by JASON GORDON
Three members of the 2012 Texas State gridiron squad will be able to tell their grandchildren they were the only Bobcats to ever be named to the All-Western Athletic Conference football team.
The Bobcats were members of the WAC, which will dissolve its football sponsorship after a 50-year history, for only one season. Texas State will join the Sun Belt Conference next year.
Texas State finished 4-8 overall in its first season as a Football Bowl Subdivision school, but ended the season on a high note, with a 66-28 home win over New Mexico State.
Texas State’s Chase Harper is an All-WAC Second-Team tight end selection, while linebacker Joplo Bartu and defensive back Darryl Morris have been named to the Second-Team defense.
Harper finished the season second among Bobcat reception leaders with 28 catches for 315 catches and three touchdowns. He caught a season-best five passes for 48 yards against Stephen F. Austin. Harper also recorded four receptions for a season-best 61 yards. He also had three catches in four other games.
Harper also played defense on passing downs and recorded eight tackles, three tackles for loss and two quarterback sacks.
Morris tied for 23rd nationally and fourth among WAC leaders, with four interceptions, and finished ninth among league leaders, with nine passes defended. He also was fourth among Bobcat leaders, with 61 tackles.
Bartu led the Bobcats and tied for sixth among league leaders in tackle, with 95. He also ranked second among WAC leaders with 12 tackles for loss, and tied for fifth place among league leaders, with 5.5 quarterback sacks, for a loss of 35 yards. He also broke up a pass, hurried two quarterbacks, recovered a fumble and forced another fumble.
Bartu ended his collegiate career with 62 tackles in Texas State’s final four games of the season. He had career-bests of 17 tackles and four quarterback sacks against New Mexico State.
In addition, center Matt Freeman, running back Marcus Curry, defensive tackle Blake McColloch, defensive backs Craig Mager and Jason McLean, and return specialists Andy Erickson and Jafus Gaines were named Honorable Mention All-Conference selections.
