WBU football kicks off 2nd decade Saturday

With some key veterans buoyed by a wealth of promising young talent, the Wayland Baptist football team kicks off its second decade of competition in the modern era Saturday morning when the Pioneers host highly-touted Hardin-Simmons University.

"Hardin-Simmons has not been here in a long, long time, so we're excited to get them in Plainview and not be playing them (in Abilene)," Wayland coach Butch Henderson said.

Kickoff is 11 a.m. (Next week's Sooner Athletic Conference opener against Lyon College (Ark.) also is at 11; all other home games will be at 2 p.m.). Tickets will be available at the gate for $10 for adults and $5 for students. All WBU employees and students are admitted free with proper ID.

Not only is Wayland's 2022 season-opener in Plainview, but the Pioneers will be playing four of their first five games at Greg Sherwood Memorial Bulldog Stadium. It's the opposite of last season when the Pioneers were on the road four of their first five.

Henderson thinks that will make a big difference as the Pioneers – coming off back-to-back two-win seasons – look to forge their first winning campaign since 2016. Wayland started off strong last season, winning two of its first four before some key injuries set in and the Pioneers ended on a six-game skid.

"We want to get the shock (over) as fast as we can and go play," Henderson said of dealing with season-opening jitters.

First-game nerves are a concern for most teams, especially young ones like Wayland. While the Pioneers return a handful of vets – including several all-conference honorees in slot receiver Skyler Whitten, guard Joe John Colurciello, linebackers Casey Buck and Tyrel McCalester and end Manny Arguijo – the team's two-deep shows 15 freshmen and 10 more sophomores, most of those on offense.

That said, Henderson is pumped about his crop of young players.

"Our freshmen and transfers may be the most athletic class we've brought in in some time," said the coach, who has guided the Pioneers since Wayland restarted its football program in 2012.

"I'm excited about what they're doing. Some kids have taken hold of the team; the upper-classmen are setting the standard. Sometimes freshmen buck that, but this group has taken it on."

Facing a proven Hardin-Simmons team in their season debut, the Pioneers won't have much time Saturday to get rid of first-game jitters or for their freshmen to gain collegiate game experience. The Cowboys, who have strung together eight straight winning seasons, start their season ranked No. 6 in NCAA Division III, having gone 9-1 a year ago when their only loss was a narrow 34-28 decision to eventual national champion Mary Hardin-Baylor.

"They're a very good football team," Henderson said.

HSU's impressive 2021 season included a season-opening 49-0 victory over Wayland. The two Baptist universities have faced off three times since 2012, with HSU winning all three. Besides last year, the Cowboys won 49-7 in 2015 and 37-23 in 2014.

HSU graduated three-year starting quarterback Kyle Jones, who last season against WBU threw for 316 yards and five touchdowns. But Henderson is confident new starter Gaylon Glenn, a junior, "knows how to throw the football." The coach also is sure the Cowboys "will have a strong running attack like they always have, but as you try to get people up in there (to stop the run) they will be able to throw the ball."

Wayland has its own new signal-caller in redshirt sophomore Bryan Ponder, a second-year transfer from Navarro Junior College who takes over for graduated Nick Quintero and Brook Quinones. Henderson said Ponder, "a coach's kid," has branded his identity on the WBU offense.

"Bryan has a will to go win and make plays. Our offense has really taken on his personality," the coach said. "He's a good runner and passer. He's not fancy, he just makes plays and gets the ball in people's hands who can make plays. I'm real excited about what he's been doing."

The Pioneers are deep at running back with the return of senior Jacoby Hunt and junior Naaji Gadsden and the arrival of freshman Damon Ford, a 5-foot-8, 170-pound speedster from Houston. "Damon will be fun to watch. All three of those guys can make plays," Henderson said.

Wayland appears solid at receiver with Whitten, whose 60 catches last season were more than twice as many as any other Pioneer, and junior Isaiah Baker, a first-year transfer from Adams State (Colo.). Colurciello, a three-year starter at guard, anchors the offensive front that also benefits from the experience of center Ricardo Ochoa and guard Sam Zaccardo. The Pioneers are young at tackle with sophomore Donivan Brown and freshman Marjome Rachel earning starting nods.

Wayland's 4-2-5 defense is especially strong at linebacker with the return of seniors Buck, who is back after sitting out last season, and McCalester as well as junior Andrew Villa, last year's second-leading tackler. The team's leading tackler a year ago, Manny Arguijo, moves from linebacker to end.

"Our whole defense is going to (have) a whole different look," Henderson said.

The Pioneers are a bit green in the secondary, but Henderson is confident in the group.

"We know they will be tested. We'll just have to see how fast we are able to improve and see how fast they can make the transfer (from the speed of the high school to college)."