News - 2016

Day'Lonzo Freeman had a career night for ETBU rushing for 151 yards on 11 carries for two touchdowns. Dru Smith then passed for 203 yards and three touchdowns as Richard Johnson was the top receiver at 68 yards on four catches. ETBU finished with ETBU finished the game with 17 first downs and 393 total yards of offense. Southwestern finished with 25 first downs and 591 yards of offense. Caleb Taylor led the team with 15, and Ty Parsons and Dylan Bowman pitched in 10 tackles each.

East Texas Baptist University achieved their highest enrollment in over a decade. The Fall 2016 enrollment stands at 1,456 students, 148 students ahead of Fall 2015, an 11.2 percent increase. This figure of 1,456 students represents the University's highest total enrollment since 2002 when there were 1,496 students enrolled. This semester is the third highest enrollment in institution history. 

For the second season in a row the East Texas Baptist University football team has a pre-season All-American. This year the honor belongs to Dominic Haggerty, who was named to the Football GamePlan.com All-American third-team as a return specialist.

"Our special teams played a big part in our success last year and Dominic ignited a lot of the kickoff returns," said head football coach Scotty Walden.

Haggerty was an All-ASC honorable mention pick and the ASC Special Teams Player of the Week on Sept. 29.

Nathan Hague, Marshall News Messenger

Many coaches and players of the ETBU football team are wearing bracelets with the word 'Elevate' written on it as head coach Scotty Walden said that sums up the team goals heading into the 2016 season.

"Our team motto this year is 'Elevate,'" Walden said. "We want to elevate this program to the next level and we want to elevate our kids' lives to the next level, spiritually, academically and athletically and that's what we're setting out to do. That's the motto we're going to live by this year.

MARSHALL, Texas - It's a new year with a new coach but the same philosophy for East Texas Baptist University football as the team started the 2016 season. They reported on Wednesday afternoon and had their first practice on Thursday.

Head coach Scotty Walden, who is the youngest head coach in all of NCAA at 26 years old, enters his first year leading the program. After three years as the offensive coordinator, he was promoted to head coach when Joshua Eargle left in January.