By BRAD KEITH
Sports Editor
Stephenville Empire Tribune

If anybody deserved to end his senior season at Tarleton State with a bang, it was quarterback Nick Stephens.

The Flower Mound native and Tennessee transfer may not be ending his final college campaign in the playoffs or a bowl game, but he still managed to pass his way into the Tarleton record books in the Texans' season finale, a 28-23 victory at Angelo State last Saturday.

Stephens passed for 387 yards and a touchdown while rushing for another score, leading Tarleton (6-5) to its fifth straight win and a winning record for the season despite starting the year 1-5, and cementing his place among the top five seasons by a quarterback in Tarleton history.

"I couldn't have asked for anything better than the way we finished, especially after the way we started off," Stephens said. "So many teams would have thrown in the towel, but we never did that. We believed in our talent and what we were doing, we continued to work hard and we managed to turn it around."

In first-year offensive coordinator Lee Hays' version of the 'Air Raid' offense, Stephens finished second in school history in pass attempts in a season with 429, just eight less than current Stephenville High School receivers coach Cliff Watkins had in 12 games in 2003. Stephens completed 242 passes - fourth best in a Tarleton season - and racked up 3,005 yards through the air, finishing fourth in that category.

Stephens finished third in school history with 273.2 passing yards per game this year, and tied Eric Lugo's 1990 mark of 20 TD passes in a season, good for fifth all time Tarleton. He amassed 2,872 yards of total offense - he lost 133 rushing, predominantly on sacks - enough to place him seventh in school history.

Perhaps most impressive was Stephens' efficiency - he tossed just eight interceptions, or one every 53.6 pass attempts.

"All that means is I had a lot of good people around me," Stephens said. "You can't put up numbers like that by yourself. It takes a whole team full of guys who are there for each other and who are executing."

The gunslinger led Tarleton to fourth place in the Lone Star Conference, as the Texans stormed back after being in ninth with five games remaining.
It was a good ending for a quarterback who once quarterbacked Tennessee to a victory over Georgia, only to lose his starting position the next season. During his time at Tennessee and Tarleton, he endured four different offensive systems.

But none of that is what Stephens will remember most when he leaves Tarleton.

"The numbers are great, but it's the people who made my time here so good," he said. "I wasn't expecting to have such a tight-knit group of people around me or to make so many friends. it's those people who will stick with me the rest of my life and who will bring me back here."

Stephens, 24, is a political science major on schedule to graduate in December. Unlike most college grads, however, he doesn't plan to immediately go job hunting. First, he wants to see what more the sport can bring his way.

"I'm going to put everything I have into graduating, then put everything I have into football again," he said. "I'm planning to train the next two or three months in either Arizona, Florida or New Jersey, and go to pro days at places like SMU,TCU or North Texas. I'm hoping to work hard and keep improving, get into an (NFL) camp and make the most of the opportunity.

"It's an opportunity that doesn't come around for many people and one that only comes around once in a lifetime," he added. "As long as I do everything I can while I have that opportunity, I'll be able to look back with no regrets."

Which is exactly the way he says he'll look back on his two years at Tarleton - especially the five game win streak to end his stellar senior campaign.


Where Stephens' senior season ranks in school history (with all-time leader in parentheses)

Pass yards - 4th-3,005 (Cliff Watkins in 2003-3,547)
Pass completions - 4th-242 (Richard Bartel in 2006-276)
Pass attempts - 2nd-429 (Watkins in 2003-437)
Touchdown passes - T5th-20 (Watkins in 2003-29)
Pass yards per game - 3rd-273.2 (Kevin Vickers in 1994-300.8)
Total offense - 7th-2,872 (Steve Kelly in 2001-3,577)