LSC Roundup 8-6

MSU expects big things this year
Midwestern State head football coach Bill Maskill has no doubt the Mustangs will be a good football team in 2009.

The next few weeks will determine just how good they can and will be.

“We need to develop some depth in a few places, but we’re going to be OK,” said Maskill, who is beginning his eighth season as the Mustangs coach.

Recruits have big shoes to fill at ACU, which opens football drills today
Tony Washington will be surrounded by some new faces when the Abilene Christian University football team begins practice at 4 p.m. today at the school’s practice field. The Wildcats lost 25 players from last year’s 11-1 Lone Star Conference championship team, including some of the program’s all-time greats in running back Bernard Scott, receiver Johnny Knox and quarterback Billy Malone.

“It’s a little bit different, but we’ve got some guys coming in and we’ve got a bunch of returners on the offensive line,” said Washington, a senior and returning starter at left offensive tackle. “So we’ve got some vets up front. We’ve got some pretty good recruits coming in. I think we’ll be all right. I hope we’ll be all right.”

Holland is making his mark with Bronchos -
Tracy Holland could sense the mood of his Central Oklahoma football team was changing last season. Four straight losses might have taken the wind right out of many squads, but it had quite the opposite effect on the Bronchos.

“It wasn’t that we lost four games and then there was a moment,” said Holland who addressed the Edmond Rotary Club Wednesday afternoon at the First Christian Church. “Even through those four loses there was strangely enough, a growing confidence that crested and finally took off.”

The result was one of the most spectacular turnarounds on the gridiron last fall. UCO went on to win their final seven games of the season and capture the Lone Star Conference North Division title.

Let's get started
After posing for pictures and meeting with the area media Wednesday, the West Texas A&M football team officially kicks off its season today with the first day of practice.

As far as the players are concerned, the season is starting on an ominous note.
Fifth-year WT head coach Don Carthel has promised this camp will be his most physical - so the pads will be popping early and often.

Not that the Buffs are dreading what awaits them, though.

"That is like music to my ears when coach says it is going to be physical," said Buffs senior running back Keithon Flemming, who has piled up 3,212 all-purpose yards the past two seasons and is one of the top backs in Division II. "That is part of my game anyway."

"(A physical camp) gives us some experience. We've got a lot of young guys out here. It will help us come together," said Buffs junior quarterback Taylor Harris, projected to take over for former WT quarterback Keith Null, now chucking passes for the St. Louis Rams. "We've just got to be careful and stay up. Other than that, it is a good thing."

Texans report for training camp Wednesday
STEPHENVILLE - Tarleton head football coach Sam McElroy and his staff welcomed the 2009 Tarleton Texan football team to campus Wednesday as the squad reported for training camp.

The Texans checked in to the dorm Wednesday afternoon and after meetings and filling out paperwork tonight, the team will hit the ground running on Thursday.

"This is an exciting time of year," McElroy said. "It is good to see all of our freshman here and to have everyone report to camp. It is getting hot enough outside for camp, and we begin camp 106 strong. We start workouts tomorrow and play in three weeks, so we have to get going."

Bronchos Ready to Start Practice
EDMOND (Aug. 6) -- Defending Lone Star Conference North Division champion Central Oklahoma will begin preparing for the 2009 football season Thursday when the Bronchos hold their first practice.

Players reported to campus Wednesday for equipment check-out, physicals and meetings, with Thursday's opening practice scheduled for 4 p.m. in helmets and shorts. UCO will practice in shorts and helmets again Friday and then go in shorts and shoulder pads Saturday and Sunday before holding its first full-pad workout next Monday.

"Everybody came in excited about getting to work and we're ready to start," said second-year head coach Tracy Holland, whose team will hold a major intrasquad scrimmage at 6 p.m. Aug. 15. "There's a lot to be done in a short period of time and we need to come out every day focused on getting better."

Shrum Claims OGA Title
Central Oklahoma's Colby Shrum used a clinching birdie on the final hole to overcome some back-nine struggles and claim a two-stroke victory in the Oklahoma Golf Association Stroke Play Championship here Wednesday.


Auction Nets $91,000 for SWO
SWO Volleyball signs 5 players
Women add DI transfer

UIW safety walks away from crash en route to camp
The day started out all about football for Todd Lyons, but that changed when the Incarnate Word safety flipped his vehicle down a grassy embankment en route to reporting for training camp Wednesday.

“I really thought this would be me and my cousin’s last day on earth,” said the true freshman from Humble High School, still shaken about five hours after surviving the one-car accident with minor injuries.

Headed from Houston to the UIW campus with his 15-year-old cousin Tony Hall, Lyons lost control of his 2001 Ford Taurus near Interstate 10 and Loop 1604 around 8:50 a.m.
Lyons survives wreck on way to practice

DSU Picked To Win GSC
Tech football ranked fifth in GSC preseason poll
Arkansas Tech Football Ranked 5th in Gulf South
Southern Arkansas set to Report for Fall Practice
ACU recruits SS Aaron Oliver -