Boll Weevils, staring at losing record, host Reddies today
Just when it seemed the University of Arkansas at Monticello’s schedule would be easier following the Harding-Ouachita Baptist gauntlet of September, it’s been anything but that.
Standing on the verge of a fourth straight losing regular season, the Boll Weevils (2-5 overall and Great American) have lost five in a row, with two of the losses coming by a combined eight points. Last week’s 24-10 loss at Arkansas Tech University means the Weevils have to win their remaining four games to avoid a losing record, and that challenge begins today with a 2 p.m. home kickoff against Henderson State University.
The game is themed as a pink-out in honor of October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month and can be heard on KHBM-FM 93.7.
“We understand the importance of this game,” UAM Coach Hud Jackson said. “We have to play a more disciplined and physical game to be successful. That is what we have to do. We will play hard.”
The Reddies (5-2) just dropped out of the American Football Coaches Association Division II poll from No. 18 after losing 35-34 to unranked Southern Arkansas University.
Henderson’s Andrew Edwards, from Bentonville, leads the Great American Conference in passing yards (232.1 per game) and is second only to Ouachita Baptist’s Riley Harms in touchdowns (14). Chris Hatzis (72.6 yards per game), who transferred two seasons ago from Louisiana State University, is second in the Great American in receiving.
Behind Edwards is a running back-by-committee that averages 184.9 yards per game.
UAM is seeking a boost to its running game with a 116.6 average, but its defense has limited opponents to 180.6. Redshirt freshman Buddy Taylor has picked up where injured senior Demilon Brown left off and is third in the conference in completion rate (62.2%) while averaging 157 yards per game and throwing for 3 touchdowns. Taylor, whose 282 yards against Arkansas Tech is a career high, needs 215 yards to reach 1,000 as he plays in just his sixth career game (fourth start).
Isaiah Cross (67.1 receiving yards per game, 3 touchdowns) and Nick Howard (58.1, 4 touchdowns) are among the top-5 receivers in the Great American.
Henderson Coach Scott Maxfield is 14-2 all time against UAM and has never lost in Monticello. UAM trails the all-time series 43-31-2, last beating the Reddies in 2018. Henderson won last year’s game 37-27.