March 2 The Pod Podcast

Cory Hogue and Ben Sorrells
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Football
  • Weekly

The voice of Bearkat Nation — podcasts, stories, and analysis you won’t find anywhere else. march2thepod.substack.com

  1. 4d ago

    Phil Longo Is Gone. Who Leads Sam Houston Next?

    00:32 — Opening and the end of the Phil Longo eraCory and Ben react to the midseason dismissal and the sudden changes surrounding the program. 02:55 — How did Sam Houston reach this point?Locker-room fractures, reported NIL payment issues, the Missouri State trip and the events preceding Longo's firing. 06:49 — Did Longo's ego contribute to his dismissal?Ben discusses offseason conversations about relinquishing play-calling duties. The offensive struggles and game-management problems that followed. 09:20 — Missouri State exposes deeper problemsSam Houston's lifeless performance, recurring penalties, discipline issues and the team's poor showing on national television. 14:20 — DJ Bailey and Longo's final commentsCory and Ben challenge Longo's public assessment of Bailey following his first significant college action. Landon Locke's injury and questions surrounding player availability. 22:33 — The financial cost of moving onLongo's estimated $1.8 million buyout, the offensive regression and why Sam Houston could no longer afford to maintain the status quo. 27:55 — Who should hire the next football coach?Bobby Williams' impending retirement, the athletic director search, possible contractual protections and the importance of getting both positions filled before the next recruiting cycle. 33:40 — The transfer portal and roster retentionPotential departures, the coaching-change portal window and the challenge of rebuilding without losing valuable players. 37:29 — Jason Eck, the missed opportunity and the coaching budgetCory revisits his preferred candidate from the previous search. The hosts establish an estimated $750,000 to $800,000 salary range for the next coach. 40:49 — Coaching candidates: The previous finalistsDrew Svoboda, Sean Bell and Matt Powledge receive A-tier evaluations before the discussion turns to Sam Houston legend Josh McCown. 45:23 — Is Josh McCown the home run hire?The Vikings assistant's potential interest, questions about his college head coaching experience and his ability to energize donors and the fan base. 47:55 — Experienced coordinators and proven program buildersTim Daoust, Curtis Luper, Pete Rossomando and Braxton Harris. Their coaching backgrounds, connections and fit for Sam Houston. 55:54 — Texas high school connections and other possibilitiesJohn Kay, Travis Bush, Riley Dodge and Brian Bell. Ben proposes pairing Sean Bell as head coach with Brian Bell in an offensive leadership role. 1:03:04 — Colby Carthel and the cost of pursuing successful FCS coachesCarthel's SFA extension, his program-building credentials and why the financial and personal circumstances make a move difficult. 1:07:35 — Expensive candidates and unrealistic possibilitiesKenny Perry, Rashad Samples, Skyler Cassity, Mack Leftwich, Blake Gideon, Todd Whitten, Brad Smiley, Emmett Jones, Dave Aranda and K.C. Keeler. 1:19:22 — Where does Sam Houston rank among CUSA coaching jobs?The hosts compare the Bearkats' funding, facilities and recruiting advantages with other Conference USA programs. 1:21:49 — Our preferred candidatesBen puts Josh McCown first, followed by Pete Rossomando. Cory favors Sean Bell and Matt Powledge, while the hosts discuss donor support and the possibility of reuniting the Bell brothers. 1:24:00 — Avoiding another failed hireThe danger of allowing influential donors to dictate the coaching search, the lessons of Longo's tenure and what the next coach must bring to Huntsville. 1:27:08 — Moving forwardCory explains why he wanted his criticism of the Longo hire to be wrong and reiterates his commitment to seeing Sam Houston succeed. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit march2thepod.substack.com

  2. Oct 16

    The Gloves Are Off on Sam Houston’s Offense

    Show Notes 0:00 – Opening and Western Kentucky predictions recapCory and Ben revisit their picks for the WKU game before turning to what went wrong in Sam Houston’s 16-3 loss. 3:42 – What happened to Sam Houston’s offense?Phil Longo’s postgame comments and the offense’s continued slide.Why offensive-line injuries do not explain the entire collapse.Sam Houston ran efficiently against Western Kentucky but repeatedly went away from the run.The offense has become increasingly predictable.Pace has slowed, especially after first downs.First-down production has fallen sharply since halftime at Texas Tech, with the biggest drop coming in the passing game.Quarterback accuracy, drops, pressure recognition and third-down decisions.Whether Longo’s play-calling and game management are preventing the offense from finding answers.Why Cory and Ben believe winning has to matter more than scheme, statistics or ego. 51:28 – Sam Houston’s athletic director searchReaction to Sam Houston hiring a search and consulting firm.Why Cory believes the university should identify the athletic director it wants and actively pursue that person.The importance of alignment between university leadership and athletics. 53:57 – Around the FarmSoccer beats New Mexico State behind Leah Millward’s game-winner.Men’s golf finishes fourth at Moraine.Bowling takes third at the Colonial Lanes Classic.Volleyball is swept at Missouri State and prepares for Delaware.Isabel Hurion continues her strong fall for women’s golf.Women’s tennis, cross country and upcoming baseball and softball exhibitions. 1:00:25 – CUSA basketball preseason polls and honorsSam Houston’s men are picked fourth in Conference USA.Why Cory and Ben see a clear group of contenders at the top of the league.Justin Begg and Jacoby Coleman receive preseason recognition.Sam Houston’s women are picked fifth.Debra Ogayemi earns preseason all-conference recognition and the discussion turns to where the Bearkats need more scoring. 1:04:49 – Is Sam Houston practicing with enough pressure?Cory asks Ben how much true competition he saw during fall camp.Why competitive practices and consequences matter when preparing players to perform under game pressure.The connection between practice standards, accountability and what Sam Houston has shown on Saturdays. 1:08:21 – How long should the AD search take?When Sam Houston should have its next athletic director in place.Why Cory wants the hire made well before Bobby Williams’ contract expires.How Williams could help provide continuity during the transition. 1:11:35 – Football Q&AWhether the offense needs to simplify.Pre-snap motion, defensive looks and why the Kats appear slow to adjust.Questions about Longo’s contract and the cost of making a change.Poor execution coming out of timeouts and continued game-management concerns. 1:18:00 – Sam Houston’s biggest player surprisesBen names the players who have exceeded his preseason expectations.Cory goes through his highest-graded offensive and defensive players.The depth and production Sam Houston is getting from its linebackers and defensive front. 1:20:27 – Will Phil Longo give up play-calling?Cory and Ben answer whether Longo is willing to delegate the offense.Why the parts of the program he has delegated have performed better.Whether his commitment to calling plays could ultimately limit his success as Sam Houston’s head coach. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit march2thepod.substack.com

  3. Oct 2

    Chris Walker, KatFund & Sam Houston’s Second-Half Problem

    Chris Walker / KatFund: CBS Sports analyst and former college basketball coach Chris Walker joins the show to discuss XtraPoint and KatFund. Walker explains why college athletic departments need to expand beyond major donors and how a large group of smaller recurring contributors can create meaningful financial support. Walker describes the difficult cycle facing athletic departments: programs need money to win, but winning also makes it easier to raise money. Sam Houston Basketball: Walker discusses the changing mid-major basketball landscape, Conference USA and the challenge of retaining productive players in the transfer portal era. He also offers a strong endorsement of Chris Mudge, calling him an up-and-coming coach and saying Sam Houston should do everything possible to keep him. Texas Tech Look Back: Sam Houston lost 49-14 at Texas Tech, but the final score does not completely describe the first half. Consecutive pick-sixes turned a 7-0 game into 21-0 before the Bearkats responded with two touchdowns and entered halftime down 21-14. Sam Houston’s defense also created four turnovers before Texas Tech eventually took control after halftime. Around the Farm: We discuss Sam Houston’s latest athletics funding momentum before going Around the Farm. Volleyball opened Conference USA play with two road wins at Kennesaw State, both cross country teams won the Clifton Gillard Invite, men’s golf finished second at the Bayou City Collegiate, tennis added another tournament title and soccer opened CUSA play with a 2-1 loss despite creating significantly more shots than Kennesaw State. Sam Houston’s Second-Half Problem: The Bearkats have scored 42 first-half points against Troy, Tulsa and Texas Tech but only 10 after halftime. The clearest statistical decline appears on first down. Sam Houston averages 9.09 yards per first-down play before halftime against FBS opponents and only 3.02 afterward. Longo says conditioning is not the issue. He points toward execution and says the offense needs greater efficiency and more explosive plays from the running game. We compare those comments with the numbers and discuss whether the disappearance of explosive passing plays after halftime deserves additional attention. Conference USA / Rivalries: Conference USA enters league play without an obvious dominant team, creating an opportunity for Sam Houston if the Bearkats can turn competitive performances into wins. The conversation eventually turns to something Sam Houston has lacked since leaving the Southland: a real rivalry. We discuss bringing an NRG Stadium game back and possible opponents that could create something worth building around. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit march2thepod.substack.com

  4. Sep 25

    DJ Bailey Questions Linger as Sam Houston Heads to Texas Tech

    Sam Houston delivered exactly the kind of performance it needed against Nicholls, rolling to a 59-0 win with 619 yards of offense, no turnovers and no sacks allowed. We look deeper than the final score, including Landyn Locke’s continued development, a more productive rushing attack and what Phil Longo’s four-yard standard tells us about where the Kats have been most efficient running the football. We also look at the defense and an important trend to watch against Texas Tech’s rushing attack. Around the Farm includes a win at the Red Raider Invitational for women’s golf, volleyball’s four-match winning streak entering Conference USA play, soccer’s 7-0 victory over Texas A&M-San Antonio, fall tennis and the newly released 2027 baseball and softball conference schedules. Then we get into the DJ Bailey saga. Bailey was publicly listed as QB2 before freshman Brett Holloway received the meaningful backup snaps against Nicholls. Bailey did not enter the game and was later removed from the online roster. We discuss Phil Longo’s explanation, the apparent communication problem, support Bailey has received from teammates and why the situation needs clarity before it becomes a larger distraction. Finally, we preview Saturday’s trip to No. 11 Texas Tech. We discuss where the matchup could become difficult for Sam Houston, why the Kats may need to lean heavily into their passing game and whether a 37.5-point spread gives Sam Houston too little credit. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit march2thepod.substack.com

  5. Sep 18

    Sam Houston-Nicholls Preview: Time to Turn Progress Into a Win

    Sam Houston is 0-2, but the first two games have looked considerably different from most of last season. We break down what happened against Tulsa, including the final goal-line sequence, continued problems in the run game, Landyn Locke’s start to the season, the offensive line and a costly fake punt. Then we turn to Nicholls. The Colonels already own a win over UTRGV, have forced 10 turnovers through three games and present another test for an offense still searching for its identity. We discuss whether Phil Longo should lean harder into the Air Raid if the running game continues to struggle and what would constitute a convincing win Saturday. We also have major basketball news. Fanta Kone and Deborah Ogayemi are back with the women, Anthony Fobb is leaving Chris Mudge’s staff for Ole Miss, James McCall-Spears has committed for 2027 and more of the men’s nonconference schedule is taking shape. Around the Farm includes soccer, volleyball, cross country, golf and a discussion about the future of the volleyball program. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit march2thepod.substack.com

  6. Sep 11

    Bobby Williams reflects on 45 years at Sam Houston; Bearkats prepare for Tulsa

    Bobby Williams is entering his 45th and final year at Sam Houston, and we spend time looking beyond the wins, championships and facility projects to discuss what his tenure has meant to the university and the people around it. Williams reflected this week on why the time was right to retire, the importance of finally seeing the Bowers Stadium press box project completed and his desire to enjoy his final year instead of immediately looking toward the next problem to solve. We also hear Phil Longo describe what Williams has meant to him personally and discuss the challenge awaiting whoever eventually follows the longest-tenured Division I athletic director in the country. Then we turn back to football and break down what we learned from Sam Houston’s 24-21 loss at Troy. The Bearkats were noticeably different from last season, but improvement doesn’t erase the issues that cost them a chance to win. We dig into Landon Locke’s interception to begin the second half, the offensive lull that followed, the fourth-and-1 check that moved away from Longo’s original downhill run call, the problems creating consistent movement in the run game and the encouraging performance of true freshman left tackle Miles Joseph. We also discuss Sam Houston’s improved defensive front and Longo’s explanation for why he continues signaling plays from the sideline even with helmet communication available. Around the Farm includes a difficult week for volleyball, an improving attack from women’s soccer and a strong opening meet for Sam Houston cross country. Finally, football returns to Bowers Stadium after 647 days. Tulsa arrives after a 24-10 win over Oklahoma State in which the Golden Hurricane forced four turnovers, and its size and physicality present another major test for Sam Houston’s young offensive line. We discuss Tulsa quarterback Baylor Hayes, former Bearkat running back DJ McKinney, the importance of the new Bowers Stadium game-day experience and whether the expected crowd can become an advantage. Then we make our picks. Ben has Tulsa winning 28-20. Cory has Tulsa winning 31-20. We both have Sam Houston covering the 13.5-point spread and the game staying under 51.5. Timestamps: 0:00:30–0:07:40 — Opening and early Conference USA discussion 0:07:40–0:23:33 — Bobby Williams reflects on 45 years at Sam Houston 0:23:33–1:00:23 — What we learned from Sam Houston’s 24-21 loss at Troy 1:00:23–1:00:57 — Midroll 1:00:57–1:05:24 — Around the Farm: volleyball, women’s soccer and cross country 1:05:24–1:30:09 — Tulsa preview, Bowers Stadium return and predictions 1:30:09–1:30:44 — Closing This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit march2thepod.substack.com

  7. Season 4, Episode 6 Trailer

    Sam Houston-Troy preview: What will we learn in Week 1?

    0:00 – Opening and Bobby Williams retirement• Sam Houston announces longtime athletic director Bobby Williams will retire at the end of the year• Why the timing was not a major surprise• What comes next for the athletic department• March2ThePod sponsorship update 5:44 – Around the Farm• Men’s basketball adds point guard Aiden Gross• Sam Houston baseball’s growing 2027 recruiting class• Why continuing to recruit high school players matters in the portal era• Women’s soccer shows offensive improvement against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi• Volleyball opens 3-0 at the Bearkat Invitational• Chloe Monson, Bella Wood, Chelsea Butler and the improved play at the net• What this weekend in Arlington could tell us about volleyball’s ceiling 22:43 – Phil Longo press conference reaction• What Sam Houston expects from Troy’s new offense• Landon Locke’s command of the offense• A more settled quarterback situation• Reaction to Sam Houston’s first depth chart• Longo says seven or eight offensive linemen could be ready• Why offensive-line depth remains a concern• Questions about pass protection and the size of the line 40:45 – Gerad Parker press conference reaction• Troy’s need to improve its running game• Parker’s honest evaluation of last season• Troy’s emphasis on stopping Sam Houston’s running backs• What Troy sees from the Bearkat defense• Why Sam Houston should return primarily to a four-man defensive front• Tim Burns Jr. emerging at wide receiver and returner 47:31 – Sam Houston at Troy preview• Saturday at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN+• Troy leads the all-time series 7-0-1• The Trojans won the last meeting 31-21 in 2000• Troy replaces most of its receiving production and four offensive-line starters• New offensive coordinator Adam Austin brings an explosive system from Tarleton• Donnie Smith leads an experienced Troy pass rush• Special teams could be a major factor• Why this is an early measuring-stick game for Sam Houston 56:09 – Week 1 picks• Troy favored by 17.5• Total: 50.5• Ben: Troy 30, Sam Houston 21• Cory: Troy 34, Sam Houston 20• Both take Sam Houston +17.5• Both take the over This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit march2thepod.substack.com

  8. Aug 28

    We Put a Number on Sam Houston’s 2026 Football Season

    SHOW NOTES 0:00 — Welcome to March2ThePod Season 4, Episode 5 Presented by Eternal Roofing Football prediction time has arrived 0:02 — Men’s basketball recruiting Quentel Young and James McCall-Spears visit Huntsville Ben’s player comparisons for both prospects Why size and physicality matter in the current game First look at Sam Houston’s new black and white uniforms Our thoughts on the designs Upcoming basketball events and dates A difficult nonconference schedule continues to take shape 0:23 — Around the Farm: Soccer Texas A&M defeats Sam Houston 5-0 The Aggies finish with a 32-2 shot advantage Hannah Stipp continues to see heavy work in goal Opponents have outshot SHSU 72-15 through three matches Why the midfield remains the biggest concern What we need to see in the response against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 0:26 — Around the Farm: Volleyball Looking back at an 11-18 season Chloe Monson, Chelsea Butler and Shaelin White return Lauren Pyle and Annika Brooks headline the newcomers Encouraging exhibitions against Texas A&M, Houston and HCU Ben raises the floor and ceiling for his expectations Why this could be an important season for the long-term direction of the program 0:33 — Linebacker preview Dean Ford and Brian Bates lead the group Tokyo Gordon provides experienced depth Stacey Bay and Mike King Jr. add versatility Why the front seven could be Sam Houston’s biggest strength 0:37 — Defensive back preview Added length at cornerback Cesar McGee, Ish Atkins and Javon Wilson Justin Cottrell and Octavius Henderson add more options Tyler Bailey anchors the safety group Jace Arnold appears headed for the nickel role The second safety spot remains unsettled 0:42 — Special teams preview Cal Joseph appears set at punter Kicker remains one of the biggest questions entering the season Tate Ryan, Sam Carpenter and Nico Ottominelli We discuss how much practice emphasis should be placed on special teams 0:47 — 2026 football predictions Vegas sets Sam Houston’s win total at 3.5 Troy Tulsa Nicholls Texas Tech Liberty Western Kentucky New Mexico State Missouri State Jacksonville State Kennesaw State Middle Tennessee FIU Our final predictions Cory: 4-8 Ben: 5-7 Both: Over 3.5 wins Ben sees a ceiling of seven wins Tulsa, Kennesaw State and FIU could determine whether SHSU beats our projections This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit march2thepod.substack.com

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The voice of Bearkat Nation — podcasts, stories, and analysis you won’t find anywhere else. march2thepod.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Cory Hogue and Ben Sorrells
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    46
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Cory Hogue
  • Show Website
    March 2 The Pod Podcast