Bulldogs picked to finish Fourth; Ocampo named ASC Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year
RICHARDSON, Texas – Texas Lutheran University Football has been picked to finish fourth in the American Southwest Conference per the conference press release today. The poll was based on a vote of the league's head coaches and directors of sports information.
After a season where the COVID-19 global pandemic pushed football season from the fall to the spring semester for the first time in conference history, the league is planning for a return to some type of normalcy this fall.
The Bulldogs finish 4th in the ten team poll - receiving 140 points after their 3-2 finish last spring.
The Bulldogs return not one but two All-Americans; headlined by senior All-American kicker Juan Ocampo (Lockhart/Lockhart). Ocampo, a D3football.com and CoSIDA Academic All-American last year, was named the 2021 Preseason ASC Special Teams Player of the Year - just a few days after being recognized as a Preseason All-American by D3football.com. In his junior season, Ocampo was 7-for-8 on field goals and 17-of-17 on extra point attempts. He drilled a long field goal of 44 yards. Senior All-American right tackle Nike Gooden (Bryan/Rudder) also returns to lead the Bulldogs in the trenches and power a Bulldog running attack that seeks to lead the ASC again this season.
Also returning for the Bulldogs are a collection of All-Conference performers scattered all over the field from the backfield (QB Seth Cosme and RB DaKory Willis) and the trenches (center Trevor Hopkins, right guard Nakoven Lewis and tight end Aaron Sotelo) to the defensive backfield (Robert Ramirez).
The talented Bulldogs group will be led by second year head coach Ricky Matt - who will coach his first full fall season this season after coaching the COVID shortened season last year.
While picked to finish fourth, the Bulldogs have championship aspirations as they look to return to championship glory for the first time since the 2015 SCAC Championship team.
Mary Hardin-Baylor has been picked to win the 2021 American Southwest Conference football season after winning their 16th ASC Championship last spring - receiving 17 out of possible 20 first place votes.
The ASC football season begins next Saturday with every team returning to the field - including Texas Lutheran who will start their season on the road at Howard Payne University.
2021 ASC Preseason Football Poll East Division
Team (First) Votes 2020-21 Record
1. Mary Hardin-Baylor (17) 196 5-0 (4-0)
2. Hardin-Simmons (2) 179 4-1 (4-0)
3. East Texas Baptist (1) 153 3-2 (2-2)
4. Texas Lutheran 140 3-2 (3-1)
5. Belhaven 115 3-2 (2-2)
6. Howard Payne 95 2-3 (2-2)
7. McMurry 69 2-3 (1-3)
8. Austin 62 1-3 (1-3)*
9. Southwestern 54 0-5 (0-4)
10. Sul Ross State 41 1-4 (0-4)
*-Austin competed in the Southern Athletic Association
2021 ASC Preseason Players of the Year
Offense: Kyle Jones, QB, Sr., Hardin-Simmons
Defense: Jefferson Fritz, DB, Sr., Mary Hardin-Baylor
Special Teams: Juan Ocampo, K, Sr., Texas Lutheran
2021 Players to Watch
Name Pos. Cl. Team Hometown
Jefferson Fritz * D DB Sr. Mary Hardin-Baylor Kaufman, Texas
Alberto Garcia * K/P So. East Texas Baptist Huntsville, Texas
Landry Gilpin QB So. Southwestern Mission, Texas
Wil Herbst * P/K Sr. Southwestern Boerne, Texas
Kyle Jones * O QB Sr. Hardin-Simmons Giddings, Texas
KJ Kelley * DB Jr. East Texas Baptist Abilene, Texas
Kyle King * QB Jr. Mary Hardin-Baylor Milano, Texas
K.J. Miller * RS/WR Jr. Mary Hardin-Baylor Orange, Texas
Juan Ocampo * K Sr. Texas Lutheran Lockhart, Texas
Jake Parker * WR Sr. Howard Payne Whitehouse, Texas
Jamie Pogue * K Sr. Hardin-Simmons Abilene, Texas
Dee Robinson * RB So. McMurry Rice, Texas
Josh Smith * LB Sr. McMurry Bossier City, La.
Troy Yowman * QB So. East Texas Baptist Beaumont, Texas
0 – 2020-21 Offensive Player of the Year
D – 2020-21 Defensive Player of the Year * - 2020-21 All-Conference