Week 11 Game Notes
RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. — With plenty still to be decided in the Great American Conference standings, the Arkansas Tech football team hosts rival Harding Saturday afternoon for Senior Day at Thone Stadium.
The Wonder Boys (7-3, 7-3 GAC) and the Bisons (7-3, 7-3 GAC) are part of a four-way tie for second place in the conference, with a number of possibilities available to see who finishes second and earns the league's spot in the Texarkana Live United Bowl, which would be Tech's first postseason appearance since 2009.
"We're playing for second place in the league out there Saturday," coach Raymond Monica said. "A lot of things can happen can still happen there. We have Harding, Southwestern is playing Northwestern, and anything can happen there. There are possible bowl tie-ins after the season's over with for us too."
In order to make a push for an extra game this season though, the Wonder Boys will need to get past Harding. As usual, the Bisons' potent triple-option rushing attack. Harding is second in all of Division II with 376.7 rushing yards per game. Quarterback Park Parish leads the team with 82.1 yards per game and 19 touchdowns on the ground, with running back Michael Latu right behind him at fifth in the conference with 80.1 yards per game and nine touchdowns. Zach Shelley adds 64.6 rushing yards per game and Matt Tenison 59.2. Parish attempts only 7.4 passes per game, but has 746 yards and four touchdowns through the air, and is fourth in the conference with a 133.6 passer efficiency.
The Bisons defense is nearly as impressive in the running game, coming in second in the conference and 16th in the country, allowing just 106.5 yards per game. Daylan Skidmore leads the team with 7.6 tackles per game, adding 3.5 tackles for loss and an interception. Trevon Biglow is second in the GAC and sixth in the country with 8.5 sacks, while Scott Middleton averages 5.1 tackles overall and has posted 12 tackles for loss.
"Harding does a tremendous job running the option," Monica said. "They're as good as anybody I've faced running the option, and I had the opportunity to go up against Navy a few times. They're always very good on defense. They run around well, and players are sound in technique and they do a good job in the kicking game.
"We know we have to play a very good game to have a chance to beat them"
The gameplan focused on controlling the ground game remains the same on the opposite sideline. The Tech defense enters Saturday's contest leading the conference and 13th in the nation, giving up just 101.3 yards per game on the ground. That helps the Wonder Boys defense overall, which is second in the league in both points (19.4) and yards (319.6) allowed, while holding opponents to the fewest first downs (17.3) and lowest third-down conversion rate (31.4) as well.
Senior Logan Genz, who is the program's all-time leader in tackles, averages 9.0 stops to lead the team and come in sixth in the GAC, adding 9.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and two forced fumbles. Junior Nick Akins lines up at the other linebacker spot and has rolled up 5.8 tackles per game, 2.5 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss to tie Genz for seventh in the conference. Junior defensive lineman Demetris Ford has been coming on strong and now has 3.0 sacks, 5.0 tackles for loss and eight quarterback hurries. Freshman Cua' Rose leads puts up 6.5 tackles per game and is second in the league with five interceptions and fifth with 13 passes defended.
Offensively, the Wonder Boys would be leading the conference in rushing if it were not for Harding, as Tech puts up 286.9 yards per game, good enough for 13th in the country. Much like the defense, the rushing attack helps bolster the rest of the unit, as the offense is second in the league scoring 36.0 points and piling up 460.5 yards per game while leading the way with 24.7 first downs per game, which is 14th in Division II.
Freshman Bryan Allen is leading the conference and is 20th in the nation with 118.1 rushing yards per game, and with 945 yards on the season, he would need to collect just half that average to make him the first 1,000-yard rusher for Tech since 2004. Sophomore Brayden Stringer adds 70.6 yards per game and 706 total, while senior quarterback Arsenio Favor goes for 41.4 and has scored 15 times on the ground. Freshman Kristian Thompson adds a fourth threat from the backfield, putting together 46.6 yards and seven touchdowns. Favor has thrown for 1,730 yards and 12 touchdowns, with senior Jermaine Murdock his favorite target with 39 catches for 438 yards.
Tech will honor 14 seniors on the field before kickoff Saturday.
"To me, the big thing is for the seniors," Monica said. "We want to get them to go out with a win in their home stadium. All of them have played a lot of football here. They've all been here for some time, and Arkansas Tech means a lot to them, and they've all meant a lot to us."
The game will be carried live on 102.3 FM (KCJC) in Russellville, with live video, audio and statistics available at www.arkansastechsports.com.
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