Texas Lutheran reaches its bye week with four consecutive wins, a 4-1 record and several early-season strengths that rank among the best in NCAA Division III.
Five games into the season, TLU leads the nation with 16 interceptions and is tied for the national lead with four defensive touchdowns.
That turnover production was on full display Saturday in a 34-12 victory over Lyon, when the Bulldogs intercepted four passes, scored twice on interception returns and added a safety to close out their non-conference schedule.
At the center of it all was sophomore cornerback Malik Johnson.
Johnson returned two interceptions for touchdowns against Lyon and was named the SCAC Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this season.
He also made program history.
Johnson became the first Bulldog since TLU became an NCAA institution to record two pick-sixes in the same game. His four interception-return touchdowns through five games broke the program’s single-season record of three, set by Kyle McNally in 2011.
Photo by TLU Sports Information and Marketing
“He’s done a great job, no doubt about it,” Head Coach Neal LaHue said. “He has six takeaways, four returned for touchdowns, so we’ll take that all day long. But he’s very instinctive. He’s a good athlete for this level, and he’s played really good football.”
Johnson moved into the starting lineup during conference play last season when TLU relied heavily on man and press-man coverage.
This year, the Bulldogs have incorporated more zone, allowing defensive backs to keep their eyes on opposing quarterbacks.
“This year, in the spring, our defensive staff made a commitment to play more zone, which I think puts eyes on the quarterback,” LaHue said. “Then you can jump the throw a little bit better. I think that’s what has increased with the interceptions.”
Saturday’s defensive performance came one week after TLU survived a 61-54 shootout at East Texas Baptist, providing a sharp example of what LaHue means when he talks about complementary football.
“It’s a week-to-week deal,” LaHue said. “We preach playing complementary football. We have a very good culture here. Our kids don’t point fingers; they root for each other, and they pull for each unit.”
Against ETBU, the offense carried much of the load. Against Lyon, the defense set the tone and supplied 16 points of its own through Johnson’s two touchdowns and a safety.
While the Bulldogs have won in different ways, one trend has remained consistent throughout their four-game streak — the running game.
Texas Lutheran has surpassed 200 rushing yards in every victory, averaging 224.5 yards on the ground during the streak.
That production represents a dramatic turnaround from the season opener at Trinity, when TLU was held to just six rushing yards. The Bulldogs have since climbed to the top of the SCAC in rushing offense at 180.8 yards per game.
Johnathan Pompey has become one of the primary engines behind that success.
Pompey rushed 22 times for 102 yards against Lyon, recording his second consecutive 100-yard game. Through five contests, he leads the SCAC with 386 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns.
His afternoon ended with concern, however, when he was carted from the field following his final carry.
“He suffered an injury, so we’ll find out more this week about him,” LaHue said. “We’re praying for him and hope for a quick heal.”
Before the injury, TLU leaned heavily on a familiar offensive concept.
“I think we ran the wide zone more than we have since 2019 in a game, so that was kind of fun to see,” LaHue said. “We had been known for that back in ’18 and ’19.”
Pompey’s injury also places additional importance on a running back room that LaHue has traditionally preferred to operate as a committee.
“We’ve always tried to play three to four guys,” LaHue said. “We think that’s what it takes for us to be successful. Other guys have still got to step up and pick up the slack.”
Competition also continues at quarterback, where TLU has used multiple players throughout the non-conference schedule.
“I think it’s a competition in this room,” LaHue said. “I think all three have shown some positive attributes at quarterback, and we’ll just keep kind of playing it along as we go.”
Now comes an opportunity to evaluate those positions while also allowing an increasingly bruised roster time to recover.
“The bye comes at a great time,” LaHue said. “We’ve got to get some guys healthy. We’ve had some major injuries this year that have sidelined guys for the rest of the season, and we’ve got some guys that just have some bumps and bruises.”
The Bulldogs will still practice three times during the open week, focusing on their base offense, defense and special teams while giving younger players additional repetitions.
“We want to stay healthy. That’s number one,” LaHue said. “And then we want to give young guys a chance to get some good reps.”
Those younger Bulldogs will also prepare for a junior varsity game Monday at UMHB.
For the varsity, the next game begins the portion of the schedule that will ultimately determine TLU’s season.
Hendrix travels to Seguin on Oct. 17 for the Bulldogs’ SCAC opener.
Texas Lutheran enters the break having shown it can win in different ways, with one of the nation’s most opportunistic defenses and a rushing attack that has topped 200 yards in every victory.
At 4-1, the Bulldogs have given themselves a strong foundation.
Now comes a week to heal before conference play and the march to another SCAC banner kicks off.