No. 4 UMHB at Texas Lutheran: Week 7 Football Preview presented by The Best of Belton

Previewing this week’s matchup presented by The Best of Belton

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No. 4 UMHB at Texas Lutheran

Date: Oct. 15

Place: Bulldog Stadium, Seguin, TX

Time: 1:00 p.m. CST

Streaming: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/tlu/index.htm

Radio: 93.9 FM/1330 AM

Pregame reading

“I think our away record speaks for itself”: No. 4 UMHB football goes on the road for the second straight week, facing TLU

The Series

UMHB is 20-1 against TLU all-time, having won the last 19 meetings. TLU’s lone win came at home on Nov. 13, 1999, and the Cru is 8-1 when playing in Seguin. In recent years, the margin of victory has been wide, with the last six games being won by the Crusaders by a margin of at least 28 points. UMHB was victorious in last year’s contest in Belton, winning 49-3.

Notable Facts

The ties run deep between the UMHB and TLU football programs, with five of UMHB’s coaches having some connection to TLU. First-year offensive coordinator Andy Padron coached under his father at the school from 2011-2014, and special teams coordinator/defensive line coach Mark Carey was at TLU for six years, spending five as the co-defensive coordinator. Offensive line coach Matt Cannata both played and coached for the Bulldogs, lettering in four seasons as a center. Grad assistants Grayson Olguin and Trevor Hopkins were also centers at TLU.

Also, UMHB offensive lineman John Kazmierski will be having a homecoming of sorts in two different ways. He played at TLU as a defensive end in 2016, under Carey, before transferring to UMHB. TLU head coach Neil LaHue was not in Seguin when Kazmierski played there, but interestingly enough, LaHue was his high school head coach at Hays High School.

About the opponent: Texas Lutheran Bulldogs

Head Coach: Neil LaHue (1st year)

Conference: American Southwest (ASC)

Season Record (overall/conf): 2-3, 1-2 (L vs Howard Payne, 45-59, L @Trinity, 14-52, L vs Sul Ross State, 14-28, W @ N. American, 45-17, W @ Austin College, 35-17)

2021 Record (overall/conf): 3-7, 3-6 ASC

Week 6: Win at Austin College, 35-17

You’ll know they’re playing well if: the rushing attack finds traction. With one of the best one-two punches in the ASC with Jacob Forton and DaKory Willis, TLU can mix it up and keep the opposing defense on its toes. Both Forton and Willis are exceptional pass-catchers as well, and when the rushing attack gets going, it opens up passing opportunities, both out of the backfield and further downfield for quarterback Seth Cosme.

Defensively, their rushing defense is a strength, ranked fourth in the ASC in yards per game. If the Bulldogs are slowing down UMHB on the ground, you’ll know that TLU’s defense is having a good day.

Names to know:

OFFENSE: Sr. QB Seth Cosme (#3) (70.7% passing, 1,208 yds, 9 TD, 1 INT), RB Jacob Forton (#22) (85 carries, 308 yds, 3.6 yds/carry, 8 TD, 17 receptions, 189 yds, 2 TD), RB DaKory Willis (#34) (46 carries, 247 yds, 5.4 yds/carry, 1 TD ), Sr. TE Aaron Sotelo (#88) (19 receptions, 220 yds, 4 TD)

DEFENSE: Jr. DL Joshua Stanton (#94) (4 solo tackles, 18 total tackles, 1.5 TFL), Jr. LB Canon Kromis (#35) (8 solo tackles, 21 total tackles, 2.5 TFL), So. DB Mason Hardy (#12) (5 solo tackles, 16 total tackles, 2 INT)

SPECIAL TEAMS: KR/PR Eugene Robinson IV (#16) (Ranks 38th in the nation in combined kick/punt return yards, with 345, 25.1 yds/kick return, 8.8 yds/punt return).

About the No. 4 UMHB Crusaders

Head Coach: Larry Harmon (1st year)

Conference: American Southwest (ASC)

Season Record (overall/conf): 5-1, 4-0 (W vs Muhlenberg 62-13, L @ UW-Whitewater, 24-28, W vs Southwestern, 68-14, W @ Hardin-Simmons, 50-20, W vs Austin College, 38-7, W @ ETBU, 24-7)

2021 Record: 15-0, 9-0 ASC

Week 6: Win at ETBU, 24-7

You’ll know they’re playing well if: they are moving the chains on offense, mixing the run and the pass. One benefit of the depth UMHB has on that side of the ball is that the Crusaders can work at an up-tempo, no-huddle pace, consistently putting in fresh players if need be. They rank 10th in the nation in scoring offense in points per game, at 48.4 points per game. Also key is the offensive line, considering UMHB has allowed the fewest sacks in the ASC this year.

Defensively, if the Crusaders are getting to the ball quickly, as they did last week at ETBU, the opponent has very little room to make plays in open space. Mostly limiting the Tigers to running plays and short passes, UMHB shutout ETBU for three quarters a week ago.

Names to know:

OFFENSE: Sr. QB Kyle King (#17) (67% completion percentage, 1,524pass yds, 19 TD, 0 INT), Sr. RB Aphonso Thomas (#0) (85 carries, 508 rush yds, 6.0 yds/carry, 5 TD), Sr. WR K.J. Miller (#7) (35 receptions, 454 receiving yds, 5 TD), So. WR Jerry Day Jr. (#84) (14 receptions, 340 receiving yards, 4 TD)

DEFENSE: So. LB Durand Hill (#25) (23 solo tackles, 47.0 tackles, 4.5 TFL), So. LB Johnny Smith-Rider (#28) (26 solo tackles, 38.0 total tackles, 13.0 TFL, 1.0 sack), Sr. DB Tommy Bowden (#4) (16 solo tackles, 25.0 total tackles, 2.0 TFL, 2 pass breakups, 1 forced fumble), Jr. DB Omari Frazier (#13) (10 solo tackles, 25.0 total tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 INT, 2.0 TFL)

SPECIAL TEAMS: KR/PR K.J. Miller (#7) (36th in the nation in combined kick/punt return yardage, 31.43 yds/kick return, 16.0 yds/punt return)