Opponent Preview: Central Arkansas
11/6/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Stephen F. Austin puts its three-game winning streak on the line this weekend as the Lumberjacks head to Conway, Arkansas, facing Central Arkansas at Estes Stadium Saturday. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m.
The Lumberjacks and Bears meet for the 10th time with UCA holding a 6-3 edge in the series, including a two-game streak which includes last season’s 49-39 win at Homer Bryce Stadium. SFA is 1-3 all-time in Conway with their lone win coming in a 33-30 victory in 2009.
It is a game that has been anticipated since SFA hired Clint Conque as its head coach in December of 2013. Conque spent 14 seasons leading the Bears, racking up a career record of 105-59 with three conference titles and four NCAA postseason appearances. He goes down as the second-winningest collegiate coach in Arkansas history, trailing only legendary Razorback coach Frank Broyles.
Central Arkansas is 5-3 on the year and 5-1 in Southland Conference play, tied for second in the SLC standings. UCA is averaging 28.4 points and 421.2 yards per game, running a balanced offensive attack which accounts for 199.4 rushing yards and 221.9 passing yards per game. Defensively, UCA is allowing 22.5 points and 368.0 yards per game and have been tough against the run all season, allowing 133.9 yards per game.
Saturday's game will be broadcast live on American Sports Network as the company and the Southland Conference are in the first year of a new agreement. The game will be broadcast live on KLPN (MyTV) out of Tyler/Longview, which is channel 9 and 109 on Suddenlink Tyler, channel 133 on Suddenlink Nacogdoches and channels 47.1 and 51.2 over the air.
Other ASN affiliates are available throughout the state of Texas and can be found at Southland.org/ASN. For those that are unable to catch the game on television, it will stream live on the Southland Digital Network, available at Southland.org/Watch or through the Southland Conference app.
Head Coach Clint Conque’s Press Conference Transcript
On breaking down the Incarnate Word game:
“We did a lot of really good things. Incarnate Word came in feeling pretty good about themselves after three conference wins. They had just beaten ACU, a team that we came up short against. We had seven offensive scores, which we haven’t had in a while, and that was good. Defensively, I think we played extremely well. I liked the way we were flying around. We missed a few tackles but we tackled better. Our run fits were good. We had some arm tackles and we need to clean that up a little bit. There were some positives in the kicking game. I thought early in the game our kick coverage was good. Obviously we’re very disappointed with the kick coverage in the second half. We were in a position to make some good plays and we missed them. There’s certainly tremendous room for improvement in all three phases. It’s good to win on homecoming and it keeps the momentum.”
On going back to play Central Arkansas:
“Right now it’s all about the game plan and preparation. Certainly you don’t stay in a place for that amount of time and build that success and those relationships without expecting some anxiety (about returning) at some point. But at the end of the day I’ve got to be mature enough and humble enough to make sure we stay on point and that we stay grounded. Our players know I spent a long time there and it doesn’t have to be talked about. What needs to be talked about is how good of a football team we are getting ready to play and how tough of an environment that is to play in. I think they’ve lost four home games since 2010, so we’re no doubt going to have to answer the bell this week when we go out and play what will need to be our best game to date. They’re honoring the 10 years of Division I football and that’s kind of cool because I’ll get to see some of my old players. That saves me a bunch of phone calls. I get a chance to hang out for a minute with some of the old players that really helped get that program going.”
On what Central Arkansas meant to his career:
“I had been at a number of schools and had other opportunities, but they gave me my first opportunity to be a head coach. There was just tremendous tradition there. They’ve won something like 24 or 25 conference titles, three national championships, so many post game appearances. That was intriguing to me because you knew you were going into a place that expected to win, that had won at a really high level. About 18 of their starting 22 I’m very familiar with. I’ve been to every one of their homes through the recruiting process and they are just excellent football players and great young men. Blake Veasley, for example, he’s second in our conference in rushing. He walked on at Memphis and we gave him an opportunity to be a non-scholarship player at UCA. Just to see that development while we were there and the development to now, there’s a number of outstanding young men that I’ve coached like Blake. There’s so many stories like that but at the end of the day you got to just put all that out of your mind, prepare your players and they’ve got to go compete, execute and play. It’ll be cool going back there. I don’t know what kind of reception were going to get but it’s UCA and Stephen F. Austin, which normally plays some pretty entertaining ball games and there is a lot on the line for both teams.”
On preparing for a team that is familiar with your style:
“I’m pretty familiar with their players, but their players and the coaches know about me. Steve Campbell’s a great coach and he’s had unbelievable success in junior college football. They aren’t very complicated, contrary to popular belief. There’s a lot of motions and shifts but they aren’t a very complicated team on either side of the football. They play so hard, execute so well and they make very few mistakes. They’re very good in the kicking game and as I said, we’re going to have to answer the bell this week, give our best effort and play as clean as we possibly can to give ourselves a chance to win on Saturday.”
-SFA-
