The Sam Houston Bearkats football program is the intercollegiate
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team wi ...
team for
Sam Houston State University located in the U.S. state of
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...
. The team competes in the
NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision
The NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), formerly known as Division I-AA, is the second-highest level of college football in the United States, after the Football Bowl Subdivision. Sponsored by the National Collegiate Athleti ...
(FCS) as a member of the
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference (WAC) is an NCAA Division I conference. The WAC covers a broad expanse of the western United States with member institutions located in Arizona, California, New Mexico, Utah, Washington, and Texas.
Due to mos ...
through the 2020–21 season. Sam Houston's first football team was fielded in 1912. The team plays its home games at the 12,593-seat
Bowers Stadium in
Huntsville, Texas
Huntsville is a city in and the county seat of Walker County, Texas. The population was 45,941 as of the 2020 census. It is the center of the Huntsville micropolitan area. Huntsville is in the East Texas Piney Woods on Interstate 45 and home ...
. On January 23, 2014,
K. C. Keeler
Kurt Charles Keeler (born July 26, 1959) is an American football coach and former player. He is the head football coach at Sam Houston State University, a position he had held since 2014. Previously, Keeler was the head coach at his alma mater, th ...
was named the 15th head coach in Sam Houston program history.
In July 2021, the Bearkats left the
Southland Conference
The Southland Conference, abbreviated as SLC, is a collegiate athletic conference which operates in the South Central United States (specifically Texas and Louisiana). It participates in the NCAA's Division I for all sports; for football, it ...
to join the
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference (WAC) is an NCAA Division I conference. The WAC covers a broad expanse of the western United States with member institutions located in Arizona, California, New Mexico, Utah, Washington, and Texas.
Due to mos ...
, which relaunched its
football league at the FCS level at that time.
Just a few months later, on November 5, 2021, the school accepted an invitation to join
Conference USA at the
NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level beginning in the 2023–24 season.
History
Sam Houston has fielded a football team since 1912 and have played continuously since 1946 following
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
. The only times the Bearkats did not field a football team were in 1918 for
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, from 1943 to 1945 for
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, and 2020 due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
(although they did get a make-up season in the spring of 2021). The Bearkats competed independently from 1912 through 1923, in the
Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association
The Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association (TIAA) was a college sports association that operated from 1909 to 1932. All of its members were located in the US state of Texas.
History
Founded in 1909 by Southwestern University, Austin College, ...
(TIAA) from 1924 to 1931, in the
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) established in 1940, is a college athletics association for colleges and universities in North America. Most colleges and universities in the NAIA offer athletic scholarships to its st ...
(NAIA) from 1932 to 1981, in
NCAA Division II
NCAA Division II (D-II) is an intermediate-level division of competition in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). It offers an alternative to both the larger and better-funded Division I and to the scholarship-free environmen ...
from 1982 to 1985 and in the
Southland Conference
The Southland Conference, abbreviated as SLC, is a collegiate athletic conference which operates in the South Central United States (specifically Texas and Louisiana). It participates in the NCAA's Division I for all sports; for football, it ...
of the
NCAA Division I FCS
The NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), formerly known as Division I-AA, is the second-highest level of college football in the United States, after the Football Bowl Subdivision. Sponsored by the National Collegiate Athletic ...
from 1986 to 2021. In July 2021, The Bearkats left the
Southland Conference
The Southland Conference, abbreviated as SLC, is a collegiate athletic conference which operates in the South Central United States (specifically Texas and Louisiana). It participates in the NCAA's Division I for all sports; for football, it ...
to join the
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference (WAC) is an NCAA Division I conference. The WAC covers a broad expanse of the western United States with member institutions located in Arizona, California, New Mexico, Utah, Washington, and Texas.
Due to mos ...
, which relaunched its
football league at the FCS level at that time.
Just a few months later, on November 5, 2021, the school accepted an invitation to join
FBS Conference USA beginning in the 2023-24 season.
The Bearkats won their first
FCS National Championship in the 2020-21 college football season, beating
South Dakota State 23-21.
The Bearkats have 15 conference championships, and have seen postseason NCAA playoff action in 13 seasons, with back-to-back NCAA Division I Championship game appearances in 2011–2012.
Sam Houston State also has 3 bowl victories in four games, and one claimed National Championship from NAIA in the 1964 season.
Head coaches
Ron Randleman is Sam Houston's and the Southland Conference's all-time winningest coach with 132 wins over a span of 23 years. Randleman also won conference Coach of the Year honors on four occasions, in the Gulf Star Conference in 1985 and 1986, and in the Southland Conference in 1991, and 2001.
Paul Pierce
Paul Anthony Pierce (born October 13, 1977) is an American former professional basketball player. He played 19 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA), predominantly with the Boston Celtics. He was most recently an analyst on ESPN ...
coached the Bearkats to its only National Championship as a member of NAIA, and also won the 1965 Knute Rockne Little All-American Coach of the Year award.
Willie Fritz
Willie Fritz (born April 2, 1960) is an American football coach and former player. He is the head football coach at Tulane. Fritz served as the head football coach at University of Central Missouri from 1997 to 2009, Sam Houston State University ...
coached Sam Houston to back-to-back conference championships and back-to-back national title game appearances in only three years, while being awarded the 2011 AFCA National Coach of the Year award and the 2012 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year award. He was also named the 2012 AFCA Regional Coach of the Year.
On January 23, 2014, former
Delaware head coach
K. C. Keeler
Kurt Charles Keeler (born July 26, 1959) is an American football coach and former player. He is the head football coach at Sam Houston State University, a position he had held since 2014. Previously, Keeler was the head coach at his alma mater, th ...
was named the 15th head coach in Sam Houston program history. So far, he has arguably had the most success as a Sam Houston head coach boasting a .777 overall win percentage and a .736 playoff win percentage, in addition to winning a conference title four out of his eight seasons as head coach, and a Division I national championship in 2020. Sidenote: Keeler has only lost a home playoff game once in his entire career as a head coach.
Championships
National championships
Sam Houston has two national championships, with one during their tenure in the
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) established in 1940, is a college athletics association for colleges and universities in North America. Most colleges and universities in the NAIA offer athletic scholarships to its st ...
and the other coming in FCS. In their NAIA championship game, they played
Concordia Cobbers for the championship, with the game resulting in a tie, becoming co-champions with Moorhead.
In their third
FCS championship game, they defeated
South Dakota State to win their first
FCS national championship.
Conference championships
Sam Houston has won 15 conference titles, seven shared and eight outright.
† Denotes shared title.
Conference affiliations
* 1912–1923: Independent
* 1924–1930:
Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association
The Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association (TIAA) was a college sports association that operated from 1909 to 1932. All of its members were located in the US state of Texas.
History
Founded in 1909 by Southwestern University, Austin College, ...
* 1931–1983:
Lone Star Conference
The Lone Star Conference (LSC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division II level. Member institutions are located in the southwestern United States, with schools in T ...
(
NAIA)
* 1984–1986:
Gulf Star Conference (
Division I FCS
The NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), formerly known as Division I-AA, is the second-highest level of college football in the United States, after the Football Bowl Subdivision. Sponsored by the National Collegiate Athletic ...
)
* 1987–2020:
Southland Conference
The Southland Conference, abbreviated as SLC, is a collegiate athletic conference which operates in the South Central United States (specifically Texas and Louisiana). It participates in the NCAA's Division I for all sports; for football, it ...
(Division I FCS)
* 2021–2023:
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference (WAC) is an NCAA Division I conference. The WAC covers a broad expanse of the western United States with member institutions located in Arizona, California, New Mexico, Utah, Washington, and Texas.
Due to mos ...
(
Division I FCS
The NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), formerly known as Division I-AA, is the second-highest level of college football in the United States, after the Football Bowl Subdivision. Sponsored by the National Collegiate Athletic ...
)
* 2023-Future:
Conference USA (
Division I FBS)
Bowl game appearances
Sam Houston appeared in five bowl games during their time in the NAIA, going 3–0–1 in these bowl games, with the final one notably being for the NAIA championship.
Playoff appearances
NCAA Division I-AA/FCS
The Bearkats have appeared in the I-AA/FCS playoffs 13 times with an overall record of 24–12. They were NCAA Division I National Champions in 2020.
NAIA
The Bearkats appeared in the NAIA playoffs one time, with a combined record of 1–0–1.
Home stadiums
Pritchett Field (1912–1985)
The Bearkats' home for football was on Pritchett Field for 73 years (1912–1985) beginning with their first football game against
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University (Rice University) is a private research university in Houston, Texas. It is on a 300-acre campus near the Houston Museum District and adjacent to the Texas Medical Center. Rice is ranked among the top universities ...
in 1912. The field was named after Joseph Pritchett, brother of the university's fourth president Henry Carr Pritchett, and former owner of the land the field rests on.
The final football game played on Pritchett Field was a victory for the Bearkats with a score of 51–7, defeating
Washburn University. Sam Houston Football began playing games at Bowers Stadium following the 1985 season. The complex is currently home to Sam Houston Women's Soccer and Club Lacrosse.
On April 18, 2013,
football was played on Pritchett Field for the first time since 1985 for the annual Orange-White spring game. The event also included the presentation of the
Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award
The Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award was an annual college football award given to the a head coach from each NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics amon ...
to head coach
Willie Fritz
Willie Fritz (born April 2, 1960) is an American football coach and former player. He is the head football coach at Tulane. Fritz served as the head football coach at University of Central Missouri from 1997 to 2009, Sam Houston State University ...
.
Bowers Stadium (1986–present)
Bowers Stadium, formerly Bearkat Stadium (1986–1989), is currently home to both Sam Houston Football and the Track and Field programs beginning with the 1986 season. Bowers Stadium has a capacity of 14,000. However, 16,148 fans packed Bowers Stadium in 1994 to watch
Alcorn State led by
NFL bound quarterback
Steve McNair
Stephen LaTreal McNair (February 14, 1973 – July 4, 2009),[Steve McNair Found Dead](_blank)
...
in a 48-23 SAM HOUSTON victory on regional ABC-TV.
McNair Hurt As Alcorn St. Loses, 48-23
''Washington Post'' (September 25, 1994). Retrieved 2014-7-17.
Rivalries
Stephen F. Austin
The Sam Houston/Stephen F. Austin rivalry game, also known as the Battle of the Piney Woods, is a yearly rivalry held at NRG Stadium
NRG Stadium, formerly Reliant Stadium, is a multi-purpose stadium in Houston, Texas, United States. Construction was completed in 2002, at a cost of $352 million and has a seating capacity of 72,220. It was the first NFL facility to have a retrac ...
in Houston
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 i ...
. The two teams have met 91 times with Sam Houston leading the series 60-34-2. The Battle of the Piney Woods is Texas' second longest FCS rivalry. The most recent meeting ending with the Bearkats defeating the Lumberjacks 21-20 and clinching their 10th win in a row. However, the rivalry is now in question as Sam Houston has officially announced their move from the Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference (WAC) is an NCAA Division I conference. The WAC covers a broad expanse of the western United States with member institutions located in Arizona, California, New Mexico, Utah, Washington, and Texas.
Due to mos ...
to Conference USA in 2023.
Texas State
Sam Houston State’s second longest rivalry (dating back to 1915) was Texas State University
Texas State University is a public research university in San Marcos, Texas. Since its establishment in 1899, the university has grown to the second largest university in the Greater Austin metropolitan area and the fifth largest university ...
. The two teams held annual rivalry games in mainly football and basketball with Texas State boasting a 50-37-5 record in football (last game in 2011) and a 64-51 record in men’s basketball (last game in 2012). The two universities are in the same university system (sharing many similarities) and competed in the same athletic conferences until Texas State left the Southland Conference
The Southland Conference, abbreviated as SLC, is a collegiate athletic conference which operates in the South Central United States (specifically Texas and Louisiana). It participates in the NCAA's Division I for all sports; for football, it ...
for the Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference (WAC) is an NCAA Division I conference. The WAC covers a broad expanse of the western United States with member institutions located in Arizona, California, New Mexico, Utah, Washington, and Texas.
Due to mos ...
in 2012, eventually ending up in the Sun Belt Conference only a year later in 2013.
Notable former players
Bearkats in the National Football League
Sam Houston has had 37 alumni play in the National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
, with 19 players selected in the Draft
Draft, The Draft, or Draught may refer to:
Watercraft dimensions
* Draft (hull), the distance from waterline to keel of a vessel
* Draft (sail), degree of curvature in a sail
* Air draft, distance from waterline to the highest point on a vesse ...
. During the 2018 NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders selected defensive lineman P. J. Hall in the second round. This represents the highest a Bearkat player has been drafted by an NFL team.
* Timothy Flanders (2014-2015), RB, New Orleans Saints, Clevland Browns
* Timothy Flanders CFL (2015-Present), RB/WR, BC Lions
The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Lions compete in the West Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL), and play their home games at BC Place.
The Lions played their first seas ...
, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a professional Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Blue Bombers compete in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member club of the league's West division. They play their home games at IG Fie ...
, Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a professional Canadian football team based in Calgary, Alberta. The Stampeders compete in the West Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL). The club plays its home games at McMahon Stadium and are the third-o ...
, Ottawa RedBlacks
*Scorpio Babers (2008–2009), CB, Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team p ...
, Green Bay Packers
* Michael Bankston (1992–2000), DL, Arizona Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals
* Stan Blinka (1979–1983), LB, New York Jets
*Rhett Bomar
Rhett Matthew Bomar (born July 2, 1985) is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Oklahoma and Sam Houston State. He w ...
(2009–2012), QB, New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...
, Oakland Raiders
*Davion Davis
Davion Davis (born October 23, 1996) is an American football wide receiver for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Sam Houston State. He has also been a member of the Minnesota Vikings, ...
(2019–Present), WR, Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...
, Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (A ...
* Keith Davis (2002–2008), DB, Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divi ...
* Tim Denton (1998–2000), DB, Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
, San Diego Chargers
* Johnnie Dirden (1978–1981), WR, Houston Oilers
The Houston Oilers were a professional American football team that played in Houston from its founding in 1960 to 1996 before relocating to Memphis, and later Nashville, Tennessee becoming the Tennessee Titans. The Oilers began play in 1960 a ...
, Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division.
The ...
, Pittsburgh Steelers
* Trey Diller (2013), WR, Carolina Panthers
* Matt Dominguez (2001), TE, Denver Broncos
* Lac Edwards (2016–2021), P, New York Jets
* P. J. Hall (2018–Present), DT, Oakland Raiders
* Odie Harris (1988–1995), DB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (A ...
, Arizona Cardinals, Houston Oilers
*Keith Heinrich
Keith Charles Heinrich (born March 19, 1979) is a former American football tight end. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the sixth round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He was a two-sport star at Sam Houston State Bearkats#Football, Sam Houston S ...
(2002–2004, 2007), TE, Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
* Jimmy Hill (1955–1966), DB, Chicago/St. Louis Cardinals, Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs
* Ed Kallina (1928), OL, Chicago Bears
*Garry Kimble
Garry Kimble (born 6 August 1966) is an English former professional Association football, footballer.
Career
Kimble, along with his twin brother Alan Kimble, Alan, started his career as a trainee at Charlton Athletic F.C., Charlton Athletic wh ...
(1987), CB, Washington Redskins
* Josh McCown (2002–2020), QB, Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions, Oakland Raiders, Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team p ...
, Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
, Chicago Bears, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Houston Texans
* Guido Merkens (1978–1987), DB QB P WR, Houston Oilers, New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles
* Mike Nelms (1980–1984), DB, Washington Redskins
* Ralph Ruthstrom (1945–1949), FB HB QB, Cleveland/LA Rams, Washington Redskins, Baltimore Colts
*Julian Spence
Julian Carroll Spence (May 5, 1929 – March 6, 1990) was an American football defensive back who played two seasons with the Houston Oilers of the American Football League (AFL). He played college football at Sam Houston State University and att ...
(1956–1961), DB, Chicago Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
, Houston Oilers
* D. D. Terry (2007–2008), RB, Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team pla ...
, Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division, and play their home ga ...
*George Wright George Wright may refer to:
Politics, law and government
* George Wright (MP) (died 1557), MP for Bedford and Wallingford
* George Wright (governor) (1779–1842), Canadian politician, lieutenant governor of Prince Edward Island
* George Wright ...
(1970–1972), DT, Baltimore Colts, Cleveland Browns
Individual awards
National awards
Sam Houston has had a total of 88 players selected into the College Football All-America Team
The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best college football players in the United States at their respective positions. The original use of the term ''All-America'' seems to have been to the 1889 College Football ...
, including 58 NCAA All-Americans and 30 NAIA All-Americans. A number of these players have also been considered for major national awards. In 2016, quarterback Jeremiah Briscoe became the first Bearkat to win the Payton Award. In 2017 he became the first Bearkat to win two Payton Awards and only the second FCS player to win multiple Payton Awards after former Appalachian State quarterback Armanti Edwards became the first in 2009.
''Major honors''
* Walter Payton Award Finalists
Most Outstanding FCS Offensive Player
:Chris Chaloupka, QB, 1999 – 13th
: Josh McCown, QB, 2001 – 7th
: Dustin Long, QB, 2004 – 2nd
:D. D. Terry, RB, 2006 – 16th
: Timothy Flanders, RB, 2011 – 7th, 2012 – 13th
:Jeremiah Briscoe
Jeremiah Briscoe (born August 15, 1993) is a former gridiron football quarterback. He played college football at Sam Houston State, where he was a two-time winner of the Walter Payton Award. He played for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian ...
, QB, 2016 - Winner, 2017 Winner
* Buck Buchanan Award Finalists
Most Outstanding FCS Defensive Player
:Keith Davis, DB, 2001 – 7th
:Darnell Taylor, S, 2012 – 14th
: P. J. Hall, DE, 2016 - 3rd
:Derick Roberson
Derick Roberson (born November 15, 1995) is an American football linebacker for the Houston Roughnecks of the XFL. He played college football at Sam Houston State.
Professional career Tennessee Titans
Roberson was signed by the Tennessee Tita ...
, DE, 2018 - 2nd
*AFCA Coach of the Year
The AFCA Coach of the Year Award is given annually to a college football coach by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). The award has had several different sponsors over the years, including Eastman Kodak Corporation, and thus also b ...
:Willie Fritz, National, 2011
:Willie Fritz, Regional, 2011 & 2012
*Eddie Robinson Award
The Eddie Robinson Award is awarded annually to college football's top head coach in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA). The award was established by The Sports Network, since merged into Stats Perform, ...
Coach of the Year
:K. C. Keeler
Kurt Charles Keeler (born July 26, 1959) is an American football coach and former player. He is the head football coach at Sam Houston State University, a position he had held since 2014. Previously, Keeler was the head coach at his alma mater, th ...
- 2016
Conference awards
Sam Houston has had 407 All-Conference selections and honorable mentions, including 202 in the Southland Conference, 25 in the Gulf Star Conference, 173 in the Lone Star Conference, and 7 in the Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association.
* Player of the Year
:Lanny Dycus, QB, Gulf Star (1985)
:Chris Chaloupka, QB, Southland (1999)
:Josh McCown, QB, Southland (2001)
:Dustin Long, QB, Southland (2004)
:Timothy Flanders, RB, Southland (2011 & 2012)
:Jeremiah Briscoe, QB, Southland (2016)
* Offensive Player of the Year
:Chris Chaloupka, QB, Southland (1999)
:D. D. Terry, RB, Southland (2006)
:Richard Sincere, WR, Southland (2011)
:Jared Johnson, QB, Southland (2015)
:Yedidiah Louis, WR, Southland (2016)
:Davion Davis, WR, Southland (2017)
* Defensive Player of the Year
:Keith Davis, DB, Southland (2000)
:Darnell Taylor, S, Southland (2011 & 2012)
:P.J. Hall, DE, Southland (2016)
* Freshman of the Year
:Bart Bradley, P, Gulf Star (1986)
:Victor McKnight, C, Southland (1996)
:Matt Dominguez, WR, Southland (1997)
:P.J. Hall, DE, Southland (2014)
:Nathan Stewart, WR, Southland (2016)
* Newcomer of the Year
:Tim Denton, DB, Southland (1995)
:Chris Chaloupka, QB, Southland (1999)
:Timothy Flanders, RB, Southland (2010)
* Coach of the Year
:Ron Randleman, Gulf Star (1986)
:Ron Randleman, Southland (1991 & 2001)
:Willie Fritz, Southland (2011)
:K. C. Keeler, Southland (2016)
Individual program records
Rushing records
*Most rushing attempts, career: 999, Timothy Flanders (2010–2013)
*Most rushing attempts, season: 298, Timothy Flanders (2011)
*Most rushing attempts, game: 39, Charles Harris vs North Texas
North Texas (also commonly called North Central Texas) is a term used primarily by residents of Dallas, Fort Worth, and surrounding areas to describe much of the north central portion of the U.S. state of Texas. Residents of the Dallas–Fort Wor ...
(1993)
*Most rushing yards, career: 5,664, Timothy Flanders (2010–2013)
*Most rushing yards, season: 1,644, Timothy Flanders (2011)
*Most rushing yards, game: 287, Timothy Flanders vs Montana
Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbi ...
(2011)
*Most rushing touchdowns, career: 66, Timothy Flanders (2010–2013)
*Most rushing touchdowns, season: 22, Timothy Flanders (2011)
*Most rushing touchdowns, game: 5, Timothy Flanders (September 20, 2011 vs. New Mexico
)
, population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano)
, seat = Santa Fe
, LargestCity = Albuquerque
, LargestMetro = Tiguex
, OfficialLang = None
, Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...
)
*Longest rush from scrimmage: 90 yards, Charles Harris vs Rice
Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima
''Oryza glaberrima'', commonly known as African rice, is one of the two domesticated rice species. It was first domesticated and grown i ...
(1993), Arthur Louis vs SFA (1978), Dennis Gann vs Texas A&I
Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by bo ...
(1966)
*Most games with at least 100 rushing yards, career: 30, Timothy Flanders (2010–2013)
*Most games with at least 100 rushing yards, season: 10, Timothy Flanders (2012)
*Most games with at least 200 rushing yards, career: 2, Charles Harris (1993), D. D. Terry (2006), Timothy Flanders (2011–2012)
*Most games with at least 200 rushing yards, season: 2, Charles Harris (1993, D. D. Terry (2006)
Passing records
*Most passing attempts, career: 1,328, Jeremiah Briscoe
Jeremiah Briscoe (born August 15, 1993) is a former gridiron football quarterback. He played college football at Sam Houston State, where he was a two-time winner of the Walter Payton Award. He played for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian ...
(2015–17)
*Most passing attempts, season: 579, Jeremiah Briscoe (2017)
*Most passing attempts, game: 69, Rhett Bomar
Rhett Matthew Bomar (born July 2, 1985) is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Oklahoma and Sam Houston State. He w ...
vs Southeastern Louisiana (2008)
*Most passing completions, career: 1,328, Jeremiah Briscoe (2015–17)
*Most passing completions, season: 333, Dustin Long (2004)
*Most passing completions, game: 38, Dustin Long vs Eastern Washington
Eastern Washington is the region of the U.S. state of Washington located east of the Cascade Range. It contains the city of Spokane (the second largest city in the state), the Tri-Cities, the Columbia River and the Grand Coulee Dam, the Hanfor ...
at FCS Quarterfinals (2004)
*Most passing yards, career: 11,488, Jeremiah Briscoe (2015–17)
*Most passing yards, season: 5,003, Jeremiah Briscoe (2004)
*Most passing yards, game: 577, Dustin Long vs McNeese State
McNeese State University is a public university in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Founded in 1939 as Lake Charles Junior College, it was renamed McNeese Junior College after John McNeese, an early local educator. The present name was adopted in 1970. ...
(2004)
*Most passing touchdowns, career: 116, Jeremiah Briscoe (2015–17)
*Most passing touchdowns, season: 57, Jeremiah Briscoe (2016)
*Most passing touchdowns, game: 7, Jeremiah Briscoe (2016)
*Longest pass completion: 99 yards, Binky Ford to Frankie Reescano vs Howard Payne University
Howard Payne University is a private Baptist university in Brownwood, Texas. It is affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Howard Payne College was founded by Reverend Noah T. Byers and Dr. John David Robnett in 1889. The institu ...
(1980)
*Most games with at least 300 passing yards, season: 11, Jeremiah Briscoe (2016)
*Most Victories as a Starting Quarterback: 39, Brian Bell (2010-2013)
Receiving records
*Most receptions, career: 294, Yedidiah Louis (2014-2017)
*Most receptions, season: 99, Jarrod Fuller (2004)
*Most receptions, game: 13, Four Times: Jason Mathenia (2004), Torrance Williams (2013), Davion Davis
Davion Davis (born October 23, 1996) is an American football wide receiver for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Sam Houston State. He has also been a member of the Minnesota Vikings, ...
(2017, 2018)
*Most receiving yards, career: 3,942, Yedidiah Louis (2014-2017)
*Most receiving yards, season: 1,648, Nathan Stewart (2017)
*Most receiving yards, game: 268, Nathan Stewart vs McNeese State
McNeese State University is a public university in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Founded in 1939 as Lake Charles Junior College, it was renamed McNeese Junior College after John McNeese, an early local educator. The present name was adopted in 1970. ...
(2016)
*Most touchdown receptions, career: 40, Davion Davis (2015-2018)
*Most touchdown receptions, season: 18, Jonathon Cooper (2001)
*Most touchdown receptions, game: 4, Matt Dominguez vs Nicholls State (1999)
*Longest pass reception: 97 yards, Frankie Reescano from Blinky Ford vs Howard Payne (1980)
*Most games with at least 100 receiving yards, career: 16, Nathan Stewart (2016-2019)
Defensive records
*Most tackles, career: 538, Stan Blinka (1975–1978)
*Most tackles, season: 211, Stan Blinka (1978)
*Most tackles, game: 24, Stan Blinka (1978 vs Stephen F. Austin)
*Most sacks, career: 42, P. J. Hall (2014-2017)
*Most sacks, season: 15, Andre Finley (1988)
*Most sacks, game: 4, Michael Bankston (1991 vs Angelo State
Angelo State University is a public university in San Angelo, Texas. It was founded in 1928 as San Angelo College. It gained university status and awarded its first baccalaureate degrees in 1967 and graduate degrees in 1969, the same year it too ...
), Will Henry (2010 vs Nicholls State)
*Most interceptions, career: 14, Daxton Swanson (2009–2012)
*Most interceptions, season: 8, Daxton Swanson (2011)
*Most interceptions, game: 3, Charles Stanley vs. Howard Payne (1977), Mark Hughes vs. McNeese State (2004)
Future non-conference opponents
Future non-conference opponents announced as of October 14, 2022.
* The Air Force game in 2023, will be played at NRG Stadium
NRG Stadium, formerly Reliant Stadium, is a multi-purpose stadium in Houston, Texas, United States. Construction was completed in 2002, at a cost of $352 million and has a seating capacity of 72,220. It was the first NFL facility to have a retrac ...
in Houston.
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sam Houston Bearkats Football
American football teams established in 1912
1912 establishments in Texas