

Manning the middle will likely be Tyler Junior College transfer Ricky Poe. He made an immediate impact in the spring and he will replace Eric Daniels, who was second on the team with 77 tackles. Finding some depth at linebacker will also be an immediate need in fall camp.

Senior Jarryd Taylor started nine games last year and he can play multiple positions. He had 34 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss last year. Paul Girard and Gustavo Calzada had solid springs to move up the depth chart.

"We have talented guys at linebacker," said Keeling. "Roy Gamboa has a chance to be one of the best we have ever had. Ricky Poe is a junior college guy that will help us and David Joseph is a fast guy that makes a lot of plays. Jarryd Taylor is a good football player that makes plays. We have to build some depth there, but I think the guys that will be playing the most snaps are going to be really good."

The Cowboys had a lot of problems at cornerback opposite of Brentdrick Walker last season and it will be the biggest question mark heading into the season. Walker would have been a senior starter at corner and he led the team with four interceptions and had 51 tackles. He was killed in a motorcycle accident in January.

"We lost a great player, but more importantly we lost a great leader and a great person," said Keeling. "We will have guys step into the position, but Brentdrick had turned the corner as a player and was starting to become as good as some of those guys we have had that have been All-Americans. Our team has rallied around losing Brentdrick and we will be stronger as a team because of it."

Richard Carlisle, who started eight games at free safety will make the move to right corner. He had 42 tackles and an interception a year ago. Nathan Lowry will head into the fall as the starter at left corner. Anthony McKnight, who missed last season, and Brennon Pierce are two other players expected to compete for jobs. L.C. Cisneroz is moving over from running back, where he had a big year on the junior varsity.

The safety positions will be in good hands with veterans Matt Warnasch and Michael Tracy. Tracy, a junior from Glen Rose, will start at strong safety and he led the team with 78 tackles a year ago. His leadership and intelligence along with the ability to go hit people will make him one of the top defenders in the ASC this season. Warnasch, one of only three seniors projected to be a starter, will make the move from corner to free safety. He had 17 tackles as mainly a reserve a year ago in nine games.

Cameron Cox is moving from corner to safety as well. He is one of the better athletes on the team and he had 19 tackles and an interception last season. Cooper Haralson, Jay Tindol and Cole Cornelius are guys also looking for time at safety. Cornelius is moving from receiver where he played five games a year ago.

"We have some very talented guys in the secondary," said Keeling. "We have guys that can and will make plays for us. Matt Warnasch and Michael Tracy are two great leaders in the back end and I expect that our secondary will be much improved."

Having plenty of linebackers and secondary players are key in the new defensive scheme for the Cowboys. They will still base out of the 4-3, but it will be a multiple defense that will also go 3-3-5, 4-2-5 and other various looks.

"It was obvious we had problems a year ago defensively, but it was not from a lack of effort," said Keeling. "We got caught having to play a lot of guys that were not ready. We played more freshmen and sophomores a year ago than we ever have. We took our lumps for sure at times, but we also showed great promise at times. There is no substitute for playing experience and we have young , talented guys that played a lot last year. We will be better defensively, I can promise you that. We have to be."

Another reason for optimism is the returners on special teams. The Cowboys return its top kick returners, punter and placekicker and special teams were an area the Cowboys were pretty good for most of the year.

Carrillo and Robbins are electrifying return men. Robbins scored a pair of touchdowns on kickoff returns and averaged 25.9 yards per return. Carrillo averaged 20.7 yards per kick return and 16.7 per punt return.

Sophomore Colt Williamson was 3-for-4 on field goals on the year and he beat Mississippi College with a game-winner. He started off shaky on extra points, but he made 17 in a row to end the season.

Kelsey Larson was a weapon for the Cowboys in the punting game. He averaged 41.4 yards per kick and he pinned five kicks inside the 20. That is without the benefit of taking most of the kicks in short punt situations as Feaster handled the quick kicks and three of his five were inside the 20.

The coverage units were also very good. HSU allowed only eight yards per punt return and 17 yards per kickoff return. The key to those coverage units were some of the young players that served as reserves last season. Nathan Lowry and Matt Warnasch are the two leading returning special team tacklers.

"We have always prided our self on excelling in special teams," said Keeling. "We work hard at them and they will always be a primary focus. We have some players that take great pride in that aspect of the game and as we saw last year on both sides it can be the difference in winning and losing."