First win gives Tech added lift

Arkansas Tech Coach Kyle Shipp is nowhere near being satisfied — not even a tiny bit — but there has been an extra bounce in his step this week.

Same for his Wonder Boys players and coaches.

“Definitely feels better than the last couple weeks,” Shipp said. “You see a lot more smiles on kids’ faces. It’s been a good atmosphere.”

Winning a game will do that to a program that had gone winless for eight consecutive, one week short of a calendar year.

That includes an 0-6 start to this season, Shipp’s first year as a head coach.

That made Saturday’s 21-14 victory over Northwestern Oklahoma State a welcome change for all involved.

“It doesn’t fix everything,” Shipp said, “but it fixes a lot. Everybody’s not as moody, including me.”

Shipp, 35, inherited a difficult situation when he took over the Arkansas Tech program in March after less than two months on the job as the Wonder Boys offensive coordinator.

He was hired by thencoach Bo Atterberry, who took over for Raymond Monica in December after Monica was fired after going 34-34 in six seasons in Russellville.

But Atterberry, who came to Arkansas Tech after being head coach at Southeastern Oklahoma State in Durant, resigned and Shipp was elevated to head coach by former Athletic Director Steve Mullins.

Shipp, a former Wonder Boys player and assistant, joined Atterberry’s staff after five seasons as quarterbacks coach for the University of Arkansas-Monticello.

He did his best to keep the program together, went out and sought transfers from every corner of the college football world, and worked to keep the players Arkansas Tech already had enthused.

Then, the season started and reality hit.

Arkansas Tech lost the opener at UAM 26-23 in overtime, and the Wonder Boys, though competitive at times, faltered late in games and the downward spiral reached its low point in a 41-24 loss at Southern Nazarene in Week 6.

The victory over Northwestern Oklahoma State was huge, Shipp said, from the standpoint that the Wonder Boys saw positive results if they all stayed together.

“We finally didn’t implode,” said Shipp, who received calls and text messages from fellow coaches, including Todd Knight of Ouachita Baptist and Hud Jackson, Shipp’s boss at UAM.

But one victory is just that, and this week’s trip to Weatherford, Okla., is a chance for the Wonder Boys to not only win another game, but to

build momentum as the season winds down.

“We need to win this game,” he said, “and even after this game, if we can figure out a way to win 4 in a row, and maybe play with Harding.”

Arkansas Tech did suffer one setback last week when quarterback Mason Cunningham, a transfer from Liberty University who had started three consecutive games, went down with a broken tibia and will have to undergo surgery.

Sophomore Carter Burcham and senior Manny Harris will split time at quarterback for the remainder of the season — Cunningham is expected to be back in the spring — and the biggest thing for the Wonder Boys is to do what they did last week — not turn the ball over and create turnovers.

“We’re finally coming together as a team, starting to understand how to practice,” Shipp said. “The biggest thing is staying away from making stupid mistakes.”

RANKED, FILED

The Great American Conference has three teams in the NCAA Division II

football polls for the first time since last October with Henderson State joining Ouachita Baptist and Harding in the American Football Coaches Association and d2football.com Top 25.

Henderson State (6-1) came in at No. 23 in both polls this week. OBU is No. 5 in the AFCA and No. 4 in the media poll, while Harding (6-1) is 18th in the AFCA poll and 14 in the d2football.com poll.

Southern Arkansas (6-1) is among others receiving votes in the AFCA poll.

The only rankings that really matter in Division II are the four regional polls that decide the 28-team field for the playoffs.

OBU and Harding made the playoffs last season, and both teams ended up losing to eventual national runner-up Ferris State, which is currently ranked No. 2 in both polls.

Valdosta State, the defending Division II national champ, is 7-0 and No. 1 in both polls.

The first regional rankings will be released Monday, after the eighth week of the season is complete.

UNDER THE RADAR

The University of Arkansas-Monticello

(5-2) is off to its best start since joining the Great American Conference in 2011, and the Boll Weevils need a victory Saturday at Oklahoma Baptist (3-4) to stay in the running for the conference championship.

UAM finishes the season with games against in-state rivals Henderson State (6-1), Ouachita Baptist (7-0) and Southern Arkansas (6-1) and could make its presence felt even if it doesn’t end up on top.

The Boll Weevils beat Henderson State and SAU last season to finish the regular season at 6-5, and their last-second victory over the Muleriders knocked SAU of a possible spot in the Division II playoffs.

UAM Coach Hud Jackson said this week that the team is focused on nothing but Oklahoma Baptist and its quarterback, Preston Haire, who leads the GAC in passing, TD passes and total offense.

“Our players do understand the importance of this game,” Jackson said. “We will remain focused but also keep ourselves loose. It’s worked so far.”