KICKING OFF
Optimism is high for the 2023 Arkansas Tech football season as the Wonder Boys will once more take the field under the direction of 2007 alum,
Kyle Shipp. Entering the fifth year and fourth season of competition under
Shipp, the Wonder Boys look to continue the upward trajectory of the program in the last three seasons of action. In each of those seasons, the Wonder Boys have improved their win total, going from three in 2019 to four in 2021 and most-recently five wins in 2022.
This year, the Wonder Boys have a favorable schedule with six of their 11 regular season games scheduled to take place at home at Thone Stadium at Simmons Bank Field. Four of those games will come through the first seven weeks of the season with the remaining two coming in succession to close out the season.
In terms of the roster, the Wonder Boys welcome back 10 starters across both sides of the ball along with 46 returning letterwinners from a year ago. Additionally, Tech will have 20 players taking the field for the first time after redshirting last year as true freshmen. Along with those, the Wonder Boys boltered their roster with 12 transfers and 27 true freshmen.
TECH(NICALLY) SPEAKING
SCOUTING THE OFFENSE
Offensively, the Wonder Boys averaged 28.0 points per game and 391.0 yards of total offense per game in 2022. Their ppg average ranked ninth in the GAC, while their total offense was seventh.
Jack Grissom assumed the starting QB role over the final seven games and appeared in nine games total. Grissom would throw for 1,454 yards on 120-of-195 attempts with five touchdowns and five interceptions. The starting QB role this season is an open competition between Taye Gatewood and Hunter Loyd. Both saw some action last year with Gatewood starting the first four games of the season.
On the ground, the Wonder Boys are without leading rusher, Devontae Dean, who had 845 yards rushing on 135 carries with five touchdowns in his senior season. Tech does, however, return their second-leading rusher in Deon Simmons. Last year, Simmons rushed for just over 500 yards and five touchdowns on 95 carries. Short-yardage bruiser, Jordan Edington, is also back after leading the team in rushing touchdowns with seven.
In terms of receiving, Tech returns all six of their top pass-catchers from a year ago, led by Joyrion Chase, who ended the year with 508 yards on 38 receptions and three touchdowns. Mason Ross, Matthew Rivera and Adam Cousins all return and had at least 20 receptions and one touchdown last season.
SCOUTING THE DEFENSE
Defensively last season, the Wonder Boys allowed an average of 454.7 yards of total offense per game by their opponents and 34.5 points per game. The total defense ranked 10th in the GAC, while their scoring defense was eighth.
Individually, Tech is without the services of four of their top-five tacklers from last year, but do return their second-leading tackler in Matthew Minnix. Minnix had 68 stops with 35 being the solo variety. He also had 2.5 tackles for lost yardage and recovered a fumble. The Wonder Boys' top sack artist, Victor Hill (5.5 sacks), and top ballhawk, Jordan Furtch (3 INTs) both exhausted their eligibility last season.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The kicking game will look different for the first time since the 2018 season as Tech's all-time leader in field goals made, Jesus Zizumbo, has exhausted his eligibilty. The Wonder Boys do have a pair of kickers on their 2023 roster, but time will tell between Austin Hosier and Logan Tymeson, which one will handle the kicking duties.
Despite the loss of Zizumbo, the Wonder Boys return experience in the punting game with the return of punter, Aaron Winn. In his previous two seasons as Tech's punter, Winn has averaged 41.0 yards per punt, landed 28 inside the 20-yardline and booted nine over 50 yards.
ABOUT OKLAHOMA BAPTIST
LAST SEASON
The Oklahoma Baptist Bison endured their worst season as a program since starting back up in 2013 as they went 1-10 in 2022. The down year came after the Bison had reached the height of success for their new program with an 8-4 overall record that included a post-season win with a 24-21 victory against UT-Permain Basin in the Fun Town RV Heritage Bowl.
THE COACH
The Bison are coached by Chris Jensen, who is in his 11th year as the head coach at Oklahoma Baptist after being tasked with revitalizing the previously-defunct program in 2013. The first two seasons under Jensen saw the Bison compete as members of the NAIA before transitioning to NCAA Division II and the Great American Conference in 2015. Overall, Jensen is 39-61 as head coach. His best season at the NCAA level came in 2021 as he led the Bison to an 8-4 record and a postseason win in the Fun Town RV Heritage Bowl.
SCOUTING THE OFFENSE
Offensively, the Bison feature a spread offensive attack. Last year, OKB had the 11th-ranked scoring offense in the GAC at 22.4 ppg and the 11th-ranked total offense with an average of 336.6 ypg. Through the air, the Bison averaged 224.5 ypg to rank fourth in the GAC. On the ground, OKB averaged 109.2 ypg to rank 12th in the GAC.
Their leading rusher a year ago was Buddy Bizzell with 470 yards gained. In 11 games as a freshman, he averaged 42.7 yards per game and 4.6 yards per carry. He also led the team with seven rushing scores.
In the passing game, the Bison had four quarterbacks make starts with Dayton Wolfe, Aidan Thompson, Seth Streeter and Amari Jessie all getting at least one nod. Wolfe and Jessie are not back on the roster in 2023. Wolfe had the most action of the four with seven games played, 1,419 yards on 137-of-229 passing with nine touchdowns and eight interceptions. Thompson is the projected starter this year and played in two games a season ago. He threw for 321 yards on 32-of-58 passing and had one touchdown and four interceptions.
Last year's leading receiver, Keilahn Harris, is gone to the NFL and with it, 80 receptions, 1,050 yards and seven touchdowns. The next leading receiver that is returning in 2023 is Michael Marshall. Last year, Marshall had 355 yards on 32 receptions and two touchdowns.
SCOUTING THE DEFENSE
Defensively, the Bison base out of the 4-2-5 scheme and ended the 2022 season ranked 12th in scoring defense at 42.7 ppg. Their total defense ranked 12th in the GAC at 484.6 ypg of total offense by their opponents. Through the air, OKB ranked eighth in the GAC with 205.8 ypg. On the ground, the Bison allowed an average of 278.8 ypg to rank 12th in the GAC.
Individually, Oklahoma Baptist had two players end the year with 80 or more stops and were led by Elijah Tomlin with 89. Eight different players had at least 3.0 tackles for loss. Tomlin and Nick Boone led the team in sacks with 5.0 each. Neither are back on the 2023 roster
THE SERIES
This will be the 11th meeting all-time between Arkansas Tech and Oklahoma Baptist in a series that dates back to 1927, but the series did not begin in earnest until 2015 when Oklahoma Baptist restarted their football program and joined the Great American Conference. Overall, Tech holds a 6-3-1 advantage and are 5-2 since the two became conference foes.
