Bearkats quarterback Ryan Humphries scrambles for a first down as SHSU worked its way toward the red zone. Photographer: Hannah TrojanSam Houston State University football upset the No. 9
Nicholls Colonels 17-0 to win their eleventh consecutive Homecoming game and
jump to first place in the Southland Conference.
The victory was a bounce back performance for SHSU
coming off a demoralizing triple overtime loss to Lamar last week.
“We’re coming after everybody,” head coach K.C. Keeler said. “That’s kind of the mindset our kids have. We just have to go find a way to win. We couldn’t find a way to win last week, and they could have easily folded their hands, and they didn’t. [This is] one of the special victories in my career.”
After the Bearkats defense forced a quick Nicholls punt on the opening drive of the game, the offense took the field with a variety of quarterback packages that kept the Colonels’ defense off balance all day.
Freshman wide receiver Ryan Humphries came into the
game and showed off his athleticism by playing quarterback, running a few plays
on the ground for 16 yards that eventually set up a 15-yard touchdown pass from
junior quarterback Ty Brock to junior receiver Brennon Tibbs—his first of the
year— giving the Kats a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.
“We went into this thing saying ‘We’re going to play
defense and we’re going to play three quarterbacks,’” Keeler said. “We’re going
to have a package for Noah [Smith], a package for [Humphries] and a package for
Ty [Brock]. We have five quarterbacks on scholarship; all five are hurt. The
frustrating part is I know how good my football team is, and we have just come
up against it at the quarterback spot.”
The Kats offense played their packages well, with
Humphries leading the ground game with 39 yards on 11 carries and Brock leading
the air assault with 116 yards and a touchdown. Humphries also had an impact
with his arm, completing five of his six passes for 75 yards and a touchdown.
Humphries credited his teammates and the guys around
him for his success against one of the best teams in the nation.
After allowing an early second quarter field goal to
the Kats, Nicholls needed to bounce back— only to encounter a Bearkats defense that
was relentlessly ready to play. A sack by senior Royce See forced a punt, and
things went downhill from there for the Colonels.
Their next offensive position was a one-and-done play
as junior Zyon McCollum forced a fumble that was recovered by senior linebacker
Hunter Brown midway through the second quarter.
“Coach Carlin [defensive coordinator] preaches every
day swarming and competing,” Brown said. “Our guys do a great job of holding
each other to a high standard. We were swarming and giving relentless effort.”
Another stop by the Kats on fourth down forced a
turnover on downs as graduate defensive back Dwayne Williams made a
momentum-halting tackle.
In the third quarter, sophomore defensive back Ke’Shon
Murray intercepted a pass at the Colonels’ 47-yard line, setting up the Kats
for a one-play touchdown connection from Humphries to freshman receiver Ife
Adeyi, giving the Kats a 17-0 lead entering the fourth quarter.
Photographer: Colton Foster
“We’ve been working on that play all week,” Humphries said. “There are a lot of moving parts. The offensive line [got] out in front of Ife who is the fastest guy on the field, and it’s tough as a defense with all those moving parts.”
With nine minutes left in the game, the Kats had an
opportunity to end any likely chance of a comeback. SHSU stopped Nicholls’
fourth down run for a turnover on downs, and the Colonels were never able to
get anything going after that.
The Kats ran 61 plays and put up 295 yards of total
offense. The game was won on turnovers and in the red zone, where SHSU scored
on two of its three trips. Senior tight end Woody Brandom led the team in
receptions with five for 90 yards, while Adeyi and Tibbs each scored a
touchdown and Nathan Stewart finished the game without a catch for the first
time in his collegiate career.
The Kats defense never let up, limiting the Colonels
to 271 total yards. Dating back to last week against Lamar, SHSU’s defense has
not been scored on in eight consecutive quarters of regulation.
Photographer: Hannah TrojanBrown tallied 10 tackles and a fumble recovery and See
added on 10 tackles of his own to go with his 1.5 sacks. An interception and a
pair of fumble recoveries allowed SHSU to win the turnover battle three to
zero.
“I think this defense is playing as well as any
defense in the country,” Keeler said. “They don’t panic. Hunter and Royce
really just take control of that whole defense.”
The Kats will travel to Conway, Arkansas to play the
University of Central Arkansas Bears (3-1) on Oct. 26 at 6 p.m.