Note: This story is featured in the 2026 edition of Dave Campbell's Texas Football's Summer Magazine, which you can order here.

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DCTF’S TAKE  

Phil Longo inherited a tough situation when he was hired as the head coach at Sam Houston after the 2024 season. The late hire forced him to miss most of the transfer portal window and home games during the 2025 campaign were played over an hour away in south Houston while Bowers Stadium was being renovated.  

No such excuses exist for Longo’s second season in charge of the Bearkats and the fan base expects improvements from a team that was last in Conference USA in scoring offense and defense in 2025. QB Landyn Locke and a strong portal class provide cautious optimism. A second bowl trip in three years would provide the on-field results that Longo needs to reenergize the Bearkats fan base.  

 

THE OFFENSE  

Quarterback Landyn Locke burned his redshirt to help Sam Houston down the stretch last season. He was inserted into the second half of the Oregon State win in early November and started the final three games of the year as the Bearkats posted a 2-2 record in November to build some semblance of momentum heading into 2026 – the second with head coach and offensive play caller Phil Longo at the helm.  

“Getting to play in those last four games has definitely helped me this spring and it’ll kickstart my fall because all experience is good experience,” Locke said. “When those bullets are flying in games, you really figure out where you’re good and where you need to improve. It gave me a great baseline to go into the offseason and work on my craft.”  

Locke arrived at Sam Houston last spring as a true freshman coming off an ACL tear that cost him his senior season at Rockwall. The recovery prevented him from participating in the spring and into the summer, which kept him out of the quarterback competition that included Hunter Watson and Mabrey Mettauer.  

Longo believes that a full offseason with Locke in charge and a more talented supporting cast will propel a Bearkats offense that finished last in Conference USA in scoring in 2025 with 17.8 points per game. The unit was one of only 18 offenses in the country that scored fewer than 20 points per game. 

The slot receiver position, which is vital in the Air Raid attack deployed by Longo, is stacked with experienced returners. That includes Darrick Bledsoe III, Grady O’Neill, and Aviyon Smith-Mack. O’Neill led Sam Houston last year with 38 catches and was second on the team with 392 yards.  

The Bearkats need more production from the outside wide receiver position after only one player – Chris Reed – caught more than one touchdown pass last season. Reed, who also led the team with 460 receiving yards, returns and should be one of the starters. Tim Burns averaged 19 yards a catch last season and can play inside or outside. 

Wisconsin transfer Kyan Berry-Johnson has familiarity with Longo from his time as the Badgers OC. Kaleb Mitchell (Utah State), Kamari Maxwell (Austin Peay), Christian Zachary (N.C. State), and Alijah Cason (Holy Cross) are other transfers to watch.  

Sam Houston also overhauled the tight end room through the tight end room through the transfer portal, adding Max Whisner (App State), Brock Kuhl (FAU), and Matt Smith (Rhode Island).  

Landan “CoCo” Brown and Alton McCaskill give the Bearkats two experienced returners at running back. Those two combined for 858 yards and six touchdowns on 172 attempts last season. McCaskill was limited to eight games because of injury. Ah’Marion Gaines-Smith is back from a foot injury and that gives the Bearkats three reliable options heading into the fall.  

That trio will operate behind a new-look offensive line. Longo says fall camp will sort out some of the position battles. Keep an eye on Isaac Sohn and Carter Kadow at tackle with Denell Nix Jr. and Logan Cahill impressing at guard in the spring. Brock Stukes is at center.  

“There’s a maturity at slot. There’s maturity and depth at running back,” Longo said of his offense. “There’s more continuity at quarterback because we know who our starter is. The offensive line, wide receiver, and tight end rooms were major overhauls.”  

  

BY THE NUMBERS  

17.8 – Average number of points scored by the Sam Houston offense, which was nearly four points fewer than any other team in Conference USA.   

200 – Total number of first downs recorded by Sam Houston, which was last in Conference USA and 127th nationally.  

3 – Number of quarterbacks who started multiple games for an inconsistent Sam Houston offense in Year 1 of the Phil Longo era.  

 

KEEP AN EYE ON  

Injuries have forced Sam Houston to start multiple quarterbacks in every year as an FBS program. Landyn Locke is the expected starter despite struggles in the spring game but head coach and play caller Phil Longo wasn’t ready to announce a QB2 at our magazine stop. Sophomore DJ Bailey, a DeSoto grad, impressed at the spring game and has a leg up on the competition. Longo didn’t rule out a true freshman from emerging behind Locke, however, with Mason Holtzclaw and Brett Holloway – arriving in the summer. Both were handpicked by Longo and fit his system.  

 

BREAKOUT CANDIDATES  

WR Kyan Berry-Johnson – A former four-star recruit who played in four games over two seasons at Wisconsin. He’s familiar with Phil Longo’s offense and had over 1,400 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns as a senior in high school. He’ll be a factor at the outside receiver positions.  

Kaleb Mitchell – A redshirt freshman from the Dallas area who was an all-state selection and state champion at First Baptist Academy. His 6-foot-6 frame should give Sam Houston a weapon on third down and in the red zone. Only one Bearkat caught more than one touchdown pass last season.  

 

PROJECTED STARTERS  

QB 8 Landyn Locke 6-4, 205, Soph. Rockwall 

RB 10 Landan Brown 5-11, 215, Jr. Denton   

WR 2 Chris Reed 6-0, 190, Sr. Orlando, Fla.  

WR 3 Tim Burns 5-9, 155, Sr. Miami, Fla.   

WR 7 Grady O’Neill 5-10, 170, Sr. Prior Lake, Minn.    

TE 89 Brock Kuhl 6-4, 230, R-Fr. Lorena   

LT 67 Isaac Sohn 6-5, 275, Jr. Aledo    

LG 71 Denell Nix Jr. 6-5, 290, Soph. Toledo, Ohio  

C 54 Brock Stukes 6-3, 320, Jr. Chesapeake, Va.  

RG 68 Logan Cahill 6-4, 320, Soph. Prosper   

RT 62 Carter Kadow 6-7, 310, Jr. Middleton, Wisc.  

K 94 Sam Carpenter 5-11, 180, Jr. Foxborough, Mass.   

 

THE DEFENSE  

Only two teams in the FBS – UAB and UMass – allowed more points per game than the 37.8 that Sam Houston gave up in the first year under the direction of defensive coordinator Freddie Aughtry-Lindsay. The 38.4 points per game allowed during conference play was a touchdown more than anyone else in the league.  

The defensive performance was a drastic change from the 2024 season when the Bearkats led CUSA in scoring defense at 20.5 points per game allowed. It was also the first time Sam Houston has allowed more than 30 points as an FBS program. Improvements rest on a new crop of transfers and a pool of returners who need to take the next step in their evolution.  

“The pieces that we had last year were good, but we went out and added some great pieces to the defense in the offseason,” defensive back Jace Arnold said in the spring. “Every position group got better. We’re further ahead now so we’ve added some new plays, some new wrinkles. It’s going to be the same defense but with a different tone. I feel like the culture is stronger because everyone is bought in. We’ll exceed what we did last year.”  

There is more depth and length along the defensive line heading into 2026 and that should help the unit make more plays in its opponent’s backfield. The Bearkats were tied for eighth in CUSA in sacks with 21 and ninth in tackles for loss with 66. The defense did recover 10 fumbles, which was tied for the conference lead with Jax State.  

Returners Dylan Frazier and Darien Jackson will feature heavily at defensive tackle alongside transfers such as Justin Terrell (N.C. State) and Dimitry Nicolas (Maryland). Josh Alexander-Felton (N.C. State), Jayden Fry (Boston College), and Zion Taylor (Houston) are new names at the edge positions and they’ll battle returners such as Chauncey Chidi, Caius Coy, and Brody Henderson for snaps.  

Linebacker might be the strength of the defense heading into the fall. Sophomore Dean Ford had a great spring and is in line for starting snaps after recording 35 tackles, including 6.5 for loss, in eight games last season as a freshman for the Bearkats. Transfer Stacy Bey (Arizona) can play linebacker or safety. Delaware State transfer Brian Bates Jr. is a throwback who excels as a physical downhill linebacker. Elijah Groves (N.C. State) can be a playmaker off the edge.  

“We have some guys who can flat out run at linebacker,” head coach Phil Longo said in the spring. “I’ve been encouraged by that room, without question.”  

Secondary is more of a question mark after Sam Houston finished last in CUSA in passing defense while allowing 275.9 yards per game through the air. The group wasn’t great at forcing turnovers, either, with only Liberty and UTEP finishing the season with fewer than the eight interceptions recorded by the Bearkats in CUSA play.  

Transfers Ishmel Atkins (Elon) and Joey Hunter (Akron) are candidates to start at cornerback. Arnold figures to earn plenty of snaps at the nickel position. West Virginia transfer William Davis looked like a starter in the spring, as did senior Tyler Bailey, who is Sam Houston’s leading returning tackler after posting 49 last year.  

 

BY THE NUMBERS  

37.8 – Average points allowed per game by the Bearkats last season, which was last in Conference USA and fourth most in the entire country.  

291 – Number of first downs allowed in 12 games, which was nearly three more per game than anyone else in Conference USA.  

10 – Number of fumbles recovered by Sam Houston in 2025, which was tied for the most in CUSA. The Bearkats created 18 turnovers in 12 games.  

 

KEEP AN EYE ON  

Sam Houston added 16 transfers on the defensive side of the ball and almost all of them could see the field in 2026. The Bearkats raided the portal for six defensive linemen, three linebackers, and seven defensive backs. Those reinforcements were necessary after the unit finished last in Conference USA in scoring defense, total defense, rushing defense, and passing defense. Phil Longo believes more length along the defensive line and in the secondary, as well as more speed at linebacker, allows his defense to make more plays and hold up as the year progresses and the depth is tested.  

 

BREAKOUT CANDIDATES  

DB William Davis – The senior transfer only appeared in one game at West Virginia in 2025, but his experience and production at Virginia Union in 2023 and 2024 provides hope that Davis can emerge as a frontline starter at safety for the Bearkats. He registered 56 tackles, including 11.5 loss, in 2024.  

LB Brian Bates Jr. – The redshirt junior was First-Team All-MEAC and an HBCU All-American at Delaware State last season. He played 12 games for the Hornets, totaling 80 tackles, including seven for loss, and a pair of sacks. Bates is a physical, downhill linebacker who plays with intensity and urgency.  

 

PROJECTED STARTERS  

DE 15 Josh Alexander-Felton 6-3, 270, Soph. Orlando, Fla.   

DT 97 Dylan Frazier 6-4, 265, Sr. McKinney North   

DT 10 Darien Jackson 6-2, 290, Jr. Los Angeles, Calif.   

DE 48 Chauncey Chidi  6-3, 250, Sr. Kumasi, Ghana 

LB 21 Dean Ford 6-0, 225, Soph. Katy Morton Ranch   

LB 33 Brian Bates 6-1, 230, Jr. Centerville, Va.   

NB 9 Jace Arnold 5-11, 185, Jr. Douglasville, Ga.    

CB 5 Ishmel Atkins 6-3, 195, Sr. Greensboro, N.C.    

CB 3 Joey Hunter 6-0, 195, Sr. Atlanta, Ga.   

S 0 William Davis 5-10, 195, Sr. South Boston, Va.   

S 8 Tyler Bailey 6-0, 195, Sr. Prosper   

P 31 Cal Joseph 6-0, 175, Soph. Melbourne, Australia