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Courtesy: SWAC.org
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2015 Football Preview: Texas Southern
Courtesy SWAC.org
Sun, August 30, 2015
Bringing back a veteran squad, Texas Southern plans to better last year's 5-6, 3-6 mark.
A late-season collapse denied the Tigers their first winning season since 2010. Standing 5-1 at midseason, TSU closed out the campaign with five consecutive losses, including a 38-37 home heartbreaker to Arkansas Pine Bluff. Despite the disappointing finish, the Tigers showed signs of recovering from academic sanctions with the three-victory improvement.
Texas Southern's hopes of climbing in the SWAC standings will hinge on its offense.
While the defense was solid in 2014, the Tigers ranked seventh in the league in scoring (26 points per game) and ninth in total offense (360 yards per game) and passing (188.5 ypg). In fairness, the offense made considerable progress after averaging an anemic 15.7 ppg, ranking 115th out of 122 FCS teams in 2013.
With all of the key skill players back from last season, fourth-year head coach Darrell Asberry is expecting continued improvement. TSU returns two experienced quarterbacks, every ball carrier and its top five receivers.
Senior Jamal Small and junior Homer Causey will likely continue to rotate at quarterback. Small threw for 904 yards and eight touchdowns with four interceptions while Causey completed 60 percent of his passes for 761 yards, seven TDs and two INTs in six games.
TSU had some success running the ball last year, ranking fifth in the conference in rushing with 171.5 yards per contest.
Senior Daveonn Porter (131 carries, 827 yards, 6 touchdowns; 24 receptions, 221 yards, 2 TDs) is the go-to back. Sophomore Jimmy Potepa added 392 yards and a pair of scores on 84 rushing attempts.
Junior Malik Cross (36-420-6), senior Fred Plummer (34-446-4), sophomore Larry Clark III (25-391-3) and junior Steven Carpenter (24-317) head up the receiving corps.
On the other side of the ball, the top six tacklers return from a group which ranked third in the SWAC in scoring (27.3 ppg), second in total defense (354.8 ypg), third in rushing defense (163.9 ypg) and seventh in passing defense (250 ypg).
While the graduation casualties were minimal in quality, cornerback Tray Walker, the Baltimore Ravens' fourth round draft pick, will be missed. Linebacker Darian Claiborne, a Port Allen product, led the team in tackles with 77 stops and five tackles for loss as a freshman, followed closely by junior linebacker Jarius Moore (74 tackles, 3 TFL).
Also back are senior defensive back Branden Thomas (56 tackles, 5.5 TFL), sophomore lineman Derrick Lyles (46 tackles, 7 TFL, 3.5 sacks), junior lineman Arthell Wyre (45 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks) and senior linebacker LaKendrick Conley (43 tackles, 5.5 TFL).
First-team All-SWAC honoree Cory Carter heads up a solid kicking game. Carter led the SWAC in punting last fall with a 45-yard average on 55 attempts, with 19 kicks downed inside the 20.
Eric Medina made 14-of-18 field goals and booted 15 touchbacks as a freshman.
TEXAS SOUTHERN SCHEDULE
DATE OPPONENT
Sept. 5 Prairie View A&M*
Sept. 11 Bacone College
Sept. 19 at Arkansas-Pine Bluff*
Sept. 26 at Jackson State*
Oct. 1 Alabama State*
Oct. 17 at Mississippi Valley State*
Oct. 24 Southern* (HC)
Oct. 31 College of Faith
Nov. 7 Grambling *
Nov. 14 Alcorn State*
Nov. 28 at Alabama A&M*
Bold Games: Home
*Conference Games
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