Tarleton State 'big' test for Hounds

You might think playing two top-20 teams to start the season and coming away with a split would be OK for a lot of people.

Not third-year Tarleton State coach Cary Fowler, whose team edged then-No. 4 Midwestern State 20-17 in its opener before losing to then-No. 20 Abilene Christian 34-31 in last week's Lone Star Conference Football Festival at Cowboys Stadium.

"I want to win every game, and that's the way I approach it," he said.

CMI correspondent: Joshua Lucero

ENMU senior uarterback Wes Wood runs through the University of the Incarnate Word' defense for a touchdown during last week's game at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. ENMU won the game 34-24.

The Texans (1-1, 1-1 LSC) host Eastern New Mexico University (2-1, 1-0) in a 6 p.m. (MDT) kickoff today at Stephenville, Texas.

The Greyhounds, winners of two in a row, are hoping to build on their 34-24 victory over UIW last week, in which they overcame a game-opening kickoff return for a touchdown by the Cardinals. ENMU is seeking its first three-game winning streak since going 4-0 to start the 2007 season.

"(Last week's game) was a good win for us, in our situation," ENMU coach Josh Lynn said. "After that kickoff return, our offense came back and did a good job. We weren't really rattled."

Lynn said the Hounds will have to deal with big Tarleton lines on both sides of the ball.

"We probably don't match up (physically) with them like we need to," he said. "Tarleton's a pretty good football team.

"They're just big up front on defense. Offensively, they're a 50-50 team (between run and pass); they kind of take what the defense gives them."

Fowler said he's concerned about the Hounds' return this season to a triple-option attack on offense — also mixed in with some timely passing from senior quarterback Wes Wood.

"When you watch film, it looks like (former ENMU) coach (Bud) Elliott is running it," Fowler said. "They're doing a lot more (out of it) than what coach Elliott did. And it looks like (former defensive co-ordinator and head coach) Mark Ribaudo's defense."

Fowler complimented Wood's ability to go from running a wide-open spread offense to the triple-option.

"It shows the quarterback's versatility," he said. "I don't think I've ever seen a tougher football player.

"Wes is a special player. He competes to win every time he takes the field."

Lynn said the Hounds will have to play well to beat the Texans.

"We need to execute drives on offense, and play with great effort on defense," he said.

Lynn said the Hounds are still minus some players due to an ongoing eligibility investigation at the school, but he declined to say how many players the team is missing.

Gameday

ENMU (2-1, 1-0 Lone Star Conference) at Tarleton State (1-1, 1-1)

6 p.m. (MDT) Saturday at Stephenville, Texas

• Radio: KSEL-FM 105.9.

• Coaches: ENMU, Josh Lynn, 1st year, 2-1; Tarleton State, Cary Fowler, 3rd year, 10-14.

• Last meeting: 2011, the Texans held on for a 34-28 win at Greyhound Stadium as a last-second desperation pass by ENMU fell incomplete in the end zone.

• Last week: ENMU defeated Incarnate Word 34-24 and TSU lost to No. 20 Abilene Christian 34-31 in the LSC's "Football Festival" at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

• Tarleton players to watch: Rufus Johnson, 6-5, 257, Sr., DE; Marquis Wadley, 5-9, 215, Jr., LB; Dashaun Phillips, 5-11, 180, Jr., CB; Aaron Doyle, 6-2, 215, Jr., QB; Clifton Rhodes III, 6-1, 190, So., WR.

• Notes: The Hounds lead the all-time series with Tarleton 13-7, but have lost seven of the last eight since winning the first 12. … Each team has turned the ball over just twice so far this season — ENMU on two fumbles, TSU on two pass interceptions. … After going 3-8 in Fowler's first year, Tarleton ended the 2011 season on a five-game winning streak to finish 6-5. … Some might consider this a "trap" game for the Texans, who play at No. 25 West Texas A&M and host Delta State — just outside the top 25 — in their next two outings.

• Quotable: "We've got to play a field position game; we can't give those guys a short field. And we've got to be sound in all (phases)." — Fowler, on today's matchup.

— Compiled by Dave Wagner