In the now seven-year history of the Wayland Baptist football program, the Pioneers have never gone into the start of their conference schedule with an unbeaten record.
Until now.
Granted, the Pioneers have only played one game this season, but they'll still take an unblemished record into their Sooner Athletic Conference opener Saturday when Wayland hosts Southwestern Assemblies of God University.
Kickoff for the game – sponsored by Atmos Energy – is at 2 p.m. at Greg Sherwood Memorial Bulldog Stadium. Tickets are priced at $10 for adults and $5 for students and available at the gate. Like at all WBU athletics events, Wayland students, faculty and staff are admitted free with proper ID. Also, at all WBU home events, Plainview High School student-athletes are admitted free with proper ID and with the purchase of an accompanying adult ticket.
Coverage of the game, including free streaming, will be available at
www.wbuathletics.com. Dan Zeigler will provide play-by-play and Brad Miles color commentary on the video stream and locally on KWLD 91.5 FM.
Free tailgate food – provided by Atmos and Happy Union Baptist Church, in conjunction with Tombstone BBQ, Stonebridge Fellowship, College Heights Baptist Church, and First Baptist Church-Plainview – will be available while it lasts in the southeast corner of the stadium's home parking area beginning around 12:30 p.m. Activities for the new
Pioneer Pals group will be held in the same area.
SAGU, which was picked by coaches to finish third in the SAC (Wayland was chosen fifth), enters Saturday's game with a 1-1 record. Ranked No. 22 in the NAIA Football Coaches' Preseason Top 25 after finishing last season ranked 19
th with an 8-3 record, the Lions lost their season-opener three weeks ago at Evangel, Mo., 28-9. While that setback cost SAGU its national ranking (the Lions are now the equivalent of 31st), the win helped move Evangel – which also has defeated No. 10 Grand View, Iowa, and No. 12 Benedictine, Kan., all the way to No. 11.
The Lions bounced back from their loss to undefeated Evangel with a win over the team Wayland defeated last week in its season-opener, Austin College. After falling behind 21-10, SAGU rallied to defeat the Kangaroos in Sherman, 37-28. Wayland, meanwhile, never trailed against Austin College at home and prevailed, 24-14.
Aside from almost 100 yards of penalties and three missed field goal, Wayland coach
Butch Henderson felt the Pioneers performed well for their first time on the field, especially on defense.
"I thought our defensive front kids did a great job," Henderson said. "(Linebacker)
Prince Kim did a great job calling the defense, and (tackle)
JaQuavious Dean holds all of those guys together. We moved Dom Taylor from linebacker to defensive end and he did a good job applying pressure, which frees it up for the other guys."
The Pioneer defense will have its hands full against SAGU and stud quarterback C.J. Collins. A 6-foot-4, 225-pound senior from Bosqueville, Collins earned Central States Football League Offensive Player of the Year honors last season when he threw for 2,840 yards and 26 touchdowns, ranking him 15
th in the NAIA in passing yardage.
In last season's game against Wayland, when SAGU was ranked 22
nd in the NAIA, Collins completed 18-of-30 passes for 304 yards and two TDs as the Lions won, 63-31. It was the third-most points scored against WBU since the program was restart in 2012.
Henderson said Collins, who earned the nod for 2018 SAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, is an impressive passer.
"They've built a lot of what they do around him," the coach said, adding that Collins has a pair of talented running backs at his disposal in sophomore Michael Bledsoe (5-8, 170) of Tyler and junior Stephon Free (5-7, 160) of Waco.
"You take Collins' ability with the RPOs (run-pass option), and he can give it to a really good running back or throw it. We have to keep him contained and not give them big plays," Henderson said.
Last season's shootout between SAGU and Wayland in Waxahachie saw the Lions race to a 28-0 first quarter lead then go up 42-3 early in the third before Wayland came charging from behind. The Pioneers scored touchdowns on four straight possessions to pull to within 49-31 with seven minutes left. The WBU defense got another stop, but a punt pinned the Pioneers on their own 4-yard line. Then, when Wayland went for it on 4
th-and-2 from the 12 and came up short, SAGU was able to punch it in to finalize the score.
The Pioneers were hurt in that game by five turnovers – three interceptions, a fumble and a blocked punt – as well as nine penalties.
Wayland also had an issue with penalties last week against Austin College with nine accepted flags and two targeting ejections. Penalties nullified two touchdowns.
"We have to cut those out," Henderson said. "We have to learn to fit within the mode of what the officials are calling and be disciplined enough not to have them. We're working on it."
SAGU is led on defense by junior linebacker Landon Jones (6-1, 215) of Waco, who with 14 tackles on the season shares team-high honors with fellow linebacker Marco Mathews (5-11, 195), a senior from Maypearl, and safety Coby Roach (5-10, 195), a junior from Siloam Springs, Ark.
"They funnel stuff into (Jones)," said Henderson, who called Roach "the quarterback" of SAGU's defense. "He gets them in the right alignment."
As for his own roster, Henderson said senior quarterback
Mitchell Parsley, who did not play the second half of last week's game due to an injured non-throwing left shoulder, is questionable. "I'd be surprised right now if he's able to play," the coach said Wednesday.
The coach praised the performance of Parsley's backup, sophomore
Nick Quintero, who in the second half against Austin College completed 10-of-16 passes for 152 yards and a touchdown.
 "He came in and played very, very well. Nick is confident in himself in a positive way. We're very fortunate to have him."
Finally, Henderson voiced his thanks to Wayland's fans for their support last week, and hopes they will keep it up.
"We really appreciate fans being there…and being vocal."
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