This Saturday the Sam Houston State Bearkats will face off against a non-conference foe, the Texas Southern Tigers. The Tigers are 3-4 so far on the season, but will be facing their toughest test on Saturday against the No. 1 ranked Bearkats.
TSU is coming off a 21-13 homecoming loss to Jackson State last Saturday. At this point, TSU has had a very up and down season.
The Tigers started off the year with two straight losses, before coming back and winning their next three games. After the three games winning streak, the team once again faltered and lost their next two games.
So far this season, the Tigers have been in a lot of close games. Aside from a 31-0 victory, eight points, or fewer has decided every Tigers game.
The main thing the Bearkats will need to look out for with the TSU is their diversity on both offense and defense. The Tigers like to mix up personnel and formations on offense to keep their opponent off balance.
“You cannot put too much [preparation] in because you never know what they are going to do,” Head Coach K.C. Keeler said. “You may see 30 snaps of 22 personnel, which is two backs and two tight ends, or we could see it not one time the entire day.”
Preparing too hard for one formation, or one look by the Tigers’ offense could prove costly for the Bearkats since there is no guarantee what the Tigers will do game to game.
Keeler also praised the Tigers’ athleticism.
“They are athletic, they are very athletic,” Keeler said. “If we play to our potential we should be fine, but you cannot overlook them because they are so athletic.”
Multiple formations and athletic personnel is the scouting report on the Tigers. With the No. 1 ranking, comes a target, and the Bearkats are aware of what comes with being the top team in the country.
“I got them t-shirts with a bullseye on their back, since we have a bullseye on our back now,” Keeler said. “We just have to know that we are going to be everyone’s best game because we are the number one team.”
The Bearkats are scheduled to take on the Tigers on Saturday at 6 p.m. in Bowers Stadium.