Pioneers look for elusive win over unbeaten Langston in home-opener

Fresh off their first win of the season, the Wayland Baptist football team makes its lone home appearance in the first five weeks on the schedule when the Pioneers host the unbeaten Langston Lions in a Sooner Athletic Conference contest Saturday. Kickoff at Greg Sherwood Memorial Bulldog Stadium is 2 p.m.
 
"We're looking forward to coming home. We're excited about coming back," Wayland coach Butch Henderson said. "We are 1-0 in the conference. If we keep playing like that and improving, we'll be all right."

Wayland is aiming for its first on-field win against Langston. The Pioneers and Lions have met every season since WBU restarted football in 2012, with Wayland's lone victory coming via post-game forfeit in 2013. Langston prevailed last spring in Oklahoma, 38-17.
 
WBU is coming off a convincing 31-7 win in its SAC opener against Lyon College in Arkansas, which followed a season-opening 49-0 setback in Abilene against Hardin-Simmons.
 
"We played well in the first game but just didn't do things we did in the second game that made the difference," Henderson said in assessing his team's play. "We never got in a rhythm (against HSU) where last week we did. All three phases of the game really fed off each other and put us in a really good routine and allowed us to play total football."
 
The coach said a much more effective performance on special teams – especially punting – played a large part in the Pioneers' downfall against the Cowboys (two blocked punts) and the team's success against the Scots.
 
"The nucleus that starts that (success) is the kicking game," he said, explaining that effective punts pin opposing offenses, then when the Pioneer defense can force 3-and-outs, that provides the Pioneer offense a short field. "Being able to get into that pattern was the difference."
 
Henderson went on to brag on members of the WBU offensive line, including 6-foot-1, 335-pound junior Evan Mickens who is now playing center, along with senior Joseph Colurciello, junior Sam Velasquez and freshman Lance Asmus. Wayland's three-pronged rushing attack featuring Jacoby Hunt, Jaden Miles and Naaji Gadsden allows for fresh legs, and Nick Quintero, now in his fifth year at quarterback, "has gone a good job of getting the ball in the hands of players who can make plays."
 
Defensively, the Pioneers are leaning on linebackers Andrew Villa and Manny Arguijo – along with defensive backs Devron Sims and Kaleb Thornton – for many of the tackles, and Henderson credited linemen like William Humphrey and Samuel Daily for keeping blockers off their teammates. "Those (linemen) are down there in the slugfest making sure others are free and able to make tackles. We're rolling guys in every three or four plays so we can keep them fresh," Henderson said. He added that junior Tyrell McAlester moving from outside linebacker to safety has been pivotal, and having Villa and others "who can think and put you in right alignment makes it all come together."
 
As for what the Pioneers can expect from Langston, Henderson said the Lions are fast.
 
"The biggest thing is their speed," he said of the team that is coming off a 44-6 drubbing of Texas College, which came on the heels of a 10-7 road win over Oklahoma-Panhandle State in the Lions' season debut.
 
Henderson said Langston's quarterback, left-handed sophomore RaQuon Washington (5-11, 175) of Houston, "is not real fancy but gets the ball into the right players' hands at the right time. Washington threw for three touchdowns and ran for another last week when he completed 9-of-18 for 86 yards. The WBU coach said Washington is dangerous on the bootleg and with play-action.
 
Washington's top target thus far with eight catches is Bryon Hanspard, sophomore son of former Texas Tech running back Byron Hanspard. "They run two or three receivers who are good speed guys."
 
On the ground, 5-foot-6, 175-pound Ger'Kerry Jackson leads the Lions with 160 yards rushing. "They roll in a couple of running backs. They're a very multi-talented offense," Henderson said.
 
On defense, Langston's top tackler is senior linebacker Devin Dourisseau (6-2, 205), who has 11 tackles, and junior lineman Torin Borne (6-1, 323), who has four tackles for loss. Henderson said Borne effectively occupies a lot of room along the line of scrimmage. "If you can picture a great big rock right in the middle that you have to run around."
 
Henderson said he has confidence in Quintero against the Lions.
 
"He's been making reads very well and taking what the defense gives him," the coach said. WBU quarterbacks hit eight different receivers in the opener and 10 last week. "we have four freshman receivers who I think are going to be outstanding along with (veterans like Brenden Strickland, Skyler Whitten and Dylan Sterling.)