Javelinas looking for consistency against West Texas A&M - George Vondracek, Corpus Christi Caller
One week, it is a slow start then resurgence for Texas A&M-Kingsville's football team. Next week, the Javelinas come out blazing and then the coals are snuffed as if a bucket of water was tossed into the pit.
Such has been the modus operandi for the Javelinas throughout the first half of the season. They still have found ways to win five of the six ballgames. The one loss is attributable to a 17-point hole out of which they simply couldn't climb in a 31-24 setback to fifth-ranked Abilene Christian two weeks ago.
Suffice to say, a fast, steady tempo Saturday night at Javelina Stadium by ninth-ranked A&M-Kingsville would be a great benefit against No. 7 and pass-crazed West Texas A&M. It is the marquee Division II matchup in the country this weekend.
"I think everybody just has to get on the same page week in and week out. You never know who's going to start it out fast or who's going to start it out slow," senior safety Corey Robertson said. "But if we can just get together and get a fast start, hopefully the atmosphere this weekend with homecoming and everything helps us out."
"Last week we started fast and then we got slower. This week we've got to start fast and stay fast," said senior wide receiver Ryan Lincoln, who is two catches shy of becoming the Javelinas' career receptions leader. "We've got to play fast the whole game. If we play fast throughout the whole game I think the outcome is that we'll be on top. We can't slow down."
The Texas 10: Week 7: Part II. Big Week in #LSC - Fort Worth Star Telegram
9. A Rather Massive Week in the Lone Star Conference.
Yes, it's D-II but look past that. West Texas A&M begins a stretch of three top-10 teams over the next four weeks. Alabama doesn't even do that. The Buffs are No. 7 in the nation and travel to play No. 9 Texas A&M Kingsville on Saturday. A&M Kingsville is one spot behind the Buffs in the LSC's South Division.
9.34: Remember This Name: Stephen Burton
The SR WR from West Texas A&M has a shot at the NFL. Really. Last week, he caught five passes for 144 yards, including one catch that was a 99-yard TD. It's the third time in the last 20 years in the conference a play went 99 yards.
- Mac Engel
Maroon and White Zone: End to End - Amarillo Globe News
West Texas A&M quarterback Taylor Harris and wide receiver Stephen Burton put their names in the WT record books last week - for good. The pair hooked up on a 99-yard touchdown pass in a 48-17 win over Tarleton State, with Burton hauling in the pass near the WT 40 and racing in the rest of the way. The pass play - which can be tied but not broken - is the longest in school history.
Analysis, statistics, strategies, quotes and numbers about today's Lone Star Conference game between No. 7 West Texas A&M (5-1 overall, 5-0 in the LSC) and No. 9 Texas A&M-Kingsville (5-1, 4-1), 7 p.m., Javelina Stadium, Kingsville.
If you go - Amarillo Globe News
Coach speak - Amarillo Globe News
Texas A&M-Kingsville head coach Bo Atterberry
Atterberry has a record of 24-16 in his fourth season at TAMK.
Atterberry is 1-2 against WT, beating the Buffs, 23-17, in overtime last season.
TAMK opened the season with a 16-7 win over preseason No. 1 and defending national champion Northwest Missouri State.
"It is going to have to be an all-out effort on all our guys parts in all phases of the game. (WT) looks to me like they are a lot better defensively. We haven't been as consistent as I would like to be. We need four quarters."
West Texas A&M head coach Don Carthel
Carthel is 56-13 in his sixth WT season and is second in all-time victories.
Carthel is 4-1 against the Javelinas, although TAMK leads the series, 15-8-1.
The Buffs have won five in row by an average score of 47.4 to 19.4.
"This is (TAMK's) homecoming and they scheduled us for a reason. They have a great defense, No. 1 in the nation right now. Our offense has been putting up some big numbers, and it will be a challenge."
Getting personal with ... Sergio Castillo - Amarillo Globe News
(Redshirt freshman kicker from Mission, in the Rio Grande Valley. Castillo is 7-of-8 on FGs - long of 40 yards - and 24-of-24 on PATs).
Most placekickers are closet soccer players. Are you? "Oh, yeah. That's my first love."
Biggest difference between kicking a soccer ball and a football? "A soccer ball is easier. It's round."
Your longest field goal? "My junior year of high school in the third round of the playoffs I had one 58 yards." Be honest, any wind behind you? "There was wind behind me, a little bit."
How hard is it to kick with the swirling winds at Kimbrough? "The winds can mess with you, but you have to go out there early and get some mental reps."
Uphill battle - Nathan Wright, San Angelo Standard Times
When the Angelo State football team lines up against Midwestern State tonight at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls, the Rams will face one of the more potent offenses and stingiest defenses in the Lone Star Conference.
The Mustangs rank third in the LSC in scoring offense (39.7 points per game) and second in total offense (480.0 yards per game).
They also rank third in the league in scoring defense (19.7 points per game) and fourth in total defense (317.2 yards per game).
The Rams also will be up against a No. 15 MSU team coming off its first loss of the season, a 31-28 setback against No. 5 Abilene Christian.
Throw in the fact that ASU is 20 points from being undefeated in LSC South play and is trying to rebound from three straight losses and the Rams are clearly facing an uphill battle.
“It is frustrating,” ASU head coach Dale Carr said. “We have had good field position. We have moved the ball well.”
MSU looks to 'get back on track'- J. Scott Russell, Times Record News
The theme this week for the Midwestern State Mustangs is to get back “on track” after a tough loss on the road to No. 5 Abilene Christian last Saturday afternoon.
Angelo State could very well be using the same theme as the Rams are also trying to right their ship.
The difference is that last week’s loss was the first for the No. 15 Mustangs, while the Rams suffered their third straight loss — all in Lone Star Conference South Division play.
Kickoff tonight is set for 8 at Memorial Stadium between MSU (5-1, 1-1) and ASU (2-3, 0-3).
MSU head coach Bill Maskill is more concerned about his team at this point.
“It’s going to be tough. We don’t have enough healthy bodies on defense,” he said. “That’s what worried us the most coming into the season and it’s coming true. But it’s another opponent and another opportunity. We’re going to have to come on all cylinders — and be more consistent on both sides of the ball.
“They’re a sound football team and very well coached on both sides of the ball. This group here is every bit as good as Abilene — but in a different way. They’ve been close in every game — even the ones they’ve won have been tight.”
ACU football preview: No. 5 'Cats hopes upset isn't in the Cards - Joey Richards, Abilene Reporter News
What’s riding on this game: ACU is unbeaten and after consecutive victories over top-10 nationally ranked teams, is tied with West Texas A&M for the lead in the Lone Star Conference.
“This one scares you because we’ve really had to play hard and play at high, emotional level for two weeks,” ACU coach Chris Thomsen said. “Yeah, it’s scary for that reason, no matter who you play. The fact that Incarnate Word had put together some really great games against some really great teams scares the heck out of you.”
n Last week: Incarnate Word beat East Central 27-13 at Ada, Okla., while ACU beat then-No. 8 Midwestern State 31-28 at Shotwell Stadium.
n Scouting Incarnate Word: Coach Mike Santiago spent six seasons as the head coach at Stephen F. Austin State, the last in 2004. He also was an assistant at Utah State. This is the Cardinals’ second season to field a team and first in the LSC. They haven’t played like a second-year program, though. They’ve beaten Central Oklahoma 42-41 in overtime and took Midwestern State to overtime before falling 38-31 two weeks ago in Wichita Falls. Incarnate Word does one thing better than ACU, and that’s run the ball. They’re No. 2 in the LSC in rushing, averaging 155.5 yards per game. ACU is No. 3 (151.2).
"They will absolutely just grind you out,” Thomsen said. “I think they ran it 51 times against Midwestern, and that was the key to them almost winning that game. If they can take that ball and keep it from us, any game will be close. You don't have enough possessions to score. That's the biggest concern. Can they hold the football and keep it from us?"
RB Trent Rios is fourth in the LSC and 41st in the nation in rushing (138-508, 5 TDs), averaging 84.7 yards per game. The Cards are averaging 309.8 yards (107th in nation) on offense while scoring 24.7 points (81st in nation). They’re allowing 32.5 points (118th in nation) and 379 yards (103rd in nation) per game. ACU’s strength is the passing game, and the Cards are 140th in the nation against the pass, giving up 265.7 yards per game.
UIW comes home to No. 5 ACU - San Antonio Express
Incarnate Word coach Mike Santiago doesn't remember much about his first game as a college football head coach. A framed picture of the scoreboard from that night on his office bookshelf reminds him of the most important detail: his Stephen F. Austin team won.
The opponent? Abilene Christian, which Santiago and UIW will face tonight at Benson Stadium.
While the challenges Santiago faced at SFA are much different than the program-building ones he has with the Cardinals, there are some similarities.
“They bought into the program, that's the parallel I see,” Santiago said of his 1999 team that finished tied for the Southland Conference title. “There are guys here (at UIW) buying into what we're doing.”
And there's one big parallel between ACU's teams then and now.
“The overall experience was that Abilene Christian was really good back then, too,” Santiago said.
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