AWC set for home-opener, rematch vs. Eastern Ariz.
The Arizona Western football team is just two games into its season, but it will already be playing an opponent for the second time when it hosts Eastern Arizona today at 7 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
The Matadors beat the Gila Monsters, 21-14, in their season-opener in Thatcher on Sept. 2. Tonight’s game is both the home opener and the Western States Football League opener for AWC (2-0 overall), while EAC (2-2, 0-1) lost 26-21 to Mesa in its conference opener two weeks ago.
The Sept. 2 matchup with the Gila Monsters was closer than Arizona Western coach Tom Minnick would’ve liked.
“We didn’t play very well,” he said. “But I’m sure they didn’t play very well, either. They had their shots to win.”
AWC is coming off a bye week, which Minnick said was beneficial, because it gave the Matadors more time to prepare for EAC’s run-oriented, option-style offense.
“The quarterback hurt us some (running), they’ve got some speed, and we didn’t tackle very well (that first game),” Minnick said. “It’s a brand-new playbook when you got against Eastern. And they throw it a little better than they have in the past. Toward the end of the game they had a kid wide open and just missed him, and that would’ve tied it.”
Some other news and notes ahead of tonight’s game:
Quarterback update
Statistically, the first two games of the season have gone very differently for AWC starting quarterback Bryce Perkins, a transfer from Arizona State. Against Eastern Arizona, he completed just 7 of 15 attempts for just 105 yards and three interceptions. Against Pima, he threw for 150 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.
“A couple (of the interceptions vs. EAC) weren’t his fault, but we’ve just got to play better,” Minnick said. “He’s got to get more assertive, just with calling stuff and getting kids to the line. But he’s coming along. It’s been two-and-ahalf years since he played, so just getting back in a rhythm and stuff like that.”
Perkins has seen the majority of reps at quarterback so far, but freshman Jack Colletto did see some action against Pima, completing 2 of 3 attempts for 44 yards.
“Jack did well last game,” Minnick said. “We’ll probably play them both again and see how it goes.”
One particular bright spot for the Matadors has been the play of running back Greg Bell, who’s rushed for 100-plus yards in both games so far. Through two games, he’s carried the ball 40 times for 252 yards and has added four receptions for 58 yards.
Production out of the sophomore was to be expected, considering he was an NJCAA All-American a year ago as a freshman with the Matadors.
“He has (played well),” Minnick said. “We’ve just got to block a little bit better, just get in people’s way, because he can make people miss. So he’s doing a good job.
“But we’ve got to find our way on offense right now. We’ve got to get up to the line of scrimmage and get going and move the ball. If we can figure that out and not jump offside and stuff like that, we’ll be alright.”
Sophomore receiver Jaron Woodyard has been the other statistical standout offensively, as he has 12 catches for 173 yards and two scores on the season.
East Mississippi new No. 1
After occupying the top spot in the NJCAA national rankings the first three weeks of the season, the Matadors dropped to No. 2 this week, behind new No. 1 East Mississippi.
East Mississippi (4-0) received five first-place votes and 137 total points in the poll, to four first-place votes and 136 total points for the Matadors.
Minnick said he was not surprised by the change.
“We haven’t played very well, and I’ve watched them a couple of times, and they’re pretty good,” he said.