Setting the Stage: Fifth-Annual Battle of the Timberlands
The Southern Arkansas Muleriders and the Arkansas-Monticello Boll Weevils are set to play each other for the 92nd time this Saturday as both teams close out their respective regular seasons. UAM is looking to win their fifth game of the year to match their top win total over the past five years, while SAU is looking to further position themselves for their first post-season appearance since 2012.
It will also be the fifth-time that the two teams will play for the "Battle of the Timberlands" trophy as the hardware was added to the rivalry prior to the 2012 game. In this segment of the long-standing clash between SAU and UAM, the Timberlands trophy has resided in Magnolia each year.
About Arkansas-Monticello
SCHEDULE
The Arkansas-Monticello football team enters play this weekend with a 4-6 overall record and a 4-6 mark in the Great American Conference. The Boll Weevils are coming off of a loss in their most-recent action, but won the prior two games at home against Ouachita and East Central. All four of UAM's victories on the year have come at home inside Cotton Boll Stadium.
THE COACH
The Boll Weevils are coached by Hud Jackson, who is in his sixth season at Arkansas-Monticello. In his time on the UAM sidelines, Jackson has amassed a 18-46 record. Twice Jackson has led the Boll Weevils to 5-6 campaigns in 2011 and in 2013. Prior to becoming the head coach at UAM, Jackson was an assistant head coach at the University of Central Arkansas for six years. In the 14 years prior to his time at UCA, Jackson had a successful coaching career in the high school ranks of Louisiana.
SCOUTING THE OFFENSE
Offensively, the Boll Weevils are averaging 29.6 points per game and 420.6 yards of total offense per game as well with 277.8 of the yards coming through the air
and the remaining 142.8 yards being gained on the ground. Their points per game average ranks eighth in the GAC while their total offense ranks ninth in the league.
Under center for the Boll Weevils is sophomore QB Cole Sears. On the year, Sears has completed 204-of-368 passes for 2,640 yards and 20 touchdowns. His 264.0 passing yards per game average ranks fourth in the GAC and his 20 passing TDs ranks in a tie for second.
On the ground, the Boll Weevils are led by Imani Riley as he had rushed for 503 yards on 109 carries and has found the endzone four times. Three other players have scored four rushing TDs as well.
In terms of receiving, the Boll Weevils have the GAC's top receiver in Jalen Tolliver. On the year, Tolliver leads the GAC in receptions (66), yards (1,039) and touchdowns (12).
SCOUTING THE DEFENSE
Defensively, the Boll Weevils are allowing 37.6 points per game and 453.7 yards of total offense per game with 232.8 of the yards coming on the ground and the remaining 220.9 being gained through the air. Their scoring defense ranks ninth in the GAC while their total defense ranks eighth in the league.
On the year, the Boll Weevils have forced 20 turnovers with 11 being interceptions and nine being fumble recoveries.
THE SERIES
This will be the 92nd meeting all-time between the Muleriders and the Boll Weevils in a series that dates back to 1913. Since 1957, these two teams have met annually, making this week's game the 60th-consecutive game. In the all-time series, SAU holds a 55-35-1 lead and since 1970, the Muleriders have more than doubled-up UAM going 31-15. Additionally, over half of those wins for SAU have come since the 1997 season as the Muleriders are 16-3 over the Boll Weevils in that time.
SAU News and Notes
Quick Hits From Last Week
» SAU improved to 8-2 on the season. The last time SAU won at least eight games in the regular season was 2012 when the team went 8-2 in a 10-game regular season slate
» SAU scored over 30 points in the game for the seventh time this season (sixth-straight) against East Central. The Muleriders are now 6-1 on the year when they score at least 30 points
» As a team, the Muleriders limited the Tigers to 31 yards rushing; a season-best effort by the Muleriders run defense. It was the third time that SAU has held an opponent under 50 yards rushing.
» Running back
Michael Nunnery rushed for over 100 yards for the fourth time this season (148 vs. ECU) and he is just 139 yards away from reaching 1,000 yards for the season. The last 1,000-yard back at SAU came in 2012 when Mark Johnson rushed for 1,124 yards.
Holding Down Hudson
Tanner Hudson has played numerous positions in his time at SAU from quarterback upon his transfer into the program, to rugby punter this past year, and with time spent at the wide receiver and tight end positions along the way. Of all of those positions, however, the versatile Hudson flourished as a pass-catching tight end.
An All-GAC Second-Team selection at the position, Hudson proved to be a match-up nightmare in the passing game as he hauled in 44 passes for a team-best
697 yards. Hudson was also on the receiving end of eight TD passes to lead the Muleriders.
This year, Hudson remains a threat in the passing game as he leads the team in yards (565) and touchdowns (7) while also ranking second on the team in receptions (39).
Wise to Throw to Weisheit
Junior wide receiver
Jonathan Weisheit has been one of SAU's most consistent and reliable targets in the passing game since his redshirt freshman campaign. In each of his first two full seasons, Weisheit caught 30+ passess and averaged over 10 yards per reception. Last year, Weisheit earned All-GAC honors as he ranked sixth in the league in receptions per game while also ranking seventh in receiving yards per game. All told, Weisheit hauled in 49 passes for 658 yards and three TDs.
Through 10 games this year, Weisheit has been the top target with a team-best 53 receptions for an average of 5.3 receptions per game ranks third in the GAC.
Penny For Your Thoughts, Nickel For Your Defense
Redshirt sophomore
Stacy Lawrence has started all eight games at the Nickle position of the Mulerider Defense and the Irving, Texas native has played well beyond his experience. To date, Lawrence has the fourth-most tackles on the team with 50 and he also currently is tied for the team lead in Interceptions (4) and has the most Passes Defended (12). His four INTs are tied for the second-most in the GAC. Against Arkansas Tech, Lawrence sealed the game for the Muleriders as he intercepted a pass in the endzone with under two minutes left in the game. Against Henderson, he returned a blocked punt 25 yards for a TD.
It's a Track Meet Out There
Last year, sophomore wide receiver
Karonce Higgins began to show flashes of what he could become as a wideout at SAU as he caught 22 passes for 499 yards (22.7 ypr) and five scores. Regarded as one of the fastest players in the GAC, Higgins also showed out last year on the track as he finished second in the 200-meter dash at the inaugural GAC Track Championships and later qualified for the NCAA Championships in the event.
This year, Higgins is proving to be a big-play threat once more as he is currently averaging 14.8 yards per reception and against NWOSU, Higgins took a short shovel pass behind the line of scrimmage, caught the edge and sprinted down the sideline for an 87-yard touchdown.
Getting Defensive
Through the 10 games of the season, the SAU defense has played exceptionally well and one of the fruits of their improved play has been their ability to force turnovers. Currently, the Mulerider defense has forced 24 turnovers with 16 INTs and eight fumble recoveries. Their 24 takeaways are tied for second in the GAC.
Methodical Marchers
The Southern Arkansas offense has shown through the first five games of the season that field position, or lack there of, won't stop them from scoring touchdowns.
On the year, SAU has scored 45 touchdowns. Of those TD drives, 22 have covered 70 or more yards. Against Arkansas Tech, all four of their TD drives were at least 75 yards with an average drive length being 75.3 yards. The Muleriders matched that single-game output against Henderson with four touchdown drives of at least 70 yards.
Picked 5th in Wide-Open GAC
The Southern Arkansas football team enters the 2016 season picked to finish fifth in the Great American Conference according to the league's head coaches in the annual preseason poll. Last year, the Muleriders were picked to finish sixth, but a 7-4 record tied SAU for fourth with Harding and Ouachita.
Ahead of the Muleriders in the 2016 preseason poll are Henderson State, Harding, Ouachita, and Southwestern Oklahoma. SAU went 2-2 against those for team picked higher with wins coming against Ouachita and Southwestern Oklahoma.
Familiar Faces All Around
Familiarity will be a strength of the 2016 Mulerider football team as a total of 41 lettermen and 16 starters are back with eight starters apiece coming on each side of the ball. Highlighted among the starters are All-GAC honorees
Davondrick Lison,
Calvin Lyons,
Elgin Moore,
Chris Paul,
Barrett Renner, and
Jonathan Weisheit.
Relying on Renner
For the first time since the start of the 2013 season, the Muleriders will have the return services of their starting quarterback from the previous year as
Barrett Renner is back for his sophomore season. Last year, Renner continued a line of high-level quarterback play at SAU as he set five new school records and was named as the GAC's Freshman of the Year as well as being the league's first-team QB on the all-conference squad.
This season, Renner will be the focal point of the Muleriders' offense once again while also being the man to stop for opposing defenses. Last year, Renner was an all-region selection and he led the league and ranked ninth in NCAA DII in Total Offense with over 3,700 yards gained.
Welcome to the O-Show
Mulerider Football and offensive production/explosion have been synonymous with one another for the past five years since
Landon Keopple became the offensive coordinator. In his first year in 2011, Keopple put together an offense that averaged 26.2 points per game and 376.4 yards of total offense per game. Those numbers were markedly better than the previous year where SAU averaged 16.3 ppg and 268.4 yards of total offense.
In the four years since his first as OC, Keopple has developed one of the top offenses not only in the GAC, but in all of NCAA DII. Beginning in the 2012 season, the Muleriders average 36.8 points per game and 477.4 yards of total offense per game. In three of the last four years, SAU has gained over 5,000 yards and in those same years they have scored more than 385 points.
All told under Keopple as the OC, the Muleriders score nearly 35 points per game and average over 450 yards of total offense as well.
