DRESS REHEARSAL
Huskies get 3 September games ahead of league’s spring slate
Before the Southland Conference pulled the plug on playing its 2020 football league schedule in the fall and pushed league competition to the spring of 2021, Houston Baptist had visions of its first .500 or better season. And star quarterback Bailey Zappe was hopeful of exceeding last year’s passing stats that ranked among the best on the FCS level.
The Huskies are playing only three football games this fall, all in September against FBS competition and all on the road. But there are still chances to showcase the rising program against North Texas (Sept. 5), Texas Tech (Sept. 12) and, following an open week, Louisiana Tech (Sept. 26).
“I’m grateful that we were able to secure a schedule where we were able to play several games and give our players an opportunity to experience playing North Texas and Texas Tech and La Tech,” Huskies coach Vic Shealy said. “Three good programs. At least it gives them a little bit of a feeling that there’s something to still look for.”
Starting as a freshman for the Huskies in 2017, Zappe endured a 1-10 campaign in the program’s fourth season. Last year the Huskies finished 5-7, following a 4-1 start, and came into the season finale at Sam Houston State with a shot at their first .500 season.
The Huskies are showing improvement under Shealy, beginning his seventh season after starting the program from scratch. When they resume playing with their Southland schedule in the spring, a winning record might be attainable. “When I first came here, I’m not saying we didn’t have great athletes — we did — but the constant improvement we’ve had over these years, people are starting to see that HBU is headed in the right direction,” said Zappe, who enters his senior campaign as a preseason second-team All-America selection by HERO Sports. “More good ballplayers are starting to get interested in HBU, and as we continue to improve, even more big-time recruits are going to start coming.”
Zappe, a product of Victoria East, passed for 3,811 yards and 35 touchdowns last season, leading the FCS in touchdowns, completions (357) and attempts (560) and finishing second in yards.
Prior to the Southland’s postponing all falls sports competition to the spring on Aug. 13, HBU was picked to finish ninth among the conference’s 11 football-playing schools. By playing the three nonconference football games this September, combined with a natural maturation process, the Huskies could be vastly improved by the time the spring football season starts.
“We may have created a mountain those first three (September games). They will be challenging to climb successfully,” Shealy said. “But at the same time, it’s a great opportunity. If we are able to do something special those first three weeks, what a confidence booster that would be. If nothing else, we’ll be a tough group of kids, and our program will grow up a lot.”
Despite the low pick in preseason from league coaches, there’s talent on the squad besides Zappe, who in 2019 was among the top two nationally in several statistically categories in the Huskies’ quarterback-driven offense.
Senior wide receiver Ben Ratzlaff is coming off an 87catch season for a school single-season record 1,139 yards and 12 TDs. He threw the gamewinning two-point conversion in the Huskies’ 53-52 victory at South Dakota.
Junior Jerreth Sterns led the nation with 105 receptions, good for 833 yards and nine scores. He tied the SLC record of 18 receptions in a game against Incarnate Word.
“We are a receiving ballclub that has confidence, and we have a great quarterback,” Shealy said. “And usually, those three things can be dangerous for a conference to have to deal with.”
Historically, the linebacker position has been the strength of the HBU defense, and this year should be more of the same with all-conference performer Caleb Johnson back. Talented cornerbacks Delon Smith and Coi Miller return. Miller, now fully healthy, started three games a year ago before missing the remainder of the season with an injury.
But make no mistake: Offense powers the Huskies, who averaged 35.7 points last season while giving up 36.7 per game.
“We’re dynamic,” Zappe said. “We’re bringing back a lot of our playmakers.”