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SOUTHERN ARKANSAS
MULERIDERS
2-1 (2-1 GAC)
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ARKANSAS TECH
WONDER BOYS
2-1 (2-1 GAC)
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GAME NOTES | SAU | ATU | GAC Weekly FB Notebook
Setting the Scene: New Year - Same Situation
With the only change to the 2016 schedule being change of venues from the previous year, the Week 4 matchup between Southern Arkansas and Arkansas Tech is strikingly similar in appearance and importance to that of 2015. Last year, Arkansas Tech was 3-0 and receiving votes in the latest AFCA Coach's Poll, while SAU was looking to rebound following their first loss of the year to #16 Harding. Tech would upend the Muleriders in that meeting to move to 4-0 and later went on to an 8-3 regular season before ending the year 9-3 with a win in the C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl against Eastern New Mexico.
This year, Tech is 2-1 entering play after a Week 2 loss at Oklahoma Baptist, but SAU is once again looking to bounce back into the win column after suffering their first setback of the season at (RV) Harding a week ago.
While neither team is looking to remain unbeaten following this game, the winner will still keep themselves in contention for the GAC Championship with just one loss on their record and only two remaining unbeatens in the league.
About Arkansas Tech
SCHEDULE
The Arkansas Tech football team enters play with a 2-1 overall record and a 2-1 mark in the Great American Conference. The Wonder Boys opened the season with a 46-0 shutout win at home over Southern Nazarene. The following week, Tech was tripped up on the road at Oklahoma Baptist, 19-15. ATU rebounded at home this past week and won a shootout with Arkansas-Monticello, 38-31.
THE COACH
The Wonder Boys are coached by Raymond Monica, who enters into his fourth season with Arkansas Tech while entering into his 11th season overall as a head coach. In his time as the head man of the Wonder Boys, Monica has amassed a 19-18 record. Last year, Monica enjoyed his best on the sidelines for the Wonder Boys as he led Tech to an 8-3 regular season record en route a bowl game bid in the C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl. The Wonder Boys won that game over Eastern New Mexico, 51-35 to end the year 9-3.
Before coming to Tech, Monica was the head coach at DII Kutztown University in Kutztown, Pa. for seven seasons. In his time at Kutztown, Monica went 45-34 including going 28-8 over his final three years.
SCOUTING THE OFFENSE
Offensively, the Wonder Boys are averaging 33.0 points per game and are also averaging 422.3 yards of total offense per game. Their points per game rank fifth in the GAC while their total offense ranks sixth in the league. Entering play this weekend, Tech is averaging 164.0 yards per game rushing to rank fifth in the GAC and are passing at a clip of 258.3 yards per game to rank fourth in that category.
Under center for the Wonder Boys is junior Ty Reasnor. Starting all three games thus far, Reason has thrown for 719 yards and five touchdowns. The leading ball-carrier for Tech has been Bryan Allen as he has carried it 52 times for 179 yards and two scores. The leading receiver thus far has been backup QB/WR Jabyes Cross as he has team-bests in receptions (13), yards (244) and touchdowns (2).
SCOUTING THE DEFENSE
Defensively, the Wonder Boys are allowing 16.7 points per game while also holding their opponents to 297.3 yards of total offense per game. Their points allowed per game ranks third in the GAC while their total offense allowed is also third. As a defense, the Wonder Boys have racked up 18.0 tackles for lost yardage with 7.0 being sacks. Additionally, the Wonder Boys have forced six turnovers with four being fumble recoveries and two coming as interceptions.
The leading tackler for the Wonder Boys is Seth Culp. On the year, Culp has totaled 34 tackles with 1.0 coming for lost yardage.
THE SERIES
This will be the 79th meeting all-time between the Muleriders and Wonder Boys and will be the 44th meeting since 1970. In the all-time series, Tech leads SAU 45-30-4, but since 1970, the Muleriders lead the series 24-19-1. In games played in Magnolia since 1970, SAU as won 16 of 23 games including each of the last four at Wilkins Stadium at Rip Powell Field.
Quick Hits From Last Week
» Faced with its most unique challenge of the year, the SAU defense kept the run-heavy triple option rushing attack of Harding at bay over the first half as they limited the Bisons to just 170 yards on the ground with only 43 of those being gained in the first quarter. Coming into the game, Harding was averaging 433.5 yards rushing.
» There were no points scored by either team in the first quarter. It was the first scoreless opening quarter between the two since 2009.
» The two teams combined for seven turnovers in the game, but only 14 points came as a result.
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 is tied for second on the team in receptions with eight and third in yards with 115 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 three games this year, Weisheit has been the top target with a team-best 17 receptions for an average of 5.7 receptions per game ranks second in the GAC.
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 18.8 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 three 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 nine turnovers with four INTs and five fumble recoveries. Their nine takeaways are second 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 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.
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.
