Keys To The Game Sam Houston vs FIU
The Bearkats head down to South Beach in looking to get back on track.
The loss still stings as a four game wining streak for Sam Houston came to a crashing halt last week against Western Kentucky. The good news is everything is still on the table for Sam Houston. Bowl eligibility, keeping pace in the Conference USA race, and a reassuring win are all within grasp as the ‘Kats head to Miami to take on Vice U-worry FIU. Here are the keys to Tuesday’s matchup in South Florida.
Stop the mental mistakes
A busted coverage, missed/blocked field goals, and crucial penalties were a recipe for disaster last week against WKU. The Bearkats turned a single score game into multi-score one with just these errors. Sam needs a much a cleaner effort Tuesday night if they want to get back into the win column.
Will Watson play?
Head coach KC Keeler said quarterback Hunter Watson visited a chiropractor last week, which was interesting, given that after the game, Keeler said Watson was being held out simply as a preauction. A short week does not help things and Watson’s absence could hamper the offense as it did against WKU. Keeler did discuss possibly adjusting the gameplan to fit backup Jase Bauer, should the QB need to fill in once again.
Effect the QBs early
FIU is dealing with injuries at the quarterback position, with three different signal-callers getting snaps for the Panthers. This is where the front seven of the Bearkats will need to step up and rattle FIU with QB pressures and sacks.
Get the run game back on track
Against WKU, the running game for Sam ran out of steam as the game went on, although a big reason for this was the loss of QB Hunter Watson, who is the team’s leading rusher. The good news is FIU has the fourth worst rushing defense in Conference USA. Tuesday could be a big chance at injecting some juice back into the rushing attack.
Watch the glitzy nights
It will be a special night of fun for FIU as they sport the 80s style Miami Vice jerseys. Something about the neon pink and blue splashed across your eyes can be intoxicating. If the Bearkats can avoid it’s grip, they should be just fine in Miami.
