Photo by Teja Munoz
Texas Lutheran returns to Seguin for the first time this season Saturday night as the Bulldogs host Southwestern at 6 p.m. at Bulldog Stadium, looking to turn the lessons of a difficult season opener into progress against a familiar regional opponent.
TLU enters its home opener following a 36-14 loss at No. 14 Trinity, but head coach Neal LaHue saw enough during the Bulldogs’ trip to San Antonio to come away encouraged by parts of his team’s performance.
Perhaps the biggest example came during the first half, when TLU’s offense constructed an 18-play, 80-yard touchdown drive against a veteran Trinity defense. The Bulldogs converted four third downs on the possession and kept the drive alive on fourth-and-15 when quarterback Micah Casson stood in against pressure and connected with Exavier Durham for 18 yards.
“I was proud,” LaHue said. “We overcame some fourth downs, some third-and-longs, and did a good job there.”
Casson and Elijah Favela both saw time at quarterback with returning starter Caden Bosanko unavailable, and LaHue came away encouraged by the play of both. Casson and Favela stood in against Trinity’s pressure, took hits and were still able to deliver the football.
Bosanko remains a game-time decision for Saturday’s home opener as TLU continues to take a cautious approach with his recovery from knee surgery.
“We’d rather have Caden later rather than sooner in this season,” LaHue said. “We’re just being very careful with his rehabilitation.”
If Bosanko does not play, LaHue indicated Casson and Favela remain slightly ahead in a deep quarterback room after their performances against Trinity.
Where TLU most clearly needs improvement is on the ground.
The Bulldogs were held to just six rushing yards in the opener, putting more pressure on their quarterbacks and passing game. LaHue said establishing the run has been a point of emphasis throughout the week, but he also put some of the responsibility on himself and the coaching staff to remain committed to it.
“If you get stuffed one time, you just don’t abandon it,” LaHue said. “We’ve got to stay the course.”
The Bulldogs will look for more production from a backfield that includes Johnathan Pompey, Javin Logan and James Garza. While running room was scarce against Trinity, LaHue liked what the group contributed elsewhere. TLU’s running backs combined for nine receptions and also held up in pass protection against the Tigers’ pressure.
Special teams will be another major area to watch Saturday.
Penalties in the return game contributed to TLU beginning three second-half possessions inside its own five-yard line against Trinity. Those short fields eventually put additional pressure on a defense that had kept the Bulldogs within striking distance for much of the game.
TLU returns eight defensive starters, and that experience showed against one of the nation’s better programs. The Bulldogs repeatedly responded when Trinity was given favorable field position before the Tigers eventually pulled away.
“They stepped up like we thought they would,” LaHue said. “We’ve got eight returning starters, and they’re a pretty good group unit in itself.”
Now LaHue wants the other phases to help that defense rather than continually forcing it to defend short fields.
The Bulldogs’ second test brings another familiar opponent to Seguin. Southwestern currently competes in the Southern Athletic Association but will join TLU in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference next season, adding another layer to a matchup that has already developed into a competitive regional series.
LaHue expects nothing different Saturday.
“It’s always been a very tightly contested game,” LaHue said. “It’s gone down to the wire the last two years.”
After opening the season against a nationally ranked Trinity program, the Bulldogs aren’t looking for wholesale changes in Week 2. They’re looking for improvement: establish the running game, clean up the special-teams mistakes, sustain drives long enough to help the defense and turn the flashes displayed in San Antonio into four quarters of football.
LaHue believes some of a team’s biggest improvement can come between its first and second games.
TLU gets its opportunity to prove that Saturday night — this time in front of the home crowd.
You can tune in for the KWED pregame at 5:30. The broadcast will also stream on SeguinToday.com & TLU+ on YouTube.