(Stats Perform) – Louisiana Tech coach Skip Holtz saw what Houston Baptist quarterback Bailey Zappe had done in the Huskies’ first two games this season, so he was pleased when his defense “held” the senior standout to 406 passing yards this past Saturday night.
Zappe also threw for five touchdowns, buy, hey, La Tech came up with the first interception thrown by him.
“This is a quarterback that threw for (480) yards in the opening week and (567) yards in his previous game, so when you say you held him to 400 yards, you feel really good about it,” Holtz said. “It’s not often you have a quarterback throw for 400 yards against you and you feel like your defense played well.”
The 6-foot-2 gunslinger’s three-game start has been phenomenal. He’s completed 106 passes for 1,431 yards and 12 touchdowns against three FBS opponents (also North Texas and Texas Tech), adding one rushing TD.
On Saturday, Houston Baptist (0-3) gets back to facing an FCS opponent – traveling to Eastern Kentucky – as it concludes a four-game fall schedule.
The Huskies don’t plan to play this spring and the NCAA allows for a player to redshirt after a season of four games or less. Zappe’s plan has been to return for a fifth season next fall, but his success will draw interest from NFL scouts and FBS programs seeking a grad transfer at quarterback.
He may want to keep throwing to his top wide receivers next fall. Junior Jerreth Sterns has caught at least 11 passes in each game, totaling 37 receptions for 361 yards and four touchdowns – all team highs – senior Ben Ratzlaff has three 100-yard games and three TDs, and freshman Josh Sterns has the team’s season high in receiving yards (209) against Texas Tech.
The Huskies’ trip to Eastern Kentucky is a first-time meeting. The Colonels (1-2) struggled to defend the pass in blowout losses to Marshall and West Virginia – giving up a combined eight touchdowns through the air – but they limited The Citadel’s triple option attack to 2-of-10 passing and 36 yards in a 37-14 road win last Saturday.
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