Joe Knows: Cautiously Optimistic

BY: JOE GARCIA, SPORTS COLUMNIST

@JoeGarcia73

Impressive, dominant, crisp are just a few words which describe Texas State’s record-breaking performance. But numbers are best used to paint the Bobcats’ picturesque 65-0 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff in last weekend’s season opener.

Texas State set a school record of 697 yards as a team (680 yards was the previous best posted in 2005 against Prairie View A&M) with sophomore quarterback Tyler Jones accounting for 329 (51 rushing) of them.

The second-year signal caller completed 21 of 25 passes for 278 yards and four touchdowns while finishing the game with a completion percentage of 84.0 percent. All were career bests, which earned him Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors.

The Bobcats’ 65 points is also tied for the fifth-highest single game total in Sun Belt Conference history.

Junior wide receiver Jafus Gaines also churned out a career high 119 receiving yards and two touchdowns. The Bobcats missed Gaines for much of last season after he suffered a broken ankle, but last Saturday night Texas State fans got a taste of what they missed from him. And of the 378 yards rushing, Robert Lowe led with 150 and a touchdown.

Of course we can’t overlook the shutout the Bobcat defense pitched, holding the Golden Lions to 215 yards and allowing just one red-zone chance.

All this was very impressive. But let’s keep it in context.

UAPB, an FCS team out of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, finished its 2013 season with an abysmal 2-9 record and they certainly aren’t world-beaters this season either. Also keep in mind the Bobcats fumbled four times against the Golden Lions, however losing just one.

So cautiously optimistic seems to fit the bill.

Now Texas State has an extra week to prepare for their clash with Navy, which is arguably the most notable opponent to visit Bobcat Stadium. The Midshipmen (9-3 in 2013) are an exponentially better opponent, and proved tough in a 34-17 loss to eighth-ranked Ohio State last week.

And while the Mids have a Heisman Trophy candidate on their side in quarterback Keenan Reynolds, the Bobcats will have one distinct advantage going into the Sept. 13 matchup: more film.

I’ll bet Texas State coach Dennis Franchione will make sure his team watches Navy take on Temple this Saturday, and then study even more film after that. Conversely Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo will have just one game’s worth of the improved, up-tempo Bobcat offense and tough, veteran-led defense.

As a Texas State graduate, I’m optimistic from the huge win over UAPB and would like nothing more than to see the ‘Cats beat Navy, but a tempered enthusiasm is the way to go. In my eyes, the Bobcats’ run to a bowl game, and possibly a SBC title, starts with the Midshipmen.

I can’t wait till game day.