70 All-A mericans | Four Academic All-A mericans | Five-Time LSC Division Cha mpionships | LSC Cha mpions 2001, 2009, 2013
NCAA PLAYOFF TEAMS (2003)
56
#21 TARLETON STATE
10
#3 TEXAS A&M-KINGSVILLE
34
1ST ROUND • NOVEMBER 22, 2003
JAVELINA STADIUM • KINGSVILLE, TEXAS (9,500)
TURNOVERS, JAVELINA DEFENSE DOOM TEXANS IN FIRST
ROUND OF PLAYOFFS
KINGSVILLE, Texas - The Tarleton State football team offered too
many chances to Texas A&M-Kingsville on Saturday and lost 34-10 in the
first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs.
The No. 21 Texansʼ Justin Parson fumbled the opening kickoff to put
the Javelinas at the Texansʼ 37-yard line. The other problem with the
ballgame for the Texans was the time of possession. The Javelinas won
that stat 37:21 to 22:29.
The Texans (8-4) also lost the turnover battle, giving up the fumble
and a 68-yard interception return by TAMUKʼs Micahel Bragg. Bragg
intercepted Tarleton quarterback Cliff Watkins at the goaline and
returned it to the Tarleton 32.
Problem No. 4 was the TAMUK defense. The Javelinas held the Texans
202 yards below their season offensive output, including 132 yards
below the average passing game.
TAMUK (10-1) got on the board first when Richard Hammond nailed
a 44-yard field goal with 4:11 on the clock, capping a six-play, 12 yard
drive that took 2:39 off the clock. A seven-yard Texan punt put TAMUK
in good field position.
Larry Williams put the Javelinas on the scoreboard again when he
punched it in from four yards out. That capped a five-play, 25 yard drive
that was set up when Chris Peterson, the Texan punter, had just a 19yard punt.
Watkins scored his first rushing touchdown of the season when he
ran a bootleg in from nine yards out. Jamie Guin added the kick with
11:50 left in the game to move the Texans within three, 10-7.
The Javelinas got on the board with 1:05 left in the first half when
Brent Holmes caught a 15-yard pass from Daniel Taylor. That play was
set up by a 32- yard punt return by Eddie Moten to the Tarleton 19.
Guin added a 48-yard field goal for the last Texan score with 11:50 left
in the third quarter. TAMUK score three more times in the ballgame.
Richard Hammond hit a 23-yard field goal with 8:07 left in the game
to cap a 15-play, 51-yard drive. Holmes caught a 27-yard pass from
Taylor with 5:25 left in the contest. That drive was set up by the Bragg
interception.
Williams put the final nail in the coffin when he punched it in from
two yards out with 2:36 remaining. The Texans turned the ball over
on downs in the middle of the field for the second time in the game.
Williams ran for 36 yards on the play before the touchdown to set up
the score.
TAMUK defeated the Texans on Sept. 27, 23-15. Tarleton gained only
287 yards in the contest, including just 66 yards rushing. Watkins was
16-36 for 212 yards and no touchdowns. He had the one interception.
TAMUK gained 287 yards of total offense, including 129 yards on the
ground and 159 yards through the air.
Leading the Texans in rushing was Joe Morrison with 16 carries for 73
yards. Justin Tabor had seven receptions for 97 yards, while Will Moody
had just three catches for 64 yards.
Ken Jones led the team with 18 total tackles, including four solo and
14 assisted tackles. He had three tackles for a loss of four yards and half
a sack for four yards. Erick Smith was second with 16 tackles.
On the bright side, Watkins set a new school record for passing
yards in a season with 5,547 this season. He also set a new record for
attempts in a season with 437 attempts.
The senior also set a new record for completions in a season with
264.
SCORE BY QUARTERS 1 2 3 4 SCORE
Tarleton State
0 7 3 0 10
Texas A&M-Kingsville
10 7 0 17 34
SCORING SUMMARY
1st Quarter
04:11 TAMUK R.Hammond 44 yd field goal
0-3
00:33 TAMUK L. Williams 4 yd run (R. Hammond kick)
0-10
2nd Quarter
08:16 TSU
C. Watkins 9 yd run (J. Guin kick)
7-10
01:05 TAMUK B. Holmes 15 yd pass from D. Taylor (R. Hammond kick) 7-17
3rd Quarter
11:50 TSU
J. Guin 48 yd field goal
10-17
4th Quarter
08:07 TAMUK R. Hammond 23 yd field goal
10-20
05:25 TAMUK B. Holmes 27 yd pass from D. Taylor (R. Hammond kick) 10-27
02:36 TAMUK L. Williams 2 yd run (R. Hammond kick)
10-34
FIRST DOWNS
RUSHES-YARDS (NET)
PASSING YDS (NET)
Passes Att-Comp-Int
TOTAL OFFENSE PLAYS-YARDS
Fumble Returns-Yards
Punt Returns-Yards
Kickoff Returns-Yards
Interception Returns-Yards
Punts (Number-Avg)
Fumbles-Lost
Penalties-Yards
Possession Time
Sacks By: Number-Yards
TSU TAMUK
16
14
25-66
45-129
212
158
36-16-1
23-13-0
61-278
68-287
0-0
0-0
2-11
1-32
2-34
0-0
0-0
1-68
6-32.8
6-31.3
2-1
0-0
1-5
7-59
20:07
37:17
1-7
4-19
RUSHING: Tarleton State-Joe Morrison 16-73; Chris Winn 1-3; Carl Steward 2-0;
Cliff Watkins 6-minus 10. Texas A&M-Kingsville-Larry Williams 28-108; Daniel Taylor
13-16; Ryan Beard 3-4; Brent Holmes 1-1.
PASSING: Tarleton State-Cliff Watkins 16-36-1-212. Texas A&M-Kingsville-Daniel
Taylor 13-23-0-158.
RECEIVING: Tarleton State-Justin Tabor 7-97; Will Moody 3-64; Sims Kemp 2-38; Joe
Morrison 2-9; Carl Steward 2-4. Texas A&M-Kingsville-M. Washington 4-21; Brent
Holmes 3-62; Derrick Harding 2-22; Todd Knutson 1-19; Robert Jones 1-18; Zach
Moore 1-10; Errick Lewis 1-6.
Tarleton State Football Record Book