6/6 Hardin-Simmons (0-0) at Chapman (0-0)
Sept. 6 | 9 pm CST | Ernie Chapman Stadium | Orange, Calif.

Jesse Burleson Show
https://youtu.be/KIvpE8OlSEg
 
Kris Sims Player Profile
https://youtu.be/jzBJUM46tQs
 
Full Game Notes
https://hsuathletics.com/documents/2025/9/2/2025_Football_Game_Notes.pdf
 
Broadcast Link
https://www.flocollege.com/live/184243


The Opening Kickoff
Hardin-Simmons will open the 15th season under head coach Jesse Burleson on Saturday at 9 p.m. (CT) at Chapman University in Orange, Calif. It makes the third straight season the Cowboys will open the season with a night game and is one of just two night games on the schedule this season. The two-time defending American Southwest Conference champions are picked to repeat their conference title and return 16 starters from a year ago, eight on both sides of the ball. HSU does return 62 players that have played in a varsity game.
 
Saturday's game begins the 88th season of football and HSU has an all-time record of 519-279-35. The Cowboys are 59-24-4 all-time in the season opener. Last year HSU beat Howard Payne, 38-6, in Brownwood. The Cowboys are looking for their 11th straight win in a season opener. HSU is 26-9 in season openers since bringing back football in 1990. Under Jesse Burleson, the Cowboys have gone 11-3 in season openers. HSU has not lost a season opener since 2014 against Texas Lutheran.
 
HSU Vs. Chapman
This meeting marks the third between HSU and Chapman. The two teams played a home-and-home series in 1997 and 1998, the first two years of NCAA Division III play for the Cowboys. HSU won 19-14 in 1997 in Abilene and 48-19 in 1998 in Orange. 
 
Up Next
The Cowboys return home to play crosstown opponent McMurry in the Wilford Moore Trophy game. The Cowboys have won 11 straight against the War Hawks, including a 17-12 win last season at McMurry. HSU has won 25 of the last 26 meetings. The game will be a 6 p.m. kickoff at Shelton Stadium, the first at HSU since 2021.
 
In The Polls
Hardin-Simmons is ranked No. 6 in the nation in both the D3football.com and American Football Coaches Association polls. HSU has been ranked for 103 straight weeks and in the top 10 for 65 of those weeks. It marks the ninth straight appearance in the preseason D3football.com poll, with seven of those being in the top 10.
 
A Cowboys Win Would
? Be the 519th in school history.
? Be the 11th straight season-opening win.
? Be the first win in California since the 1998 win at Chapman.
? Be the 108th in the Jesse Burleson era.
 
On The Road Again
When Hardin-Simmons kicks off on Saturday night in Orange, California, it will be the first game in the Pacific time zone since 2017 when HSU played at Linfield. HSU last played in California in 2001, a 35-28 loss to Menlo in the season opener. Menlo returned the trip to Abilene the next year and HSU won 42-34 and it marked the last game against a California team. In the Division III era, HSU is 5-1 against teams from the Sunshine State. The season opener against Chapman will mark the fourth straight season the Cowboys travel out the state for a non-conference game.
 
About The Panthers
Chapman plays in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and went to the league's championship game a year ago and finished the season with a 7-3 record. Chapman lost that game in the final seconds or would have been an NCAA Playoff team last year. They are led by Casey Shine who was named the interim coach in the summer. He has been the offensive coordinator for the Panthers since 2012 and has helped lead to four SCIAC titles. Tyler Pacheco is the starter at quarterback, he only threw four passes a year ago but ran for 398 yards and four scores. Top receiver Kade Zimmerman caught 22 passes for 372 yards and five touchdowns. The offensive line features four juniors and a senior. Safety Jacob Gaudi is the leading returning tackler with 45.
 
Turning First Downs Into Touchdowns
Jeff Whitehead is in his 15th season as the Cowboys' offensive coordinator and the Cowboys have averaged over 35 points a game in all but one season under Whitehead. Last season, Hardin-Simmons was the 17th-ranked scoring offense in the country. The offense was also ranked in the top 30 in both 3rd-down and 4th-down conversion percentage. Another hallmark for the Cowboy offense was the red zone, where it ranked 12th nationally in conversions. With four starters returning on the offensive line and Kyle Brown back, the Cowboy offense may be ready to open up the passing game, but also have a stable of quality running backs with Noah Garcia and Braylon Henry. Garcia was named the ASC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and Henry was the ASC Freshman of the year last year.
Year Two of the Neece Defense
Craig Neece returns for his second season as the Cowboys' defensive coordinator. The defense also finished in the top 40 in scoring defense last year and led the ASC in total and scoring defense. The Cowboy defense had top 40 finishes in both 3rd-down and 4th-down conversion percentage. While the defense loses Charlie Patterson, the All-American linebacker, has returns eight starters. Kaiden Roden was named the ASC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
 
Elkins Back To Lead The Quick Reaction Forces
The Cowboy special team's unit, or Quick Reaction Forces (QRF), was one of the best in the nation once again. The unit was ranked second nationally in kickoff returns and 19th in punt returns. HSU also led the nation in touchbacks and Dameon Gomes was again an All-American return man.
Staff Changes
The Cowboy coaching staff will have a new look to it, but a familiar one. Gaylon Glynn, the former quarterback for HSU, is taking over the running backs while still overseeing the operations side.  Jaxson Money is back in the Cowboy football program as the tight ends coach and assisting in the strength and conditioning. Money is a former Cowboy wide receiver and also played at Abilene Wylie. He comes from Texas A&M Kingsville, where he has been the last three seasons. Jake Freeman takes over the defensive line room and as the devo head coach. Freeman was a defensive lineman at HSU from 1998-2001. He was the ASC defensive lineman of the year and an All-American in 2000. He comes from Roscoe, where he was the head coach for the Plowboys since 2013.
Experienced Cowboys Take The Field
Experience is something the Cowboys will not lack in 2025. No place on the field will that show more than the offensive line and the Cowboy backfield. Between the three position groups of the offensive line, quarterback, and running back, there are 86 starts, with 52 from the offensive line. HSU returns 62 letterwinners and 16 starters.
Brown Set For Second Season As QB1
Kyle Brown returns as the signal caller for HSU. Voted one of three offensive team captains by his teammates, Brown started all 11 games and finished the season with 2,302 yards through the air. Brown connected for 23 touchdowns and had just six interceptions. Threw for a season-high 307 yards and four touchdowns at UMHB. Brown was also named to the ASC preseason players to watch list and was named second-team all-conference last year. He will be backed up by true freshman Ty Thompson, who has been spectacular at time in fall camp.
Garcia Leads Deep Running Back Room
Senior Noah Garcia is in his fourth season as the starter for the Cowboys and is in the best shape of his career. He was named the ASC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. He led the Cowboys with 798 yards on the ground with 12 touchdowns, but a late-season injury limited his effectiveness for the second-straight year. He is dynamic with the ball and is a home run threat at all times. For his career, he has 1,951 rushing yards with 28 touchdowns and averages 6.1 yards per carry. He also has 36 career receptions for 351 yards and two scores. It's not all Garcia. Sophomore Braylon Henry rushed for 609 yards on 111 carries with nine touchdowns as a freshman and was the ASC Freshman of the year. Alcorn State transfer B.J. Rogers and UMHB transfer Guy Powell are expected to get touchdowns.
 
Receiving Corps Is Deep and Talented
Kris Sims is the leading receiver coming back from last year's team. He started all 11 games. Voted one of three offensive team captains by his teammates this year, Sims had 461 yards and four touchdowns. He was named to the first-team all-conference list last year, his first with the Cowboys. He transferred in with Brown from West Texas A&M and is one of his favorite targets. Wes Douglas played in all 11 games and became a trusted weapon for Brown as the year went on. He had 20 receptions for 292 yards and four touchdowns. Dozie Ifeadi started nine games and is back for his third season. He is a big receiver with breakaway ability. He caught 23 passes for 306 yards and six touchdowns and was picked third-team all-conference last year. He sealed the win over nationally-ranked Endicott with a fourth-quarter TD from Brown. Shemar Davis caught five passes for 92 yards and one touchdown. Had a 35-yard touchdown against Curry. Daylon Gibbs is a speedster who spent most of the year on the Devo team last year and transfer Rodney Hall has shown great speed in fall camp. Christian Marshall has moved from receiver to tight end this year and he and fellow senior Jeremiah Richard will handle the tight end position.
 
Roadgraders Up Front
HSU will start four seniors and a junior on the offensive lines this season. Senior center Hayden Philpot started all 11 games for the Cowboys in 2024 and has started 18 in a row. He was voted one of three offensive team captains by his teammates. He was named a preseason All-American first-team center by D3football.com. and was named first-team all-conference last year. Senior Garrett Tittle started all 11 games last season and has started 12 straight, going back to the 2023 season. He was named first-team all-conference last year. Bode Walters also started all 11 games last season and has started 12 straight. He was named first-team all-conference last year and was named a preseason All-American third-team guard by D3football.com. Jaxon Lunsford – started 10 games in 2024, including the last seven. Mike McAfee will replace All-American Khalil Spivey at left tackle. All five players listed as second on the depth chart have varsity experience as well.
 
Defensive Line Has Experience
The Cowboys return plenty of experience on the defensive line. Tray Ervin has moved from linebacker to defensive end this season. Ervin started five games last year and had 30 tackles, including a season-best 10 against UMHB in the playoff game. He also had six and a half tackles for loss, including a forced fumble and an interception. He was named second-team all-conference last year. Mark Champion started seven games at end. He produced 22 tackles with a season-high six against McMurry. He recorded six tackles for loss and two and a half sacks and was named honorable mention all-conference last year. Hayden Hays started all 11 games for the Cowboy defense. Recorded 16 tackles with five for loss. Also had a sack and a forced fumble against Howard Payne and was named second-team all-conference last year. Spaceeater Caden Sampson-Stuckey started four games. Sophomore Elijah Lawton played on the developmental squad last year and freshman Brycen Rogers has flashed in camp.
The Rode Show
The Cowboys' All-American Charlie Patterson got the majority of the headlines on defense but Kaiden Roden had an equally impressive season. He has made the move from outside to the middle and will lead the linebacking corps. He led the team with 98 tackles a year ago and recorded 13 tackles for loss and four sacks. He was named the preseason ASC defensive player of the year and a team captain. He had five double-digit tackle performances a year ago, his first with the Cowboys. He had a season-high 16 tackles against McMurry. He was named first-team all-conference last year and was all-region. He was named a preseason All-American linebacker by D3football.com.With Ervin moving to defensive end, the Cowboys will have two new starters around him. Kade Sink, a transfer from North Texas, and sophomore Matt Pascuzzi. The second unit are three players that played a ton last year in Brody McClure, Brandt Patek and Lucas Ragsdale.
 
Secondary Grew Up Quick
Last season there was uncertainty going into the season in the secondary, especially at safety. Several newcomers and untested returning players who had moved over from offense made for some anxious early moments. That disappeared quickly. Now the group is one of the most battle-tested units on the team. Senior Harrison Foster is the leader in the back and was a first-team All-ASC selection at safety after recording 86 tackles and three interceptions. He is a team captain. Micah Henderson pushed his way into the starting rotation. He had 21 tackles on the year. Had a breakout game against UMHB when he had two interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown. Mike Akinbisola was another of the untested players going into last year. He started all 11 games at safety and had 36 tackles on the year, including a sack against UMHB. Also, had five pass break-ups and was named first-team all-conference last year. Those three will start at safety. Their depth is largely untested with two freshmen in the two-deep - Bruin Wright and Shawn Kazouh, both are playmakers and junior Stratton Hayes made the move over to safety last year and will be in the mix. Sophomore Keyon House was stellar at corner as a freshman and was pressed into the starting lineup early on. He had 20 tackles, including a sack against McMurry. Also had an interception against UMHB in the playoff game, which he returned for 46 yards. He is the only corner that has seen significant snaps. Rowdy Rowan moved from receiver to corner in the spring, Collin Hill played some as a freshman in a limited role and freshman Zavyn Jenkins is also in the two deep.
 
QRF Has Holes To Fill
The Cowboys lost both their kicker and punter in the offseason and will have newcomers manning those positions. Pedro Altamirano is a transfer from Trinity Valley and is originally from nearby Clyde High School. He has a big leg and has consistently hit his kickoffs through the end zone in fall camp. Kaden Turner is a transfer from Texas Tech and will handle the punting job. Cade Smillie is back as the long snapper and was named to the ASC preseason players to watch list. Aden Kincaid is a standout on all the units and was voted the special teams captain by his teammates. The Cowboys also must replace two-time All-American return man Dameon Gomes. Rodney Hall is listed first on the two-deep and Guy Powell will return kicks and punts. Noah Garcia is also going to return kickoffs and is a dangerous return man.
 
Fresh Faces
In the first two-deep of the season, all but two of the 22 on offense are returning letterwinners. Transfer wide receiver Rodney Hall and quarterback Ty Thompson are the only newcomers to the program to break into the two-deep on offense. On defense, 10 of the starters were on the varsity a year ago with transfer Kade Sink at linebacker being the lone exception. Sophomore Elijah Lawton at defensive tackle played on the devo team. Five freshmen are on the two-deep, with four of those coming on defense. Three of those freshmen are from Graham High School - Thompson at quarterback, Brycen Rogers at defensive end and Bruin Wright at safety. A fourth Graham Steer expected to see action at slot back and special teams is Harison Brockway, who is the grandson of legendary HSU coach Jimmie Keeling. Shawn Kazouh is a safety from Godley and Zavyn Jenkins is a cornerback from Mansfield.
 
 
 

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