2021 Sam Houston Bearkats football
WAC champion WAC–ASUN Challenge champion
NCAA Division I Quarterfinal, L 19–42 vs. Montana State
Conference	AQ7
Ranking
STATS	No. 5
FCS Coaches	No. 4
Record	11–1 (6–0 AQ7)
Head coach	K. C. Keeler (8th season)
Offensive coordinator	Ryan Carty (4th season)
Offensive scheme	Spread option
Defensive coordinator	Clayton Carlin (5th season)
Base defense	4–2–5
Home stadium	Bowers Stadium
Seasons ←  2020 2022 →

2021 Western Athletic Conference football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 5 Sam Houston $^		5	–	0					11	–	1
No. 21 Stephen F. Austin ^		4	–	1					8	–	4
Abilene Christian		2	–	2					5	–	6
Tarleton State *		2	–	3					6	–	5
Dixie State *		0	–	3					1	–	10
Lamar		0	–	4					1	–	9
$ – Conference champion ^ – FCS playoff participant * – Ineligible for FCS playoffs due to transition from Division II Rankings from STATS Poll

2021 WAC–ASUN Challenge football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 5 Sam Houston $^		6	–	0					11	–	1
No. 21 Stephen F. Austin ^		4	–	2					8	–	4
Eastern Kentucky		4	–	2					7	–	4
Central Arkansas		3	–	3					5	–	6
Jacksonville State		3	–	3					5	–	6
Abilene Christian		1	–	5					5	–	6
Lamar		0	–	6					1	–	9
$ – Conference champion ^ – FCS playoff participant Rankings from STATS Poll

The 2021 Sam Houston Bearkats football team represented Sam Houston State University in the 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season as a member of the Western Athletic Conference. The Bearkats were led by eighth-year head coach K. C. Keeler and played their home games at Bowers Stadium.

The Western Athletic Conference and ASUN Conference announced the formation of the WAC–ASUN Challenge (AQ7) for the 2021 season on February 23, 2021. The Challenge included the four fully qualified Division I (FCS) members of the WAC ( Abilene Christian, Lamar, Sam Houston , and Stephen F. Austin) and Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky, and Jacksonville State of the ASUN Conference. The winner of the challenge received an auto-bid to the NCAA Division I FCS football playoffs. ^[1]

Preseason

Preseason polls

WAC Poll

The Western Athletic Conference coaches released their preseason poll on July 27, 2021. The Bearkats were picked to finish first in the conference. In addition, several Bearkats were selected to the preseason WAC Offense, Defense, and Special teams. Eric Schmid was selected preseason offensive player of the year. Jahari Kay was selected defensive player of the year. ^[2]

Predicted finish	Team	Votes (1st place)
1	Sam Houston	20 (5)
2	Stephen F. Austin	16 (1)
3	Tarleton State	11
4	Lamar	8
5	Abilene Christian	5

• Note: Dixie State is not included since they are not playing a full WAC schedule due to previous non-conference game contracts. Dixie State players are eligible for individual rewards.

Preseason All–WAC Team

AQ7 Poll

The AQ7 coaches also released their preseason poll on July 27, 2021. The Bearkats were picked to finish first in the ASUN-WAC Challenge. ^[3]

Predicted finish	Team	Votes (1st place)
1	Sam Houston State	49 (7)
2	Central Arkansas	40
3	Jacksonville State	37
4	Stephen F. Austin	27
5	Eastern Kentucky	20
6	Abilene Christian	15
7	Lamar	8

Roster

2021 Sam Houston Bearkats football team roster
Players			Coaches
Offense Pos. # Name Class WR 2 Ife Adeyi So QB 3 Eric Schmid  Jr RB 4 Ramon Jefferson  Jr QB 5 Keegan Shoemaker So RB 6 Noah Smith So WR 7 Dewaylon Ingram Jr QB 10 Mike Dare GS QB 11 Gunner Capps  Fr WR 12 Jequez Ezzard GS WR 14 Ryan Humphries  So WR 15 Tony Williams  Jr TE 16 Isaac Schley  Sr QB 17 Matthew Southern Fr QB 18 Trapper Pannell Fr WR 19 Brennon Tibbs  Sr RB 20 Daryon Triche Fr RB 24 Harrison Smith Fr RB 25 Donovan Williams Jr RB 26 Kyran Jackson Sr TE 27 Dalton Meyer  So RB 28 Charles Crawford III Fr OL 51 Jalen North  Fr OL 52 Colby Thomas Sr OL 56 Daniel Melendez Jr OL 57 Ethan Hagler So OL 59 Will Jones Fr OL 60 Seth Kohlscheen  Fr OL 61 Noah Barboza Jr OL 62 Anthony Turrubiartes  Jr OL 64 Ben Bankston  Jr OL 65 Ylijaah Hall  So OL 66 D'Ary Patton Fr OL 70 Miguel Garcia GS OL 71 Walter Harris III Sr OL 73 Moses Johnson  Jr OL 74 Kevin Brown Jr OL 75 Eleasah Anderson  Jr OL 76 Prince Pines So OL 77 Peyton Fifield  So WR 80 Dee Bownes  So WR 81 Derrick Rose  Fr WR 83 Quan Ardoin  Jr TE 84 Keontae Richardson  Fr TE 85 Rowsy Godwin Fr TE 86 Jarvis Brooks Sr WR 88 Chandler Harvin  So WR 89 Cody Chrest GS	Defense Pos. # Name Class LB 1 Trevor Williams Jr DB 5 Darrel Hawkins-Williams So LB 8 Quentin Brown  Sr DB 9 Jaylen Thomas Sr DB 13 Isaiah Downes Jr DB 17 Ke'Shon Murray  Jr DB 21 Kameryn Alexander So DB 22 Zyon McCollum Sr DB 23 Tristin McCollum Sr S 24 Evrin Hawkins Jr DB 25 Truman Bexley Fr DB 26 R. J. Bendert Fr DB 27 Savien Arnett Fr LB 28 Rance McInnis  Fr LB 29 Danzell Sims  Sr DB 30 Taylen Blaylock Fr S 31 Immanuel Sutton  So LB 33 Markel Perry  Jr DB 34 Emmonte Davis  Fr DB 35 Tobias Weaver Fr DB 36 Braiden Clopton  Fr DB 38 Trey Smith  Jr DB 40 Carson Horner  Fr LB 42 Jaylen Phillips Fr LB 43 Trey Fields Fr DE 44 Juan Henry  So DB 45 Daniel North  Fr DB 46 Jalan Mayed  So LB 48 Goodness Nwawuihe Fr LB 50 Ysidro Mascorro Fr LB 51 Trey Mappe Fr LB 54 Nick Abengowe Fr DL 55 Jahari Kay Sr DE 58 L. J. Salazar  So DL 63 Roscoe Jones  So DL 90 Trace Mascorro Sr DT 92 Scean Mustin  Sr DL 93 Richard Outland Fr DL 94 Jevon Leon So DL 95 Joseph Wallace Sr DL 96 Zach Loane  Jr DL 97 Chris Scott  So DE 98 Briceon Haynes Fr	Special teams Pos. # Name Class P 37 Cameron Hearn  Sr K 39 Reed Honshtein  Fr LS 41 Noah Caldwell  Jr P 47 Matt McRobert  Sr LS 53 Tanner Boston So K 87 Seth Morgan Fr	Head coach K. C. Keeler (head coach) Coordinators/assistant coaches Ryan Carty (offensive coordinator / quarterbacks) Clayton Carlin (defensive coordinator / safeties) Gary McGraw (special teams coordinator / Cornerbacks / defensive passing game coordinator) Terence Archer (passing game coordinator / wide receivers) Chris Buckner (running backs) Chris Rogers (offensive line) Siddiq Haynes (defensive line) Joe Morris (defensive ends) Jared Hensley (linebackers) Matt Merkens (tight ends) Clayton Barnes (director of football operations & player personnel Parker Whiteman (strength and conditioning) Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt Roster Last update: July 16, 2021

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 2	8:00 p.m.	at Northern Arizona*	No. 1	Walkup Skydome Flagstaff, AZ	ESPN+	W 42–16	8,564
September 11	6:00 p.m.	Southeast Missouri State*	No. 1	Bowers Stadium Huntsville, TX	ESPN+	W 52–14	7,728
September 25	4:00 p.m.	at No. 25 Central Arkansas	No. 1	Estes Stadium Conway, AR (WAC/ASUN Challenge)	ESPN+	W 45–35	9,475
October 2	4:00 p.m.	vs. Stephen F. Austin	No. 1	NRG Stadium Houston, TX ( Battle of the Piney Woods)	ESPN+	W 21–20	25,007
October 9	2:00 p.m.	Lamar	No. 1	Bowers Stadium Huntsville, TX	ESPN+	W 41–7	9,836
October 23	2:00 p.m.	Jacksonville State	No. 1	Bowers Stadium Huntsville, TX (WAC/ASUN Challenge)	ESPN+	W 42–7	7,559
October 30	6:00 p.m.	at Tarleton State	No. 1	Memorial Stadium Stephenville, TX	ESPN+	W 45–27	8,245
November 6	12:00 p.m.	Dixie State	No. 1	Bowers Stadium Huntsville, TX	ESPN+	W 59–10	5,004
November 13	12:00 p.m.	Eastern Kentucky	No. 1	Bowers Stadium Huntsville, TX (WAC/ASUN Challenge)	ESPN+	W 42–28	6,570
November 20	1:00 p.m.	at Abilene Christian	No. 1	Wildcat Stadium Abilene, TX	ESPN+	W 35–9	4,421
December 4	2:00 p.m.	No. 13 Incarnate Word*	No. 1	Bowers Stadium Huntsville, TX ( NCAA Division I Second Round)	ESPN+	W 49–42	6,722
December 11	8:30 p.m.	No. 7 Montana State*	No. 1	Bowers Stadium Huntsville, TX ( NCAA Division I Quarterfinal)	ESPN+	L 19–42	7,565
*Non-conference game Rankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game All times are in Central time

^{[4] [5]}

Game summaries

At Northern Arizona

	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 1 Bearkats	7	14	14	7	42
Lumberjacks	0	7	9	0	16

Statistics

Statistics	Sam Houston	Northern Arizona
First downs	24	20
Total yards	562	383
Rushing yards	294	91
Passing yards	268	292
Turnovers	2	2
Time of possession	28:53	31:07

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Sam Houston	Passing	Eric Schmid	21/37, 268 yards, 3 TDS, 1 INT
	Rushing	Ramon Jefferson	11 carries 143 yards, long 45 yards, 1 TD
	Receiving	Cody Chrest	7 catches, 106 yards, long 45 yards.
Northern Arizona	Passing	Jeff Widener	20/34, 275 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT
	Rushing	Jeff Widener	9 carries, 33 yards, long 17 yards
	Receiving	Stacy Chukwumezie	6 catches, 113 yard, long 54 yards, 1 TD

Southeast Missouri State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Redhawks	7	7	0	0	14
No. 1 Bearkats	7	24	14	7	52

At No. 25 Central Arkansas

	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 1 Bearkats	14	17	0	14	45
No. 25 Bears	7	7	14	7	35

Vs. Stephen F. Austin

	1	2	3	4	Total
Lumberjacks	10	3	7	0	20
No. 1 Bearkats	0	6	0	15	21

Lamar

	1	2	3	4	Total
Cardinals	0	7	0	0	7
No. 1 Bearkats	14	6	7	14	41

Statistics

Statistics	Lamar	Sam Houston
First downs	10	24
Total yards	158	438
Rushing yards	23	267
Passing yards	135	171
Turnovers	0	1
Time of possession	31:39	28:21

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Lamar	Passing	Mike Chandler	11/18, 135 yards
	Rushing	Chaz Ward	11 carries, 23 yards, long 8 yards
	Receiving	Jeremy Davis	2 catches, 52 yard, long 28 yards
Sam Houston	Passing	Eric Schmid	13/31, 159 yards, 2 TDS
	Rushing	Noah Smith	14 carries 120 yards, long 49 yards
	Receiving	Cody Chrest	4 catches, 81 yards, long 37 yards.

Jacksonville State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Gamecocks	7	0	0	0	7
No. 1 Bearkats	7	14	21	0	42

At Tarleton State

	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 1 Bearkats	14	14	17	0	45
Texans	14	0	0	13	27

Dixie State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Trailblazers	0	0	3	7	10
No. 1 Bearkats	28	17	7	7	59

Eastern Kentucky

	1	2	3	4	Total
Colonels	0	0	14	14	28
No. 1 Bearkats	7	14	14	7	42

At Abilene Christian

	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 1 Bearkats	14	14	7	0	35
Wildcats	0	3	6	0	9

Players drafted into the NFL

Round	Pick	Player	Position	NFL team
5	157	Zyon McCollum	DB	Tampa Bay Buccaneers

References