July 2009 is Texas State Month at AGS! Read the "fact a day"!

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7/1

Quick Facts

2009 Texas State Football Quick Facts

Location: San Marcos, Texas
Founded: 1899
Conference: Southland Conference
Enrollment: 29,125 (Fall, 2008)
Stadium: Bobcat Stadium (15,218)
Field: Jim Wacker Field
Playing Surface: AstroPlay
Colors: Maroon and Gold
Nickname: Bobcats
President: Dr. Denise Trauth (Mount St. Joseph, '71)
Athletic Director: Dr. Larry Teis (TCU, '88)
Faculty Representative: Dr. Paul Gowens (Baylor, '65)

Head Coach: Brad Wright (Texas State, '81)
Texas State Record: 12-12 (Third Season)
Career Record: 12-12 (Third Season)
Coaching Staff:
Travis Bush (Associate HC/Co-OC/QBs/Texas State, '00)
Ben Norton (Assistant HC/Co-OC/OL/SFA, '93)
Fred Bleil (Co-DC/Safeties/Westmar, '71)
Terrol Dillon (Special Teams/LB/Texas, '00)
Mike Barela (TE/Football Operations/North Texas, '97)
Kevin Brown (Wide Receivers/TCU, '02)
Mike Bugar (Defensive Line/Florida State, '69)
Steve Irvin (Cornerbacks/UNLV, 1999)
Charlie Reeve (Running Backs/Texas State, '03)

Support Staff:
David Gish (Head Athletics Trainer/North Texas, '84)
Thad Livington (Strength & Conditioning/Central Methodist College, '95)
Dick Miller (Equipment Manager/Florida State)
Andrew Watt (Athletic Video Coordinator)

Basic Offense: Multiple Pro Set
Basic Defense: 4-3
2008 Record: 8-5
2008 SLC Record: 5-2/1st

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7/2

Date Opponent / Event Location Time

09/05/09 vs. Angelo St San Marcos, Texas 6:00 p.m. CT
09/19/09 at TCU Fort Worth, Texas 6:00 p.m. CT
09/26/09 vs. Texas Southern San Marcos, Texas 6:00 p.m. CT
10/03/09 at Southern Utah Cedar City, Utah 1:00 p.m. MT
10/10/09 vs. Southeastern Louisiana ^ San Marcos, Texas 2:00 p.m. CT
10/17/09 at Nicholls ^ Thibodaux, La. 1:00 p.m. CT
10/24/09 at Northwestern State ^ Natchitoches, La. 7:00 p.m. CT
10/31/09 vs. Stephen F. Austin San Marcos, Texas 2:00 p.m. CT
11/07/09 at Central Arkansas ^ Conway, Ark. 6:00 p.m. CT
11/14/09 vs. McNeese State ^ San Marcos, Texas 6:00 p.m. CT
11/21/09 vs. Sam Houston State ^ San Marcos, Texas 2:00 p.m. CT

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7/3

Texas State had no official fight song until 1961, when Paul Yoder was commissioned to compose "Go Bobcats." The song is the rousing "call to arms" for all Texas State athletic games and competition.

"Go Bobcats"
Go Bobcats all the way,
Keep that maroon and gold on high!
Fight on for every play
until you hear that Bobcat battle cry!
We're gonna cheer for our team today
Until the whole world knows our name.
No doubt about it,
We're gonna shout it —
Bobcats will win this game!

Audio Link (http://www.txstate.edu/bounce/www.txstate.edu/about/history-traditions/fight-song/contentParagraph/01/document/Go%2BBobcats.mp3)

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7/4

The 2008-09 season marks the first time in league history that one school has won the football, soccer and volleyball championships in the same year. It also is the first time since 1995 and third time overall that a school has won the SLC baseball and softball championships the same season as well.

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7/5

Boko, the Texas State mascot, captured a national title after winning the 2006 United Spirit Association College Mascot National Championship in Las Vegas, Nev.

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7/6


All-Time Coaching Records
Name Years Record Pct.
O.W. Strahan 1919-34 70-53-9 .564
Joe Cheaney 1935-41 23-42-5 .364
George Vest 1946-50 28-16-3 .628
Milton Jowers 1951-53
1961-64 48-18-2 .721
R.W. Parker 1954-59 31-24-3 .560
Jack Henry 1960 2-8 .200
Bill Miller 1964-78 94-53-3 .637
Jim Wacker 1979-82 42-8 .840
John O’Hara 1983-89 36-41 .468
Dennis Franchione 1990-91 13-9 .619
Jim Bob Helduser 1992-96 20-34-1 .364
Bob DeBesse 1997-02 27-39-0 .409
Manny Matsakis 2003 4-8 .333
David Bailiff 2004-06 21-15 .583
Brad Wright 2007-

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7/7

Texas State University’s intercollegiate athletic history dates back to the early 1900s, fielding its first football team in 1904.

Today, Texas State offers 16 intercollegiate sports: nine for women and seven for men. Texas State’s women’s sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, indoor and outdoor track and field and volleyball. The university fields men’s teams in baseball, basketball, cross country, football and golf as well as indoor and outdoor track and field.

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7/8

The inaugural season (1904) ended with a 5-1 mark, out scoring opponents 100-17.

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7/9

Since 1998, the SLC has awarded a trophy to the overall top athletic program called the Commissioner’s Cup. Texas State has won a league-best five Cups, including back-to back titles in 2004 and 2005.

Texas State won the 2008-09 Southland Conference Commissioner’s Cup after winning conference championships in football, soccer, volleyball in the fall, along with baseball and softball in the spring.

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7/10

Bobcat Victory Ball

Dedicated in 2006, the Bobcat Victory ball sits on a marble base outside the main entrance of the endzone complex at Bobcat Stadium. All persons entering the complex are encouraged to rub the ball for luck. The ball was dedicated in the memory of Bill Miller who was an athletic director at Texas State and the coach with the most football wins in school history.

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7/11

BATTLE FOR THE PADDLE
There are many rivalries in college athletics today prompted by various events in history. The Texas State/Nicholls State series is one such rivalry and is identified as “The Battle for the Paddle.”

A rowing oar serves as the traveling trophy with the winning school holding possession of the paddle until the next game in the series. The game is played in recognition of the 1998 floods in Central Texas which forced the postponement of the game from October until late November.

The oar is painted maroon and gold on one side with Texas State victories listed. The opposite side is painted red and gray with Nicholls State victories listed. Texas State currently has possession of the Paddle.

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7/12

The State of Texas has produced many NFL players over the years. Texas State had added to that pedigree with the list of NFL athletes below.

Paul Alsbury
Clenton Ballard
Rick Barrow
Cliffton Black
Josh Brown
Rod Clark
Ken Coffey
Wayne Coffey
Paul Darby
Wallace Dickey
Fred Evans
Pat Franklin
Noe Gonzales
Van Hughes
Ben Jessie
A.J. Johnson
Bill Jones
Darren Jones
Wade Key
Claude Mathis
Mark Milett
David Morrison
Reece Morrison
Jeff Novak
Reggie Rivers
Booker Russell
Ricky Sanders
Mac Sauls
Jim Stienke
Henry Thomas
Charlie Vatterott
Darrick Vaughn
David Vela
Bobby Watkins
Markee White
Matt Wieland
Spergon Wynn

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7/13

Texas State experienced the Div I playoffs for the first time in 2005 as the Bobcats won their first Southland Conference title and went on to advance to the semifinals of the NCAA Championship playoffs behind SLC Player of the Year Barrick Nealy, SLC Defensive Player of the Year Fred Evans and eight other players who earned All-Southland First Team honors.

The Bobcats returned to the playoffs again in 2008 after an 8-4 regular seson.

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7/14

Victory Star Lighting

From 1913 to 1967, a 50,000 gallon water tower presided over the campus from a perch located behind where the Chemistry Building and Centennial Hall now sit. Beginning in 1936, a star was placed on top of that water tower as a Christmas decoration. When the holidays were over, the star was put away. But in 1942 night watchman Elmer Titsworth started turning the star on to signal a Bobcat athletic victory, and a new tradition was born.

In 1963, a new 500,000 gallon water tower was erected, rendering the original smaller water tower obsolete. When the small water tower was removed from campus four years later in 1967, the Victory Star was moved to the top of 138 foot high Jackson Hall. It was also replaced by a new star, six feet in radius from its center to the tip of each arm. It contained two sets of lights-- an outside white outline and an inner colored set of lights. The white set was to be controlled by a photoelectric cell which could turn the lights on at sundown and off at sun-up. The colored lights were to operate on a manual switch. The student senate was expected to write a set of rules governing the circumstances under which the star would be illuminated.

The new star was built by San Marcos sign-man Ivar Gunnarson, who expected to have it ready in time for the first game against Texas Lutheran on September 16, 1967. In its new location atop Jackson Hall, the Victory Star actually sits about 50 feet higher than its predecessor sat on top of the old water tower.

The five-pointed star atop Jackson Hall on Texas State's highest hill can be seen from miles away and is lighted at night on occasions of all athletic victories, both home and away. This star is, of course, Texas State's symbol, taken from the university seal. It is from the star that the school's newspaper, The University Star (formerly named the Normal Star and the College Star), gets its name.

Jackson Hall, at 12 stories the tallest building on the highest point in Hays County, is a readily identifiable Texas State University campus landmark. Named after one of the university's early librarians, Dr. Ernest B. Jackson, this building opened in 1967.

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7/15

Texas State owns an impressive 11 Conference Championships in 1948, 1954, 1955, 1963, 1971, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 2005, 2008.

The Bobcats entered the national stage with back to back NCAA (divII) National Championship titles in 1981 (13-1) and a perfect season in 1982 (14-0).

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7/16

Texas State ’s All-Southland Conference First- Team Selections
Paul Alsbury------------------------------------------------------- (1990)
Clenton Ballard -----------------------------------------(2000& 2001)
Rick Barrow ------------------------------------------------------ (1999)
Clint Bendele ----------------------------------------------------- (1999)
Blake Burton ----------------------------------------------------- (2006)
Victor Carr -------------------------------------------------------- (1993)
C.J. Carroll ----------------------------------------------(1999 & 2000)
Jeremy Castillo -------------------------------------------------- (2006)
Chad Coleman --------------------------------------------------- (1990)
Myron Coleman ------------------------------------------------- (2000)
Cory Elolf ------------------------------------------------- (2003-2005)
Fred Evans ---------------------------------------------------(2004-05)
Brad Fulks -------------------------------------------------------- (1987)
Luke Horder ------------------------------------------------------ (2005)
Bill Jones ---------------------------------------------------------- (1988)
Stan Jones ---------------------------------------------------------- 2005
Thomas Keresztury --------------------------------------------- (2005)
Cameron Luke --------------------------------------------------- (2007)
Chris MacDonald --------------------------------------------(2006-07)
Justin Martinez -------------------------------------------------- (2001)
Claude Mathis -----------------------------------------------(1994-97)
Ben McClellan --------------------------------------------------- (1999)
Adam Means -------------------------------------------------(1996-97)
Walter Musgrove --------------------------------------------(2005-06)
Barrick Nealy ----------------------------------------------------- (2005)
Jeff Novak --------------------------------------------------------- (1989)
Greg Pitts --------------------------------------------------------- (2001)
Gilbert Price ------------------------------------------------------ (1991)
Reggie Rivers ---------------------------------------------------- (1990)
John Rowland ---------------------------------------------------- (1994)
Spicer Sigman -----------------------------------------------(1992-93)
David Simmons ----------------------------------------------(2004-05)
Eric Tennessee -------------------------------------------------- (1987)
Ervin Thomas ---------------------------------------------------- (1991)
Travis Upshaw --------------------------------------------------- (2005)
Darrick Vaughn -------------------------------------------------- (1999)
Doug Wheeler --------------------------------------------------- (2001)
Markee White ---------------------------------------------------- (2005)
Ray Whitehead -------------------------------------------------- (1992)
Donald Wilkerson ----------------------------------------------- (1994)
Maurice Williams ------------------------------------------------ (1991)
Rod Woodard ---------------------------------------------------- (1991)

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7/17

Heart of Texas State
The State of Texas is a great place and at the heart of this great place is Texas State University. As a shown sign of this match Bobcat faithful can be seen holding up the left hand in the shape of the State of Texas with the two outside fingers pointing down toward the middle of the palm indicating the location of the university.

Eat ‘em up Cats
Along with the Heart of Texas State hand sign Bobcat fans routinely display their right hand in the shape of Bobcat paw while saying “Eat ‘em up Cats!”

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7/18

Brad Wright enters his second season as the head coach at Texas State University, the school from which he graduated in 1981, and from where he launched his coaching career.

In his first season as head coach, Wright's offensive attack produced a 2,000-yard passer, 1,000-yard rusher and a 1,000-yard receiver in the same season.

Wright was named head coach in the spring of 2007 after serving the three previous seasons as an assistant head coach, running back coach and special teams coordinator. During that span, the Pearsall native played a significant roll in the resurgence of Texas State's football program.

Prior to Wright returning to his alma mater, the Bobcats suffered 15 losing records in the 19 years of playing football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision. But in his three years as an assistant head coach, Texas State posted a 21-15 record, won its first-ever Southland Conference championship in 2005 and advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Division I football playoffs.

Wright's association with winning at Texas State dates back to the late 1970s when he walked on to the Bobcat football program and went on to have a career in which he played on both sides of the ball for legendary coaches Bill Miller and Jim Wacker.

He originally walked-on at Texas State as a wide receiver, played a season at running back and then moved to the other side of the ball where he was a defensive leader at free safety and was a member of the Bobcats' 1980 Lone Star Conference championship team.

Wright earned his bachelor's degree in physical education from Texas State in 1981. He is married to the former Kim Pesek, a 1996 Texas State alum. They are the parents of a daughter, Paige Elizabeth, born in October of 2005.

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7/19

Assistant Coaches

Travis Bush - Associate HC/Co-Offensive Coord./QBs
Fred Bleil - Defensive Coordinator/Safeties
Ben Norton - Assistant HC/Co-Offensive Coord./O-Line
Mike Barela - Director of Football Operations/TEs
Kevin Brown - Wide Receivers Coach
Mike Bugar - DL Coach
Terrol Dillon - Linebackers Coach/Special Teams Coord.
Steve Irvin - Assistant Coach-CB
Charlie Reeve - Running Backs Coach
Thad Livingston - Football Strength and Conditioning Coach
Josh Thompson - Football Equipment Manager

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7/20

Original construction of Texas State University's Bobcat Stadium began in 1979 and was completed in August, 1981. The project also included the demolition of Evans Stadium and the addition of more than 2,000 parking spaces. The stadium was designed by Lockwood, Andrews & Newman of Houston and built by Kunz Construction Co. of San Antonio.

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7/21
A pair of NCAA Division II national championships highlighted Texas State University’s inaugural two seasons in Bobcat Stadium. The back to back titles came in 1981 and 1982.

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7/22

1981 Palm Bowl

Texas State dominated North Dakota State 42-13 to give the Bobcats their first national football championship.

Domination was the key all season and the NCAA Division II National Championship game, then known as the Palm Bowl and played in McAllen, was no different. The Bobcats wrapped up a 13-1 season with their victory against North Dakota State.

The Bison scored the game’s first touchdown on a 1-yard scoring plunge by Mark Nellernore before the ‘Cats roared back to score two touchdowns in each of the game’s final three quarters. Holding a 14-13 lead at halftime, the Bobcats broke the game open with a pair of scoring bombs from quarterback Mike Miller who was named the game’s most valuable player. Miller, a senior All-American quarterback, hooked up with flanker David Vela for a 64-yard scoring strike with 5:32 to play in the third quarter. Later he connected with Vaughn Deary for a 44-yard touchdown pass with 31 seconds remaining in the quarter and put Texas State out in front 28-13. Tailback Donnie Williams and reserve quarterback Ron Jacoby each scored from two yards out in the final period to account for the final score.

Texas State rolled up 526 yards in total offense (328 rushing and 198 passing). Miller was responsible for 272 yards of total offense. Williams rushed for 153 yards. Defensively, linebacker Cyril Friday had 10 total tackles, including one for lost yards while defensive back Billy Hall had eight tackles and a 27-yard interception return.

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7/23

1982 Palm Bowl

Texas State became the first school to win back-to back NCAA Division II National Championships as the Bobcats bounced back from an early California-Davis field goal to score 27 unanswered points en route to a 34-9 victory.

The win ended a perfect season for Texas State as the Bobcats went 14-0. The championship game marked the last for Jim Wacker as the Bobcats’ head coach. Two weeks earlier he accepted an offer to become the head coach at TCU.

The Bobcats left little doubt about Wacker’s going away present, scoring 13 second-quarter points to erase an early 3-0 UC-Davis lead.

Tailback Eric Cobble got the ‘Cats on the board with a 2-yard run early in the quarter. Texas State took a 13-3 lead into the locker room at halftime as Dale Posey caught a 4-yard touchdown pass from Ron Jacoby with 37 seconds left in the half.

In the second half, Cobble scored on a 3-yard run while Ricky Sanders scored on touchdown runs of one and 13 yards.

Sanders finished the game with 104 yards rushing and also caught two passes for 44 yards. He was named the game’s Most Valuable Player. Texas State finished the game with 394 yards of total offense while the Bobcat defense limited UC Davis to just 199 yards, including 18 yards rushing. Defensive end Mike Bailiff led Texas State with seven total tackles while Adrian Simpson had five stops, broke up a pair of passes and recovered a fumble.

Texas State survived some hard-fought LSC games, including a 38-34 win at East Texas and a 14-13 win at home over Abilene Christian. The Bobcats then beat Fort Valley State 27-6 and Jacksonville State 19-14 to advance to the 1982 Palm Bowl.

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7/24

Originally called Bobcat Stadium, the facility’s name was changed to Jim Wacker Field at Bobcat Stadium in 2002 to honor Texas State’s former football coach and director of athletics.

Texas State’s End Zone Complex also was completed and dedicated in 2002

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7/25

In its Silver Anniversary season in Bobcat Stadium back in 2005, Texas State went 9-1, logged four of the stadium’s Top 10 crowds and shattered records for overall attendance (128,751) and per-game average (12,875) while playing an unprecedented 10 games at what is one of NCAA Division’s premier Football Championship Subdivision facilities.

A year later, Texas State had another record performance at the turnstiles. Texas State averaged 12,886 per game in 2006. The average ranked 16th among FCS programs while the team’s 77,314 total attendance for the year ranked 13th nationally.

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7/26

The 2005 season saw Texas State record back-to-back sellouts for the first time in school history. After scoring 34 straight points to beat Georgia Southern 50-35 in the opening round of the playoffs, Texas State drew 15,411 for its NCAA quarterfinal game against Cal Poly. The Northern Iowa game drew 15,712, the third-largest crowd in school history.

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7/27

A year later, Texas State had another record performance at the turnstiles. Texas State averaged 12,886 per game in 2006. The average ranked 16th among FCS programs while the team’s 77,314 total attendance for the year ranked 13th nationally.

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7/28

The crowning jewel to Bobcat Stadium is the End Zone Complex. The complex includes offices for the coaching staff and all the amenities necessary to be a winning program. The locker room features NFL-style individual wooden lockers and is adjacent to one of the biggest equipment rooms in Division I championship football. Position meeting rooms break out into larger meeting areas while a teaching theater serves as an assembly room for the entire squad.

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7/29

In 2006, the Bill Miller Room was dedicated on the west side of the stadium in honor of legendary Football Coach and Athletic Director Bill Miller. The Bill Miller Room is used during every home football game to host Athletic Alumni functions and is available for other pre-game events. The room features photos and athletic accomplishments of past Bobcats, and is the home to all of our "T" Association members on football game days.

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7/30

Texas State is expanding Bobcat Stadium. The complete phase one project, intended to be accomplished over several football off-seasons, anticipates a near-term total stadium capacity of more than 27,200 seats. Planned improvements include approximately 11,600 new general admission seats, 440 club lounge seats, and 15 suites, which together include more than 330 seats.

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7/31

Texas State University’s nickname, the Bobcats, was adopted in 1920 when members of the newly formed student newspaper, The University Star, began an editorial campaign to adopt an athletics mascot.

The school’s student council joined The Star’s efforts by setting up a committee to decide an official name. With heading the committee the search was on. Dr. Smith’s personal choice of Bobcats was accepted by both the name committee and the student body.

Dr. Smith supported his choice by pointing out that not only is the bobcat a resident of the Central Texas Hill Country but it is a fighter of great courage, as well. Texas State coach Oscar Strahan was once quoted as saying, “A bobcat will fight you with everything he has; with four claws, teeth, speed and brains.” The new name proved to be an immediate boost for the 1921 football team as the Bobcats went 7-0.

Texas State was the only college in the country until the late 20s to possess the name Bobcats for its athletic teams.

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Extra Post

Copied from SanMarcosWay on Bobcatfans.com
Did you never
· rub the stallion's [stuff]?
· Float the river naked?
· Slide down a hill on a trash can lid when it iced over?
· Skip class to go laze by the Rio?
· Stumble home from Gordo's after a Blue October concert?
· Light the star on Jackson hall?
· See Roger Creager and chat it up with the legend Kent Finley at Cheatham Street?
· Whine about the cops after getting too drunk to go to a sporting event?
· Heard the stories from legendary Falls Hall?
· Shake Don's hand for being a true tube hustler?
· Try for four years to take a geo class with Doc even though you're journalism major?
· Waited in line at Lolita's for 30 minutes just for 2 breakfast tacos?
· Been to the "oldest bar in Texas" out on the Backbone?
· Make a corndog, refried bean, sour cream and cheese tortilla wrap at Commons?
· Throw a Frisbee to Frisbee Dan?
· Throw back a Budweiser at Shotgun Island?
· "Compete" at the River Raft Race?
· Get knocked out at Fight Night?
· Have a nickel Guinness or the first a.m. bloody mary at Showdown?
· Make the Christmas thing the San Martians do over by the river a cheap copout date?
· Seen a neutria?
· Got your name on the wall at Tap Room?
· Skinny-dipped at the waterfalls by the park?
· Jump in the river in January to see if it really is 73 degrees year round?
· Eaten a Quad Taco because you're out of meals on your plan?
· Argued sports with Gramma (R.I.P.) at The Den?
· Taken a course called Magic, Rituals and Religion?
· Wondered why they let 6 year olds refill your drink at Herbert's?
· Taken a Gorilla Fart shot with Rene at Mamacita's or Nephew's?
· Almost wrecked while driving by Bikini Hill in June?
· Drank and ate the same number of burgers and beers at Gill's on dollar night (too many, that is)?
· Were more nervous about the doing the 'Lumni Leap into the San Marcos with proper form than walking to get your diploma?

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Extra Post

The Southwestern Writers Collection at Texas State University in San Marcos (pop. 34,733) preserves and exhibits the artistic culture of the Southwest in literature, film and music. The collection includes manuscripts, notebooks and other materials of J. Frank Dobie, Kathryn Anne Porter, John Graves, Sam Shepard and Willie Nelson.