KICKING OFF
A rain-soaked 18-16 win on the road over East Central this past weekend gave the Arkansas Tech football team its fourth win in the last five weeks and has them still in line to secure a winning season with two more weeks left in the regular season.
The game at ECU was also Tech's final road game of the season, leaving the final two contests of the 2023 season to be played at home at Simmons Bank Field at Thone Stadium. Through four games at home, the Wonder Boys are 2-2 with their two defeats coming by a combined total of 10 points.
Back at home for the first time since the middle of October, the Wonder Boys will also be celebrating Homecoming this weekend against Southeastern Oklahoma.
With it being Homecoming, kick-off is scheduled for 4 p.m. to allow more time for on-campus homecoming activities. The main homecoming activity revolving the game itself is of course, the crowning of the 2023 ATU Homecoming King and Queen. That ceremony is scheduled to begin to take place 30 minutes prior to kick-off at 3:30 p.m.
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
SCOUTING THE OFFENSE
Offensively through nine games, the Wonder Boys are averaging 22.0 points per game and 316.4 yards of total offense. Their ppg average ranks eighth in the GAC, while their total offense ranks seventh.
Taye Gatewood has assumed the starting quarterback role for the Wonders Boys with starts in each of the last eight games. Thus far, he has thrown for 1,835 yards on 163-of-248 passing with 13 touchdowns and six interceptions.
On the ground, the Wonder Boys have had 12 different ball carriers through nine games. Deuce Wise has had the most carries by a running back with 79 and the most yards with 341. Jordan Edington leads the team in rushing touchdowns with six. Gatewood is next with two, while Corbin Humphrey and Wise account for the other rushing scores.
In terms of receiving, Tech has had pass completions to 16 different targets. Caleb Tanis leads the team in receptions, yards and touchdowns with 39 catches, 473 yards and six TDs. Matthew Rivera is the next-leading receiver with 392 yards receiving on 35 receptions. He is also second on the team in receiving TDs with three.
SCOUTING THE DEFENSE
Defensively through nine games, the Wonder Boys are allowing an average of 381.6 yards of total offense per game by their opponents and 24.7 points per game. The total defense ranks 10th in the GAC, while their scoring defense is sixth.
Individually, Tech has five players that have registered 40 or more tackles. The leading tackler thus far is Jyrin Steward and his 54 stops. Vershaud Richardson leads the team in tackles for loss with 14.0 and sacks with 8.5. Richardson also leads the team in forced fumbles with two.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The new-look kicking game for the Wonder Boys has Austin Hosier handling the placekicking duties. He is 22-of-25 in extra point attempts and 8-of-12 in field goal attempts.
In the punting game, Tech has used a pair of punters but are expected to rely on veteran returner Aaron Winn when healthy. He is currently averaging 45.0 yards per punt and has a long of 63 yards.
In the return game, the Wonder Boys are averaging 23.1 yards per return on kickoffs. They have three returns of at least 50 yards this season, all done by different players with Mason Ross, Hunter Wilkinson and Ryan Wilkerson having the big returns
ABOUT SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA
LAST GAME
Southeastern Oklahoma is coming off a 55-0 shutout loss at home this past weekend to top-five ranked Harding. The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for the Savage Storm.
THE COACH
The Savage Storm are coached by a familiar face in Bo Atterberry. A 1998 alum of Southeastern, Atterberry returned to his alma mater for his second stint as head coach this past summer. Atterberry's first stint saw him coach at SE from 2014-2018. In those initial five years, Atterberry's record was 33-23. Overall, he is in his 12th year as a head coach and has a 78-56 career record.
SCOUTING THE OFFENSE
Offensively, the Savage Storm feature a single-back spread offensive attack. Through nine games, Southeastern ranks 10th in the GAC in scoring average at 19.1 ppg and eighth in total offense with an average of 313.9 ypg. On the ground, the Savage Storm are averaging 111.6 yards per game to rank seventh in the GAC. Through the air, they rank sixth with an average of 202.3 yards per game.
The leading rusher thus far has been DJ Brown with 489 yards gained on 111 carries. He is also tied for the team-lead with Ryan Hirt in rushing TDs with four.
Under center, for the Savage Storm has been a rotation between Weston Conaway, Kane Donovan and Bryce Fields. All three have played in at least four games. Donovan has started the last two games. Fields hasn't played since week five of the season, but still leads the team in passing yards (840) and touchdowns (6).
The leading pass catcher is Hunter Hawthorne with 421 yards receiving on 31 receptions and has scored one touchdown. Marquis Gray has the most touchdowns with five.
SCOUTING THE DEFENSE
Defensively, the Savage Storm base out of the 4-3 scheme and currently rank eighth in scoring defense allowing 28.0 ppg. Their total defense is the sixth-ranked unit in the GAC as they are currently allowing 359.7 ypg of total offense by their opponents.
Collectively, the Savage Storm have forced 12 turnovers with seven interceptions and five fumble recoveries.
Individually, the Savage Storm have a five tacklers with at least 40 stops and are led by Cameron Tate and his 59 tackles. Kevin Simes leads the team in tackles for loss with 9.0 and sacks with 8.0.
THE SERIES
This will be the 23rd meeting all-time between Tech and Southeastern in a series that dates back to 1957. Overall, the series is led by Tech 14-7-1. Since becoming conference rivals as charter members of the Great American Conference in 2011, the Wonder Boys lead the series 8-4. In games played in Russellville, Tech holds a 9-2-1 lead in the series.
