Tuesday, July 31, 2012

LSC Preseason Fall Sports Polls

Preseason Football Results




Football: Preseason poll announced
Midwestern State has been selected to repeat as Lone Star Conference football champion, according to the 2012 LSC preseason poll announced Tuesday.
      

The league's preseason poll reflects the opinions of LSC head coaches and sports information directors, plus various media representatives from throughout the region.
      

The 2012 football season kicks off August 30, and the LSC has nine teams set to compete.  Each team will play a total of eight conference games.
      

MSU, which claimed the 2011 LSC title with a perfect 8-0 mark, received first-place votes on 19 of the 25 ballots to finish with 215 total points.
      

Abilene Christian was second with 187 points and five first-place nods, while West Texas A&M was third with 179 points.
      

Texas A&M-Kingsville was fourth with 158 points and the remaining first-place vote, followed by Tarleton State fifth (131), Angelo State sixth (99), Incarnate Word seventh (74), Eastern New Mexico eighth (43) and Texas A&M-Commerce ninth (39).
      

The LSC had three teams take part in postseason play last season with MSU and ACU advancing to the NCAA Division II playoffs, while WTAMU played in the Kanza Bowl.


RANKTEAM1STTOTAL
1Midwestern State19215
2Abilene Christian 5187
3West Texas A&M179
4Texas A&M-Kingsville1158
5Tarleton State 131
6Angelo State 99
7Incarnate Word74
8Eastern New Mexico 43
9Texas A&M-Commerce39



Football: ACU’s Gale, TAMUK’s Aguilar receive preseason honors
      SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Abilene Christian’s Mitchell Gale and Texas A&M-Kingsville’s Jeremy Aguilar were tabbed Lone Star Conference Football Preseason Players of the Year for the 2012 season league officials announced Tuesday.
      
ACU’s Gale was named Offensive Player of the Year, while TAMUK’s Aguilar claimed the Defensive Player of the Year award. 
      
The league’s preseason awards were selected by a vote of LSC head coaches and sports information directors, plus various media representatives from throughout the region.
      
Gale, a 6-2, 220-pound senior from Alva, Okla., enters the 2012 campaign on the verge of putting his name in the history books.  After throwing for 3,823 yards and 28 touchdowns last season, which earned him LSC Offensive Back of the Year acclaim, he now has 9,127 yards and 76 TDs in his three years as the starter.
      
With 11 votes, Gale edged Midwestern State’s Brandon Kelsey, who received nine votes.      
      
Aguilar, a 6-1, 235-pound senior from Los Angeles, Calif., is the reigning LSC Linebacker of the Year.  He led the Javelinas with 91 tackles last year while making 14 tackles for loss, 3.5 quarterback sacks and 11 quarterback hurries.
      
Aguilar was the clear choice with 13 votes ahead of Tarleton State’s Marquis Wadley (four) and six others who garnered votes.





Volleyball Poll
  1. West Texas A&M
  2. Angelo State
  3. Abilene Christian
  4. Tarleton State
  5. Texas Womans
  6. Cameron 
  7. Midwestern State
  8. Texas A&M Kingsville
  9. Texas A&M Commerce
  10. Incarnate Word
  11. Eastern New Mexico


Men's Cross Country


1Eastern New Mexico 18178
2Abilene Christian 2131
3Texas A&M-Commerce 119
4West Texas A&M 113
T5.Angelo State 91
T5.Tarleton State 91
7Cameron84
8Texas A&M-Kingsville 50
9Incarnate Word 43


Women's Cross Country
1Midwestern State 21189
2West Texas A&M 146
3Angelo State 134
4Abilene Christian 120
5Eastern New Mexico 105
6Tarleton State 102
7Incarnate Word 83
8Texas A&M-Kingsville 40
9Texas A&M-Commerce 26





Women's Soccer
  1. Abilene Christian
  2. Midwestern State
  3. Texas A&M Commerce
  4. Angelo State
  5. Eastern New Mexico
  6. West Texas A&M
  7. Incarnate Word
  8. Texas Womans


Men's Soccer
  1. Midwestern State
  2. Incarnate Word
  3. West Texas A&M
  4. Eastern New Mexico

Recruiting Recap - Midwestern State

What they lost - 
On offense, the Mustangs lost 3 first team All-LSC and 3 second team selections
OL Amini Silatolu - 2 time 1st All-LSC, multiple All-American teams, 2nd round draft choice by Carolina Panthers
OL Hank Gilley - 2 time 1st All-LSC
WR David Little - 1st All-LSC, 58 receptions 746 yards 6 TDs, MSU's all-time leader with 169 receptions, second with 2,222 yards
WR Sheldon Galloway - 2nd All-LSC, 73 receptions 896 yards 8 TDs in 2 seasons
WR Edgard Theliar - 2nd All-LSC, 41 receptions 673 yards 7 TDs in 2 seasons
RB Lester Bush - 2 time 2nd All-LSC, career 1,423 yards 25 TDs rushing
Deep Snapper Randall Arbuckle - 1st All-LSC,


Defensively, 1 first team All-LSC, 2 second team All-LSC and 5 honorable mention All-LSC players must be replaced
DB Jeremy Smith - 1st All-LSC, 36 tackles, 5.5 TFL
DB Romie Blaylock - 2nd All-LSC, 49 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 14 passes broken up
DB Tyler Maner - HM All-LSC, 47 tackles, 5 passes broken up
LB Ty Duncan - HM All-LSC, led team with 78 tackles, 5.5 TFL
DL Kevin Birdow - 2nd All-LSC, 48 tackles, 14 TFL, 5.5 sacks
DLs Paul Gonzalez, Tim McGill, Mack Lafaele - all HM All-LSC, combined 70 tackles, 14.5 TFL, 4 sacks

Who's coming back - 
QB Brandon Kelsey - 1st All-LSC, threw for 1,951 yards and 17 TDs (158.7 efficiency rating), 967 yards 11 TDs rushing
RB Keidrick Jackson - 1st All-LSC, 1,044 yards 18 TDs rushing
RB Jimmy Pipkin - 2nd All-LSC, 665 yards 7 TDs rushing, (11.7 yards per carry)
OL Ken Van Heule (1st All-LSC), Justen Tyler, Bryan Keith (both 2nd All-LSC)
DBs Pat Gardner (1st All-LSC), Neiko Conway, Donald Napoleon (both 2nd All-LSC), Bernard Griffin (HM All-LSC), Lynn Williams, Coryan Briggs, Seth Crumpton, Ricardo Roascos  - combined for 256 tackles, 8 TFL, 4 Ints, 21 passes broken up
LBs Matt Ellerbrock (HM All-LSC), Nick Bourgeois, Chase Hooper, Demetrich Gilliam - combined 95 tackles, 5 TFL
DL Justin Flowers, Domnick Cobos, Tyler Tackett - combined 56 tackles, 7 TFL

P Gunter Elenburg - averaged 35.7 yards per punt
K Greg Saladino - (2nd All-LSC) 66-71 on PATs, 6-9 on FGs with a season long 57 yarder, 62.8 kickoff average with 10 touchbacks

Who they brought in -
Officially, the Mustangs signed 39 high school recruits with no transfers.  Defensively, LB Stephon Moody looks to be a steal.  He was on the Dave Campbell Texas Football top 300 list in the preseaon, and a 2nd team All San Antonio Area choice in the postseason.  Slated for the secondary are Daveon Parrish, Marqui Christian, Jeremiah Payne, and Malcolm McKinney.  Up front Robert Kitchen, Blake Burdette (LB) and Brandon Wilson are the top names.  Offensively, Jacorey McQueen was an HM All-State selection, throwing for 3,065 yards and 28 TDs, while rushing for 831 yards and 14 TDs.  Running back Jamarick Simmons (1,544 yards and 19 TDs) was also an HM selection, and Harvey Giddens (1,724 yards 24 TDs) and Dante Taylor (1,071 yards rushing, 700 yards receiving). WRs Blaine Curren and  Breion Evans had over 1,000 receiving yards, while Statron Jones fell just short. Of the seven offensive linemen, Raymond Shutak (2nd All State) is described as a find by Coach Maskill.

Unofficially, we have heard of 8 transfers coming in as well.  Helping fill the void at WR are Kendall Wrenn (Butler CC), Markell Templeton, Ricky Collins (both from Trinity Valley CC) and Steve McNair Jr (Pearl River CC), though a recent article in the Times Record News casts some doubt on McNair being eligible.  On the defensive side of the ball, LB Vernon Brooks spent one year at Kansas after an All-American year at Blinn, and defensive backs Dayvion Henry, Josh Reed (both Trinity Valley CC) and Taiyon Jackson (Bakersfield College) will at a minimum add depth to the Mustangs secondary.  And in the LSC, you can never have too many talented DBs.



Overall Grade A+ (or B+ without the transfers)
The Mustangs had a lot of holes to fill and (it appears) did bring in some ready made help at WR and the secondary especially and also at LB.  If those rumored transfers do not materialize, MSU still did a good job building for down the road, covering every position with promising prospects.

LSC Roundup 7-31

Today is LSC Media Day!  Keep checking back for updates for Volleyball, Soccer, Cross Country and Football preseason polls and player honors.





Texas Bob and weave - Marcus Murphee, Dave Campbell Texas Football



The Texas High School Coaches Association All-Star Football Game is tonight at 7:30.  Webstream link.
Area players set for THSCA All-Star football game ‎- LubbockOnline

Once again, here are the future LSC players to watch for tonight...

For the North
QB Matt Bishop - Tarleton State
RB Wayne Onderdonck - Midwestern State
DB Michael Ellis - Angelo State
DE/TE John Striednig - Angelo State

And for the South...
CB Evan Lyons - West Texas A&M
WR Kason Fornes - Tarleton State
WR Marcus Price - Texas A&M Kingsville
WR Jordan Thomas - Texas A&M Kingsville
LB Landon Lock - Eastern New Mexico
K Jake Wilcox - Incarnate Word
DE Clayton Callicut - Angelo State
DT Robert Kitchen - Midwestern State
OL Raymond Garza - Texas A&M Kingsville

Monday, July 30, 2012

Recruiting Recap - Abilene Christian


What they lost - 
RB Darryl Richardson - twice 2nd All-LSC, once HM All-LSC, 825 yards 11 TDs rushing last year, 2,296 yards 34 TDs in 3 seasons
RB Reggie Brown - 1,289 yards and 10 TDs rushing in 2 seasons
FB Justin Andrews - twice 1st All-LSC, career 51 receptions 598 yards 8 TDs
TE Ben Gibbs - twice 1st All-LSC, 57 receptions 777 yards 9 TDs
OL Matt Webber - twice 1st All-LSC, once 2nd All-LSC
OL Neal Tivis - once 1st All-LSC, once 2nd All-LSC
OL Jerod Harrell - HM All-LSC
DE Aston Whiteside - 4-time 1st All-LSC, numerous All American honors, career 31.5 sacks, 57.5 TFL
DT Donald Moore - twice 2nd All-LSC, 26 tackles, 5 TFL
LB Nathan Baggs - 1st All-LSC, 37 tackles, 5.5 TFL
LB DerekOdelusi - 59 tackles, 6 TFL, 4.5 sacks
DB Darien Williams - once 1st All-LSC, once 2nd All-LSC, 67 tackles, 1 Int, 7 passes broken up
DB Nate Bailey - HM All-LSC, 43 tackles, 2 Ints, 4 passes broken up
DB Richard Havins - HM All-LSC in 2010, 49 tackles in 2011, 158 in career

Who's coming back - 
QB Mitchell Gale - 2nd All-LSC in 2011, 1st All-LSC in 2012, fourth All-time on LSC record books with 9,127 yards and 76 TDs coming into season.  Needs 2,886 yards to pass ACU's Billy Malone for top spot. The top spot for touchdown passes will tougher, as Gale is 38 behind Malone for that spot.
RB Charcandrick West - HM All-LSC, 380 yards rushing, 200 receiving
WRs Taylor Gabriel (2nd All-LSC), Darian Hogg and Darrell Cantu-Harkless - combined for 137 catches, 2,134 yards and 16 TDs. Cantu-Harkless might be moving back to running back
OLs Josh Perez (2nd All-LSC), Blake Spears (HM All-LSC) and Reid Ware (4 starts)
DLs Ryan Smith and Rob Boyd - 52 combined tackles, 14 TFL, 9 sacks
LBs starters Thor Woerner (HM All-LSC), Nick Richardson, reserves Chris Summers, Lynn Grady and Chris Jones - combined 161 tackles, 21 TFL, 8 sacks
DBs LB Suggs (HM All-LSC), reserves Mike Wallace, Angel Lopez, Justin Stewart, Caleb Withrow - combined 130 tackles, 6 TFL, 4 Ints, 4 passes broken up
P Spencer Covey - HM All-LSC, 39.6 yards per punt, 66 yard kickoff average with 19 touchbacks
K Morgan Lineberry - 1st All-LSC, 47-51 on PATs, 13-16 on FGs with season long 54 yarder, 64.5 kickoff average with 12 touchbacks
Deep Snapper Brent Schroeder - 1st All-LSC in probably the most overlooked spot on a team (until there is a bad snap)

Who they brought in -
With just 13 February signings, this class is short on numbers, but not talent.  Expect immediate help from Melvin Shead Jr. and Nick Finney on the defensive line, Eric Frain in the secondary and Garrett Langthorp on the offensive line.  At QB, Cade Stone (2nd All-State TAPPS) and Parker McKenzie (2nd All San Antonio Area) look to help ACU in the post-Gale era.  TE Chad Quisenberry had 22 catches for 457 yards at Wolfforth Frenship.  Christian Rodriguez was a second team All-Valley selection out of Los Fresnos HS.  For the defense, DT Josh Bloom, LB Chuck Oputa and DB Tyler Chapa (1st All San Antonio Area) are young players to watch in the future.

Overall Grade C+
While the Wildcats did bring in some players with solid potential, they lost 11 All-LSC performers from last year, including 7 first team selections, and did not bring in much in the way of immediate help.  Of course, that could change in the next couple of weeks if additional transfers are announced, but as of now this class looks much more promising for the long-term vs. this fall.

LSC Roundup 7-30


Wunderlich Named Assistant Track Coach - TAMK Track



DCTF Weekend Recap: July 30 - Greg Tepper, Dave Campbell's Texas Football 
True gamebreakers - Greg Tepper, Dave Campbell's Texas Football



Shop Amazon and save on back to school items in every category


Friday, July 27, 2012

LSC Roundup 7-27



OLYMPIC TRIALS: Ruiz has mixed feelings about 2012 Games - Paul Harris, San Angelo Standard Times


Fowler anxious to get started as Texans work ahead - Brad Keith, Stephenville Empire Tribune
Speak to a football coach this time of year, and you'll find an odd sense of excitement in his voice. Everyone is undefeated, everyone gets a fresh start.

Such excitement and anticipation is certainly evident in the voice of Tarleton State head coach Cary Fowler with 13 days remaining until the Texans officially check in for fall training camp.

"That day should really be nothing more than a formality for us as many players are on campus already," said Fowler, whose Texans closed the 2011 season with five straight wins to reach 6-5, their 11th winning season in 12 years and first in Fowler's two seasons at the helm. "We've got about 100 coming in and about 75 of them are already here working out every day to get ready."

Fowler and coaches aren't allowed to take part in administering the voluntary summer workouts. In fact, they can't even discuss football plans with players, he says, because of NCAA regulations.

"That doesn't mean we can't use that time to take interest in their lives away from football, and that's very important," Fowler said. "When we see these young men, we're visiting about life, about their academics, those types of things. We're building relationships, and you have to have that to be successful, whether you're coaching a football team or managing an office staff. This is a critical time of year, and it's been a good time for us."


From Dave Campbell's Texas Football...
True gamebreakers - Greg Tepper, DCTF
Transfer fee - Jake Shaw, DCTF



From the San Antonio Express News...

Standing up to skeptics

Thursday, July 26, 2012

LSC Roundup 7-26

Women’s Track & Field Tied For Second in the Nation With 11 All-Academic Honorees - ASU Track





Sometimes a fan must also be a journalist - Brad Keith, Stephenville Empire Tribune


It's funny how people learn in different ways.

I'm an example guy - let me see the process you're teaching me in action, then I'll get it.  Since deciding to pursue communications and journalism in college at Tarleton State University, I've been taught that personal opinions must be left at the door and facts must be presented in such an industry.  I was taught it well. Heck, a Pulitzer prize-winning journalist turned college instructor even tried to beat it into my thick, stubborn skull.

But when one of my most respected mentors almost broke down in front of her staff while explaining a lack of judgement on her part and how it would be corrected and avoided in the future, the lesson stuck.  Empire-Tribune editor Sara Vanden Berge knows all too well what it's like writing and editing the news in a small town where she is often acquaintances, friends even, with the subjects of particular stories. Such a situation had her in a pickle recently, but she learned from it, and as she addressed the issue with her staff, she unknowingly provided the best lesson in journalism this sports writer has ever received. Not because others hadn't taught it, but because I finally got it.

I am a big fan of Tarleton basketball. Men and women. Love it. Can't get enough of it. Ask anyone who sits close to me on press row what I say every year at the first Tarleton men's home game, and they'll tell you.  It always goes something like this: "I love my job and Tarleton basketball is one of the biggest reasons why!"  Or, more simply: "This is why I'm here!"

As a young boy, my father, 1975 Tarleton alumnus Robert Keith, started taking me to Texan basketball games. We were instantly enthralled by the university's exciting, and at the time still new, basketball coach.
As years have gone by, enthrallment turned to admiration. I admire what Lonn Reisman has done for Tarleton, and I admire the positive differences he's made in the lives of so many young men.

If there is a person who has done more than Reisman to promote Tarleton in a positive, winning fashion, somebody please introduce me because I sure haven't met him.  I want Reisman to win not one, but two, three, seven, 10 national titles at Tarleton. I'll take 100 if he's willing to coach that long.

But it's not just about winning. Reisman and his rigid program have produced attorneys, firefighters, coaches, pro basketball players and others who have gone on to countless different professional fields.
Lonn Reisman has been great for Tarleton State University since I was old enough to understand what a university was.

I'm a fan. A big fan. And I've been accused of being soft because of it.  I admit I relished the opportunity to keep my name as far away as possible from recent stories of alleged criminal activity by two former Tarleton basketball players. I wanted nothing to do with it. The fan inside me didn't even want to believe it.

But I was being a basketball fan. I was not upholding my duty to this newspaper or this community because I was not truly being a journalist.

Fast forward to this week, to the moment I finally received the confirmation I needed to publish a story concerning some of Tarleton's new basketball recruits.  The Texans signed two very talented individuals, as depicted by a story published on the sports page of the Wednesday E-T. I wish the story stopped there. In the past, I probably would have stopped it there.

But we're not in the past, and I'm not doing Tarleton basketball or any customers of this newspaper any favors by not disclosing the full story. As people read news articles, questions surface in their minds. Often, when I look back at stories about prized recruits, that question is, "Why aren't they at a Division I school?"  Not answering such questions often raises bigger ones, such as, "What are they hiding?"

The answers to such questions are often simple. Playing time is the most common reason an athlete isn't at Division I. Either he/she wants more of it so they leave a DI, or they weren't ever going to get it at that level so they sign with lower-level programs to begin with. Sometimes, however, it goes further, venturing into areas I'm honestly not comfortable reporting. But each of us have aspects of our job they aren't comfortable with.

There wasn't a comfortable bone in my body as I re-hashed criminal charges faced by two of Tarleton's talented new recruits. I squirmed in my seat, I was even restless in bed Tuesday night.  But facts are facts, and hiding them isn't the game we play here. Even when those facts may hurt someone, or some program, we want so badly to see succeed.

I love Tarleton basketball and I can't wait for the new season in November. Every bone in my body would be quite comfortable writing about a national championship won by our beloved Texans, or even our TexAnns.

When that day comes - and I believe it will - such a story deserves to be penned by a journalist.

Not just some fan.


Wednesday, July 25, 2012

LSC Roundup 7-25

Tarleton basketball signs at least two more - Brad Keith, Stephenville Empire Tribune 

Ask anyone at Tarleton State about its men's basketball recruiting class, and mum's the word.
But while talking about recruits may not be on head coach and athletic director Lonn Reisman's agenda, signing them to scholarships certainly is.
The Texans announced months ago the signing of two high school prospects and Division I transfer Chuck Guy, a Fort Worth native coaches believe will be a standout point guard.
More recently, they have added a pair of junior college players in De'Andre Upchurch of Highland Community College in Highland, Kan. and Jonathan Cathey-Macklin of Wabash Valley College in Mt. Carmel, Ill.
Upchurch, a 6-2 guard from Flint, Mich., led the nation in 3-pointers made with 118 and was fifth in scoring at 25.9 points per game in Division II of the National Junior College Athletic Association. He was named first-team all-conference in the Jayhawk East Conference.
Upchurch was a prep star at Flint Northwestern High School, but his future appeared in jeopardy when "he and three associates participated in a drive-by shooting that injured a young mother after he was cheated out of $30 in a local dice game," reads a report published by Mlive.com, a Michigan news website, on Jan. 20 of this year.
The crime occurred in 2008, and Upchurch was originally charged with assault with the intent to murder, according to the Mlive.com report. But because he was not the trigger puller and he pleaded to a lesser offense, a judge sentenced him to "100 hours of community service, five years of probation and 90 days of bootcamp…"
Upchurch's performance on the court and in the classroom do suggest he's left the incident in his past. Reports are that he graduated from Highland with his associate's degree.
Calls to Highland head coach Jerre Cole seeking comments regarding Upchurch were not returned, but he did respond to a text message Tuesday.
"As far as I know, De'Andre is going to Tarleton," read the message from Cole. Unnamed sources close to Tarleton basketball have also confirmed Upchurch is on campus. Calls seeking comments from Reisman were not returned.
Cathey-Macklin is a 6-9 forward labeled by his junior college coach as "A Division I talent; very athletic, runs the floor really well, blocks shots, rebounds, a good defensive player who can score around the post."
Wabash Valley head coach Dan Sparks confirmed Cathey-Macklin is now a Texan, and says he was a starter who helped his team to the national tournament.
"He's a good kid who I never had a problem with, a good teammate and a happy go-lucky kid," Sparks said. "On the court, he's so athletic, you just never know where he's going to spring from for a block or a rebound."
Cathey-Macklin, from Milwaukee, Wis., averaged 4.6 points, 4.3 boards and 1 block per game at Wabash Valley.
Cathey-Macklin has also had a scrape with the law, having been convicted of criminal trespass to a dwelling and theft of moveable property less than or equal to $2,500 in Milwaukee County in 2010. Both crimes are Class A misdemeanors according to Wisconsin statutes.
It has been reported Tarleton has also signed additional recruits, but coaches aren't disclosing such information and the last recruiting release published on Tarletonsports.com was on May 7.
The two high school signees made public are Dublin honor graduate Jakob Damstra, a 6-9 center who led the Lions to their first Class 2A regional tournament appearance since 1995, and Michael Hardge, who averaged better than 20 points per game at 5A Georgetown.
Guy, a point guard from Fort Worth whose intent to transfer to Tarleton was publicized by the school in early May, averaged 10.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.7 steals as a sophomore at Division I Arkansas-Little Rock last season.
Upchurch, Guy and Cathey-Macklin each have two years of eligibility remaining.
Tarleton went 27-6 last season, winning the Lone Star Conference regular season championship before falling in the finals of the league's postseason tournament. The Texans reached the South Central Region semifinals in the NCAA Championship.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Recruiting Recap - West Texas A&M


What they lost - 
Not a lot on offense...
C Hector Rodriguez - 1st All-LSC in 2011, 2nd All-LSC in 2010
WR Brittan Golden - 1st All-LSC in 2011, 2nd All-LSC in 2010, 55 receptions for 1,076 yds, 12 TDs in 2011, second on WT's all-time list with 3,007 receiving yards and 33 TDs.
WR Jeremy Watson - not on current roster, 35 receptions for 537 yards and 4 TDs
RB Tommy Hampton - 2 time HM All-LSC return specialist
QB Tanner Marsh - transferred

and a lot on defense...
DB Curtis Jefferson - 1st All-LSC in 2011, 2010 and 2009, HM in 2008, 67 tackles, 8 TFL, 4 Ints, 7 passes broken up
DB Caleb Randolph - 1st All-LSC in 2011 and 2010, 52 tackles, 5 Ints, 7 passes broken up
DB Maurice Caldwell - HM All-LSC in 2011, 40 tackles, 6 passes broken up
LB Anthony Scott - 2nd All-LSC in 2011, HM in 2009, 52 tackles, 8 TFL
LB Zane Farris - 56 tackles, 7.5 TFL
DT Dishon Robertson - 1st All-LSC in 2011, 2nd All-LSC in 2010, 32 tackles, 3.5 TFL
DL Simi Kuli - 30 tackles, 7 TFL, 3.5 sacks
DLs D. J. Ross, Drew Jones, Jonathan Hatton, Rashad Sanders - combined 75 tackles, 16 TFL, 10.5 sacks
DLs not on the roster - LaMarc Strahan, Paul Dancy - touted players, didn't live up to expectations, 13 combined tackles


Who's coming back - 
QB Dustin Vaughn - HM All-LSC, threw for 3,316 yards and 25 TDs as a soph
RB Khiry Robinson - 669 yards rushing, 182 receiving
WR Nathan Slaughter - HM LSC, 33 receptions, 395 yds, 3 TDs
WR Lance Ratliff -HM LSC, 44 receptions, 848 yds, 6 TDs
WR Torrence Allen - 21 receptions, 303 yds, 2 TDs
WR Trevor Hammargren - 17 receptions, 188 yds
OL Aaron Mullane - 2nd team All-LSC
OL Craig Watts - HM All-LSC
OL Emory Atterberry - another full-time starter
OL Casey O'Conner - started five games
DL Tyrell Higgins - Univ. of Texas transfer, 1st team All-LSC, 34 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 2 sacks
LB Taylor McCuller - team high 68 tackles
LB Kevin McCluskey - 2nd All-LSC, HM in 2010, 65 tackles, 6 TFL
LB Kyle Voss - 2nd All-LSC in 2010, injured in week 2 in 2011
DB Jordan Smith - HM All-LSC in 2011 and 2009, 2nd team in 2010, 59 tackles
DB Curtis Slater - 51 tackles, 5 TFL, 2 Ints, 6 passes broken up
DB Dwight Morrison - 25 tackles, 3.5 TFL
P Kevin VanVoris - 1st All-LSC, 42.9 punting average, 63 yd kickoff average
K Sergio Castillo - 1st All-LSC, 49-50 PATs, 9-13 FGs


Who they brought in -
The defensive line should get some immediate help from Deone Bondurant, a two time all region selection at Solano CC (131 tackles, 35.5 TFL, 11 sacks in two seasons) and Ethan Westbrooks, all region at Sacremento State (48 tackles, 21 TFL, 10.5 sacks last year).  Bryan Johnson, LaBrandon Mosley and Nick Whitt will compete for time at LB.  On the offensive side of the ball, look for Josh Williams to see time on the offensive line, Sean Morris at WR, and Cedric Foster at RB.

From the high school ranks, some players to keep an eye on - RBs Tyrell Preston, and Kaylon Jackson, WRs D'lon Fusilier and Van Powell, TE J. B. Frontz (1st team TSWA All-State), DT Roland Gonzalez (2nd team AP All State), LBs Phillip Sorrells (3rd team TSWA All-State) and Alex Olson, and DBs Evan Lyons (2nd All San Antonio Area), Danzell Barrett, Quinten McCoy, Eddie Parrish, and Shammah Saidi.


Overall Grade - B
The Buffs lost a lot on the defensive side of the ball.  They brought in some transfers to fill holes in the defensive line and linebacker corps, but not for the secondary.  Offensively, the needs were not so severe, but depth was brought in.  The high school prospects were not as numerous as in recent years and, at least on paper, not as highly projected.  We expect some late summer additions as camp starts, so this grade could be adjusted.

LSC Roundup 7-24

TWU volleyball earns AVCA Team Academic Award - TWU Volleyball

Monday, July 23, 2012

LSC Roundup 7-23

2012 Road to Enshrinement: Ron Harms - College Football Hall of Fame
Ron Harms enjoyed a 33-year career as a head coach at three different football programs in which he won 14 conference championships and one NAIA national title.

In 1979, Harms experienced ultimate success in his first year at Texas A&M - Kingsville, posting a 12-1 record while winning the NAIA national championship and the Lone Star Conference title. Over the following 20 seasons, Harms guided the Javelinas to 10 Lone Star Conference crowns, including six consecutive from 1992-97, and 12 seasons of eight or more wins. He pushed Texas A&M - Kingsville to a 172-72 record before his retirement following the 1999 season.

In his entire coaching career, Coach Ron Harms has been honored as the NAIA Coach of the Year, the AFCA Regional Coach of the Year, the NAIA District Coach of the Year, the CNN NCAA Division II Coach of the Year and the Lone Star Conference Coach of the Year.

"I'm certainly very grateful for the honor, and I will be happy to accept it on behalf of the players and coaches because this is a team deal,” Coach Harms said about his inclusion in the College Football Hall of Fame. “I always got great support from our administration and I was always surrounded by a lot of outstanding people."


Gholson: McNair Jr. is not a Mustang just yet - Nick Gholson, Times Record News
Steve McNair Jr. is reportedly coming to play football at Midwestern State.  That story has been all over the Internet this week. There are even some reports that the son of the former Super Bowl quarterback has already signed with MSU.

None of this is true. Not yet, anyway.





Due to rising costs associated with running athletic events, the spouses and dependents of Abilene Christian University's faculty and staff will have to purchase tickets to attend any of the college's sporting events for the  2012-2013 academic year



PORTALES, N.M. — Mike Harney, the head coach for the cross country and track & field teams at Eastern New Mexico University, has announced the signing of 19 student athletes for the upcoming season. In addition to the athletes previously added to the cross country teams (Greyhounds/Zias), the Greyhound track & field team added nine student athletes, while the Zias will gain 10 new teammates for the 2013 season.

The Hounds and Zias totaled three transfers, while combining to add 16 freshmen. Of the 19 signees, 10 come from New Mexico, with four coming from either California or Oregon.

Greyhounds
Transferring to ENMU to compete for the Greyhounds are Cordero Bonamy (Jr., Bahamas/Dickinson State) and Richie Garban (Jr., Salinas, Calif./Hartnell CC). The incoming freshman class includes Daniel Forbush (Fr., Alamogordo, N.M./Alamogordo HS), Renanzo Williams (Fr., Clarksville, Tenn./Vilseck HS), Lucas Romero (Fr., Bosque Farms, N.M./Valencia HS), Zach Castro (Fr., Denver, Colo./Westminster HS), Kamron McKnight (Fr., Albuquerque, N.M./La Cueva HS), Santana Zamora (Fr., Mountainair, N.M./Mountainair HS) and Ricky Milks (Fr., Las Cruces, N.M./Mayfield HS).

Field Athletes:
McKnight cleared 22’-8” in the long jump, Forbush and Romero both cleared a height of 14’ in the pole vault, Williams posted a distance of 45’-9.5” in the triple jump, Castro recorded a height of 6’-5” in the high jump

Track Athletes:
Bonamy timed *10.53 in the 100m and *21.4 in the 200m, Garban timed 52.29 in the 400m and 1:59 in the 800m, Zamora timed 49.6 in the 400m, McKnight timed 22.9 in the 200m, Milks timed 10.67 in the 100m and 21.7 in the 200m.

Zias
After Kristine-May Olivas (Jr., Salinas, Calif./Hartnell CC) transferred to Eastern, the Zias added a talented group of freshman, which include: Clarissa Salazar (Fr., Tucson, Ariz./Tucson High Magnet School), Laura Grube (Fr., Eugene, Ore./Crow HS), Adrienne Trujillo, Angelique Williams (Fr., Portland, Ore./Union HS), Marlena Lopez (Fr., Carlsbad, N.M./Carlsbad HS), Jenae Wolfram (Fr., Los Lunas, N.M./Valencia HS), Evyn Gallegos (Fr., Hobbs, N.M./Hobbs HS), Shatia Phillips (Fr., Clovis, N.M./Clovis HS) and Candace Eckels (Fr., San Diego, Calif./Westminster HS).
Field Athletes:
Salazar threw the shot put 38’-2”, Grube tossed the javelin *132’-4”, Trujillo tossed the shot put 40’-1”, Williams threw the javelin *131’-11”, Lopez threw the javelin 120’-8”, Wolfram tossed the shot put 36’-7”, Gallegos threw the shot put 39’5”, Eckels cleared 5’-4” in the high jump, 36’-3” in the triple jump and 16’-8.5” in the long jump
                                                                                     
Track Athletes:                                                                                                   
Olivas timed 12.63 in the 100m, Phillips timed 12.14 in the 100m
                                                                                            
*Would be a NCAA Qualifier




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