UIW - Update...Mom moment (you asked, panfan)

[LH Panther Mom]

For anyone who doesn't know the history, here's the Reader's Digest version. And if you do know it, skip to the good part at the bottom.

In 2008, UIW started their football team & signed their first recruiting class, who were all red-shirted.
In 2009, Brandon ( my son aka "the beast"), a 3-year OL starter for LH, 2006-2008, signed to play with them.
In the THSCA All Star game, he tore his ACL with less than 4 minutes to play and had to have a medical redshirt season during UIW's inaugural season as a DII football team. They went 5-5.

In 2010, knee all healed, they started playing in the Lone Star Conference with A&M Kingsville, A&M Commerce, WTAMU, Tarleton, ENMU & some Oklahoma teams. They didn't do so well.
In 2011, about halfway through the season, he tore his other ACL against WT just before halftime. They again, didn't do so well. Early in the season, in a nonconference game against Lamar, the President announced that they were interested in moving up to DI-FCS and hoped to join the Southland Conference.

Last year, knee all healed, still in LSC, their record was worse than previous years & they went 2-8. In December, they started the transition to DI and are playing an Independent schedule again, before joining the SLC next Fall. They won't be eligible for postseason play for a few years.

They started the season at the University of Central Arkansas, last year's SLC champion. A couple of games later, they played Sam Houston, who has played for the National Championship the past 2 seasons. A couple of games after that, they played Southeastern Louisiana, who will at minimum, share the SLC title after this coming game. A couple of games after that, they played Abilene Christian, who is also moving up to FCS from LSC & into SLC. The best part of that game is that pirate4state surprised me & came to the game, as did Sweetwater Red. None of those games turned out well. In fact, I guess you could say all 4 put on a clinic when they played us.



Now for the good part! They got their first shut-out this year, then a second one a week later. Two weeks ago, UIW won their first road game since October, 2011, against McMurray. Since ACU is also playing whoever they can get, we played twice. This past Saturday, shocking the LSC (and probably the SLC), UIW beat ACU at home, 34-31. They play their final game this coming week against another LSC rival, Angelo State. Regardless of whether they win or lose, they will finish the year with a WINNING record...for the first time in school (football) history.

Here's Brandon taking out the ACU quarterback. Unfortunately, hubby missed getting the shot of him body slamming a RB earlier in the game.




And now for the tough part. I've got tears in my eyes typing this. Senior Day is this week and as much fun as we have had watching their program start from nothing, it is going to be extremely tough knowing that this is the last game I will ever watch one of my kids play football.

[adoptedbuckeye]

For anyone who doesn't know the history, here's the Reader's Digest version. And if you do know it, skip to the good part at the bottom.

In 2008, UIW started their football team & signed their first recruiting class, who were all red-shirted.
In 2009, Brandon ( my son aka "the beast"), a 3-year OL starter for LH, 2006-2008, signed to play with them.
In the THSCA All Star game, he tore his ACL with less than 4 minutes to play and had to have a medical redshirt season during UIW's inaugural season as a DII football team. They went 5-5.

In 2010, knee all healed, they started playing in the Lone Star Conference with A&M Kingsville, A&M Commerce, WTAMU, Tarleton, ENMU & some Oklahoma teams. They didn't do so well.
In 2011, about halfway through the season, he tore his other ACL against WT just before halftime. They again, didn't do so well. Early in the season, in a nonconference game against Lamar, the President announced that they were interested in moving up to DI-FCS and hoped to join the Southland Conference.

Last year, knee all healed, still in LSC, their record was worse than previous years & they went 2-8. In December, they started the transition to DI and are playing an Independent schedule again, before joining the SLC next Fall. They won't be eligible for postseason play for a few years.

They started the season at the University of Central Arkansas, last year's SLC champion. A couple of games later, they played Sam Houston, who has played for the National Championship the past 2 seasons. A couple of games after that, they played Southeastern Louisiana, who will at minimum, share the SLC title after this coming game. A couple of games after that, they played Abilene Christian, who is also moving up to FCS from LSC & into SLC. The best part of that game is that pirate4state surprised me & came to the game, as did Sweetwater Red. None of those games turned out well. In fact, I guess you could say all 4 put on a clinic when they played us.



Now for the good part! They got their first shut-out this year, then a second one a week later. Two weeks ago, UIW won their first road game since October, 2011, against McMurray. Since ACU is also playing whoever they can get, we played twice. This past Saturday, shocking the LSC (and probably the SLC), UIW beat ACU at home, 34-31. They play their final game this coming week against another LSC rival, Angelo State. Regardless of whether they win or lose, they will finish the year with a WINNING record...for the first time in school (football) history.

Here's Brandon taking out the ACU quarterback. Unfortunately, hubby missed getting the shot of him body slamming a RB earlier in the game.




And now for the tough part. I've got tears in my eyes typing this. Senior Day is this week and as much fun as we have had watching their program start from nothing, it is going to be extremely tough knowing that this is the last game I will ever watch one of my kids play football.

That's an awesome comeback story, I'm proud for you and your son

[OldBison75]

I just want to say that both you and your son are class acts. Those college days will never be forgotten and because of the things that have happened he has proved he can face troubles and kick them in the butt. He had great parenting and will be an asset to society in whatever he chooses to do. God bless you both.

[LHPfactory]

Hey Deb, Just wanted to say that I still use your boy Brandon as the very high standard I teach our youth linemen with. This year I put on the coaches clinic for LHYFC and referred all the coaches to watch Brandon's 2007 video. I assign all of my linemen to watch it and question them about it after the fact. All of us in LH love the Championship years and have fond memories about them, we also want more.

As someone who has a great passion for football, I appreciate the components that made those teams so great. Being able to refer kids to an example of someone who embodies exactly what I want from all my players has been huge, the teams I have coached haven't lost a game since 2011. This years 7th Grade A team did something that hasn't been done since Brandon and Cody were in Jr High, they went undefeated! Its no coincidence that this group watched Brandon Play as kids and I made them watch his video over and over when they played for me.

I was talking to my sons the other day and said imagine a team with 5 Brandon Terry's as interior linemen We all laughed, and my freshmen said that the opposing team couldn't stop the dive with 11 men between the tackles.

Yeah, he was that much of a difference maker, if anyone hasn't seen the video I am talking about you can check it out at :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA_5J_s1fSA

I preach to my linemen that when you play like Terry, you neutralize the other teams difference makers and then amazing things start to happen.

I don't know of any award given to Offensive linemen at LH, but I think we should develop one and I know exactly who it should be named after.


Tell Brandon Thanks for the great football he has treated us to and the fact that his legacy is still the standard that we push our kids to strive for.

PS> If Brandon is in town next August, We would love to have him come out to the Youth Practices.

[sandmaster]

I had the opportunity to play against Brandon many times and I will say he was the best lineman I played against. Have a great time at Senior Day.

[panfan]

Thaks for update and history Deb. I know Caleb (my nephew) who played with Brandon said he misses the game since he has gradumicated. Quinton (other nephew) who also plays with Brandon is regularly getting his butt kicked by Brandon during practice. LOL. Glad to hear he has had a good run at UIW, and that the program as a whole has gotten better. THANKs!!!

[panther89]

Good story!!! Congrats to Brandon and to you too LH Panther Mom!!