Sam Houston Football Preview 2025: Can Phil Longo Rebuild the Bearkats?
New head coach Phil Longo was part of the Sam Houston coaching staff under Keeler from 2014 to 2016, and then he became the hot offensive coordinator on the circuit. At Ole Miss, and then at North Carolina, and over the last few years at Wisconsin, his offenses have been … okay. Now he's back in Huntsville.The transfer portal took away major parts of last year's squad, few teams have to replace more production, and Longo's head coaching resumé is a 7-14 run for two years at La Salle.But the guy knows offense. No defense in America loses more production, so …
Sam Houston Bearkats Preview 2025: Offense
X CFN, Fiu | CFN Facebook | Bluesky Fiu, CFN- If Phil Longo is going to run the offense the way he wants, he needs the passers to control the attack. He has a good one in place in Hunter Watson, a good-sized senior who ran for 647 yards and nine scores to go with 1,811 yards and 12 touchdown passes.He has to cut down on his picks, throwing eight last year, but he's a playmaker. Longo also has Mabrey Mettauer, a former Wisconsin prospect who'll be in the mix for the gig.
- Top receiver Simeon Evans left for North Texas, and Noah Smith is done, but Qua'Vez Humphreys is a big play target averaging over 19 yards per catch. The transfer portal, and a few good parts of the rotation - Michael Phoenix II caught 15 passes - will fill in around Humphreys.- The offensive front wasn't anything special, but for the most part, it held its own. It has two All-Conference USA-level talents in guards James Dawn and Rhett Larson. The tackles are new, and 315-pound JUCO transfer Zo'maryon Bryan should take over at center.- Top back Jay Ducker left for Temple, DJ McKinney left for New Mexico, and now the top backs should emerge from the portal. Elijah Green (Indiana) and Xander Cheek (UHMB) are quick backs with plenty of tread on the tires.
Sam Houston Bearkats Preview 2025: Defense
- The Bearkat defense led Conference USA in scoring defense and was second in total D. And now it has to replace just about everyone, especially on the line. Let's just call this a work in progress.Keelan Cox is a pass rusher who saw time at Alabama, 280-pound AJ Sargent (JUCO) is perfectly fit for the nose, and the rest of the two deep will fit in around them.
- The secondary is also loaded up with prospects from the transfer portal. Cornerback Emon Allen is back after seeing a little time at one corner, and Wisconsin transfer Jace Arnold will take over on the other side. Despite losing the stars, the safeties should be okay with a little time, with Trey Harris (Cornell) likely the best of the bunch.- The linebacking corps is way thin. The starting foursome desperately need Antavious Fish (Akron) to fill the stat sheet - he made 179 stops over the last three seasons. CJ Johnson has to be one of the team's leading tacklers in the middle, with star tacklers Trey Fields (North Texas) and Trey Gaither done.
Sam Houston Bearkats Key to the Season
Be far better in the red zone.It's a new offense with new parts. Now there has to be a new improvement inside the 20.Last year's team only scored 74% of the time in the red zone, and came away with touchdowns on 51% of the trips. It didn't matter all that much - the Bearkats didn't lose any one-score games - but this year they can't be as loose.
Sam Houston Bearkats Key Player
Alex Sargent, DT Sr.Go ahead and pick any offensive starter and he might be the key to the season, but the defense needs an anchor to work around. The line might not be totally starting over, but it's close. The 6-0, 280-pound Sargent to come in from Tarleton and hold up on the nose.
Sam Houston Bearkats Top Transfer, Biggest Transfer Loss
Top Transfer In: Elijah Green, RB Sr.The Bearkats loaded up on transfer portal running backs, and Green should be the best if everything works out right. He was a growing star at North Carolina three seasons ago, and last year he scored five touchdowns for Indiana. With just 185 carries in five years, he's fresh.Top Transfer Out: Isaiah Cash, S Sr.Flip a coin between Cash and leading tackler Caleb Weaver (Duke) for the biggest loss. Cash was a great tackler for the Bearkats, and the veteran safety was also a baller with ten broken up passes. Now he'll be a key part of the Virginia Tech defense.
Sam Houston Bearkats Key Game
at WKU, August 23You want to talk about a tone-setter? It's the first game of a new era of Sam Houston football, it's in Week 0, it's on the road, and it's the Conference USA opener. It'll take something special to come up with a big season, but win this, and everything else in conference play is easy.- 2025 Sam Houston Schedule Breakdown
Sam Houston Bearkats Top 10 Players
1. James Dawn, OG Jr.2. Hunter Watson, QB Sr.3. Antavious Fish, LB Sr.4. Elijah Green, RB Sr.5. Trey Harris, S Sr.6. Keelan Cox, DE Sr.7. Qua'Vez Humphreys, WR Sr.8. Rhett Larson, OG Jr.9. Mabrey Mettauer, QB RFr.10. CJ Johnson, LB Sr.
Sam Houston Bearkats 2024 Fun Stats
- Scoring: 1st Quarter 57, 2nd Quarter 110- Fumbles: Opponents 22 (lost 11), Sam Houston 16 (lost 6)- 4th Down Conversions: Sam Houston 14-of-20 (70%), Opponents 12-of-31 (39%)
Sam Houston Bearkats 2025 Season Prediction, Win Total, What Will Happen
There's a certain level of expectation at Sam Houston, but the team doesn't have the level of talent - the defense has to replace just about everyone. On the plus side, it's still Conference USA, and there are plenty of winnable games to make a good push.The Bearkats beat Liberty last year, but it's still a major plus not to have to deal with it. Even without facing the Flames, there might not be any sure-thing layup wins, but other than a trip to Texas, there aren't too many games that aren't out of reach.
Sam Houston has to own the one score games - it went 6-0 in games last year decided by a touchdown or less. It won't do that this time around, but it'll still be good enough to push for a bowl.Set The Sam Houston Bearkats Win Total At … 5.5Likely Wins: No projected sure thing wins50/50 Games: Delaware, FIU, at Hawaii, Jacksonville State, at Louisiana Tech, at Middle Tennessee, at New Mexico State, UNLV, UTEP, at WKU,Likely Losses: at Oregon State, at Texas
© 2025 The Arena Group Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
4 hours ago
- Forbes
Isaac Collins Is One Of The Many Unsung Heroes In Brewers Recent Surge
It really has needed to be seen to be believed……the Milwaukee Brewers' late summer surge has given them the best record in major league baseball by a country mile. Players get hurt, and others step up. Then THEIR replacements step up as the club continues to reach new heights. Divine intervention can't be ruled out as a contributing factor, especially with the passing of franchise icon Bob Uecker during the offseason. The Brewers aren't just a small market club - they're a small market club that seems to defy the laws of physics. In my midseason team true talent rankings, which are based on batted ball exit speeds and launch angles, they ranked as the least impactful offensive club in the game. Despite this, they score plenty of runs, and by any measure, their pitching and defense are among the game's best. There are no MVP candidates on this team, even in a wide-open MVP race. Christian Yelich remains their best offensive player, and the presently injured Jackson Chourio is on his way to relieving him of this honor. Otherwise, their offense is simply a complementary cast of characters whose body of work is clearly greater than the sum of its parts. The Brewer position player group just might, however, feature an award winner this season, as Isaac Collins is emerging as a dark horse contender for Rookie of the Year honors. Collins is actually the perfect poster child for this group. You want prospect pedigree? Look elsewhere. He was the Rockies' 9th round draft pick out of Creighton in 2019. After fairly pedestrian beginnings with Colorado, the Brewers plucked him on waivers prior to the 2023 season. Each season I prepare a list of top minor league position player prospects based on their performance relative to league and level, and adjusted for age. It's purely statistically based, with no adjustments for position or ball park. The rankings should be taken with a grain of salt - it's basically a master follow list, and a starting point from which more traditional evaluation can take place. Collins made my list exactly once, way down at #302, way back in 2021. He didn't play in a major league game until after his 27th birthday, and turned 28 just a few weeks ago. This is not a guy the Brewers had pegged as a future MLB regular. But here we are, and Collins is pretty much the every day leadoff man and left fielder for the best team in baseball. Through games of 8/15 (he was on paternity leave over the weekend), he was batting .288-.384-.448 with a 137 wRC+. In a relatively light NL field, he has a legitimate Rookie of the Year shot. But as I am wont to do in this space, let's subject Collins to my batted ball-based methods to see how 'real' his breakthrough is. Right on the surface, it's easy to spot some vulnerabilities. His 22.1% K rate is in the league average range, and his 12.1% walk rate is over a full standard deviation higher than league average. So far, so good - a nice K/BB profile as a foundation. But Collins does not hit the ball hard - his overall 87.1 mph average exit speed is over a half standard deviation lower than league average. The shortfall is most significant in the most important area - fly ball exit speed, where his 86.6 mph average is over a full standard deviation lower than league average. His batted ball type frequencies also show a key reason why his numbers are so good at present, and why they might not be moving forward. His 26.9% liner rate is off the charts high, over two full standard deviations higher than league average. Liner rates are notoriously volatile - only the Tony Gwynn types can maintain such a number for long, and with all due respect, Isaac Collins is no Tony Gwynn. Collins has been extremely fortunate on all batted ball types thus far, with his Adjusted Fly Ball (51 vs. unadjusted 115 mark), Line Drive (93 vs. 135) and Ground Ball (103 vs. 137) Contact Scores falling short of his current production levels. His overall 134 Unadjusted Contact Score far outstrips his 83 adjusted mark. Put bluntly, Collins 'should be' batting .237-.331-.324 for a 90 'Tru' Production+ based on his actual batted ball mix. That's a legit contributor, but no award contender. I do not come here to dump upon Collins or the Brewers. They are a legit ballclub, and Collins is a legit big leaguer. But I don't think I'm being out of line stating that there has been some good fortune evolved in the current prospects of both team and player. Scouring my brain for a comparable player, I come up with the Giants' Tyler Fitzgerald, a big producer as a multipositional breakthrough rookie just last season. He way outperformed his batted ball metrics in 2024, and has settled in as a relatively ordinary primary 2B this season. Rest assured that the Brewers don't suddenly believe that Collins is an All Star level player. They're getting the absolute most from him, and once they totally tap him out, they'll move on to someone else - their minor leagues are absolutely loaded. But to get where you want to go in October, it's about more than stars. It's about complementary players who know their roles and perform them expertly. The Brewers are loaded with such players, and Collins deserves plaudits for his contributions.
Associated Press
6 hours ago
- Associated Press
Milwaukee's recent streak calls to mind the Brewers' 1987 season, which was quite a rollar coaster
The Milwaukee Brewers have been the talk of baseball recently because of their 14-game winning streak. That run also gives us a chance to appreciate a particularly unusual big league season — the Brewers' super streaky run through 1987. It was those '87 Brewers who won their first 13 games of the season, triggering the same free burger promotion by a local chain that went into effect when this year's streak hit 12. That 13-0 start — which included Juan Nieves throwing the first no-hitter in team history in win No. 9 — stood as the franchise's longest winning streak in a season until this year's Brewers surpassed it Saturday. Milwaukee was 20-3 in 1987 before crashing back to earth with alarming quickness. May had barely begun when the team lost 12 in a row. The Brewers snuck in another losing streak of six games before the month was over — only to follow with an immediate six-game winning streak. It wasn't just team streaks that made that season notable in Milwaukee. Hall of Famer Paul Molitor produced a 39-game hitting streak that year, a run that hasn't been matched since. By the time the season was over, Milwaukee was 91-71, finishing third in the AL East in an era when you had to win your division to make the playoffs. With Molitor and Robin Yount leading the way — plus a few terrific seasons on the mound by Teddy Higuera — the Brewers of the 1980s never totally lived up to their potential after winning the American League pennant in 1982. In 1983, they went 87-75, which was good for only fifth place in their seven-team division. Nowadays Milwaukee is in the NL Central, and 87 wins is often good enough for at least a wild card. Of course, this year's team can set its sights much higher. Even after their winning streak was snapped Sunday, the Brewers are 33 games over .500. They need to go just 19-20 the rest of the way to set a franchise record with 97 victories. Trivia time The final out of Nieves' no-hitter came on a spectacular play involving a pair Hall of Famers. Who were they? Line of the week In just his second week in the big leagues, Miami's Jakob Marsee matched a franchise record with seven RBIs in a 13-4 rout of Cleveland on Wednesday night. Marsee hit a three-run homer, a two-run homer and a two-run double. Marsee, who made his debut Aug. 1, has 12 extra-base hits in his first 53 at-bats. Comeback of the week Arizona was down by two with two outs and nobody on in the top of the ninth — a 1.1% win probability according to Baseball Savant. James McCann hit a solo homer, and after a hit batter and a walk, Ketel Marte's three-run homer lifted the Diamondbacks to a 6-4 win over Texas on Wednesday. That was the second straight day Marte put his team ahead with a ninth-inning homer. Honorable mention: Milwaukee's 13th straight win came Friday night, when the Brewers trailed Cincinnati 8-1 after two innings. They had it tied by the end of the fourth and eventually won 10-8. Trivia answer Baltimore's Eddie Murray hit a flyball to right-center field, and Yount saved the no-hitter with a diving catch for the final out. ___ AP MLB:
USA Today
18 hours ago
- USA Today
Wisconsin safety Hunter Wohler leaves Colts' preseason game early with injury
Colts injury update: Rookie S Hunter Wohler out. What we know Former Wisconsin safety Hunter Wohler recorded two tackles during the Indianapolis Colts' NFL preseason Week 2 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Saturday. He played just one drive during the contest before leaving the game with a foot injury. The ailment halts the former Badger's rapid progress since joining the Colts. The former seventh-round pick (No. 232 overall) delivered a team-high nine tackles (six solo) during the Colts' preseason opener against the Baltimore Ravens last week. He was also a standout from the team's joint practice against the Ravens, notching two highlight interceptions, including one against two-time MVP Lamar Jackson. Wohler is currently listed as the Colts' backup strong safety behind three-year veteran Nick Cross. While the Former Badger's injury may put a temporary halt to his push for immediate playing time, his spot on the 53-man roster shouldn't be in question. At the very least, Wohler will be a day-one contributor on special teams. Stay tuned later this week as the severity of Wohler's foot injury is made clear. The immediate question is whether he'll be able to suit up for the Colts' preseason finale against the Cincinnati Bengals on Aug. 23. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
