WEEK 11 GAME NOTES (PDF)
MONTICELLO – The University of Arkansas at Monticello football team will play its final game of the 2012 season this Saturday, November 10 at home against Northwestern Oklahoma State. The team will honor its 12 seniors prior to the game as a part of “Senior Day” activities.
Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. at Willis “Convoy” Leslie Cotton Boll Stadium. The game can be heard on the UAM Sports Network (KHBM-FM 93.7 and online at uamsports.com). Live video, live statistics and live audio of the game can also be accessed online at uamsports.com.
UAM enters the game with an overall record of 1-9 and a 0-8 record in Great American Conference games following a 38-21 loss to Southwestern Oklahoma State last Saturday on the road. UAM will be looking to snap its nine-game losing streak on Saturday against GAC provisional member Northwestern Oklahoma State, which enters the game with a 2-7 record following a 35-28 win over Southern Nazarene last Saturday at home. NWOSU is on a three-game winning streak, including its 44-16 victory over Air Force Junior Varsity two weeks ago. That game is not recognized by the NCAA due to a rule prohibiting games against junior varsity squads to count towards a team’s record.
UAM head coach Hud Jackson visited with uamsports.com on Thursday to discuss the season finale against Northwestern Oklahoma State. To view the full interview, visit the following link:
http://youtu.be/WrV0aBBTIqg. The video will also be available at uamsports.com.
WEEK 11 STORYLINES
SEASON FINALE
Saturday’s game marks the final game of the 2012 season for the UAM football squad. Throughout the history of the program, UAM is 37-64-1 all-time in regular season finales, including last season’s 35-21 win over Southwestern Oklahoma State at home to close out the year.
SENIOR DAY
UAM will bid farewell to 12 seniors following Saturday’s game against Northwestern Oklahoma State, which is the final contest of the 2012 season. Those seniors are Greg Wilson, Damon Wicker, Blake Prince, Malik Matthews, Dominick Roberson, Justin Calomese, Jamie Ward, Marcus McIlwain, Seth Oxner, Ronald Penn, Johnnie Sellers and Corey Davis.
THE UAM-NWOSU SERIES
Saturday’s game against Northwestern Oklahoma State marks the third all-time meeting between the two squads. UAM holds the series advantage 2-0 after defeating the Rangers in the first ever meeting 14-10 at home in the 1993 season. UAM followed that with a 33-10 win over NWOSU in the 1994 season on the road in Alva, Oklahoma.
THE BOLL WEEVILS
The Boll Weevils enter Saturday’s game with an overall record of 1-9 and have a 0-8 record in Great American Conference games following a 38-21 loss to Southwestern Oklahoma State last Saturday on the road. UAM will be looking to snap a nine-game losing streak and capture the team’s second win of the season at home heading into the offseason. UAM is led by senior quarterback Damon Wicker, who ranks seventh in the GAC with an average of 232.6 yards of total offense per game. Wicker leads the team in passing and rushing. Wicker’s favorite target in the air is junior Jamal Nixon, who has hauled in 51 catches for 585 yards with four touchdowns. Malik Matthews trails closely with 39 catches for 567 yards. Defensively, UAM is paced by sophomore Anthony Hughes with 54 total tackles and two interceptions.
THE OPPONENT: NORTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA STATE
The Northwestern Oklahoma State Rangers enter Saturday’s game with a 2-7 overall record in their first season as a provisional member of the NCAA Division II. The Rangers are on a three-game winning streak following a 35-28 win over the other GAC provisional member Southern Nazarene last Saturday. Prior to the winning streak, NWOSU lost its first seven games of the 2012 season. Two weeks ago, NWOSU defeated Air Force JV 44-16 at home in a game that is not recognized by the NCAA due to a rule counting only contests against varsity squads. NWOSU is led by senior quarterback Kyle Jech, who is fourth in the GAC with an average of 258.8 passing yards per game. NWOSU ranks last in the GAC in rushing, led by Jared Jackson at an average of 28 yards per game. Eric Feemster leads the Rangers defensively with 71 total tackles, including 6.5 tackles for a loss and two sacks.
THE COACHES
UAM is led by second-year head coach Hud Jackson, who has compiled a 6-15 coaching record since taking over at UAM prior to the 2011 season. Before being hired at UAM, Jackson served the previous six season as associate head coach at Central Arkansas following a 13-year high school coaching career in the state of Louisiana. NWOSU is led by first-year head coach Alan Hall. Hall was previously served as the head coach and athletic director at Baptist Bible School in Savannah, Ga. He has also been an assistant coach at schools such as Newberry (D2), Savannah State (D1) and Winston-Salem. Hall was the backup quarterback at Miami during Heisman Trophy winner Gino Torreta’s time with the Hurricanes.
LAST TIME OUT
Southwestern Oklahoma State poured on over 300 yards of total offense in the second half, mostly through the ground game en route to a 38-21 win over UAM last Saturday in Weatherford. UAM had two defensive touchdowns in the loss in Davis Stephens’ 21-yard interception return for a score and a 60-yard fumble return by Malik Matthews.
COACH’S PLAYERS OF THE GAME
The UAM coaching staff named senior receiver Malik Matthews, junior defensive end Davis Stephens, senior Dawayne Lewis and sophomore Barry Boney the offensive, defensive and special teams players of the game for their efforts in UAM’s 38-21 loss to SW Oklahoma State last Saturday. Matthews was responsible for two of UAM’s three scores with a 60-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown and a seven yard touchdown catch. Stephens recorded UAM’s first defensive score of the season with a 21-yard pick six in the first quarter. Lewis was in on two special teams tackles from his snapper position, while Boney added two special teams tackles as well.
