As it does every off-season to Coach
Butch Henderson, it felt like a lifetime in between the end of one football season and the start of the next. It almost felt as long in between Wayland Baptist's 2016 season-opening game and its upcoming home-opener.
It will be 16 days since the Pioneers kicked off their season with a confidence-boosting 37-14 victory in Arkansas over Lyon College and Saturday's contest against Sul Ross State.
"It has seemed like a long time ago, but things have gone well for us during that time," Henderson said. "You worry about keeping the rhythm, but the positive is the kids have really regained their legs. They had one day off in the three-week span since coming back (from summer), so the extended break in between games gave us a chance to recuperate and rejuvenate."
Kickoff on Saturday afternoon at Greg Sherwood Memorial Bulldog Stadium is at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students, with Wayland employees and students admitted free with proper ID.
The game can be heard on locally on KVOP 1090-AM with free live streaming available through
www.wbuathletics.com.
A tailgate party, hosted by Vista Bank, will offer free food and drinks, while it lasts, beginning around 12:30 in the home side stadium parking area. Fans are encouraged to join the WBU cheerleaders and band near the tailgate area as they greet the WBU players on their way to the field about 12:45.
A car caravan will make its way from the Laney Center up Yonkers to the stadium at 12:20. Fans are encouraged to begin meeting at noon in order to decorate their vehicles.
The game is being promoted as Code: Blue. As the Pioneers debut new blue uniforms, fans are encouraged to wear blue.
Wayland and Sul Ross State, an NCAA Division III school, are meeting for the third straight year, with the Pioneers looking for their first win. The Lobos narrowly won both previous meetings, 27-24 last year in Plainview and 54-46 the year before in Alpine.
Last season, Wayland was done in by mistakes, including eight turnovers, a muffed kickoff, and a blocked punt returned for a touchdown. The Pioneers rallied from a 41-10 halftime deficit by outscoring the Lobos in the second half, 36-13. Wayland pulled to within eight points with more than five minutes left, but Sul Ross State never allowed the Pioneers to have the ball again. The Lobos chewed up the remaining 5:14 with a 10-play drive that ended inside Wayland's 5-yard line with two kneel-downs.
It was the most points scored by the Pioneers in a loss since Wayland restarted the program five years ago, and the third-most points scored in any game, behind only a 58-37 win over Southwestern Assemblies of God University in the Pioneers' inaugural season and a 51-30 victory over Lyon College to end last year.
Sul Ross State provided the competition for the University of Texas of the Permian Basin last Saturday in Odessa and the Division II Falcons came away 27-6 winners.
"Sul Ross played well offensively and defensively but made some mistakes and gave UTPB a chance to get out on them," Henderson said of the game in which the Lobos committed 11 penalties and threw two interceptions. SRSU failed to score on any of its four red-zone chances while UTPB was 5-for-5.
Henderson said the Lobos' offense has proven troubling for the Pioneers the past two years, especially the quarterback's rushing game.
"Last year their quarterback did not look outstanding as a runner coming into our game, but then he had a breakout game against us. The same thing happened two years ago with a different quarterback," the coach said. "It may just be coincidence, but we don't want it to be coincidental again."
The Lobos have a new starting quarterback under center this year in James Davis, a 6-foot-2, 180-pound junior from Houston. Davis showed he's also a capable runner last week against UTPB when he carried 15 times for 79 net yards.
"He also threw the ball well," Henderson said of Davis, who completed 19-of-35 for 154 yards with two interceptions against the Falcons. Byron Jones, last season's American Southwest Conference Freshman of the Year, had four receptions for 41 yards.
Henderson said the Falcons "are very varied in what they do. They bring wide receivers in motion and use them in their running game on jet sweeps and counters. It's like a Wing-T concept with a lot of deception. They use a lot of formations trying to get leverage on you. As a defense you have to make sure your alignments are always right."
On defense, Henderson said the Falcons run a 3-4 but very seldom have only three rushers.
"They're going to get at least four coming from somewhere. They do a good job of finding ways to bring a lot of heat."
Saturday's game marks the first game of a three-game home stand for Wayland, which marks homecoming next week by entertaining Howard Payne. Wayland then hosts Webber International of Florida on Sept. 24 prior to a second open week followed by the start of Central States Football League play on Oct. 8 at Bacone.
Â
