HBU, Zappe "More Than Shine" in 35-33 loss to Texas Tech

File photo by
Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2020 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2020 All Rights Reserved

LUBBOCK, TEXAS (September 12, 2020) In a game that they were slated as a 41-point underdog, the HBU Huskies fell to the Texas Tech Red Raiders by the score of 35-33 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock. With the near loss, the Huskies dropped to 0-2 in the pandemic-shorten season, with a two week break until the face Louisiana Tech in Ruston, Louisiana on Saturday, September 26. The Tech win was the first in as many games for the HBU's Big 12 foe.

Husky quarterback Bailey Zappe (shown above left) connected on 30-of-67 apsses for 567 yards and four touchdowns. His frequent targets were the brothers Sterns. Jerreth caught 12 passes for  130 yards and one touchdown, with Josh having five receptions for 209 yards and two TDs. DJ Dormeus had three catches for 82 yards and one touchdown. Defensively, Brennan Young tallied 13 tackles, 12 of them solo with Caleb Johnson also accounting for 13, eight of them solo. Isaiah Cash had the game's lone interception, which he returned for 15 yards.

Zappe, in twe games, has completed 73 passes on 111 attempts for 1.047 yards and seven touchdowns without throwing any interceptions. Against North Texas, on September 5,  his longest completed pass was 71 yards. Versus the Red Raiders, had-a 75-yard completion to Josh Sterns in the fourth quarter for the second of his scores.

The Husky's game against Louisiana Tech on September 26 will be broadcast on ESPN3 and on the Husky Sports Network (KKME Digital) with Lonnie King behind the microphone.

HBU Huskies overwhelm Texas Southern Tigers 68-31

HBU quarterback Bailey Zappe tallied 511 combined yards
(passing and rushing) against Texas Southern.
Photo by Darla Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (September 28, 2019) The HBU Huskies posted 438 yard of total offense in the first half; taking a 37-21 lead into the locker room at the break in route to a 68-31 win over the Texas Southern Tigers at Husky Stadium on Saturday evening. The Huskies scored 30 unanswered points through the 10:26 mark of the second quarter before the Tigers got on the scoreboard.

The story of the game was not that the Huskies overwhelmed the Tigers. HBU is currently 4-1 for the season, their best start in program history. Their only loss was a 36-34 decision to Texas-El Paso to open the 2019 season. The story is much more than the final score. It is about how dominating the Huskies have performed this season. Six different HBU players scored touchdowns against Texas Southern. Kicker Gino Garcia (Richardson, TX, Pearce HS, No. 37, shown below) booted two field goals of 30 and 54 yards, along with eight extra points.

Photo by Darla Tamulitis
La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

Quarterback Bailey Zappe (Victoria, TX, Victoria East HS) broke his own season-game records for completions (43) and passing attempts (59). He threw for 498 yards and seven touchdowns with a game longest of 52 yards, while being picked off once. He currently leads the nation with 21 touchdowns, competing 160-of-209 passes for 1,817 yards. Junior wide receiver Ben Ratzlaff (San Diego, CA, Westview HS/Golden West JC) is among the nation's top 10 with 40 catches for 601 yards and eight TDs. Dreshawn Minnieweather (Mesquite, TX, North Mesquite HS) is the Huskies' leading rusher with 438 yards while freshman kicker has made 8-of-9 field goals. including a career-best of 54 yards. Junior linebacker Caleb Johnson (San Diego, CA, (Point Paloma HS) leads the team with 59 tackles.

In the current week's national ranking poll, HBU again received votes (eight) which places them 33rd in the country. Other Southland Conference schools receiving votes includes Nicholls (404 votes, 9th), Central Arkansas (351 votes, 14th), Southeastern Louisiana (109 votes, 22nd), and Sam Houston State (11 votes, 32nd). The Huskies will face Southeastern Louisiana at home on October 26, Nicholls on November 9 in Thibodaux, Louisiana, and Sam Houston on November 23 in Huntsville, Texas.

The Huskies will next face Incarnate Word at Husky Stadium on Saturday, October 6 at Husky Stadium. The Cardinals are currently 2-2 after downing Abilene Christian by the score of 31-24 in San Antonio on Saturday evening.

HBU receives votes in National Top 25 poll; Zappe, Walker receive weekly honors

Bailey Zappe (left) and Andre Walker address the media at the
Southland Conference Football Media Day in July, 2019.
Photo by Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (September 18, 2019) Coming off their stunning 53-52 upset win over South Dakota, the HBU Huskies again garnered votes in the FCS Coaches Poll rankings. The Huskies received 11 votes, and although it was not enough to break into the Top 25, marks their second time this season to receive votes. In Week 2, they also received 11 votes, to tie with Cal Poly for 43rd place in the rankings. The Husky's 11 votes in the current poll place them 30th; just 46 votes out of the Top 25.

With a 2-1 record, HBU will face Southland Conference opponent Northwestern State on Saturday, Sept 21 with a scheduled 6 p.m. CDT at Husky Stadium in Houston. The Demons are 0-3 in 2019, and are coming off a 65-14 loss to LSU this past Saturday.  Previously, they dropped 42-20 decision to TU-Martin in Week One, followed by a 33-7 loss to Midwestern State. The Husky's are 0-2 lifetime versus the Demons; losing 10-7 on October 28, 2017 in Houston and falling 31-28 on Oct 27, 2018 in Natchitoches, Louisiana. With a win against the Demons, HBU would post the best record in program history, through the fourth game of the season.

In addition to the votes in the Top 25 poll, quarterback Bailey Zappe and defensive end Andre Walker earned Southland Football Player of the Week honors.

Zappe racked up the tenth-most passing yards in Southland Conference history (513) against South Dakota. In addition, he broke his own school record for completions (41) and tied the program’s top mark with five touchdowns. He is currently the league leader in passing yards (1,062) and touchdowns (10) and led the Huskies down the field for the game-winning touchdown, going 5-for-5 with 64 yards.

Walker tallied a school-record four sacks, one shy of the Southland Conference record, for 27 yards lost. Against South Dakota, he totaled six tackles, including four solo stops. He also tallied back-to-back sacks.

HBU Huskies overwhelm Texas Wesleyan 58-13

Photo by
Darla Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

By Robert Kelly
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (September 7, 2019) After trailing 7-0 at the 9:19 mark of the first quarter, the HBU Huskies jumped out to a 44-7 lead at halftime in route to a 58-13 trouncing of the Texas Wesleyan Rams at Husky Field on Saturday evening in Houston. Quarterback Bailey Zappe (shown left), who was taken out of the game midway in the second quarter, threw for 249 yards and three touchdowns, along with rushing for 47 yards. to cap his second game of the season. In the Huskies' 36-34 loss to Texas-El Paso on August 31, the junior from Victoria, Texas completed 27-of-37 passes for 300 yards and two TDs. 

The game was the perfect tuneup for their next opponent on Saturday, September 14, when they travel to Vermillion, South Dakota to face the University of South Dakota Coyotes. South Dakota comes into the game with a 0-2 record after dropping their season opener to Montana and a 70-14 loss to the Oklahoma Sooners in Norman. The Huskies tallied a total of 624 yards of total offense against the Rams and will hope to stay close to those numbers when they face South Dakota. The Coyotes have averaged 345 yards of total offense per game, against two highly regarded opponents.  

After dropping the season opener to UTEP, the Huskies came onto the field at Husky Stadium with the honor of receiving votes in the weekly FCS Coaches Poll. HBU received 11 votes, tied with Cal Poly for 43th place in the weekly ranking. Eight Southland Conference teams received votes with Nicholls State leading the way in 10th place (300 votes), followed by Central Arkansas (18th, 275 pts.), and Sam Houston State (22nd, 108 pts.). Also receiving votes were McNeese State (17), Abilene Christian (14), Incarnate Word (12), HBU (11) and Lamar (5).

HBU wide receiver Ben Ratzlaff caught seven passes for 110 yards, with a game-high longest 43-yard reception. Ben Beck carried the ball eight times for 88 yards and one touchdown with one rush for 33 yards. You can view his post-game interview with the press by clicking here.

HBU QB Bailey Zappe and DE Andre Walker at Southland Conference FB Media Day 2019

Video by Kirstin Kelly
Staff Photographer/Videographer
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (July 20, 2019) Houston Baptist University junior QB Bailey Zappe and senior DE Andre Walker at Southland Conference FB Media Day 2019 on July 18, 2019

HBU head coach Vic Shealy, players speak at Southland Conference football media day

Photo by Darla S Tamulitis
La Vita Loca Photography
Copyrightr 2019 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (July 18, 2019) The 2019 Southland Conference football media day was held at the Hilton Post Oak in Houston with all 11 schools represented to discuss their upcoming season and field questions from the 50-plus media in attendence.

Houston Baptist University was represented by head coach Vic Shealy (shown left), who is in his sixth season at the helm of the Huskies. HBU returns 17 starters, nine on offense and eight on defense, along with exceptional talent on both sides of the ball. Senior defensive end Andre Walker, who enters the season as the Huskies' all-time sacks leader, is a preseason all-conference selection. Junior linebacker Caleb Johnson ranked fifth in the league in tackles per game, recorded 102 total stops on the year and tied for the league lead with four fumble recoveries to earn preseason all-conference honors. Sophomore wide receiver Jerreth Sterns led the conference in receptions in his rookie campaign and earned preseason all-conference honors. Junior quarterback Bailey Zappe tied for the league lead with 23 touchdown passes, while setting nearly every HBU single-game, single-season and career passing record.

Shealy discussed his view of the upcoming season;  stating to the press:

“These are good days at HBU with great things happening in our program. I can’t wait to see these guys. We play, in my opinion, in the best FCS conference in the country and I think this year, what makes it more difficult, is the strength from top to bottom. You look at the quality of teams that you have to play week-in and week-out, our league exposes areas where you are not very good. By the time you get to a playoff, you are a hardened team."

He added:

"I think this year will be one of the most fun years I’ve ever had as a coach. I believe in this football team we have, this is the best team we have had in our years here at HBU. The six years have gone by fast and what I see with this team, is that since we said goodbye to them before Christmas until they came back in January, they have not missed a step toward the expectations on their plate.”

In addition,

“Some of the success that we’ve seen, particularly on offense last year, the ability to generate points and do things with the football, are good indicators of where we are. This year we are going to be a fit for team’s in this league to handle, because both sides of the ball have the ability to trend up in incredible fashion.”

The Huskies open camp Monday, August 5 with a 7:30 p.m. practice at Husky Stadium. The 2019 season kicks off against FBS and Conference USA foe UTEP Saturday, Aug. 31 at 8 p.m. CDT at the Sun Bowl in El Paso.

HBU QB Bailey Zappe off to great start after two games

Photo by
Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (September 14, 2018) Following a 51-34 lost to the No. 14 McNeese State Cowboys this past Saturday, in which HBU quarterback Bailey Zappe (shown left) threw for 348 yards, the Huskies will face the Abilene Christian Cowboys at Husky Stadium on Saturday, September 15, 2018. The Husky take a 1-1 record into the game, having defeated Southwest Baptist 49-7 in their opening season game on September 1. The Cowboys also bring a 1-1 record into Houston; having dropped a 55-27 decision to the Baylor Bears on September 1 and downing Angelo State 41-24 this past Saturday.

Zappe, who is on track to having a banner sophomore season, has completed 39 passes on 66 attempts for 552 yards and six touchdowns. In 2017, he appeared in 10 games, starting in nine, and completed 150-of-266 passes for 1,548 yards, including five touchdowns. He also rushed for 50 yards and two touchdowns. He set school records, as a true freshman in passing completions, attempts, and yards. In high school, he was at three-year letterwinner at Victoria East High School, passing for 3,370 yards and 37 touchdowns along with rushing for 650 yards and 15 touchdowns.

He will be facing a Wildcat defense that has given up 79 points and 878 yards in two games. HBU has played Abilene Christian each of the past four seasons; posting a 1-3 record. The lone win was a 27-24 decision in 2016, at home. The dropped their initial meeting, in 2014, by the score of 59-14. They followed that up with another loss in 2015 (49-21), along with 2017 (24-3).

Saturday's game is "Family Weekend" at HBU, with the game to be broadcast on ESPN3. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CDT.