|
 IT'S
TIME TO WIN
2008 Football Preview
August 19, 2008
Contact: Jim Brewer, UAM Media Services
Legendary Texas coach Darrell
Royal had a way with words. Royal once described his Longhorns
as having “plenty of Whoa, but not much Go!”
Translation . . . great defense but not much offense.
As Gwaine Mathews prepares for his fourth season as head
football coach at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, he
faces a similar problem from a different perspective.
UAM had plenty of “Go” in 2007. The Boll Weevils went from last
to third in the Gulf South Conference in total offense, last to
first in rushing offense, and 10th to sixth in pass offense,
thanks in large measure to the play of quarterback Scott
Buisson, the GSC Freshman of the Year.
Defense was another story. The Boll Weevils gave up 40.5 points
a game (next-to-last in the league), allowed 438.5 yards a game
in total offense, and were last in turnover margin.
For Mathews, who played defense in college and cut his coaching
teeth on defense, those numbers have to change.
Gwaine Mathews
Gwaine Mathews hands-on coaching in practice
  “We’ve
got to get better on defense, no question about it,” says
Mathews. “We’ve been way too inconsistent. I know it’s hard to
tell from looking at the numbers, but I really feel like we’re
getting better. We’ve got the athletes in place now to be a
solid defensive team.”
In spite of the defensive problems in ’07, the Weevils improved
from 1-10 to 4-7 overall, 3-5 in the GSC. It was UAM’s best
finish under Mathews and a promise of better things to come.
“Are we where we want to be right now?” says Mathews. “No, But
we’re getting there. With the people we have coming back on
offense and the improvement I think we’ve made on defense, we
have a chance to be really competitive.”
It all starts with defense.
The Boll Weevils must replace four starters from last year’s
unit. Gone are tackle Jerome Perez, linebackers Wes Ables and
Nikita Struggs, and cornerback Lavar Wyatt.
The line in UAM’s 3-4 defense will be anchored by JUCO transfer
Stephen Harris (6-4, 235) at tackle and returning starter Danzel
Issac (6-3, 220) at end. Ittawamba JC transfer Justin Smith will
back Issac.
“Our D-line has got to get better,” says Mathews. “That’s my
biggest area of concern. We’ve got to improve there and I think
we will. For the first time since I’ve been here, we have some
quality depth so we don’t have to keep playing the same people.”
The linebacking corps will be fast and experienced, led by
returning starters Vincent Jackson (6-2, 215) and Larry White
(5-11, 225). White, who will start at strongside linebacker,
was UAM’s leading tackler a year ago with 102 stops, including
10 tackles behind the line of scrimmage. Jackson will start at
one of the outside linebacker slots.
Solomon Edwards
makes a tackle
 Jeremy
Brown (6-0, 220) finished spring drills as the starter at middle
linebacker. Brown started as a freshman and sophomore in 2005
and ’06 but missed last season with a knee injury. Solomon
Edwards (5-9, 185), a three-year starter in the secondary, will
move from free safety to the other outside linebacker position,
a move brought about by a high-profile transfer.
Augustus Ashley (5-11, 193), a senior transfer from Central
Florida, will take Edwards’ spot at free safety. Ashley played
in all 14 games for the Knights last season, primarily on
special teams and was a highly-recruited prospect out of
Jacksonville, Fla.
Joining Ashley in the secondary are returning starter Quenton
Arnett (6-1, 185) and transfer Lowan Baptiste at cornerback.
Two-year starter Scooter White (6-1, 200) returns at strong
safety. “We’ve got speed and depth in the secondary,” says
Mathews. “I wouldn’t have moved an experienced player like
Solomon Edwards if I didn’t feel good about our talent.”
Offensively, the Weevils must find a replacement for meal-ticket
tailback John L. Williams, who finished his career with 2,463
yards rushing.
Scott
Buisson throws to Jywin Ceaser
Tim Harris pulls away from a defender
  But
Mathews’ real concern may be making sure sophomore quarterback
Scott Buisson stays healthy. Buisson passed and ran for 2,926
yards last year, the third-best single-season total in school
history. A quick, elusive runner with a strong arm, the slightly
built Buisson was second in the GSC in total offense, passing
for 2,359 yards, while adding 567 yards rushing.
“Scott was everything we thought he’d be,” says Mathews, who
recruited Buisson from the New Orleans suburb of Metairie. “He’s
just a phenomenal talent who gives us a chance in every game we
play.”
Buisson will have the luxury a deep, experienced and talented
receiving corps, possibly the strongest area of the team. Tim
Harris (6-2, 210) caught 47 passes for 642 yards and four
touchdowns last year. If he can stay healthy, which has been his
Achilles heel, he could be one of the best in the GSC.
Clarence Denmark (5-11, 185) and Jywin Ceaser (5-10, 180) will
man the other two wide receiver positions. Denmark (37 catches,
599 yards, three touchdowns) and Ceaser (60 catches, 610 yards,
six touchdowns) give UAM what could be the best group of
receivers in the GSC. And there’s not much drop-off in back-ups
Lindsey Spinks, Mike Dunn, and Spencer Garrison. Both Spinks and
Dunn have starting experience.
Johnny
Polite in the open
 Mathews
plans a “tailback-by-committee” to replace the departed
Williams. Johnny Polite, a 5-5, 190-pound fireplug from McGehee,
should draw the starting assignment. Polite rushed for 466 yards
and four touchdowns in a back-up role last year. San Mateo
(Calif.) JUCO transfer Quincy Lucas (5-11, 197) will form the
other half of the tailback committee.
When the Weevils use a fullback, JUCO transfer Ronnie Herron
(5-10, 225) and former starting linebacker Corrie Ross (5-9,
225) will get the call.
JUCO transfer Charles Spann (6-2, 225) won the starting tight
end spot in the spring. According to Mathews, Spann is versatile
enough to line up outside the box at a slot receiver position.
Up front, the Weevils have size, depth and experience. “Most of
our offensive linemen know what it’s like to play in the GSC,”
says Mathews. “This is a part of our team I feel real good
about.”
Tackle Jonathan Meadows (6-5, 330), guards Joe Wilson (6-1, 307)
and LaQuinton Peterson (6-3, 345), and center Jacob Hughes (6-0,
265) all have starting experience. Meadows will open at left
tackle, backed by Tyler Boyett (6-5, 290), Wilson will start at
left guard, backed by a few guys battling for the spot, Hughes
will open at center, backed by Connor Linde (6-0, 270), and
Peterson will start at right guard, backed by Justin Skender
(6-1, 315). Talented sophomore Tripp Boatner (6-5, 315) won the
starting spot at right tackle in the spring. He’ll be backed by
Ryan Botts (6-3, 260), an incoming freshman from Grapevine, Tex.
Special teams, which were a sore spot last season, should be
improved, says Mathews. “Nine times out of 10, if you struggle
on defense, like we did last year, you’re not going to be very
good on special teams either,” he explains. “I think we made a
lot of progress in that area in the spring.”
Nick Green returns at punter and high school signee Derrick
Jambon is slated to take over the placekicking duties.
“When I first got here, we weren’t a very talented football
team,” says Mathews. “Our first couple of years we had a lot of
turnover and last year we were young. We’re not young anymore.
We’re not as experienced as I’d like us to be, but we have a
chance to be a much better football team. I still think we’re a
year away from being something really special, but we’re on the
right track.” |
.jpg){kind=small}
