K.C. Keeler’s phone buzzed on a Thursday morning last October, the day after another crushing mid-week loss amid an 0–8 start. It was a text from Willie Fritz. Just the man he wanted to hear from.

Fritz is highly regarded at Sam Houston, its former head coach from 2010-13, whom Keeler succeeded. The two men led the Bearkats to FCS dominance. Now, the program was slightly shell-shocked in its first FBS season. 

Two years ago, Fritz’s Tulane team went 2–10. The following season, the Green Wave won the Cotton Bowl. Tell me you always had hope, Keeler asked. Fritz responded that the team was always devastated after the game. Once it hit the weight room, you couldn’t tell if they’d won or lost. 

Keeler breathed a sigh of relief. When he entered the weight room on Sunday, his team’s energy was still electric. He knew then Sam Houston would work its way out of this.

“I think one of the most rewarding seasons of my career was last year, where we found a way to win three out of the last four,” Keeler said. “And those kids never quit. Even the most devastating loss, they would play to the very end. I think it showed the character and also the culture we have.”

But while the last quarter of the season was rewarding, the first three were unacceptable. Sam Houston looked into the proverbial mirror and owned its 3–9 record. Reflection leads to an awareness of how it happened and how to fix it.

Sam Houston surrendered a two-point conversion with 13 seconds left to Jacksonville State in an overtime loss. It drove 96 yards against Liberty but couldn’t get the winning touchdown. The Bearkats beat FIU if they stop a fourth-and-18 quarterback scramble. It led UTEP, 27-13, with less than two minutes left in the third quarter. A fourth-and-goal pass to beat Western Kentucky was intercepted.

“It got to the point where we were playing not to lose,” wide receiver Noah Smith said.

Keeler has spent his offseason searching the weight room, the practice field and the film room for the five plays that could have won five games. 

His first diagnosis was that Sam Houston needed to get physically stronger. Keeler and former football strength coach Parker Whiteman moved spring practice back to the latest it has ever been so the team could spend eight straight weeks in the weight room. Once Whiteman left for Jacksonville State, Keeler hired Kevin Schadt, UTEP’s director of strength and conditioning, to oversee the offseason.

“The only team we felt was more physical than we were was UTEP,” Keeler said.

Four of five starters return from an offensive line that struggled in its first FBS season, paving the way for just 88 rushing yards per game. Keeler says the players felt a physical boost with a delayed spring period and a three-day lifting schedule on practice off days. 

In fact, Sam Houston is essentially the same team from last season, whereas plenty of Group of Five programs suffer a mass Transfer Portal exodus.The roster continuity is a testament to culture; the coaches believe it will lead to a better season.

“It’s the benefit of not losing a bunch of seniors, not losing a bunch of guys, everybody’s a year older and a year stronger,” offensive coordinator Brad Cornelsen said.

However, a similar defensive cast has a new director. Skyler Cassity first popped on Keeler’s radar when they played Abilene Christian in 2022. After the game, his offensive coaches told him ACU’s young defensive coordinator had an answer for everything they threw at him.

“I thought I had to interview him because of the conversations we had about him,” Keeler said. “But I wasn’t sold that I had to hire him until I interviewed him.”

For every curveball Keeler lobbed, Cassity smacked a base hit. He may be 29, but he’s been a lifelong student of the game. His father, Mike, was a Division I defensive coordinator for 22 years. 

The ongoing construction surrounding Sam Houston’s spring practice is a constant reminder that FBS transitions take time. Records don’t lie, but the conclusions drawn from them can. Sam Houston can compete at the highest level. It didn’t make the move to just compete.

 

OFFENSIVE BREAKDOWN

It’s difficult to receive a passing grade for the semester after failing the first three tests. Sam Houston’s dismal offensive output was anchored by a brutal non-conference schedule. The Bearkats averaged 25 points and 366 yards per Conference USA game, which would’ve put them middle-of-the-pack.

“It was pretty apparent to all of us, right away after the Jacksonville State and Liberty (games), ‘Hell yeah. We’re good enough,’” offensive coordinator Brad Cornelsen said. “We just didn’t play good enough football.”

Too often, Sam Houston drove the field and couldn’t finish. There are two glaring problems to fix - the run game and the deep passing attack. Both hinge on the offensive line play.

Sam Houston returns four of five starters on the line from last year, all juniors and above. But they, and every position, will have competition to retain their spots. Redshirt sophomore tackle Orion Irving is a young buck with big-time potential. Ethan Hagler is the group’s leader who can play either center or guard.

Wide receiver Noah Smith had more than double the receptions of the next leading receiver as Sam Houston prioritized a quick passing game. The distribution should even out with the return of sixth-year senior Ife Adeyi, whom head coach K.C. Keeler calls one of the fastest players in the country. Qua’Vez Humphreys is a deep-threat who missed last season due to injury.

Zach Hrbacek came into 2023 with high expectations and carried the ball only 37 times as he battled injury. He’ll compete for the No. 1-role with the group’s ‘OG’, John Gentry, last year’s leading rusher. Adrian Murdaugh, a former walk-on wide receiver, has a different gear to him.

The quarterback battle is a three-man competition that’ll extend deep into fall camp. Grant Gunnell, Texas’s all-time leading high school passer, backed up Keegan Shoemaker last year. He’ll be pushed by Central Michigan transfer Jase Bauer and former JUCO national champion Hunter Watson.

 

PROJECTED OFFENSIVE STARTERS

WRX – No. 7 Qua’Vez Humphreys, 6-3, 215, Junction City, Kan

WRZ – No. 2 Ife Adeyi, 5-10, 175, Mansfield

Slot – No. 6 Noah Smith, 5-10, 190, Houston

LT – No. 59 Graceson Jackson-Smith, 6-4, 310, Monroe, LA
LG – No. 73 MarKendrick Beall, 6-4, 330, Longview
C – No. 57 Ethan Hagler, 6-2, 305, Cove
RG – No. 71 James Dawn II, 6-4, 315, New Braunfels

RT – No. 78 Orion Irving, 6-6, 290, Houston

TE – No. 19 Elijah Sohn, 6-4, 250, Aledo
QB – No. 8 Jase Bauer, 6-2, 220, Ankeny, IA

RB – No. 1 John Gentry, 5-11, 205, Houston

K – No. 47 Colby Sessums 6-1, 185, Haslet

P - No. 43 Jadon Cardell 6-0, 205 Cedar Hill

 

POSITION GRADES

WR - A-

TE - B-

OL - C

RB - B-

QB - C+

 

BREAKOUT CANDIDATES

WR Lonnie Adkism – The talented redshirt freshman took every snap with the No. 1 offense in spring practice after seven wide receivers were sidelined with injuries. Adkism seized his moment. Did he earn more?

TE Fernando Garza III – Garza, a Texas A&M transfer, is a throwback-style tight end. At 6-foot-6 and 250 pounds, he can put his hand down on the line of scrimmage and create rushing lanes.

RB Landan “Coco” Brown – With Hrbacek out for the spring, Brown and fellow freshman DJ McKinney got the bulk of the reps. The former Denton star ran for 1,800 yards as a senior.

OT Orion Irving – Irving started each of the final five games of the season at left tackle, earning Conference USA All-Freshman honors. There are upperclassmen ahead of him, but Irving may be too talented to sideline.

 

KEEP AN EYE ON

K.C. Keeler and Brad Cornelsen both favor three-step dropbacks in the passing game, but they know Sam Houston relied too heavily on it last season. Part of this was due to deep threats Ife Adeyi and Qua’Vez Humphreys missing the majority of the season. Another reason was they couldn’t run the football, instead having to pick up early-down four-yard gains through the air. That strategy is unsustainable. Sam Houston will attempt to establish the run this season. But if the offense starts dinking and dunking as Conference USA play wears on, it signals it doesn’t have the protection for deep passes nor the push for runs.

DEFENSIVE BREAKDOWN

New defensive coordinator Skyler Cassity may be the youngest DC in the FBS, but his playbook predates him. His father, Mike, has been a defense-oriented coach for over 40 years. 

Cassity will base out of a 4-2-5 structure but isn’t married to it. He and head coach K.C. Keeler both believe in doing what the players do best, keeping the scheme simple so they can play fast. Sam Houston was fourth in the conference in total defense, but untimely mistakes cost them too many games.

The team speed starts at linebacker with senior Kavian Gaither. The days of the midwest Mike linebacker are over for Cassity, and the 6-foot, 215-pound Gaither’s range and football IQ allow him to play bigger than his stature. He is the team’s leader after the departure of last year’s leading tackler Trevor Williams.

Sam Houston was second-to-last in Conference USA with just 17 sacks, but the coaches are high on the defensive ends they return. Redshirt senior Jevon Leon was an FCS All-American who battled injury last season. Issiah Nixon led the Bearkats with five sacks. Chris Murray, a former TCU transfer, was a riser in spring camp.

The interior defensive line is more murky after losing last year’s two starters. The staff feels they have four guys that can play after spring practice. Seth Mason and Matthew Aribisala got the most playing time last season.

The secondary is the defense’s deepest group, where upperclassmen will hold the majority of starting positions. Redshirt juniors David Fisher and Caleb Weaver are steady presences in the backfield. Gaither mentioned Weaver as a vocal leader in spring camp. Cornerback Da’Veawn Armstead only played the first four games last season to preserve a redshirt, but Cassity has confidence he can go on an island in one-on-one coverage. Liberty transfer Jaylon Jimmerson was a critical addition this offseason.

 

PROJECTED DEFENSIVE STARTERS

DE – #1 Jevon Leon, 6-3, 260, Houston

NT – #90 Richard Outland, 6-3, 290, Houston

DT– #96 Matthew Aribisala, 6-3, 290, Cedar Hill

DE – #18 Issiah Nixon, 6-1, 240, Missouri City

LB – #14 Kavian Gaither, 6-0, 215, Waco

LB – #8 Sincere Jackson, 6-2, 230, Fresno, CALIF

CB – #2 Da’Veawn Armstead, 6-1, 185, Baton Rouge, LA

CB – #5 David Fisher, 6-0, 180, Houston

S – #3 Caleb Weaver, 5-11, 190, Houston

S – #22 Jaidan Scott, 6-0, 185, Houston

NB – #13 Jaylon Jimmerson, 5-10, 205, Pittsburg

POSITION GRADES

DL - B -

LB - B

DB - B+

 

BREAKOUT CANDIDATES

DE Chris Murray – Murray put on 15 pounds of muscle and was difficult to block in spring practice. Sam Houston is going to scheme him into one-on-one pass rush opportunities. When that happens, watch out.

CB Da’Veawn Armstead – Armstead, a former TCU transfer, has NFL-type length from the corner spot and is continuing to develop his technique. He got action against two Big 12 teams last season before redshirting.

S Jaylon Jimmerson – Jimmerson was rotating in the backfield throughout spring practice, but his role could expand after safety Da’Marcus Crosby transferred. He had 22 tackles, four of which came behind the line of scrimmage, at Liberty.

NT Richard Outland – Outland was hurt the majority of the 2023 season and maintained a redshirt. The Alief Taylor alum emerged as a potential starter on the interior defensive line in spring camp.

 

KEEP AN EYE ON

Sam Houston should feel great about its secondary and edge defenders. The Bearkats have the athletes to play in space. But the middle of the defense - the interior tackles and middle linebacker - lost a lot of production. Linebacker Trevor Williams finished second in Conference USA with 135 tackles, while Akeem ‘Meatball’ Smith and Chris Scott were stalwarts on the line. Linebacker Kavian Gaither has already proven he can lead the defense, when he won WAC Player of the Year in 2022 while Williams redshirted, but who steps in at tackle? Sam Houston brought in SMU transfer Dylan Frazier to compete with returners Matthew Aribisala, Richard Outland and Seth Mason.

 

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT

The best season of Noah Smith’s career began in head coach K.C. Keeler’s office, learning he was falling short of expectations.

Frankly, the entire Sam Houston offense was. It had scored 10 points in the first three games of FBS football. In the latest loss to Houston, Smith had one reception for three yards. He also dropped two, though he insists the sun was in his eyes.

But this wasn’t a scolding. Keeler knew Smith - having coached him since 2019. His receiver was panicking, and it was affecting his productivity. Smith was crumbling under the pressure to single-handedly replace injured receivers Ife Adeyi and Qua’Vez Humphreys. He needed to be Noah Smith. 

“We can have those direct and honest conversations with our players,” Keeler said. “I treat them very much like I treat my own children. There’s sometimes brutal honesty that has to take place.”

The truth set Smith free. As the injuries on the offensive line and running back room compiled, Sam Houston prioritized the quick passing game, getting Smith the ball. Over the next eight games, he averaged 89 receiving yards and passed 2,500 all-purpose yards for his career. 

Smith carried the offense once he took the pressure of carrying the offense off himself.

“Whenever I think of an offensive dude who’s going to lead the team, I think of Noah Smith,” linebacker Kavian Gaither said.

Smith is the rare triple threat on the field. He’s a dynamic wide receiver, but Sam Houston handed him the ball 27 times last year. One of his first collegiate touchdowns was a pass to Adeyi.

He built this arsenal at Cy-Ridge High School, where he switched between running back and wide receiver for two years before playing quarterback his senior season. Smith is an athlete who is willing to line up anywhere, a mindset his older brother, Trelon, helped him mold. Noah watched Trelon rush for 2,270 yards as a senior before playing at Arizona State and Arkansas.

“He instilled the grind in me for sure - the love of the game,” Smith said. “I saw how hard he worked and his success early and knew it could be me.”

Of the nine receivers on the All-Conference USA team, Smith is the only one who didn’t declare for the NFL Draft or transfer. Sam Houston never gave up on him, and he won't either.

“Everything they told me they’d do for me they did, plus more,” Smith said. “They took care of me.”

 

CEILING/FLOOR

Ceiling: Sam Houston’s offensive line, bulked up from a new offseason program, holds its own in Conference USA while a steady hand emerges at quarterback to distribute to the Bearkats’ talented receivers. Kavian Gaither emerges as the leader on a defense prioritizing speed, and Sam Houston flips last year's record to 9–3.

Floor: 3-9 - Both sides of the line of scrimmage are overmatched, which neutralizes Sam Houston’s offense and exposes the lack of size on defense. The Bearkats shuffle through quarterbacks, seeking a spark that doesn’t come. Panic sets in as last year begins to repeat itself, which ultimately becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

 

DCTF'S TAKE

As the losses compounded, Sam Houston’s slump became a mental battle. The Bearkats were within one score in the fourth quarter in seven games. Sam Houston proves this year whether that trying time made it stronger, or if there are still scars. The Kats are proud to have retained most of their roster, citing the culture they’ve created. The continuity can pay off. It also limits their ceiling. The manpower along the line of scrimmage is the most drastic change from the FCS, and Sam Houston has kept the same linemen. A more favorable schedule and injury luck gets Keeler and Co. to .500. They didn’t make enough moves for more.

 

SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE

The best way to get into an ice tub is jumping all the way in. Sam Houston took that approach in its first FBS foray last season, facing two Big 12 teams, Air Force, and the three best Conference USA programs in the first six weeks. This schedule is more manageable. Three of the four non-conference games are against bowl teams, but the Bearkats stay local with bouts against Rice and Texas State. Sam Houston needs to stack wins in the conference openers against rebuilding New Mexico State and UTEP, because the slate closes strong with Jacksonville State and Liberty.

 

2023 Results

Sept. 2 – at BYU – L, 14-0

Sept. 9 – vs Air Force – L, 13–3

Sept. 23 – at Houston – L, 38-7

Sept. 28 – vs Jacksonville State – L, 35-28 (OT)

Oct. 5 – at Liberty – L, 21–16

Oct. 11 – at New Mexico State – L, 27-13

Oct. 18 – vs. FIU – L, 33-27 (2OT)

Oct. 25 – vs. UTEP – L, 37-34

Nov. 4 – vs. Kennesaw State – W, 24-21

Nov. 11 – at Louisiana Tech – W, 42-27

Nov. 18 – at Western Kentucky – L, 28-23

Nov. 25 – vs. Middle Tennessee – W, 23-20

Record: 3–9

 

2024 Prediction

Aug. 31 – at Rice, L

Sept. 7 – at UCF, L

Sept. 14 – vs. Hawaii, W

Sept. 21 – vs. New Mexico State, W

Sept. 28 – vs. Texas State, L

Oct. 3 – at UTEP, W

Oct. 16 – vs. Western Kentucky, L

Oct. 22 – at FIU, L

Oct. 29 – vs. Louisiana Tech, W

Nov. 16 – at  Kennesaw State, W

Nov. 23 – at Jacksonville State, L

Nov. 30 – vs. Liberty, L

Record: 5–7