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Tigers have winning record, set school marks in all three phases
11/9/2009
By CONOR NICHOLL
cnicholl@dailynews.net
Two polar opposites produced a turnaround year for the Fort Hays State University football team. The Tigers finished with 365 points, second-most in school history to the 446 scored in 1995. However, Fort Hays, hurt by multiple season-ending injuries, permitted 402 points. That broke the all-time mark for most points allowed in a single season, breaking the mark of 383 points held by the 2005 squad.
The disparities produced a 6-5 record, 4-5 in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association after Fort Hays finished 2-9, 1-8 in the conference last year. It's the first winning season for FHSU since 2004 and the best year since the Tigers changed conferences four seasons ago.
"I think it's huge just for the kids that are here," said Tiger coach Kevin Verdugo, who completed his fifth season with his first winning record. "That gives them a sense of accomplishment. Gives them a springboard into next fall."
Fort Hays finished sixth in the conference, and four spots better than its predicted last-place finish in the preseason coaches' and media polls.
In the last six seasons, Fort Hays' four-win jump ties 2004 Missouri Western State University and the 2006 Truman State (Mo.) University teams for the biggest one-season increases in wins among MIAA teams.
"I think we have gotten better," Verdugo said. "Positive for a coach, it's hard to say whether you are going to be satisfied or a happy camper with five or six wins because that's not what we're built mentally to accept or trained to do. You are built and trained to win as many as you possibly can and to win championships. Really, anything less from a coaching standpoint, you got to struggle with being happy about."
The Tigers' offense, which ranked last, next-to-last and last in scoring offense in their first three seasons in the MIAA, averaged 33.2 points per game this season, fourth in the conference. Senior quarterback Mike Garrison, who missed most of 2008 with a broken jaw, rebounded with an impressive fall. His 61.0 completion percentage broke the school record of 60.0 set by Robert Long in 1985.
Garrison's 2,606 yards passing ranks third for a single season, while his 217 completions were second and his 18 touchdowns stood fourth. Verdugo confirmed Garrison, a transfer from Butler County Community College, will have one more season left.
A new group of transfer wideouts, many of whom arrived in the summer, helped Garrison this year in the team's new no-huddle spread offense.
"Considering how many guys were kind of thrown together about three weeks before we teed up the first kickoff, I think there have been some growing pains here and there but I think for the most part, they have performed very well," Verdugo said.
Junior receivers Cordarol Scales, O.J. Murdock, Kenny Kinard and junior tailback James Walker are delivered fine seasons. Murdock's 19.9 yards per catch was sixth for a single season in school history and had eight receiving TDs, tied for seventh.
Kinard set a school record with 33 kickoff returns and his 683 kickoff return yards stand second. They helped FHSU rank second to the 1995 team on all-time school lists in touchdowns (48) and first downs (235).
In addition, the Tigers' 41 penalties tied the school mark for fewest penalties.
"I think they have been doing well," Verdugo said. "They have been great kids. Doing this as long as they have been doing this, a lot of times, you hear the horror stories about kids being high maintenance and a pain in the rear end and having egos and so forth -- and these kids, they've been awesome.
"It's just been unselfish and they know that the ball gets spread around and I think you can see that by the hit chart, how many guys are getting hits every week and catches. They have been a great group to work with," Verdugo added.
On special teams, Fort Hays returned three kicks for touchdowns and set an NCAA Division II record for kickoff return average (52.8) for a single game. Kinard returned a kickoff for a score, while senior C.J. Lovett returned a punt and a kick for touchdowns in the same game.
Lovett, a four-year starter at cornerback and returning All-American, finished his career as one of the best defensive and special teams players in Tiger history. He picked off 13 career passes. Originally, Lovett appeared to have tied Mike Allen for the school record. However, upon further review from the Fort Hays athletics office, Allen had 14 career INTs. Lovett is second.
In addition, Lovett holds career marks for punt return TDs (4), tied for the most kickoff return TDs (2) and has the single-season punt return yardage mark (349).
Lovett narrowly missed a conference record, too. The MIAA career punt return average is 21.2 yards set by Gene Huffman of Missouri State from 1948-51. However, the qualifying standard is 20 returns.
On 19 career returns, Lovett had 480 yards, good for a 25.2 yard average.
"One of the most productive," Verdugo said. "I think you have to be careful -- and I tell the players this all the time -- don't mistake activity for productivity. Some guys get out there and they just run around and they think they are doing something. C.J. makes plays for you on special teams and on defense. They are done in a positive manner."
Senior kicker Nathan Rausa's 45 extra points set a school mark, while his 75 kick-scoring points ranked second to Roy Miller's 77 in 1992.
"They are confident in what they are doing," Verdugo said. "So if you can go out there and score, you feel like you have a chance to win a ballgame."
The defense, under first-year coordinator Kyle Nystrom's 4-2-5 scheme, had trouble staying healthy. Six defensive starters didn't play the final contest. Junior defensive back Michael Walker, a team captain, missed the final three games. Senior defensive end Charlie Carr, a four-year starter, didn't play after Week 7.
We are pulling some guys off scout team this week to travel and play," Verdugo said.
Junior defensive back O'Neal Boatner missed two games, but FHSU still finished with a win.
| Scoreboard | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sport | Date | Opponent | Score |
| 2/18 | SW Baptist | L 66-53 | |
| 12/1 | Oklahoma - Panhandle | L 66-60 (OT) | |