Bisons defeat MSSU

SEARCY – Harding University junior quarterback Josh Powell connected on an 11-yard touchdown pass to sophomore Tyler O’Quin with 18 seconds remaining to give the Bisons a 17-15 victory over Missouri Southern in the 2009 season opener Saturday night at First Security Stadium. More . . .

Quote of the Day - 8/29/09

If you burn your neighbor's house down, it doesn't make your house look any better.

-- Coach Lou Holtz

Gameday

It's finally here!!!

The Bisons kick-off against Missouri Southern at 6:00 PM at Harding University's First Security Stadium.

You can listen to the game live here.

Another Blog

Here's a link to a good entry from another blog.

Quote of the Day - 8/28/09

Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues.

-- Brother Lawrence

Sad, yet inspiring

A link to an ESPN video and story on the late Coach Ed Thomas. Here's an excerpt:

PARKERSBURG, Iowa -- They fell to the ground and did gut-busters together, 69 bellies thumping against the hard Midwestern earth. The drill was the most dreaded in Ed Thomas' arsenal -- up and down, no knees on the grass, and everybody quickly back on their feet. Did he know then, how scared they were? How perfect they could be? The world was changing, the Twin Towers had just fallen in New York City, and rumors were floating around Aplington-Parkersburg High that the draft was coming, and soon they'd all be 7,000 miles away hunting terrorists. Thomas gathered that 2001 team together, said a prayer, said everything would be all right.

The old coach was tough, but he choked up a couple of times that year. He loved those boys who looked so bad in their first game, and so confident when they lugged that state championship trophy back to Parkersburg. He told his wife, Jan, that he never wanted practice to end. The final pep rally of the year, he looked into their eyes and said the same thing he did after every game. "Remember to do what is right. Don't ever tarnish what we've done here today."


Their youthful past is buried in a stack of yearbooks at an elementary school library. The answers are somewhere else. They're not on page 48, in a black-and-white 2001 team photo with a 16-year-old boy named Mark Becker wearing an expressionless gaze in row 5. Ask why Becker did this -- why he allegedly shot his former coach on a summer morning two months ago, allegedly killed a man whose greatest satisfaction came from watching his boys come back and visit him as accomplished men -- and nobody really knows. Ask how a clean-cut kid who was one of them could fade to a dishevelled police mug shot, and townsfolk just shake their heads and try not to cry.

There is no time for answers now. A week before Aplington-Parkersburg's football team takes the field for the first time in 35 seasons without Thomas, Al Kerns walks briskly past the old yearbooks and into a cluttered office. He is the new co-coach of the Falcons, and there are a thousand things to do. He has to go over his practice plan -- Thomas' old plan -- which is preserved in a three-ring binder. Tonight, they scrimmage. Tomorrow, they'll do gut-busters and grimace in pain. Whatever happens, Kerns can't let up. That's when they'll know that things are really different, and it will hit once again that Thomas is gone. More.

Freshman Scrimmage

The Bisons just finished their first redshirt scrimmage of the season. It was a whole lot of fun, and the guys really got after it. The OL was solid, especially considering they had no back ups. Dallon Hudson had no bad snaps, and this was his first day at Center. Marquale Pierson, Taylor Powell, Philip Mion & Terone Shephard all impressed on D, as did a host of other defenders. Davis Cocke had some good runs at QB, and Tim Lackey also had a great run. Dre Whittle laid some great blocks, and several receivers made big plays (Will Walker, Alex Finley, Brad Osborne, to name a few).

We'll do it again next Thursday.

Stories

Here are some links to stories from our athletic department website:

Harding Football Opens 2009 Against Missouri Southern

Adams, Ross Receive Preseason D2Football.com Honors

Harding Football Announces Active Roster

Quote of the Day - 8/27/09

It is great wisdom to know how to be silent and to look at neither the remarks, nor the deeds, nor the lives of others.

-- St. John of the Cross

Info for Thursday

VARSITY, don't forget to get your lift in on Thursday if you did not get it on Wednesday. The times are 8am, 9am, 10am, 11am, 12pm, 1pm, and 2:30pm.

Extra Point/Field Goal AND Field Goal Block (Defense) meeting at 3:30pm in room 111. On the field by 3:50pm.

REDSHIRT SCRIMMAGE at 5:15pm.

Roster and Bios

For a good look at all the Bisons, go here and see the great job Scott Goode and his staff have done with the roster, pics and bios. This is not a small task when dealing with almost 130 players. Thanks, Scott.

Quote of the Day II - 8/26/09

"Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things put together."

-- Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890)

Quote of the Day - 8/26/09

Friendship is the source of the greatest pleasures, and without friends even the most agreeable pursuits become tedious.

-- Thomas Aquinas

Wednesday's schedule

2:00 pm - All VARSITY DEFENSE will meet in Room 111 (Redshirts do not need to be at this)

3:00 pm - KICKOFF and KICKOFF RETURN meeting in Room 111

3:30 pm - On the field

7:30pm - FOOTBALL CHURCH

9:00 pm - All REDSHIRTS meet in Room 100

Quote of the Day - 8/25/09

The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.

-- The Apostle Paul

Quote of the Day - 8/24/09

The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team.

-- Coach John Wooden

Update

The Bisons wrapped up fall camp on Saturday with a trip to Heber Springs for a day at Greer's Ferry Lake. It was fun watching some of the guys jump off of the cliffs, and tube behind boats, especially those who had never done anything like that before.

Friday night was a good night for scrimmaging, especially as the coaches continue to look for some guys to finish out the spots on the 2 and 3 deep chart. Before the trip to the lake, Saturday morning was picture day, followed by a walk-though. Overall, it was a successful camp. We got better, and we made it out without too many major injuries.

Yesterday afternoon we were able to begin to work more fully on Missouri Southern, and tomorrow we will continue with that as Monday is our off day. Kick-off Saturday is at 6:00 PM at First Security Stadium.

Quote of the Day - 8/19/09

Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire.

-- Confucius

Update

The last few days have been gone ones for the Bisons, barring some bangs, bumps, bruises, sprains, etc.

Sunday was a great day spent at Camp Tahkodah. It is possible that there were some bonds and building that occurred on that trip that will take this program to the next level. Lots of sharing, cooperating and soul-searching. Thanks to all that made the day special, especially Coach Simmons and Coach Bartee for coming up with the activities for the day.

Despite a narrow band of storms that came through and cut us a little short last night, the Bisons got a lot accomplished. Special teams continue to improve, and the O and D also continue to have some good battles against each other.

This afternoon at 4:00 we'll have another practice where the first two-thirds of the night will be starting to focus more on Missouri Southern, but the last portion will include a lot more battling between the O & D. Come out a join us.

Quote of the Day - 8/18/09

Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.

-- Leo Tolstoy

Quote of the Day - 8/17/09

The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good.

-- Samuel Johnson

Miracle on Ice

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRALJyv86eY&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eallprodad%2Ecom%2Fpage%2Ephp%3Fid%3D130&feature=player_embedded

Quote of the Day - 8/14/09

Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.

-- Jesus of Nazareth

Friday

A message from Coach Beason:

Bisons,

Friday morning:
9am - Punt Team Meeting
9:15am - Kickoff Return Meeting
9:30am - Offense/Defense Meetings/Walk-through
11am - Group D Lifts
11:20am - Group C Lifts

Take care of your bodies!

Quote of the Day - 8/13/09

I am a firm believer that sometimes the Lord has to short-circuit even our best plans for our benefit.

-- Coach Tony Dungy

A Worthy Cause

http://www.carryontrust.org/

Quote of the Day - 8/12/09

God dispenses gifts, not wages. None of us gets paid according to merit, for none of us comes close to satisfying God's requirements for a perfect life.

-- Philip Yancey

Day 5

Finally, the Bisons moved beyond sepaprate drill work and began some competitive sessions between the O and D. There was good intensity on both sides of the ball as practice included OL vs. DL 1-on-1 drills, 7-on-7 between the WR/RB/QB & DB/LB, inside drill with the entire team, and team O vs. team D.

Day 6 will have the Bisons in full pads for their 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM practice.

Day 4

Another good day, especially considering that we had to adapt and adjust to some nasty weather. Attention to detail is good, and we also have some very fast players on both sides of the ball.

Day 5 will consist of a lot more meetings and walk-throughs, with an intense practice tomorrow afternoon from 4:00 to 7:00.

Inspiring

This is an absolute must-read and must-watch:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/otl/news/story?id=4371874

Quote of the Day - 8/11/09

Ralph Waldo Emerson on success:

"To laugh often and much, to win respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded."

Tom Ed Gooden

An update on former Bison, Tom Ed Gooden:

"When we left the hospital about a month ago our doctor said to 'keep it boring'. We are happy to say that there have been no new complications. TE is slowly gaining stamina. He was able to attend church services last Sunday and today. We see the doctor this week and pray for encouraging news."

Quote of the Day - 8/10/09

This quote is honor of my mother, Priscilla Edwards, on her birthday. No one exemplifies this passage more than she does.

"Do you want to stand out? Then step down. Be a servant. If you puff yourself up, you'll get the wind knocked out of you. But if you're content to simply be yourself, your life will count for plenty."

-- Jesus of Nazareth

Quote of the Day - 8/9/09

“To become truly great, one has to stand with people, not above them."

-- Charles de Montesquieu

Day 3

The Bisons had a good day of meetings today, and will hit the practice field tonight from 7:00 to 9:30.

Quote of the Day - 8/8/09

It is not the magnitude of our actions but the amount of love that is put into them that matters.

-- Mother Teresa

A great day

Yesterday was a great day as the "old" Bisons came back to rejoin the Harding Football family. Everyone we expected to return reported with the exception of Evan Wynne, who was in a car accident with his mother on the way to the airport. As of last night, both Evan and his mother are doing OK, and everyone is expected to have a full recovery. We're hoping that Evan will arrive within the next day or two.

Today we're equally excited as our freshmen report. They're a good looking group, and geographically diverse, as well. We have one from Miami, FL, and one from Spokane, WA (approximately 3,000 miles apart), and about 60 others from everywhere in between.

In all, we'll end up with a record high 136 players. We're all thrilled and ready to go. Tonight at 7:30 is the conditioning test for all returning players, and we'll hit the field for the first time tomorrow night after church at 7:00.

Quote of the Day - 8/7/09

"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great."

-- Mark Twain

It's time

It's finally here! Returning players report today, and new players report tomorrow. Let us Honor God with all we do this season.

Quote of the Day

If you know the enemy and know yourself you need not fear the results of a hundred battles.

-- Sun Tzu

Quote of the Day - 8/5/09

Courage is knowing what not to fear.

-- Plato

Quote of the Day - 8/4/09

Faith is permitting ourselves to be seized by the things we do not see.

-- Martin Luther

Quote of the Day - 8/3/09

God has not called me to be successful; He has called me to be faithful.

-- Mother Teresa