LSC Roundup 12-12

'He still loved football'
Coaches at Texas A&I University considered Edward Lee Scott an NFL-caliber defensive back in 1970. He was quick, wily and knew how to tackle.

His defensive coordinator, Freddy Jonas, remembers watching Scott apply a by-the-book hit on a receiver for East Texas State on Oct. 10 of that year in Commerce. Jonas said he was surprised when Scott didn't get up.

"He broke his neck," a coach told Jonas later.
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After his injury, Scott taught middle-school math in Austin, worked at Austin Community College and registered livestock by telephone for the Texas Animal Health Commission, said his wife of 31 years, Edna. He loved jazz music and helping his grandsons with their homework.

"He liked trying to make an impression on them that they had to be successful in school to get somewhere," Edna Scott said. Her husband retired in 1998 after suffering a stroke.
Scott said she recently organized his football scrapbook.

"He was quite proud of it," she said. "He has all of his articles and all of his pictures together.

"He still loved football."


Thomsen up for NSU post
Three head football coaches in the Lone Star Conference, including Chris Thomsen of Abilene Christian University, are among candidates to fill the opening for head football coach at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, La.

According to published reports, other candidates from the LSC are Don Carthel of West Texas A&M and Bill Maskill of Midwestern State.

Thomsen confirmed Thursday afternoon before leaving for Florence, Ala., that he has talked to NSU director of athletics Greg Burke about the opening to coach the Demons. Thomsen will be in Florence this weekend for the announcement of the Harlon Hill award and the NCAA Division II championship game.

"I have been contacted," Thomsen said. "You would have to ask them if I'm actually a candidate. They asked me to come for an interview, but they are supposed to call me back. I'm waiting for them to call back so it may be a little premature for me to talk about it now."


NSU coach search down to 6 finalists
Northwestern State University began the process of interviewing head football coach candidates on Thursday in Natchitoches.

NSU athletic director Greg Burke said he planned on bringing six candidates to campus, but would not reveal the name of the six finalists.

However, it has been learned that the six finalists include NSU defensive coordinator Brad Laird, Arkansas State co-defensive coordinator Kevin Corless, former Ole Miss offensive coordinator Dan Werner, Mississippi Gulf Coast Junior College head coach Steve Campbell, Abilene Christian coach Chris Thomsen, and LSU co-defensive coordinator Bradley Dale Peveto.


Second home
Bernard Scott suffers no shortage of motivation.

Whether it's the marker-written memorials on his taped-up wrists for every game or the memory of his last trip to the Shoals, the Abilene Christian senior running back always had something to keep him grounded and fuel his competitive fire this season.

Back in Florence for the first time since he finished second in voting for last year's Harlon Hill Trophy, Scott credited those inspirations for his return as a finalist for the second-straight year for the award given annually to the best Division II college football player.


McCarty meets and greets ECU fans
Tim McCarty put in a little overtime during the first official function of his second tour as East Central University football coach.

Chosen last week to replace Kurt Nichols, McCarty — the Tigers’ head man in 2004-2005 before leaving to becoming the No. 1 assistant to Ron Prince at Kansas State — was officially introduced to media, fans, players and alumni Monday morning at a well-attended press conference at the Estep Center inside the ECU student center.



Unfinished Business: Scott looks to claim Hill Trophy
A year ago, Bernard Scott was just happy to one of three finalists for the Harlon Hill Trophy.

Well, sort of.

The Abilene Christian University running back was a runner-up last year, and the competitor in him wasn't completely happy with being anything less than No. 1.

"I had a good time," he said. "But I had a bitter taste in my mouth. I thought I should have won it."


WT's Martin, Brock named All-Americans
Jared Brock made it two-for-two and Charly Martin joined the party as both West Texas A&M players were named Thursday to the Daktronics Division II All-America Team.

The Buffs seniors were first-team selections, with Martin the top vote-getter at his position.


Not LSC, not even D2, but D3 Mary Hardin-Baylor is in the national semifinals this weekend...Good luck to the Cru....
Commentary: UMHB, Copperas Cove programs linked by success, consistency
It’s no accident that Mary Hardin-Baylor and Copperas Cove still are playing football in mid-December, and it’s not a coincidence, either. Success and consistency are the hallmarks of both programs. UMHB has reached the NCAA Division III playoffs five consecutive seasons and is in the national semifinals for the third time during that stretch.

Letting their Cru flag fly: UMHB fans fired up about prospect of Division III national championship
Visions of sugarplums dance in the heads of University of Mary Hardin-Baylor fans who are placing all bets their Crusaders will defeat Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Warhawks on Saturday in the NCAA Division III semifinals at Tiger Field. The Crusaders and Warhawks are two of the remaining four teams vying for a shot at No. 1 in the Stagg Bowl on Dec. 20.

He's a playmaker: Receiver Davis thrives in role as UMHB's big-play threat
BELTON - From the time he steps on the practice field for the week’s first workout to the moment he steps to the line of scrimmage on Saturdays, one term dominates Pi’Dadro Davis’ thoughts: playmaker.

So consumed is the Mary Hardin-Baylor junior receiver with being an integral part of the fourth-ranked Crusaders’ success that even during conversation, the words playmaker and big play come up half a dozen times.

In 10 years, Mary Hardin-Baylor has become a powerhouse
Pete Fredenburg had barely finished laying down the last of the dumbbells in Mary Hardin-Baylor's newly constructed Anderson Field House 10 years ago when they began marching in — all 217 of them.

Mary Hardin-Baylor has warm, fuzzy feeling about semifinals
A year ago, coach Pete Fredenburg and his Mary Hardin-Baylor football players feared they might return home missing a few fingers or toes. It was a frostbite-inducing encounter for Mary Hardin-Baylor in the NCAA Division III semifinals at snowy Wisconsin-Whitewater. "My gosh," Fredenburg said. "What an experience. I still tell stories about it."

Been there, done that: Defending national champion Wisconsin-Whitewater battles Mary Hardin-Baylor again
Lance Leipold has spent all but about 14 years of his life in Wisconsin and many of them as a player or coach at Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he has become familiar with four- or five-hour rides up Interstate 94 to places such as River Falls, La Crosse and Eau Claire.

So it must feel a bit odd that in his second season as the Warhawks’ coach, Leipold is preparing for the third time to face Mary Hardin-Baylor - which would be about a 17-hour ride through a handful of states.

“I think we have about 10 game films of Mary Hardin-Baylor from just last season and this season, and that’s not including the times we’ve played them,” Leipold said by phone Wednesday. “We might be more familiar with them than we are some of our conference opponents.”