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SOUTHERN ARKANSAS
MULERIDERS
2-0 (2-0 GAC)
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(RV) HARDING
BISONS
2-0 (2-0 GAC)
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GAME NOTES | SAU | HU | GAC Weekly FB Notebook
Setting the Scene: Early Season Clash of Unbeatens
With only three teams unbeaten in the Great American Conference through the first two weeks of the season, Saturday's Week 3 match-up between two of those unbeatens, Southern Arkansas and Harding, makes for a marquee early season clash that could go a long way towards deciding the champion in the GAC at season's end.
Last year, both SAU and Harding entered their Week 3 contest against one another at 2-0 and after a combined 112 points lit up the scoreboard at Wilkins Stadium at Rip Powell Field, it was Harding who emerged unbeaten at 3-0. For Harding it is the fourth time in the last five seasons that they have started the year 2-0 and for SAU it is the third time in the last five seasons beginning the year unbeaten through two games. Following those 2-0 starts, Harding improved to 3-0 three times (2012, 2014, & 2015) while SAU remained unblemished once (2012)
SCHEDULE
The Harding University Bisons football team enters tonight's game with a 2-0 overall record and a 2-0 record in the Great American Conference. The Bisons opened the season with a 38-7 win at home against Oklahoma Baptist and followed that up with a 63-7 drubbing of Southern Nazarene on the road.
THE COACH
The Bisons are coached by Ronnie Huckeba, who enters into his 10th season as head coach at Harding while also entering his 31st overall season with the Bisons. In his time as head coach at Harding, Huckeba has amassed a 58-39 overall record. Over half of those wins have come in the last four years as Coach Huckeba has led the Bisons to a 34-10 record since the start of the 2012 season. In the three of the four seasons prior to this current one, Harding has gone 9-2 each year and have made a post-season appearance with two coming in the NCAA Division II playoffs.
SCOUTING THE OFFENSE
Offensively, the Bisons run the throwback Flexbone style that prominently features the running game and the deceptive triple option. Under that system, the Bisons have established one of the nation's most-prolific rushing attacks ranking among the top-5 in Division II at season's end each year since 2010. Last year, the Bisons were second in DII in rushing as they averaged 366.9 yards per game.
Coming into this game, Harding is averaging 458.5 yards of total offense per game with 433.5 of that being gained on the ground and just 25.0 through the air. The leading rusher for Harding is QB Park Parish as he has gained 165 yards and has a team-high four rushing TDs. Parish has only attempted seven passes and completed two of them for 50 yards. Behind Parish in rushing is freshman Romar Reades with 140 yards and three TDs. Five other runners have at least 10 rushing attempts with senior Michael Latu shouldering the largest load with 29 carries.
SCOUTING THE DEFENSE
Defensively, the Bisons run a 4-2-5 scheme and enter the game allowing just 124.0 ypg of total offense from their opponents as well as holding them to just 7.0 ppg. In each of their first two games, the Bisons have allowed just one touchdown and against Southern Nazarene, Harding limited the Crimson Storm to a miniscule 67 yards of total offense on 44 plays for an average of just 1.5 yards per play.
The leading tackler for the Bisons is Daylan Skidmore with 12 stops. As a defense, Harding has forced three turnovers (all fumble recoveries) and have totaled two sacks and 10 tackles for lost yardage.
THE SERIES
This will be the 53rd meeting all-time between Southern Arkansas and Harding with the series slightly in favor of Harding at 26-25-1. In recent history, however, the series has been dominated by Harding as they have won the last 10 meetings dating back to 2006 and the last win for SAU in the series came in 2003. That is also SAU's last win at Harding, having dropped the last four in Searcy.
SAU News and Notes
Quick Hits From Last Week
» The SAU Defense continued to play well as they limited the prolific passing attack of Northwestern Oklahoma to just 206 yards passing. In week one, NWOSU threw for 493 yards.
» Junior kicker
Bradford Grems enjoyed a career-day kicking field goals as we went 4-for-4. Last year, Grems attempted just five FGs and made three. Three of his makes vs. NWOSU were 40+ yards with a career-long of 42.
» Redshirt freshman QB
Will Haines was thrust into his first collegiate action early in the 3rd quarter and the young signal-caller played well going 5-of-7 for 54 yards and a TD in the passing game, and his 15-yard scramble on his first play in the game kept a drive going that eventualy resulted in a 38-yard field goal by Grems.
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 teambest 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 is second on the team in receptions and yards with six catches for 100 yards. He also has one of the team's five receiving touchdowns.
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 passed for 658 yards and three TDs. Through two games this year, Weisheit has been the top target with a team-best 11 receptions.
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 won the 200-meter dash at the inagural 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 26.8 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 first two 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 seven turnovers with four INTs and three fumble recoveries. Their seven takeaways are tied for the most in the GAC.
Disruptive Davondrick
Davondrick Lison enjoyed a sensational redshirt freshman campaign last year as one of the Muleriders' starting defensive ends. At that position, Lison wreaked havoc on opposing backfields as he totaled 17.5 tackles for lost yardage to rank second in the GAC. Of those TFLs, 9.0 were QB Sacks, ranking Lison third in the league in that category. Not only was he adept at stopping the offense behind the line of scrimmage, Lison also had a knack for popping the ball loose as he led all of NCAA DII in Forced Fumbles with seven.
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 highlevel 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.
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.
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.
