TEXAS SOUTHERN: 5 THINGS TO WATCH
Clarence McKinney had little to work with when he took over the Texas Southern football program in December 2018, resulting in a winless 2019 campaign. The Tigers found the win column a year ago, and with nearly all the players on the current roster being McKinney’s recruits, 2022 could be a year the Tigers break out. Here are five things to watch with the Tigers this season:
CAN THE TIGERS WIN CONSISTENTLY?
1Texas Southern has shown steady progress under McKinney, beginning his fourth season in charge. But compiling wins hasn’t been easy. Over McKinney’s first three campaigns, the Tigers have not had a winning season in a massive rebuild. Last year, the Tigers went 2-8 and 2-6 in the SWAC, accumulating road wins against Southern and Arkansas-Pine Bluff. A 69-0 homecoming victory against heavily overmatched North American University isn’t counted by the NCAA. The schedule is favorable in 2022. The first five games are played in Texas.
DEVELOPMENT OF BODY
2 McKinney knows what he has in Andrew Body, who as a freshman in 2021 threw for 2,017 yards after taking over as the starter in game 3 at Rice. For the first time since 2016, TSU returns a quarterback that passed for more than 1,000 yards, and a 2,000-yard passer from the previous season since 2010. Against Rice, Body passed for 353 yards and ran for 62. His 265.9-yards per game average of offense is the school’s single-season best. With a full season of experience behind him, McKinney envisions more progression in 2022.
BACKUP QUARTERBACK COMPETITION
3 Prairie View A&M transfer Shayne Lawrence; Jacob Landry, who has been in the system; Tison Hill; and incoming freshman Oscar Gordon III are competing to back up Body. Gordon oozes with potential, leading Austin LBJ to the Class 4A Division I state championship game last season. Lawrence is a dual threat. One-time starter Jalen Brown left the program. If Gordon picks up the system and develops quickly, he has a chance get on the field and contribute.
RUNNING BACK A POSITION OF STRENGTH
4 Larry Warner is the new running backs coach and will have the team’s top three rushers at that position from 2021 return in LaDarius Owens, Jacorey Howard and Dominic Franklin. Owens is a scatback and Howard and Franklin are power runners. Owens broke out with 624 yards rushing and five touchdowns a year ago, surpassing 170 yards against Jackson State and Alabama A&M. Howard ran for a team-best seven scores. Kevin Harris saw considerable time in the backfield as well.
IMPROVEMENT ON DEFENSE
5 End Demontario Anderson has stood out throughout training camp. But All-SWAC linebacker Tarik Cooper is the leader on that side of the ball that is showing improvement on all levels — the front line, the second level, and the safeties. A noted pass rusher, Anderson was good for 3.5 tackles for loss and a pair of sacks in 2021. Cooper was the team’s leading tackler and co-leader in interceptions. Texas A&M transfer safety Derrick Tucker should show in the secondary. Last year the defense allowed averages of 39.7 points and nearly 500 yards per game.