2012 Lamar Cardinals football team

Lamar signed 21 players on national letter of intent day. Four additional college recruits signed on previously, in December 2011, to bring the recruiting class to 25-members strong. On May 11, Lamar gained another player from Tyler Jr. College to bring the squad up to 26 new members. In June Lamar gained 4 transfers, 2 from Oklahoma State and 2 from various junior colleges. Because 3 of the 4 redshirted last season and the fourth was a JC transfer, all 4 will be eligible to play in the 2012 season. It brings the Lamar recruiting class up t 30 for 2012. Recruits are listed here. Player profiles for each recruit are available at the signing day link below.[2]

US college sports recruiting information for 2012 recruits
Name	Hometown	High school / college	Height	Weight	Commit date
Jacory Augustine DB	Lake Charles, LA	LaGrange	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	190 lb (86 kg)
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Alex Ball K	Westlake Village, CA	Westlake Village	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	210 lb (95 kg)
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Garrett Baxley OL	Kingwood, TX	Kingwood Park	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)	245 lb (111 kg)
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Matthew Bergeron QB	Mandeville, LA	Mandeville	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)	175 lb (79 kg)
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Xavier Bethany DB	Burton, TX	Burton	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)	185 lb (84 kg)
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Jermaine Bowman OL	Beaumont, TX	West Brook	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)	300 lb (140 kg)
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Luke Campbell OL	Rusk, TX	Rusk	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)	285 lb (129 kg)
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Corbin Carr DL	Nederland, TX	Nederland	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	235 lb (107 kg)
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Garrett Drake WR	Silsbee, TX	Silsbee	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	185 lb (84 kg)
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Gratlin Gladney WR	Houston, TX	Cypress Falls	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)	180 lb (82 kg)
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Michael Handy Ath	Conroe, TX	Oak Ridge	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)	190 lb (86 kg)
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Mike Hargis DL	Austin, TX	Manor	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	220 lb (100 kg)
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
David Hollyfield DL	Silsbee, TX	Silsbee	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	230 lb (100 kg)
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Ronnie Jones, Jr. LB	Hempstead, TX	Hempstead	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)	220 lb (100 kg)
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Jayce Nelson WR	Port Neches, TX	Port Neches-Groves	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	170 lb (77 kg)
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Joe Persohn OL	Sour Lake, TX	Hardin-Jefferson	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	220 lb (100 kg)
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Desmond Richards RB	Montgomery, TX	Magnolia West	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)	180 lb (82 kg)
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Courtlin Thompson DB	Lancaster, CA	Antelope Valley Christian Saddleback CC	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)	225 lb (102 kg)
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Bret Treadway OL	Silsbee, TX	Silsbee	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	245 lb (111 kg)
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Cam Washington RB	Corsicana, TX	Corsicana	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)	190 lb (86 kg)
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Darryl Waters LB	Norfolk, VA	Maury Hargrave Military Academy	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	230 lb (100 kg)
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Nashon Davis DB	Katy, TX	Morton Ranch Blinn College	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	203 lb (92 kg)
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Jermaine Longino LB	Houston, TX	Hightower Trinity Valley CC	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)	220 lb (100 kg)
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Tyrus McGlothen DB	Grand Prairie, TX	South Grand Prairie Cisco CC	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)	180 lb (82 kg)
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Ryan Mossakowski QB	Frisco, TX	Centennial Northwest Mississippi CC	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)	225 lb (102 kg)
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Brock Wempa OL	Royse City, TX	Royse City Tyler	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	310 lb (140 kg)
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A
Kevin Johnson WR	Houston, TX	Cypress Ridge Oklahoma State	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)	195 lb (88 kg)	Jun 5, 2012
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: TR
Joe Okafor DL	Bellaire, TX	Bellaire Oklahoma State	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)	295 lb (134 kg)	Jun 5, 2012
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: TR
Oluwajimi (B.J.) Oyefeso WR	Pasadena, CA	Roland Citrus	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	205 lb (93 kg)	Jun 19, 2012
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: JC
Dillon Barrett QB	Dry Prong, LA	Grant Fort Scott	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)	220 lb (100 kg)	Jun 19, 2012
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: JC
Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: Not Ranked   Rivals: Not Ranked  ESPN: Not Ranked
Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources: "2012 Player Commitments - Lamar". ESPN.com. "2012 Team Ranking". Rivals.com.

The 2nd Annual Red-White Crayfish Bowl was held Saturday, May 17 at 7 PM. The team was divided into a red and white team, and 4 12-minute quarters were played.

The Crawfish Bowl would need overtime to decide the winner. Both the red and white teams struggled to move the ball in different ways. The Red team only netted 6 yards rushing on 18 attempts. The white team pounded out 58-yards rushing with just one person, the returning medical redshirted DePauldrick Garrett. On the other hand, the white team owned the skies as they outgained the red team 155 to 79. Due to an imbalance in the number of quarterbacks, Caleb Berry would play for both teams. He would leave the game as the leading passer going 15-for-25 for 138 yards. Counterpart Jeremy Johnson would go 7-for-17 for 55 yards, but he also had 1 interception. Mossakowski had the fewest passing yards, with only 41 yards passing, but he also had the only touchdown.

The Red team had a chance to even the game up, but Mike Venson fumbled the ball on second down to secure the win for the white squad.

Defense dominated the game on both sides of the ball. Joe Viator, of the white team, led all players with 8 tackles. James Washington had five tackles and one sack for the white team, and Marcus Malbrough wasn't far behind with 4 tackles, 1 sack, 1.5 tackles for loss, and a quarterback hurry.

For the red squad Adren Dorsey led the team with two sacks. Keinon Peterson had six tackles, and Eric Arnold and Mark Murrill each had a sack.

There was only one scoring opportunity prior to the fourth quarter. Berry completed a pair of passes to Payton Ploch and one to Kyle hildreth to move the ball to the white teams 23-yard line. After the drive stalled Juventino Sanchez would try a 43-yard field goal which ended short. The red-team again drove deep into white territory on the final drive of regulation, but Sanchez missed a 42-yard field goal to end regulation.

Perhaps the highlight of the night came from Punter Kolin Kahler played for both teams and was on the field 13 times. He averaged 42.4 yards per punt for the white team and 40-yards per punt for the red-team. His longest punt came in at 56 yards, and 3 of the punts forced the opposing team to start inside the 20.

The Cardinals will open the season with an older rival in Louisiana as they meet the Ragin' Cajuns. The Rajin' Cajuns have dominated the series against the Cardinals 21-12 and are on a current 3 game winning streak against the Cardinals.[5] The two schools compete for the Sabine Shoe trophy.

The Cardinals open up their home slate with their first ever contest against fellow Texas University Prairie View A&M.

The Cardinals return to FBS country for their first ever contest against the Warriors.

The final tuneup before conference play will feature the first ever meeting between the Langston Lions and Lamar.

The Cardinals open conference play against the Lions. The Cardinals currently own a 3-1 advantage in the series [6]

Despite a 5-3 advantage in the overall series, the Cardinals will be seeking to prove they can compete with the Demons in this 2012 contest. The Demons won the revival game of this series in 2011 and have won 3 of the last 4.[7]

The Cardinals return home for homecoming on October 20. It will be the final non-conference tilt of the year (not counting the playoffs) and they will celebrate homecoming in this contest against the War Hawks, who are celebrating their first year in the Division 2 level. It will be the third meeting between the Cardinals and War Hawks, with the previous two having come in 1953 and 1954. Currently the series is split 1-1.[8]

The Cardinals head to Conway, Arkansas for the second match against their SLC rival, the Bears. Currently Central Arkansas leads the series 1-0.[9]

The 19th meeting between the Cardinals and the Bearkats gives Sam Houston State back-to-back games in the state of Texas. The Bearkats own a 10-7-1 series advantage with most of the success having occurred in recent years, having won 7 of the last 8 meetings.[10]

The Lumberjacks have won four consecutive against the Cardinals and five of the last six meetings, but overall the Cardinals lead the series 18-10-2.[11]

The Cardinals and the Colonels go head-to-head in their 5th contest for the Cardinals final home game of the season. Currently the Cardinals lead the Colonels 3-1.[12]

This Cardinals end the 2012 regular season by returning to Lake Charles to face the Cowboys. Overall this will be the 27th meeting between the two schools. The Cowboys lead the overall series 18-7-1, and the Cowboys have won 8 of the last 9 matches.[13]