Spending close to 24 hours on a bus to and from the desert may not be an ideal situation for the Wayland Baptist football team, but the Pioneers and head coach
Butch Henderson will gladly do it if it results in a season-opening victory. And that's exactly what the Pioneers expect to earn when they head to Phoenix to make their 2014 debut Saturday night against Arizona Christian Univeresity.
On the heels of a season that featured several close scores but no on-field wins, the Pioneers hope to get their 2014 campaign started on a positive note as they take the field for the 9:15 p.m. CDT kickoff at Shadow Mountain High School.
"Winning early is going to be very important for our success through the season," Henderson said. "You play hard, you're close, you're right there with people like we were last year, but ultimately you have to be able to win. We can work hard and do all the things you have to do, but you have to find a way to win."
Henderson feels the Pioneers, who started on-campus workouts Aug. 9, are ready to do that.
"I'm pleased with how the kids came in and their condition and, since then, where we've taken it. We've been able to make great strides," he said, adding that recent practices leading up to Saturday's opener have focused primarily on getting in repetitions. "It's a matter of doing it over enough times that they're comfortable with what they're doing and can do it without having to think, just reacting.
"This week we shifted into getting ready for an opponent," the coach said. "We've learned the skills. Now we need to bring them specifically to what the opponent does."
What Wayland's opponent does isn't necessarily easy to figure out since Arizona Christian played its first-ever football game just last week. That game saw the Firestorm fall to Evangel, Mo., 40-16, and it left Henderson impressed with what he saw from ACU.
"Evangel is going to be one of the top two teams in their conference, so for (Arizona Christian) to have played like they did through about three quarters, I was really impressed," he said.
Evangel owned a 30-3 lead before the Firestorm scored back-to-back touchdowns, the latter being a 100-yard punt return – unofficially 108 yards – by Gabriel Jordan on a play that received national attention, including being featured on ESPN SportsCenter's Top 10.
"I was impressed with how much they were able to do and with what their coaching staff has gotten taught in only six months," Henderson said. "They have done a great job of getting them ready to play and getting them ready for ballgames."
Arizona Christian runs a form of the spread offense, Henderson said, "but they run the ball a bunch."
Last week against Evangel, the Firestorm had 39 rushing attempts, resulting in just 73 net yards. Meanwhile, they passed 35 times, completing 20 for 186 yards.
Defensively, Arizona Christian operates out of a 3-4 alignment.
"They play very aggressive defense up front," Henderson said.
The coach wasn't overly concerned that Arizona Christian has already played a game this season, albeit their first ever, while the Pioneers will be taking the field for the first time in 2014 on Saturday night.
"They have a week of game experience on us, but it's all right. It'll be like coming off an open date. We just have to find a rhythm," he said.
With 42 returning lettermen – including six starters on offense and nine on defense – Wayland again boasts lots of experience as the Pioneers begin their third year of competition. Henderson said the team schematically will be the same as last year, which on offense means operating out of a fast-paced, pass-oriented attack.
To this point, Henderson said he's been impressed with the offense's passing game as quarterbacks and receivers have gelled nicely.
"Our completion ratio has been really good," he said. "The quarterbacks and receivers seem to be on the same page, and our protection has come leaps and bounds. That part has been really exciting."
As for Wayland's defense, Henderson said the abundance of players with starting experience has helped that unit pick up where it left off last season.
"The carryover on defense has been tremendous. The leadership of (Jon-Lucas) Poe and (David) Hockenberry and some of those other guys who have been there before has been great. The defense has made great strides and is further along than we've ever been."
Hockenberry is part of Wayland's "Leadership Class" of 16 students who have been with the football program since it started four years ago. That group also includes
Chris Acosta,
Nathan Askins,
Josh Bailey,
Brenner Barnett,
Anthony Campuzano, Jose Castilleja,
Thomas Curry,
Manny Freeland,
Holt Henderson,
Wayne Lum,
Blair Magee,
Ernesto Monreal,
Reggie Pierce,
Taylor Pierce and
Micah Swanson.
"Those 16 kids have been here through the good and the bad. They have fought and matured," the coach said. "They're seeing that things are put in line and are showing the younger players what you do and what you don't do. Their leadership has been outstanding. They've taken charge of this football team.
"Kids are pulling for each other and expecting good things."
Beginning Saturday night in Phoenix, those expectations will begin to take shape.
"We'll be ready," Henderson said.
(Tickets are $10 with students age 12 and under admitted free. Currently, live streaming and live stats are not scheduled to be available. Stay tuned to Wayland's Facebook page and Twitter for in-game updates.)Â
