Season ends a few weeks early
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Below are the offensive players of the week according to the Clint Conque show.
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Round one close, but Bears move on
Albany, Ga. — The University of Central Arkansas opened the game with three straight drives ending with interceptions Saturday against Albany State. But the defense allowed just seven points off those turnovers, and the Bear offense eventually got on track for the 28-20 win.
"I felt like the change in the game was for us to be able to manage the damage," UCA head coach Clint Conque said about recovering from the offensive struggles to start the game.
All three interceptions were from the same player, Marcus Jefferson.
"He’s a great player," starting quarterback Nathan Brown said. "Our scheme going into the game was to go at 14 [Jefferson]. He proved us wrong, played a great game."
Albany State (9-2) missed a field goal – twice – at the end of the first half, and the game was tied at halftime, 14-14. A timeout was called just before the first attempt, which sailed wide. The second attempt after the timeout was also no good.
The game and momentum turned toward UCA (10-2) early in the third quarter after the Rams fumbled on their opening second half drive.
The Bears took over on the ASU 42 yard line and drove down to the two, but were stopped on third down. UCA lined up for the field goal attempt with Brown as the holder, as usual. After receiving the snap, Brown stood and found a wide open Austin Cade in the left side of the endzone.
"Before the game, we knew that on the first field goal we were faking it," Cade said. "So we went ahead with it."
"I don’t mind telling you," Conque said. "I was a little nervous on that one."
The Bears took a 21-14 lead, and then the defense held ASU to just three plays for minus 18 yards on the following drive and forced a punt from the three yard line.
"Any time you can give an offense like ours good field position," defensive end Jacob Ford said. "It increases the chances of us getting something out of it."
With backup Chris Reil in at quarterback, the Bears found the endzone through the legs of backup running back Willie Hopson on a 16 yard run.
Hopson finished with 110 yards rushing on 19 carries and 36 yards on 2 receptions.
"Willie has given us a big lift," Conque said. "[Hopson and Kentrel Rogers] give us a tremendous 1-2 punch."
ASU closed the gap to 28-20 with 4:36 left in the game, but the UCA offense took the field and ran 11 plays to run out the clock and end the game.
The Rams came into the game with a +12 turnover margin for the season. After the first three drives, it appeared they were going to be able to continue that trend, but the UCA defense forced three fumbles in the game to even things up.
The Bears scores in the second half were a 3-yard run by Rogers and a 5-yard catch by Cade from Brown.
"I thought the offensive line did a tremendous job of creating holes for both of those backs," Conque said.
UCA’s leading receiver coming into the game, Aaron Fairooz, was held to just two catches for 10 yards.
"I think when we’re healthy we have enough weapons that if they are going to take away some things, then maybe we have some other options as well to go to. Plan B was to run the football, and we had some success doing that and probably ultimately was the difference in the game. That and a few trick plays."
The win moves the five-seed Bears on to the second round of the NCAA playoffs against the southeast region’s top-seeded Presbyterian College.
Bears in, but must travel
Conway — "What?" That was the most common reaction by the UCA football players Sunday when it was announced that the Bears were seeded fifth and will have to travel to Albany State this Saturday for a first round matchup.
"We’re certainly excited to be going to our second NCAA championships," head coach Clint Conque said. "This year we represent the Gulf South Conference as their champion, and we’re looking forward to a great experience"
The Bears (9-2, 8-1) wrapped up it’s season with a decisive victory over rival Arkansas Tech. The win, coupled with Valdosta State’s loss, gave UCA the Gulf South Conference championship outright.
With only one loss to a Division 2 team, some thought the Bears would be able to move up into the rankings enough to host a first round game.
"We’re a little disappointed to that we didn’t have the opportunity to host a home playoff game," Conque said.
UCA’s only other trip to the playoffs came in 2001, losing in the first round at Catawba College, 34-35. Only one player from ’01 is still on the team, wide receiver Michael Norvell.
"This opportunity to go back [to the playoffs] is a dream come true," Norvell said. "We’re all excited about going."
The Bears finished the season with six consecutive wins after losing on the road to Valdosta State, 12-7.
"When we came back from losing to Valdosta," Norvell said, "we knew we had six games left in the season, and we had to take care of business each week. We did that."
Albany State also faced and lost to Valdosta State in week two of this season. Valdosta forced two fumbles, eight punts, and limited the Rams to just 270 total yards to win 24-9 at home.
"Certainly there’s a lot of tradition at Albany State," Conque said. "We don’t know a lot about them."
This will be ASU’s seventh trip to the playoffs. They reached the third round last season before losing 38-24 to eventual champion Valdosta State. In round two the Rams hosted Arkansas Tech, winning 42-24.
First year offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Todd Cooley came to UCA from Arkansas Tech. He was with the Wonderboys last season in Albany.
"We’ll have an opportunity to go back and look at his notes," Conque said.
The Bears must travel more than 650 miles to Albany, Ga. later this week. All playoffs games are played at noon local time.
"It’s been a great year, but this team seems to be hungry for more."
The end of a rivalry, but not the season UCA
Russellville — Chalk up series leading win number 41 up to the UCA Bears. The rivalry ended – for the near future – Thursday night at Buerkle Field with UCA defeating its nemesis Arkansas Tech 49-17.
"I’m proud of my team," head coach Clint Conque said following his fourth straight defeat of the Wonderboys since arriving in 2000.
The win guarantees the Bears at least a share of the Gulf South Conference title, the first in school history in it’s last season in the league. If West Georgia beats Valdosta State on Saturday, UCA (9-2, 8-1) will win the title outright. But if VSU wins, they two teams will be co-champions.
Buerkle Field which seats around 6,000 was overflowing with 8,859 in attendance.
After holding ATU (7-3, 6-3) to a field goal on its first possession, the Bears found the endzone on their first two drives to start the game and had an early 14-3 lead with 7:38 left in the second quarter.
The Bears third possession started at their own 10 after a Cory Cangelosi interception, his second of the first quarter. UCA then chewed up nearly eight minutes off the clock on a 90-yard drive ending with a Willie Hopson two-yard touchdown run to put the Bears up 21-3.
"That was a big-time drive," offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Todd Cooley said. Cooley’s in his first year at UCA after leaving Arkansas Tech.
For the game, the UCA defense forced two interceptions and two fumbles, one fumbled returned 74 yards by defensive end Jacob Ford. After Caleb Bateman forced the fumbled, Ford recovered and ran untouched to the endzone. After the play ended, Ford returned to about the 20 yard line to retrieve his shoe which had fallen off.
The only negative part of the game for UCA were two fumbles themselves. One resulted in a 12-play touchdown drive by Tech. The other was recovered by ATU’s Mark Ewersmann and returned 50 yards.
The Bears finished with fewer yards of total offense, 313 to 325, but took advantage of a short field for two touchdown drives of less than 30 yards.
Cangelosi was named UCA’s defensive MVP while starting quarterback Nathan Brown was named the offensive MVP. Brown finished 17-of-20 for 160 yards and three touchdowns. Backup Chris Reil finished 3-for-4.
The Bears totaled 141 net yards on the ground, led by Kentrel Rogers 77 yards and one touchdown. Willie Hopson added 66 yards and two touchdowns.
"I’m just proud of this football team and what we’ve been able to do," Cooley said.
"Nine wins and at least a share of the championship," Conque said of the regular season. "We’re going back to the NCAAs and have a chance to play for the national championship. And we get to keep the trophy for an indefinite period of time."
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