By: By: Jacob Pumphrey
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#22/21 SOUTHERN ARKANSAS
MULERIDERS
6-1 (6-1 GAC) |
EAST CENTRAL
TIGERS
2-5 (2-5 GAC) |
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GAME NOTES | SAU (PDF) | ECU | GAC Weekly FB Notebook (PDF)
KICKING OFF
#22 Southern Arkansas returns to Wilkins Stadium at Rip Powell Field for the final time in 2018 as the Muleriders host East Central University in a Homecoming matchup. The Muleriders look to get back on track against the Tigers on Saturday after suffering their first loss of the season: a 21-0 shutout on the road at Southeastern Oklahoma. SAU carries a 15-game home winning streak that dates back to a Week 6 Homecoming win over Oklahoma Baptist in 2015.
The Muleriders have won their last ten homecoming games dating back to 2008. The last nine of the Mulerider triumphs have come under current head coach
Bill Keopple. Among those homecoming victories, SAU has defeated GAC-foes, Arkansas Tech (2011 & 2008), Oklahoma Baptist (2015), Ouachita Baptist (2013 & 2009), Southeastern Oklahoma State (2017), and Southern Nazarene (2016, 2014 & 2012). The lone non-GAC homecoming win during the streak came in 2010 against former Gulf South Conference foe West Alabama.
Southern Arkansas enters Week 8 averaging 29.3 points per game (4th | GAC) and is holding opponents to 18.7 points per game (4th | GAC). The Muleriders boast the league's second-best total offense at 407.3 yards per game and own the fourth-best total defense in the league at 325.9 yards per game.
At halftime of Saturday's clash, the 16th class of the SAU Sports Hall of Fame will be honored. Read up on the Mulerider Legends
here.
SCHEDULE
The East Central football team enters play this weekend with a 2-5 overall record and a 2-5 mark in the Great American Conference. Both of the Tigers' wins this season have come at home: a 29-27 win over Arkansas-Monticello and an 18-11 victory over Southwestern Oklahoma State. Additionally, ECU suffered a 27-26 overtime loss to Oklahoma Baptist at home in the season opener.
THE COACH
The Tigers are coached by Al Johnson, who is in his first season as head coach at East Central. Johnson came to Ada in early 2018 as the 19th head coach of the Tiger Football program and just the fourth since 1997. Before being tabbed to lead East Central, Johnson served as the assistant offensive line coach at the University of Wisconsin from 2016-17, where he helped lead the Badgers to a 34-24 win over #11 Miami in the 2017 Capital One Orange Bowl.
His coaching career has included stints at the NCAA Division I, II, and III levels as well as the high school ranks. As a player, Johnson played for the Badgers from 1998-2002 and was a three-time All-Big Ten selection as well as a Rimington Award finalist (Nation's Top Center) in 2000 and 2001.
Additionally, Johnson was a part of back-to-back Rose Bowl Championship teams and went on to play seven seasons with four teams in the National Football League after being selected in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys.
SCOUTING THE OFFENSE
Offensively, the Tigers are averaging 15.7 points per game and 229.7 yards of total offense per game as well with 120.9 of the yards coming through the air and the remaining 108.9 yards being gained on the ground. Their points per game average ranks tenth and the team's total offense ranks eleventh in the GAC while their passing offense is ninth and their rushing offense eleventh in the league.
David Cornwell and RayJohn Austin-Ramsey have both been employed by the Tigers at the quarterback position this fall with Cornwell having played in all seven games and Austin-Ramsey seeing action in five games. To this point, Austin Ramsey has completed 30-of-56 passes for 309 yards and two touchdowns and ranks tenth in the GAC in passing efficiency (104.6), while Cornwell has passed for 537 yards and five touchdowns on 60-of-126 passing and ranks tenth in the league in passing. Neither signal caller is much of a threat to run, but the Tigers have five running backs that have netted over 100 yards this season.
The Tigers' leading rusher is Reuben Armstrong with 221 yards on 61 carries. Trinity Benson has rushed 32 times this season for 203 yards and a team-leading three scores on the ground. Benson and Armstrong are also the top targets through the air with Benson leading the team in receptions (32), yards (321), and touchdowns (4), while averaging 45.8 yards receiving per game. Benson's 4.6 catches per game is tied for the seventh-most in the GAC, while his 6.0 points per game average ranks tied for sixth and his 85.3 all-purpose yards per game places him eighth. Armstrong has caught a dozen passes for 147 yards and a touchdown.
SCOUTING THE DEFENSE
Defensively, the Tigers are allowing 28.6 points per game and 378.0 yards of total offense per game with 179.9 of the yards coming through the air and the remaining 198.1 being gained on the ground. Their scoring defense ranks eighth and total defense ranks tenth in the GAC while their rushing defense is tenth and their passing defense seventh in the league.
On the year, the Tigers have forced 13 turnovers with seven being fumble recoveries and six coming as interceptions. The Tigers boast a pair of defenders with 55 or more stops this season. RJ Williams' 58 tackles leads the team, while his 7.5 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks both rank second on the unit behind Corey Williams' 9.0 TFL and Andre Shelton's 3.5 sacks, respectively. Justin Hayden follows Williams' tackle total with 57 and he has also added a team-leading three interceptions and four pass breakups.
THE SERIES
This will be the 20th meeting all-time between the Muleriders and Tigers with SAU holding an 12-7 lead in the series. The all-time series dates back to 1953 and has seen these two teams meet yearly since 2011 as each school became charter members of the Great American Conference. Since becoming conference opponents, SAU leads the series 5-2 and has won three-straight over the Tigers. In games played in Magnolia, SAU has won five of the eight matchups.
