GAME NOTES (PDF) | LIVE COVERAGE

MONTICELLO — The University of Arkansas at Monticello football team hosts the Northwestern Oklahoma State University Rangers on Thursday night in the first college football game to be played in the state of Arkansas for the 2015 season.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Willis "Convoy" Leslie Cotton Boll Stadium. Tickets range from $5-$15 and can be purchased upon arrival.  UAM faculty, staff and students, as well as children under 12 years old and senior adults are admitted free. Gates open at 5:30 p.m.

The game can be heard on the UAM Sports Network at KHBM-FM 93.7 in Monticello and online at UAMsports.com. Jimmy Sledge is back for another year of play-by-play and will be joined in the booth by Hyrum Vaughn. Live video streaming and live statistics will also be available.

103^rd SEASON OF UAM FOOTBALL
The Weevils kick off their 103rd season of football this Thursday against NWOSU. Throughout the first 102 years of UAM Football, the Weevils have a 43-57-4 record in season openers. The last win on opening day came in 2012, a 78-0 triumph over College of Faith in Monticello. In home openers, UAM has a 47-43-5 all-time record.

FIRST COLLEGE FOOTBALL GAME IN ARKANSAS
Thursday's contest between UAM and NWOSU is the first collegiate football game of the 2015 season to be played in the state of Arkansas. Ouachita, Henderson and Arkansas Tech are also playing on Thursday, but all three teams are on the road in Oklahoma. Division I teams Arkansas, Arkansas State, Central Arkansas and UAPB are either playing on the road or opening their respective seasons during the weekend.
 
DRIVETIME SPORTS LIVE FROM UAM
Arkansas' most popular caller-driven sports talk show, DriveTime Sports, will be broadcasting live from the University of Arkansas at Monticello on Thursday from 4-7 p.m. Drive Time Sports, hosted by Randy Rainwater, originates from 103.7 The Buzz in Little Rock, but can also be heard in Monticello on KGPQ 99.9.
 
UAM PICKED 9^th IN GAC COACHES POLL
For the second straight year, the Weevils have been picked ninth out of 12 teams in the Great American Conference preseason coaches poll. UAM finished 10th last season. Defending GAC champion Ouachita Baptist was picked first, followed by Harding, Henderson State, East Central, Southeastern Oklahoma State, Southern Arkansas, Arkansas Tech, Southwestern Oklahoma State, UAM, Northwestern Oklahoma State, Southern Nazarene and Oklahoma Baptist.
 
WEEVILS RETURN 9 STARTERS
The Weevils return nine starters from last year's squad, which means several new faces for the 2015 season, especially on defense. In fact, there are close to 80 newcomers on the 2015 roster. There are five returning starters on offense, three on defense, and one specialist. One of UAM's returning starters is Cody Bordelon, who was selected to the All-GAC team last year. Other key returners on offense include quarterback Hunter Leppert, receivers Jalen Tolliver and Trey Taylor, offensive linemen Raphael Mozie and Logan Woods, and running back Nick Williams. On defense, UAM's three returning starters are cornerback Demarcus Robinson and linebackers Ofisa Kose and Marshall Everett. Marquis Rodgers and Marquez Massey also return on the defensive line. Kicker Jamie McGee returns for his junior season and is just two made field goals away from moving into second place all-time at UAM.
 
80 NEWCOMERS
In his fifth-year as head coach, Hud Jackson brought in his largest class of newcomers, by far, with 80 new faces to the Weevil Football program for the 2015 season. There are 25 newcomers on the first release of the two-deep depth chart, 13 on offense and 12 on defense.

WHITE HELMETS RETURN
The Weevils have worn differently-designed helmets in each of head coach Hud Jackson's first four years at UAM, and the fifth is no different. The 2015 headgear features an all white base, white facemasks, a kelly green stripe down the middle, the official UAM athletics logo on one side and each respective player's number on the other. The design will give generational Weevil fans a flashback from, most recently, the Coach Tommy Barnes era. The Weevils wore a version of this white helmet during the late 80s and early 90s. There is also another major uniform addition for the 2015 season. Fans in attendance at Convoy Leslie Cotton Boll Stadium on Thursday night will get the first look at the new feature.
 
COACHING STAFF CHANGES
Fifth-year head coach Hud Jackson brought in two new coaches for the 2015 season and moved two into different roles during the offseason. Quad Sanders, an alumnus of the University of Central Arkansas, was hired as UAM's defensive line coach from the same position at Western State Colorado. Drew Hall was hired as UAM's new graduate assistant receivers coach after coaching stops at Millsaps College and Murray State. Marcus Hill, who had served as UAM's defensive line coach since 2011, is now the offensive line coach. Davis Stephens was promoted from student assistant to graduate assistant after earning his bachelor's degree this past May. Stephens coaches defense and is also the team's strength and conditioning coordinator. The rest of the UAM coaching staff includes fifth-year defensive coordinator Keith Scott, second-year offensive coordinator Kyle Shipp and third-year linebackers coach Cody Scribner.

SCOUTING THE RANGERS
UAM looks to avenge a last minute rally by Northwestern Oklahoma State during last year's game in Alva. The Rangers won that game 34-28 after the Weevils took a 28-27 lead with 1:56 remaining in regulation. After finishing the 2014 season 3-7 overall, the Rangers were picked one spot behind UAM in the 2015 preseason poll and are led by first-year head coach Matt Walter. NWOSU returns quarterback Ty Hooper, and running back Jarion Tudman, but perhaps the best returner for the Rangers is Joby Saint Fleur, who ranked second in the GAC last year in sacks (7.5).