As strange as it may seem, another football season on the hill has come to an end. But unlike previous years, the Panthers have a lot to brag about going into the off season. After 16 years the Labor Day Classic curse was finally broken, the Panthers gave every opponent on their schedule a run for their money even in some losing causes, and Prairie View A&M University matched the same win total that they had in the 2001 season with three victories. Those three aspects alone made the 2004 football season a unforgettable one. Head football coach Henry Frazier III has turned the football program around full circle, and is just in the beginning stages of more great things to come.Frazier can be credited with a lot of the Panthers’ success on the football field this season, but let’s not forget the players. The players who were brought in by Frazier, along with the nucleus that was already on the football squad stepped up their performances to a much higher level throughout the season. Many newcomers such as quarterback Chris Gibson (6-0, 190), wide receivers Anthony Wright (6-3, 215), Greg Chatman (6-0, 180), and Kameco Andrews (6-5, 220), played a major role in the turnaround season. Anthony Wright led the team in receiving (25 catches for 561 yards, three touchdowns, with a long of 61 yards). Wide Receiver Greg Chatman completed the season with 12 catches for 221 yards and two scores, followed by lettermen Chris Peters (18 catches for 142 yards), and Bertrum Jackson (12 catches for 136 yards). Newcomer wide receiver Kameco Andrews finished fifth on the team in receiving with 10 catches for 133 yards, and one touchdown. At the quarterback position senior Michael Hill started the first four games of the season against Texas Southern, Paul Quinn, Southern, and Grambling State. Hill led the SWAC in passing efficiency through the first three games with a rating of over 121.0, but late in the game against Grambling State freshman QB Chris Gibson got the call from coach Frazier, and the rest is history, because Gibson started the rest of the season. Although Hill didn’t play much in the second half of the season he proved to have another successful season as the Panthers’ starting quarterback putting up good numbers (completing 52 of 103 passes for 592 yards, six touchdowns, two interceptions).
Michael Hill also led the Panthers in passing a year ago throwing for 692 yards and four touchdowns. Meanwhile QB Chris Gibson, a freshman from Maryland, got his debut against the Grambling State Tigers back on Oct. 2 in a game where he came in late in the second half and scored two rushing touchdowns. From that game until the end of the season Gibson was the starting quarterback and had a productive first season as the starting quarterback for Prairie View completing 56 out 126 passes for 655 yards, and four touchdowns. Gibson also rushed for another 153 yards on the ground, and scored an additional four touchdowns for the season. Other leaders offensively for Prairie View A&M were runningbacks Arnell Fontenot (137 carries for 499 yards, three touchdowns), Tavaris Holliday (51 carrries for 268 yards, four touchdowns), and Darrell Walker (33 carries for 105 yards, one touchdown).
The offense can get a lot of praise for Prairie View’s good season, but the side of the ball that definitely made the difference this year was no doubt the defense. Prairie View’s defense started the difference this year was no doubt the defense.
Prairie View’s defense started the season sending shockwaves throughout the SWAC when they held the Texas Southern Tigers to only 50 total offensive yards for the game back on Sept. 4.
Since then every offensive opponent has had to bring their “A” game, if they wanted to come out with a win against the Panthers.
Leaders for the defense throughout the season were linebacker Corey Stewart who led the team in tackles for the third straight year with 68 stops, followed by LB Clark Stuart (58 tackles), DB Vinson Moye (47 tackles, two interceptions for 14 yards), LB Corey Barrett (47 tackles, five sacks), and FS Santana Lane (46 tackles, four interceptions for 40 yards). Another defensive player that played a major role in the team’s defensive success throughout the season was cornerback Jeremy Kindle. Kindle played at various positions on defense lining up at cornerback, linebacker, and sometimes safety during the season.
Kindle finished with 32 tackles, two interceptions for 35 yards, and a 30-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown. He also had nine kickoff returns for 175 yards (19.4 avg) with the longest return of the season with a 55-yard return against Jackson State.
Overall the Panthers had a successful season, even though they finished at 3-8.
This season can set the foundation for Head Coach Henry Frazier III and the team to continue to build the football program back to triumph.
The Panthers scored a lot of points this year, averaging 24 points per game, while the defense led the SWAC in total yards allowed through the first two games of the season.
Expect much more and a winning record in the 2005 season from Panther football.