ENMU football team ready to open season

PORTALES — After the Eastern New Mexico University football team went through a short, light practice at Greyhound Stadium Wednesday afternoon, new head coach Kelley Lee discussed some details: buses leaving the next day for the training room or the field, the pre-game meal in the cafeteria, a last-minute lowdown on Southwest Baptist University.

It was the day before a game against Southwest Baptist, the season-opening game at that, and Lee was just covering his checklist as head coach, the first time he’s had to do so for ENMU. Lee, the Greyhounds’ offensive coordinator the previous five years under Josh Lynn, is now No. 1 in the coaching pecking order, and he will begin his head-coaching stint tonight when he leads Eastern into its opener against Southwest Baptist at Greyhound Stadium, with game time slated for 7 p.m.

“It’s exciting,” Lee said after the practice. “I’m excited, our coaches are excited. I think all our players are excited. I hope this campus is excited as well.”

Lee has of course faced ENMU season openers before, worked hard to prepare the offense for them, but noted the difference this year following his promotion.

“You have a few more things on your plate,” he said. “Luckily Coach Lynn let me be involved in a lot of stuff, so it wasn’t brand new to me. But delegating your time is really important.”

Among the things Lee mentioned to his players during his post-practice address was the 16-hour bus ride Southwest Baptist will have to take from Bolivar, Missouri. He talked to the Greyhounds about the obvious drawback that long ride could potentially be, but also said it could be an advantage because the Bearcats should have minimal distractions.

“We’ve got to make sure we take care of ourselves because we’re a little more rested,” Lee said. “We can’t let the fact that we attend school and have a normal day be a distraction.”

Lee also talked to his players about what he thought was the Bearcats’ tendency for chippy play, and reminded the returning ’Hounds about how last year they would sometimes play at Southwest Baptist’s level, bringing penalties on themselves as a result when they met up in Missouri for the season opener.

“Last year there were a lot of 15-yard penalties in the game, both teams,” Lee said. “Hopefully we eliminate that on our end.”

“We can’t play into their mind games,” redshirt junior linebacker Brad Hardin said. “We’ve got to keep the penalties to a low and play the ball that we know how to play.”

Another thing the Greyhounds want at a low is opponents’ points, after surrendering 49 of them to Southwest Baptist in last year’s matchup.

“We’ve got to contain them,” Lee said. “They can be a fast-tempo team. ... We’re really focused on getting lined up fast, so we’re not giving them anything.”

Hardin expressed confidence in new defensive coordinator Ivan Cordova and his ability to thwart the Bearcats.

“With the new scheme we have,” Hardin said, “I think that’s going to help a lot.”

The offense will likely again revolve around running back Kamal Cass, who is now a senior and coming off back-to-back seasons in which he led the Lone Star Conference in rushing. Cass, though, isn’t approaching tonight’s game the way you would expect of someone with his experience and past production.

“I’ve got a lot of nerves right now,” said Cass, a 2014 Clovis High graduate, “that’s how I always am before a game. But once I get in the game, I’ll be alright.”

Cass’ heart was a little heavier this week after Monday’s library tragedy struck his hometown.

“Clovis is a small town. Everybody knows everybody,” Cass said. “So when you hear stuff like that it just kind of hits you.”

And makes the appreciation for life and the enjoyment of football that much greater.

Redshirt sophomore Wyatt Strand, beginning his second season as the Greyhounds’ starting quarterback, is approaching tonight’s game with unmitigated joy.

“I’m excited and I’m ready for it to get started,” he said. “Football is, in my opinion, the greatest sport. So getting to come out and play is such a privilege, it’s such a blessing. God’s blessed me with so many talents. Getting to come out here and play, it’s like Christmas morning, getting to come out and open up our present on this field.”