Playoffs? Tarleton Football can finally start talking about it

BY GAVIN PATRICK / Contributing Writer

It’s a new era for the Tarleton State University football team.

The 2024 season will mark the program’s first season being postseason eligible as an NCAA Division I school.

Last season marked the final year of the program’s four-year transition period following the university’s jump from Division II to Division I in 2020. During that time, the team was not eligible for the Football Official Bracket Playoffs, had to recruit against teams that were and didn’t have a conference for the first year.

Despite these challenges, Head Football Coach Todd Whitten is proud of how the program stayed together.

“There’s a lot of things that we’re thankful for and that we feel like as a program we did a good job with,” Whitten said. “And so surviving the transition not only in terms of wins and losses, but also in keeping our program together and not having a mass exodus with our players through the transfer portal.”

Whitten helped lead one of the most successful reclassification periods in recent memory. The Texans have 25 wins so far in the Division 1 era and haven’t had a losing season.

This includes managing a 5-3 record in the unexpected spring season of 2021 when their schedule was pushed back due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Then, after a shortened offseason, they were back on the field just five months later to play the regular fall season.

“We were really pleased as a program that we were able to have winning seasons through all of that,” Whitten said. “Most people do not.”

Besides Tarleton State, the most recent Texas schools to jump from Division II to Division I were Texas A&M University-Commerce, Abilene Christian University (ACU) and University of the Incarnate Word (UIW).

Texas A&M University-Commerce will enter their three year transition this fall. So far, they have won just six games as a Division I school. ACU and UIW have been in Division I for over a decade now.

They won 17 games each over their four-year transition, combining for four losing seasons.

In fact, since 2018, the Texans are tied with Southern Methodist University for the second most wins of any Texas scholarship football program with 48, behind only the University of Texas Longhorns’ 50 wins.

“I think it was a really nice accomplishment for us and sort of moves us into now being eligible for the playoffs in a good spot,” Whitten said.

Heading into the pivotal 2024 season, the Texans will return all 11 starters on offense, but they’ll lose five starters on defense. 

Whitten said replacing those defensive positions, linebacker, nose guard, corner and safety, was the main focus of recruiting this year.

“In terms of fixing immediate needs, it’s junior college and the transfer portal and high school guys planning for the future – kind of a base if you will,” Whitten said. “We don’t really place any more importance on one thing or the other. We think you’ve gotta work really hard in all three of those areas.”

In total, the program has added 19 players this offseason. Ten from high school and nine transfers.

Among those new players is hometown hero Tate Maruska, one of Stephenville High School’s most accomplished players. He holds the school’s single-season record for rushing 2,098 yards and rushing 311 yards in a game. He also helped the Yellow Jackets get a state title and an undefeated season in 2021.

“I think he’s gonna be a really good running back for us,” Whitten said. “We have some depth at that position, so hopefully we’ll be able to spend a couple of years developing him.”

On defense, Whitten highlighted outside linebacker and safety Branson Tita-Niwa, a transfer from Fullerton Junior College,  as being an immediate impact player.

"He's one of the better players I've seen in a while," Whitten said via Tarleton Sports. "He was the defensive player of the year in that junior college conference that Fullerton is in. Maybe the best junior college defensive player that I feel like I've evaluated this year.”

The first time Texan fans can see these recruits in action will be at the Spring Football Game. The game will be held at 2pm on April 20 at Memorial Stadium with traditional game day festivities preceding the kickoff.

“We will utilize a lot of young guys and a lot of guys who haven’t quite made a name for themselves, yet,” Whitten said, addressing the game. “It’s our last chance to get a really good evaluation of these guys going into summer workouts, so it means a lot to guys who are fighting for a spot.”

With the spring game fast approaching, Whitten said he is looking forward to fans renewing their interest and spirit in Tarleton football. It will be the first of many events in a year full of new beginnings and optimism.

“We have great fans and a great game day atmosphere, and it’s fun for our community, our student body, and to get to do that in the springtime is fun for everybody,” Whitten said. “It’s been really, really popular. I think this is just a really fun day for everyone involved. And I don't have to worry about who wins.”

The Tarleton Texans open the 2024 season in Waco against Baylor University on Aug. 31.