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Wednesday, September 13, 2000

Savages seeking first win

Javelinas' opponent suffering a slow start

By Javier Becerra
Caller-Times

Javelinas vs. Savages WHAT: A&M-Kingsville at Southeastern Oklahoma State. WHEN: Saturday, 7 p.m. WHERE: Paul Laird Field, Durant, Okla. RECORDS: A&M-Kingsville 0-1 LSC, 0-2 overall; Southeastern Oklahoma 0-2 overall. SERIES: First meeting. LAST WEEK: Southwestern Oklahoma 16, A&M-Kingsville 13 (2OT); Sam Houston State 44, Southeastern Oklahoma 0.

The 2000 football season looked promising for Southeastern Oklahoma State University.
   Despite being the odd-team out in the NCAA Division II playoff race, the Savages finished in a three-way tie for the Lone Star Conference title last year in just their second official season in the league.
   Southeastern Oklahoma had six starters returning on both offense and defense, including two 1,000-yard rushers, and was able to plug personnel losses with a strong recruiting class.
   Two games into the season, however, the Savages are 0-2 after dismal performances against Southern Arkansas and Sam Houston.
   And with Texas A&M-Kingsville (0-2) traveling to Durant, Okla., Saturday for an LSC crossover game at Paul Laird Field, head coach Morris Sloan is still searching for possible solutions to his team's problems.
   "If I knew what was wrong, we would have fixed it after Week 1," Sloan said. "This is basically the same team as last year except for four kids. We're just not mixing very well. We've been trying, but it's just not working. What I do know is that both teams are 0-2, and after this week, one of us will be 1-2 and the other 0-3."
   More questions
   Southeastern Oklahoma opened the season with a 28-15 loss to Southern Arkansas, which amassed 523 rushing yards. The Muleriders had two running backs eclipse the 100-yard mark, while backs Johnny McHenry and Scott Martin combined for 129 yards rushing for the Savages.
   Last week, Division I-AA Sam Houston State scored on its first six possessions to post a 44-0 win over Southeastern Oklahoma. Five first-half turnovers by the Savages allowed the Bearkats to surge out to a 38-0 lead at halftime.
   Southeastern Oklahoma finished with just 105 total yards, leaving Sloan and the Savages with more questions.
   "I wish it was that simple, but I just don't know. If I knew what the problem was, we could fix it," Sloan said. "We look pretty good in practice and did some good things against Sam Houston. If we don't turn the ball over five times in the first half on fumbles it would've been a different game."
   Anybody's guess
   Southeastern Oklahoma's slide could be pinpointed to last year's 14-13 season-ending loss to East Central (Okla.). A win would have given the Savages the LSC title outright, but instead finished as tri-champs while Central Oklahoma and Northeastern (Okla.) State earned the conference's playoff bids.
   Adding to the Savages' woes this season are the losses of wide receivers Romar Crenshaw and Juston Hatfield, both out with broken collar bones.
   Tailbacks McHenry and Martin, who each had 1,000 yards last year, and transfer quarterback John Holmes will lead the offense against the Javelinas.
   What happens Saturday night, Sloan said, is anybody's guess.
   "I don't know what to expect, to be honest," Sloan said. "We haven't played very well. We didn't play too good in the first game and we definitely didn't play at all last week. I know we can do better than we have."
  

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Staff writer Javier Becerra can be reached at 886-3734 or by e-mail at becerraj@caller.com

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