Eighty-two student-athletes will report for Sam Houston State pre-season football camp Sunday August 3.
Head football coach Todd Whitten and his coaching staff welcome back 39 returning lettermen and 14 redshirts from last year's 7-4 squad that finished as runner-up in the Southland Conference for the second consecutive season.
Included among the returnees are 12 starters, six on offense and six on defense. Two special teams regulars also are back. That list includes six Bearkats who earned All-Southland Conference honors last year.
Defensive end Chris Brown was a first team selection in 2007. Kicker Taylor Wilkins and linebacker Nolan Bucek were named to the All-SLC second team. Quarterback Rhett Bomar, offensive lineman Hunter Schmidt and defensive lineman Eric Mikolajchak were honorable mention All-Southland.
Also among the players reporting for camp will be nine transfers and 17 freshman signees.
Among the newcomers the Bearkats hope to fill important spots in the two-deep are wide receivers Darrell Armstead (New Mexico Military) and Jason Madkins (Navarro Junior College), tight end Jonathon Clark (Glendale Community College), defensive back D. J. Emerson (SMU), running back Torian Wilkins (Arkansas) and safety Kyle Woodall (Butler County Community College).
The Bearkats will open fall camp with a team meeting Sunday evening at 7:15 p.m. The first practice will be held Monday at 3:30 p.m. at Bowers Stadium. Sam Houston State opens the 2008 schedule Thursday August 28 at 6 p.m. hosting East Central Oklahoma in a non-conference game.
"Definitely everyone is excited about starting fall camp,"
Whitten said. "With less than four weeks to go before the season opener, it's going to be a busy time. The big news on offense, obviously, is getting Rhett Bomar back at quarterback. He is well and ready to go. Rhett has worked so hard this summer and looks to have a great year. Last season, he got better and better with each game. Rhett's got a strong supporting cast this fall and we're looking for good things."
"Defensively, we're still a little thin at safety but we hope we've addressed that with our recruiting. We've got some youngsters who are going to have to get up to speed in a hurry. Chris Brown is a great pass rusher and is going to provide us with excellent leadership in the defensive line."
Bomar ranked second in the Southland Conference and eighth nationally in total offense with 290.6 yards per game in 2007. He passed for 2,209 yards and 10 touchdowns and rushed for 406 yards and seven scores in nine games. He missed the final two contests with a knee injury.
"I have been here for two years now, so I think I have a pretty good feel for what to expect from everything,"
Bomar said. "I wasn't very comfortable last year getting back onto the field after sitting out for a year. I think I am more prepared to play this season."
Brown received Sports Network honorable mention All-America honors last season to go along with his All-SLC selection. The 6-2, 220 pound defensive end, who transferred to SHSU from the University of Texas, led the Kats in tackles for losses with seven and in quarterback sacks with five.
"I really got a good feel last year on how you have to play in this league,"
Brown said. "This is a strong league and you really have to use your entire team to make plays out there. I feel like everything is coming together for us. We had a good spring and have a good feel of what to expect from everyone."
