PREGAME INTERVIEW WITH HEAD COACH HUD JACKSON
WEEK 8 GAME NOTES (PDF)
MONTICELLO – The University of Arkansas at Monticello football team travels to Russellville this Saturday, October 20 with hopes of ending Arkansas Tech’s three-game winning streak and snap its own six-game losing streak in the process.
Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. from Thone Stadium at Buerkle Field on the ATU campus. The game can be heard live on the UAM Sports Network at KHBM-FM 93.7 in Monticello and online at uamsports.com through the following link:
http://www.uamsports.com/sports/2010/10/18/listenlive.aspx?tab=liveaudio.
The Arkansas Tech Athletics Department will provide live streaming video and live stats of the game through its website,
http://athletics.atu.edu.
UAM enters Saturday’s game with an overall record of 1-6 and a 0-5 record in Great American Conference games following a 58-7 loss to then-ranked No. 11 Ouachita Baptist at home last Saturday, while the Wonder Boys are 4-3 overall and 3-3 in the GAC following a 45-37 come-from-behind road victory over Southwestern Oklahoma State last weekend. That win over SWOSU game ATU a three-game winning streak, which also includes wins over Southeastern Oklahoma State and Northwestern Oklahoma State.
WEEK 8 STORYLINES
ROAD TRIP #4
The Boll Weevils are back on the road for the fourth time this season with its alternating home and away schedule. UAM travels to Russellville this Saturday to face long-time rival Arkansas Tech for a Great American Conference contest beginning at 2 p.m. at Thone Stadium on the ATU campus. UAM will be seeking its first road victory of the Hud Jackson era this Saturday as well as snap a six-game losing streak.
THE UAM-ATU SERIES
Saturday’s game against Arkansas Tech will mark the 70
th all-time meeting between the two squads on the football field since the series began in the 1920 season. ATU holds the all-time series lead at 42-24-3 and holds a 21-11-2 edge in games played in Russellville. UAM defeated ATU 38-31 in last year’s season opener in Monticello to snap a five-game losing skid against the Wonder Boys. UAM and ATU have been long-time conference rivals heating up in the days of the Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference, moving to NCAA Division II Gulf South Conference from 1995-2010, and continuing with the Great American Conference, which is in its second year of existence.
THE OPPONENT: ARKANSAS TECH
The Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys are currently on a three-game winning streak, which followed a three game losing streak to give ATU a 4-3 overall record and a 3-3 record in GAC games heading into Saturday’s matchup with the Boll Weevils. During ATU’s current three-game winning streak, which includes victories over Northwestern Oklahoma State, Southeastern Oklahoma State, and most recently, a 45-37 win over Southwestern Oklahoma State on the road last Saturday, the Wonder Boys have averaged almost 44 points per game to give the team a No. 3 rank in the GAC in scoring with an average of 32 points per game. In last Saturday’s win over SWOSU, the Wonder Boys fought back from a 17-0 deficit after one quarter to score two unanswered touchdowns in the second quarter and outscore the Bulldogs 31-20 in the second half to secure the victory. Despite being outgained in total offense 577-507, the Wonder Boys took advantage of three SWOSU interceptions to score the final 10 points of the contest. ATU quarterback Tanner Marsh completed 25-of-37 passes for 424 yards with four touchdowns, a performance worthy of GAC Offensive Player of the Week honors. Marsh connected with two receivers for over 100 yards with Jonathan Keener collecting nine catches for 143 yards and Cassius Washington catching three passes for 137 yards, including an 80-yard touchdowns pass and catch to pull the Wonder Boys within three points at 38-21 with just over five minutes remaining in the third quarter. The Wonder Boys rank 29
th in the nation and second in the GAC with an average of 277.3 passing yards per game. Marsh ranks 13
th in the country with an average of 321.57 yards of total offense per game. ATU kicker Trevor Pinkston ranks sixth in the country with an average of 1.33 field goals per game. Pinkston is 10-for-11 on field goals this season and 24-for-25 on extra point attempts. The ATU defense is led by Logan Genz with 55 tackles, including 5.5 tackles for a loss.
THE COACHES
UAM is led by second-year head coach Hud Jackson, who has compiled a 6-12 recording in the Green and White since taking over the program prior to the 2011 season. Before joining UAM, Jackson had served six seasons as associate head coach at Central Arkansas following a 13-year high school coaching career in the state of Louisiana, most recently the head coach and athletic director at Central Catholic High School in Morgan City. UAM graduate Steve Mullins is in his 16
th season as head coach for the Wonder Boys. Mullins has won three coach of the year honors while patrolling the ATU sidelines and has a 95-72 record heading into Saturday’s game. Before taking over the reins at ATU in 1997, Mullins spent 16 seasons as a collegiate assistant coach with stops at Central Arkansas, Lamar, SW Oklahoma State, NW Missouri State and Northwestern State.
LAST TIME OUT: OUACHITA 58, UAM 7
Ouachita Baptist totaled 396 rushing yards, scored two touchdowns on interception returns and had a punt return for a touchdown in last Saturday’s 58-7 win over UAM in Monticello. The Boll Weevils’ lone score was a seven-yard touchdown run by freshman Nick Williams with just under nine minutes remaining in the second quarter.
COACH’S PLAYERS OF THE GAME
Senior offensive lineman Seth Oxner, senior nose guard Corey Davis, freshman DeMarcus Robinson, sophomore punter Reagan Wise, sophomore return specialist Ivory Washington and senior return specialist Blake Prince were name the offensive, defensive and special teams players of the game for their performances in this past Saturday’s 58-7 loss to Ouachita Baptist at home.
UP NEXT: SOUTHEASTERN AT HOME
The Boll Weevils return to Monticello next Saturday, October 27 for its fifth home game of the 2012 season. UAM will host Southeastern Oklahoma State next weekend. Southeastern is 2-4 overall and 0-4 in the GAC heading into this Saturday’s home game against in-state Southwestern Oklahoma State. Next Saturday’s game against Southeastern is scheduled to kickoff at 3 p.m. at Willis “Convoy” Leslie Cotton Boll Stadium.
