McMurry can hold its head high
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One of those banners, which stretches end-to-end beneath the windows of the press box, celebrates the accomplishments of the school’s individual track and field national champions.
But, heck, this is Texas. “How’s your football team doing?”
And this is Abilene, to boot. The north side features one of Division III’s most successful programs over the past 10 or so years in Hardin-Simmons.
The D-II program on the northeast side of town is Abilene Christian, a perennial playoff contender, with a alumnus starting for the Chicago Bears.
“Did you see Johnny Knox’s kickoff return against the Lions?”
And did you see Abilene High School on Friday night? Still unbeaten, and up 35-0 at the end of the first quarter on their way to a 66-0 homecoming victory.
How’s your football team doing?
If you’ve attended McMurry that last couple of years, that’s been a painful question. So as the seconds ticked down at Moore Stadium on Saturday night, a cry arose, growing louder as time expired and a Nation stood as one with pride for the first time in nearly two years.
When the clock hit zero, giving the team formerly known as the Indians, a 45-21 victory over East Texas Baptist and ending a 17-game losing streak, the pandemonium ensued.
The student section, already up from the couches and loveseats toted before the game to behind the south end zone and including the Speedo-clad “Swim Squad” with full body paint, rushed the field into a crowd of joyful players and coaches.
“I love this setting,” new coach Hal Mumme said. “I love what Dr. Russell (school president), Ron Holmes (Athletic Director) and our administration have committed to do around here. What a terrific setting it’s hard to imagine a better one.”
Winning a football game is a great feeling and a different feeling than a win in any other sport.
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Perhaps, because there are so few opportunities and so much work and preparation that goes into it. You only get to play once a week for about two and a half months. You won’t find too many players who tell you that football practice is fun.
Which makes losing feel that much worse. In other sports, you get to play tomorrow or within a couple days. In football, you have to wait a week to redeem yourself.
At McMurry, even with the recent hiring of former Division I coach and offensive guru in Mumme and continuing facility upgrades, it was beginning to feel as if redemption might never come. The Nation had lost its first four games of the season.
“We had Trinity on the ropes,” Mumme said. “We had Austin College on the ropes, and then we took on two really great teams and got blown out.
“Our kids were kind of carrying this weight around campus. It’d been a long time since they won a game around here.”
Clements, one of six seniors on McMurry’s roster, was one of those carrying that weight, while trying carry a leadership role too.
“I could see it in the guy’s faces,” the ASC honorable mention selection said of the losing streak. “It’s just dragged us down.
“I knew sooner or later, we were going to have to break that chain. Tonight was a good way to do it.”
Quarterback Jake Mullin spent the last two years as an all-region right fielder before joining the program before camp in August. So he had a view of how the program was viewed by outsiders.
“The last two years,” Mullin said. “The McMurry football program, everybody kind of laughed at. People thought they’re not made of anything (special.)
“We’re getting great support this year. People are coming out. I’m glad we gave them something to be proud of.”
So it was all the more fitting that it was East Texas Baptist that McMurry ended its agony against. The “Indians” had not beaten the Tigers since ETBU resurrected its program ten years ago. The win for McMurry marked the first for the program since a 34-24 victory over Howard Payne on Oct. 13, 2007.
“We got rid of three monkeys right there,” Mumme said. “The ETBU losing streak, our conference losing streak and our losing streak in general.”
Mumme, known for his developing quarterbacks at his previous stops, appears to have another gem in Mullin. The junior didn’t join the team until before camp started in August but has passed for nearly 1500 yards and 11 touchdowns in just five games this season.
He was especially good on Saturday night, leading three second half scoring drives that broken open a 21-21 tie at the half. In all, he completed 29 of 40 passes for 311 yards with four touchdown passes.
Not bad for a guy in just his fifth game after not playing the position since high school. Mullin had thought he’d play in college but didn’t get any offers in part because he played in a run-oriented offense. He had thought about coming out the first two years, but when the school hired Mumme and his staff, his mind was made up.
“In high school, we passed it maybe eight times a game,” Mullin said. “Now we probably run it ten times a game.
“So it’s a complete change. I’m having a blast. They welcomed me with open arms. I am having a blast. I have no regrets.”
As Mullin continues to develop, you also like the fact that he is willing to take responsibility and lead.
“The first two games were horrible,” he said of the tough last-minute losses to Trinity and Austin. “I made some mistakes that I shouldn’t have.
“I put it on me. But tonight we learned from those mistakes and closed this game out. We want to earn people’s respect first and that’s earned on the field. Everybody’s been longing for a win.”
Clements credited the new coaching staff with helping develop a new attitude in the program.
“One of the big deals with us is -- keep attacking,” he said. “Never give up. Never surrender. That’s the motto out team lives by.”
So what does the future hold now that the streak is over? McMurry looks improved enough to be very competitive in their last five games after handing ETBU their first conference loss.
“We’ve got one in a row,” Mumme said. “So we’ll try and build on it.”
How’s your football team?
At McMurry, it’s getting better.
The other game in Abilene
At the start of the season, the Mary Hardin-Baylor/Hardin-Simmons game was suppose to be the” de facto” title game in the ASC. The two teams played a pair of games last season decided by a total of five points, both won by the Crusaders.
But injuries to quarterback Justin Feaster, receiver ZaVious Robbins and several others on the HSU roster led to a three-game Cowboy losing streak heading into the game. Still Hardin-Simmons gave a pretty good account of itself in the 23-7 loss to the nation’s third-ranked team.
UMHB running back Quincy Daniels, who sat out almost all of last season with a knee injury after rushing for more than 1,500 yards in 2007, can sympathize with Feaster.
“It really hurts sitting out,” Daniels said after rushing for a season-high 145 yards Saturday. “Especially for games like this.”
Daniels though appears to be all the way back from the injury that. So far he’s rushed 383 yards and six touchdowns, while averaging over seven yards a carry.
Honestly, I was more ready for the first game than I thought I’d be,” Daniels said.
Still the UMHB staff appears to have brought him along slowly. His 23 carries on Saturday were the most he’d had this season. That and unlike last season when the Crusaders backfield was decimated by injuries, UMHB has some depth that includes transfer Desmond Mayes and freshman Rickie Williams.
“I feel the coaches are putting the ball in my hands more now just to give me more opportunities to make thing happen,” Daniels added.
“I think Quincy is getting better and better every week,” coach Pete Fredenburg said. “He’s gaining quickness and acceleration.”
And surprisingly, the runner doesn’t feel the need to get into an sort of rhythm despite sharing time with two other backs.
“Whenever I get on the field,” Daniels said, whose 39-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter effective but the game out reach 20-0, “I going to try to make a play. I am not forcing it.
“If I’ve been sitting on the sideline for a whole quarter and I come in it doesn’t faze me. I am ready to go.”
Fredenburg came into the game feeling that his team had not been pushed yet. They got that push from the wounded Cowboys.
“It feels good to play Hardin-Simmons and get a victory,” Fredenburg said. “They had so much motivation and reasons to give incredible effort. I think they really did today.”
You can see why Hardin-Simmons coach Jimmy Keeling has had such success over the years. Despite the injuries and his wife Susan’s ongoing battle with cancer, the veteran mentor refuses to make excuses.
“Our guys are going to play hard,” he said. “We’re young but that’s not an excuse. We have to have the guys we have and play. We’re proud of our guys for showing great effort.”
Still another interesting story line in the game is the emergence of freshman quarterback LiDarral Bailey. Though junior Kyle Noack started the game and helped stake the Crusaders to a 10-0 lead by going 5-of-6 for 64 yards and a touchdown, it was Bailey who played the rest of the game.
“LiDarral’s just moving the team,” Fredenburg said. “Kyle did good, but LiDarral did some exceptional things.
After throwing an interception on his first attempt, Bailey completed his next six of eight passes for 61 yards while rushing for 151 yards. The freshman has a scary ability to keep plays alive with his athleticism and either run or throw for a first down.
This was especially evident as the Crusaders converted 11 of 16 on third down. Several of those came on third-and-long situations.
“Third down wasn’t good in the first game,” Daniels said. “Our offense is not built for third-and-long. One of our goals is to be more efficient in third down. I am glad to see we have the capabilities to convert there.”
Mary Hardin-Baylor could effectively wrap up the ASC championship during the next two weeks. Next week the Crusaders host Louisiana College (2-2, 1-1) before traveling to Mississippi College (4-1, 3-0) the following week.
The Choctaws defeated Louisiana College 54-44 on Saturday to remain the ASC’s only other unbeaten in conference play. The teams combined for more than 1,000 yards of total offense.
Contact me
I want to thank the McMurry Athletic Foundation for sponsoring my trip to Abilene this past weekend. I also would like to thank HSU SID Chad Grubbs, McMurry SID Kyle Robarts, UMHB SID Jon Wallin, McMurry linebacker coach Chris Ruybal and ETBU broadcaster Charlie Chitwood for making my trip enjoyable. I also got to meet Post Patterns regulars RooCru (aka Rick Page), Toby Taff and umhb2001 at Harold’s BBQ Pit. Great Stuff at Harold’s! You can reach me at jason.bowen@capital.k12.de.us, Conrad on Post Patterns or on Facebook at Facebook.com/jasonbowen3. Enjoy your weekend!