Monthly Archives: September 2009

Be sure to check out the weekly Bobcat football live chat tomorrow (Wednesday) night at 7 p.m. on http://www.sanmarcosrecord.com. We’ll be chatting about Texas State’s last game vs. Texas Southern and the Bobcats’ trip to Southern Utah this Saturday.

Texas State vs. Texas Southern (Live Blog)

Quarterbacks usually have one trait that stands above the rest.

Warren Moon had a rocket for an arm and Randall Cunningham’s athleticism carried the Philadelphia Eagles. Brett Favre’s unquenchable desire forces him to stay in the NFL much longer than he should and Tony Romo has a penchant for costly mistakes.

While Texas State quarterback Bradley George (at right, Daily Record File Photo) has size and talent, it’s his leadership that guides the Bobcats.

“Maybe it’s because he’s 10 years older than everyone else on the team, but everybody looks up to him,” Texas State co-offensive coordinator Travis Bush said. “He stabilizes this team.”

George has been the Bobcats’ rock for the last five years. He stuck with the program through two coaching changes and took over as full-time signal caller in 2007.

While his statistics poke you in the chest (2,660 yards and 26 touchdowns in 2008), George’s poise wins you over. He’s a well-spoken man with a lot of experience and wants the best for his university.

“This is my last year, so I’m trying to make the most of it,” George said. “I want to take it game by game, but right now, anything less than another ring is a let-down to me.”

Don’t forget we’ve moved the live chat to tomorrow (Thursday) night at 8 p.m. It will still be held on the Daily Record’s Web site, so log on and join in.

If you take a look at the following video, you’ll see the difference between an FBS and FCS football team. While the FBS team has more scholarships at its disposal, it is also stronger. Not only does the team impose its will at the line of scrimmage, but also at first contact.

0:35 — TCU running back Ed Wesley runs over Texas State cornerback Will Thompson in the end zone. Wesley is only a freshman.

1:25 — TCU running back Joseph Turner lowers his shoulder and blasts Texas State defensive back Mario Wiggins, Jr. Turner did this all day against the Bobcats, as he rushed for 129 yards on 13 carries.

1:49 — Texas State’s defensive line had no resistance as Turner barreled into the end zone. Five Bobcats couldn’t keep Turner from pay dirt.

3:44 — Once again, Texas State’s defense couldn’t bring down Turner, as he shed three tackles on his way to the end zone. Travis Houston, T.P. Miller and Joshua Minde all can’t keep him from scoring.

I asked Texas State defensive coordinator Fred Bleil about what it takes to counter strength on the football field. He told me, “It’s nearly impossible, but you need to be sound in your fundamentals and have more guys gets to the ball at the point of attack. We’re still working on that right now.”

College Football

• Texas State had more first downs Saturday against TCU (15) than Virginia did a week earlier (7).
• The Bobcats’ special teams defense got a little better Saturday, but still allowed a 21-yard punt return and a 31-yard kickoff return. On the bright side, Ben Follis boomed a 56-yard punt and pinned two inside TCU’s 20-yard line.
• Texas State was victimized by the Horned Frogs’ quick passing. When the Bobcats did get a hand on Bart Johnson or Jeremy Kerley, they broke free with long gains of 19 and 20 yards, respectively.
• Freshman running back Frank Reddic led Texas State with 111 all-purpose yards, while Alvin Canady had 104. Reddic returned five kicks and had good field vision, finding the lanes of his 21-yard return

College Basketball

• Texas State will hold walk-on tryouts for the men’s basketball team Thursday, Oct. 8. Participants must be Bobcat students.
• Former Texas State guard Brandon Bush signed a professional contract with AD Vagos, a pro team in Portugal. Bush averaged 15.9 points per game last season with the Bobcats.

Texas State senior left tackle Alex Luna

I keep getting asked the same question by fans and friends: How can Texas State beat TCU? The Bobcats travel to Fort Worth Saturday night to play the Horned Frogs at Amon G. Carter Stadium. TCU will be Texas State’s toughest FBS opponent the Bobcats have ever faced. The Horned Frogs are currently ranked No. 15 in both major polls, leaving little room for error. If Texas State wants to have a chance against TCU, this is what it will need to do:

• Limit the turnovers. Last year against SMU, the Bobcats turned the ball over twice on their first three possessions. The Mustangs got quick points off those turnovers and Texas State was forced to catch up for the rest of the game. If the Bobcats drop behind by 14 points early, it’s going to be nearly impossible to stage a comeback against such a good defense.
• Run the ball. Texas State, even without Karrington Bush, will need to find a way to move the ball on the ground. TCU doesn’t allow many rushing yards (47.1 per game in 2008) so if the Bobcats can break one or two big ones, it could open things over the top.
• Control the clock. Texas State needs to keep its offense on the field to neutralize the points its defense will allow. The Bobcats need to be effective in their passes and keep the clock moving when they have the ball. If Texas State’s defense is forced on the field for extended periods of time, Bobcat head coach Brad Wright will need to dig deeper into his reserves. Texas State’s second and third-string players are young, so Wright will need to keep his older guys on the field as long as possible.

Be sure to check out the live chat this Thursday night at 7 p.m.

• Texas State linebacker Joe Bell played a few snaps against Angelo State and should be at full speed next Saturday vs. TCU.
• Bobcat punter Ben Follis should be good to go as well.
• Texas State defensive end Leon Woosley wasn’t injured, but since Ron Jackson played so well, Woosley didn’t get much playing time.

Be sure to check out the second live chat on Texas State football tonight at 7 p.m. If you want to know the updated status of Karrington Bush or who to expect to fill his shoes, come on in.