Wayland Baptist football coach
Butch Henderson is looking forward to taking the field in Ratliff Stadium on Saturday night against the University of Texas-Permian Basin for several reasons.
First, "We like going into an arena setting like that," Henderson said of 19,000-seat Ratliff, the stadium where most of the on-field action was filmed for the 2004 movie
Friday Night Lights.
Another reason that Henderson – who took many teams into Ratliff while coaching at Lubbock Coronado High School – is excited about playing in Odessa is because of the many Permian Basin area players on the Pioneers' roster.
"A lot of our players have either come out of the Permian Basin or played in the Permian Basin area, so that's exciting for them," Henderson said. "It puts them closer to their home grounds."
Still another reason the Pioneers are looking forward to the game is because it will be against an NCAA Division II opponent, just the fourth since Wayland restarted its program in 2012. WBU is 0-5 all-time against DII competition, with two losses to Adams State (Colo.), one to Western State (Colo.), and two to Oklahoma-Panhandle State before the Cowboys went NAIA. (WBU lost to NCAA Division I-AA Houston Baptist in 2013.)
"The idea of playing a DII school has helped upped their excitement," Henderson said of his Pioneers.
While Saturday's 6 p.m. contest will be Wayland's second outing of the season after the Pioneers came from behind to win their season debut against the University of St. Mary (Kan.), 35-13, the game will serve as the opener for the Falcons.
UTPB is in its fourth season of football, competing in the Lone Star Conference. Under head coach Justin Carrigan, the Falcons have posted three straight 2-9 records.
That it's Wayland's second game of 2019 and UTPB's first could prove to be a disadvantage to the Pioneers, Henderson said. Much like last week against a University of St. Mary team making its season debut with a new quarterback, the Pioneers aren't sure what to expect from the Falcons.
"You don't know what they're going to come out and do. All you can do is base it off of what they did last year and what kids they have back," Henderson said.
What the Falcons did last year was score an average of nearly 20 points a game while allowing opponent almost 30. UTPB gained its two wins a year ago over Western New Mexico (21-20) and Humboldt State, Ill. (36-17), although the Falcons lost several close games, including to No. 16 Texas A&M-Commerce by just a field goal, 20-17. UTPB also fell to West Texas A&M, 42-21, Angelo State, 44-20, and Eastern New Mexico, 24-7.
"This is their fourth year, so they will be more mature than what they've been," Henderson said. "They have been playing with a bunch of freshmen and sophomores, and now those guys are seniors."
While UTPB does start mostly seniors, a handful are underclassmen, including sophomore quarterback Taylor Null, a 6-foot-2, 210-pounder from Artesia, N.M. As a freshman in 2019, Null completed 54 percent of his passes for 2,145 yards with 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
Henderson said the Falcons also "have two or three running backs that are back, and their leading receiver can scoot. We have to play well defensively."
Leading the Falcons' defense is 6-1, 230-pound senior linebacker Chris Hoad, who after recording 133 tackles last season to rank third in the nation was named Lone Star Conference Linebacker of the Year and third-team all-American.
Henderson and the Pioneers will be looking to improve to 2-0 for the first time since 2015 prior to the first of two open weeks and leading into starting Sooner Athletic Conference play against Arizona Christian at home Sept. 21.
"The first win was big for us. It helps fuel the fire, especially to win it like we did coming from behind and knowing good things were going to happen."
Henderson hopes more good things are in store for the Pioneers Saturday night in Ratliff.
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