Victory costly for Bears; Smothers lost for year
CONWAY — If Central Arkansas is to win the Southland Conference championship and reach the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoffs for the third consecutive season, it will have to do so without Wynrick Smothers.
The senior quarterback broke his right ankle Saturday afternoon at Estes Stadium and is out for the season, Coach Clint Conque announced after the Bears’ 31-0 nonconference victory over Nebraska-Kearney.
Smothers was injured in the third quarter when he ran 10 yards for a first down. He immediately came up limping, placing no weight on his right leg.
Referred to as the face of UCA’s program by Conque, Smothers — last season’s Southland Conference offensive player of the year after throwing 31 touchdown passes — hasn’t had the easiest of senior seasons. He entered Saturday’s game with 1,639 passing yards, 8 touchdowns and 9 interceptions, which matches his 2012 total.
Smothers completed 22 of 34 passes for 177 yards and scored on a 7-yard touchdown run in the first half Saturday.
“It’s very emotional,” Conque said, “with all the things he’s poured into this university, into our football program. We know injuries are part of the game. But this one’s tough.
“We’ve got a young man and his family who are hurting right now. When you lose your All-American quarterback, that’s a cause for pause.”
“You hate to see any of your teammates go down, especially a guy like that,” sophomore running back Blake Veasley said. “He’s our leader. He leads out there into battle every week. Prayers out to him.”
Conque added that junior Ryan Howard and sophomore Taylor Reed will compete for the starting job during the week leading up to the Bears’ road game at Lamar next Saturday.
Howard relieved Smothers and threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to senior tight end Chase Dixon later in the drive to extend the Bears’ lead to 24-0.
One week after giving up 595 yards in a 59-28 loss to McNeese State, the Bears defense rebounded against the NCAA Division II Lopers (1-5).
UCA (3-3), which is ranked 20th in the FCS coaches and Sports Network polls, held Nebraska-Kearney to 169 yards and forced two turnovers. The UCA defense, which was led by sophomore linebacker D.J. Holland’s nine tackles, welcomes back senior middle linebacker Justin Heard next Saturday after he completed his three-game suspension Saturday.
“When Heard went down, I knew I had to step up,” Holland said. “I tried to stay humble and do my assignments and help my team the best I can.”
On the Lopers’ first drive of the half, UCA sophomore free safety Bobby Watkins intercepted quarterback Luke McNitt at the UCA 38 and returned it 37 yards to the Lopers 25. Four plays later, running back Willie Matthews scored from 6 yards out to make it 17-0 with 11:00 remaining in the third quarter.
With the Bears leading 240, Veasley tacked on an 8-yard touchdown run for a 31-0 lead early in the fourth quarter.
Watkins’ interception lifted UCA, which led 10-0 at halftime despite being stopped on fourth down once and a missed 36-yard field goal by Eddie Camara.
“It was a game-changer,” Veasley said of Watkins’ interception. “We thought he was going to take it to the crib. That was real big for the team.”
Veasley rushed for 57 yards on 13 carries and Matthews added 33 yards on six carries as UCA totaled 175 yards on the ground.
The Bears went 83 yards in 18 plays on their opening drive, but had to settle for Camara’s 21-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead with 9:20 left in the first quarter.
After the Lopers went three and out, UCA drove 58 yards in seven plays and Smothers ran 7 yards for a touchdown, extending the Bears’ lead to 10-0 at the 5:13 mark of the first quarter.
But that was it for the Bears in the first half. Camara missed a 36-yard field goal attempt, and after junior linebacker Zach Bush recovered a fumble at the Nebraska-Kearney 33, the Bears couldn’t convert on fourth-and-4 at the Lopers’ 27.
UCA, which was ranked fifth in the FCS poll earlier this season, has been plagued by injuries and suspensions all season. Junior receiver Dezmin Lewis (ankle), offensive lineman Kyle Stouffer (knee) and safety Jestin Love (hamstring) did not play Saturday.
UCA earned its first shutout since beating Northwestern (La.) State 34-0 on Oct. 10, 2009.
Conque tried to stay positive Saturday despite the news of Smothers’ season-ending injury.
“The good news, we can teach off of a win,” he said.
NICHOLLS STATE 33, NORTHWESTERN STATE 21
THIBODAUX, La. — Marcus Washington rushed for a career-best three touchdowns and Tuskani Figaro threw two touchdown passes as Nicholls State defeated Northwestern State
Washington’s three touchdowns were each from 4 yards or less. He rushed for 77 yards on 23 carries. Figaro, who accounted for five touchdowns last week in his first career start, was 14 of 21 for 245 yards.
Nicholls St. (4-2, 1-0) jumped out to a 27-0 lead before Daniel Taylor opened the second half with a 54-yard run. Garrett Atzenweiler rushed for a 3-yard score on the next play to put Northwestern St. (3-3, 0-1) on the board. Taylor rushed for 102 yards on eight carries, including a 10-yard
SAM HOUSTON STATE 14, LAMAR 3
HUNTSVILLE, Texas — Brian Bell threw for one touchdown and rushed for another as Sam Houston State beat Lamar.
Sam Houston State’s prolific offense, averaging 51.6 points per game heading into the game, struggled to move the ball. Timothy Flanders, coming off a 280-yard performance against Eastern Washington, was held to just 83 yards on 28 carries.
Bell opened the scoring with a 45yard run in the second quarter. Lamar (3-3, 0-1) responded with a 47-yard Alex Ball field goal at the end of the half. Bell found Stephen Williams for an 18-yard touchdown late in the third quarter, giving the Bearkats (5-1, 1-0) the 14-3 lead they would hold onto for the win.
Caleb Berry struggled for the Cardinals, going 17 of 41 for 196 yards with an interception.
Lightning delayed the game for two hours in the fourth quarter.
SE LOUISIANA 56, STEPHEN F. AUSTIN 14
HAMMOND, La. — Bryan Bennett amassed 409 total yards and scored five touchdowns to lead Southeastern Louisiana to a victory over Stephen F. Austin.
Bennett, who had 337 yards passing and 72 yards rushing, led the Lions to their first score on a 53-yard run. Rasheed Harrell scored from 4 yards out to put Southeastern Louisiana (4-2, 1-0) ahead 14-0.
Bennett had four touchdown passes in the second quarter as the Lions led 42-7 at halftime. Bennett started the third quarter the same way, hitting Chris Malot for an 85-yard touchdown strike, extending the lead to 49-7.
The Lumberjacks (2-4, 0-1) closed the gap to 14-7 when Gus Johnson scored from 3 yards out in the first quarter.