Bearkat Bites: 5 Spring Practice Players To Watch (Or Rather, Think About)

Plus, a new OC Arrives In Town

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5 Kat’s In Spring Ball
The time of the football calendar is upon us where every team has a “guys to watch” article about who may be a standout in camp. But we can’t really “watch” them can we? It’s practice, after all, and those are closed to media and the public.

So I want to discuss guys who are worth “thinking about”. Have I seen any of them play? No! This is essentially a completely different roster from a year ago. But are there guys who intrigue me due to what they accomplished at their old stops? Are they worth thinking about during spring camp? Yes and yes. So, with that said, here are five guys I find intriguing and worth thinking about from Sam Houston’s roster.

QUA’VEZ HUMPHREYS-WR
He and Michael Phoenix are the highlights among the wide receivers returning to the Bearkats. I said all last season that the WRs of Sam Houston were underrated and did a lot with the few opportunities given to them. Humphreys is the leading pass catcher that returns to Huntsville and with a new offensive attack and (possibly) new quarterback, I am intrigued to see what he delivers this season.

JACE ARNOLD-CB
Arnold was a four star prospect when he signed with Wisconsin in 2023 and was close to cracking the Badger’s two-deep during his time there. The redshirt freshman is looking to get more playing and should get his wish. With holes to fill in the secondary, Arnold will get every opportunity to prove what he is capable of.

JAX BROWN-QB
Brown was looking like one of the top high school signal callers in the state before an injury forced him to miss virtually all of 2024. He was one of the best passers in the state in 2023 and is looking to stand out in a suddenly crowded Sam Houston QB room. He appears to be in good spirits and is happy to be back on the field. I’m thinking about where he stands in the QB pecking order when camp wraps up later this month.

LUKE ECKARDT-OT
The offensive line is the most intact group from a year ago and Luke Eckardt figures to be a big part of the 2025 plans. The senior left tackle posted a solid 2024 and with the loss of Ethan Hagler to the NFL Draft, looks to have even more of a leadership role along the front five.

DYLAN FRAZIER-DL
Frazier is a curious case. He contributed to an SMU team that won it’s conference in 2023 but had no impact in 2024. The ‘Kats need new names to step up along the defensive line. If healthy, Frazier is very much in the running.

ZACK IS OFFICALLY BACK

It had been reported in media circles here and there but Zack Patterson has officially returned to Sam Houston, this time as offensive coordinator. He was in Huntsville from 2016-2020, serving as the running backs coach. He and ‘Kats head coach Phil Longo have quite the rapport; with both attending college at Slippery Rock and coaching together at Sam Houston and Wisconsin. Patterson’s offenses have always been able to move the ball downfield and his familiarity with the Sam Houston family only helps. He also has HBCU experience, serving as Hampton’s offensive coordinator from 2020-2023