Marble Falls’ Sam Kohutek headed to Mary Hardin-Baylor

JENNIFER FIERRO • PICAYUNE STAFF

MARBLE FALLS — Marble Falls High School senior football center Sam Kohutek had a smile that wouldn’t leave his face.

And that smile grew bigger when he turned to see a video of the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor’s football team that included the game day atmosphere at Crusader Stadium, a facility that’s almost 3 years old.

Kohutek signed to play for the Crusaders on March 2.

“When they first came and talked to me, I wasn’t sure,” he said. “When I went up there, I had a change. I thought it was a good family atmosphere.”

UMHB (11-1 in 2014), an NCAA Division III member, was ranked fifth in the American Football Coaches Association poll and sixth in the D3football.com top 25 poll.

The Crusaders won the American Southwest Conference with a 5-0 record and qualified for the NCAA Division III National Championships for the 11th consecutive year. They lost 31-28 to Linfield College in the second round after beating Texas Lutheran 27-20 to begin the playoffs.

Kohutek, a 6-foot-2-inch 280-pounder, said he will either play guard or center.

What sold him on the program, he said, was visiting with each member of the coaching staff on a weekend trip. As soon as he walked in, several coaches didn’t need an introduction, the center said.

“They automatically recognized me and said my name,” he said.

While he was happy about the stadium, he was equally pumped about the weight room.

The son of Mark and Kimberlee Kohutek will be an engineering major.

“It’s a great school as far as athletics and academics,” he said.

Marble Falls High School athletic coordinator and head football coach Matt Green credited Kohutek for examining his options.

“Sam hung in with Mary Hardin-Baylor,” he said. “They really wanted him. What a great place he’s going to. It’s a great university. We’re sending him to a great place. I know he’s going to have an opportunity to immediately make an impact.”

jfierro@thepicayune.com