UCAFANS.COM | GO UCA BEARS!

Here's our stats from 2015 and how we ranked nationally for the FCS level ot of 126 FCS teams:

Offense (FCS Rank)
Yards: 4567 (42)
Passing Yards: 2382 (58)
Rushing Yards: 2185 (30)
Points per game: 28.2 (52)
Yards per game: 415.2 (36)
Touchdowns: 36 (57)
Field Goals: 17 (10)

Defense (FCS Rank)
Yards: 4269 (61)
Passing Yards: 2800 (112)
Rushing Yards: 1469 (23)
Points per game: 25.2 (58)
Yards per game: 388.1 (66)
Touchdowns: 34 (57)
Field Goals: 11 (80)

Middle of the pack in both offense and defense with defense needing to shore up the passing defense.

In comparison let's look at Sam Houston who has been to the title game twice and the semifinals twice in the past 5 years:

Offense (FCS Rank)
Yards: 7975 (1)
Passing Yards: 4158 (1)
Rushing Yards: 3817 (4)
Points per game: 41.1 (5)
Yards per game: 531.7 (1)
Touchdowns: 76 (1)
Field Goals: 14 (20)

Defense (FCS Rank)
Yards: 6204 (125)
Passing Yards: 3226 (121)
Rushing Yards: 2978 (123)
Points per game: 28.1 (74)
Yards per game: 413.6 (85)
Touchdowns: 55 (122)
Field Goals: 9 (55)

Sam clearly has the #1 offense in the nation but their defense is SUFFERING...and horribly. Yet they have so much success because they outscore opponents.

Now let's look at McNeese:

Offense (FCS Rank)
Yards: 4376 (47)
Passing Yards: 1810 (98)
Rushing Yards: 2566 (19)
Points per game: 30.2 (36)
Yards per game: 397.8 (47)
Touchdowns: 40 (42)
Field Goals: 12 (37)

Defense (FCS Rank)
Yards: 3302 (10)
Passing Yards: 2341 (54)
Rushing Yards: 961 (3)
Points per game: 13.2 (3)
Yards per game: 300.2 (11)
Touchdowns: 15 (2)
Field Goals: 7 (31)

Very strong run game and a defense that shut down opponents run games.

If you could take Sams offense and put it with McNeese's defense you'd have one powerful team.

So what does UCA need to do to improve this year with so many new guys?

IMO: Looking at the stats UCA needs to take more shots downfield. No more sideline passes 5 yards back. Our defense needs to shut down the passes downfield too.

To beat Sam you have to keep it out of their hands.
To beat McNeese, which I think we could have done last year, pass the ball.

Any opinions? C'mon dead board..we are just weeks away from the season!

Keep QB healthy. We haven't been able to get a full season out of one in quite some time.
O line matures quickly
Find some running backs

D-line matures quickly
LB's mature quickly

Picking up the common theme? I believe we have the ability and some great leadership, just need to get some new guys experience.

Win special teams.

Finally, play extremely well on the road.

A lot to do, but there always is. I think this team will surprise a lot of people.

We Bears are slowly coming out of hibernation and enduring the heat and humidity..........

Xbear's diagnosis looks pretty good.........

If nothing else, we need to shut down long pass plays. How many times last fall did we have opponent 3rd and very long and give up a first down?

Lots of talent...guys need to step up and get it going in Game 1..............

In two games last year where the receivers ate our lunch, Samford and Sam Houston, we had our weakness exposed. Luckily not many conference teams took advantage of it.

Watching the team practice this year, the 1s are vastly different at CB and DB. I think we might see some positive movement on that side of the defense!

YOUNG TEAM isn't enough to describe this team... 40 freshman or variations thereof:

19 Kolt Harfield QB 6-7 215 R-Fr. Sugar Land, Texas / Clements HS
Deandre McGill 24 Deandre McGill LB 5-10 210 R-Fr. Wynne, Ark. / Wynne HS
Juan Jackson 25 Juan Jackson DB 5-11 190 R-Fr. Gardendale, Ala. / Gardendale HS
Roy Sutton 53 Roy Sutton LB 6-2 200 R-Fr. Fort Worth, Texas / Fossil Ridge HS
Luke Ross 57 Luke Ross LB 6-0 220 R-Fr. Madison, Miss. / Jackson Academy
Quentin Chastain 61 Quentin Chastain OL 6-6 320 R-Fr. Rogers, Ark. / Springdale Har-Ber
Hunter Lee 69 Hunter Lee OL 6-6 290 R-Fr. New Boston, Texas / New Boston
Chris Terrell 95 Chris Terrell DL 6-3 260 R-Fr. Pensacola, Fla. / J.M. Tate HS
38 Dylan Smith RB 5-10 217 Fr. Bentonville, Ark. / Bentonville HS
50 Brent Altieri LB 6-0 201 Fr. Frisco, Texas / Wakeland HS
53 Jacob Schimmels LB 6-0 195 Fr. Edmond, Okla. / Deer Creek
58 Brandon Brokeshoulder LB 5-10 225 Fr. Ozark, Ark. / Ozarks HS
63 Toby Sanderson OL 6-2 290 Fr. Edmond, Okla. / Edmond North
68 Cole Kennedy OL 6-1 285 Fr.
89 Arbnor Prelvukaj TE 6-4 265 Fr. Conway, Ark. / Conway HS
Carlos Blackman RB 6-1 220 Fr. Gosnell, Ark. / Gosnell HS
Kierre Crossley RB 5-8 156 Fr. Everman, Texas / Everman HS
Breyden DeSpain WR 6-3 200 Fr. Oologah, Okla. / Oologah HS
Cameron Devose LB 6-1 210 Fr. Duncanville, Texas / Duncanville
Derek Fernandez RB 5-9 190 Fr. Fort Smith, Ark. / Southside HS
Nathan Grant DE 6-4 225 Fr. Carrollton, Texas / Hebron HS
Joe Hampton WR 6-2 180 Fr. Little Rock, Ark. / Little Rock Christian
Adrian Harris OL 6-4 289 Fr. Tyler, Texas / John Tyler HS
Jackie Harvell RB 5-11 187 Fr. Gurdon, Ark. / Gurdon HS
Victor Hill LB 6-2 210 Fr. Pensacola, Fla. / West Florida Tech HS
Alvin Johnson DB 5-8 190 Fr. Cibolo, Texas / Steele HS
J.W. Jones DE 6-4 235 Fr. Rayville, La. / Rayville HS
Keshawn Ledet RB 5-10 200 Fr. Missouri City, Texas / Ridge Point HS
Justin Meadows WR 6-1 190 Fr. Lonoke, Ark. / Lonoke HS
Joshua Nix TE 6-5 250 Fr. Tuscumbia, Ala. / Deshler HS
Austin Norris DL 6-5 258 Fr. Conway, Ark. / Conway HS
Brandon Northcross WR 6-0 185 Fr. Ashdown, Ark. / Ashdown HS
Kevin Perkins RB 6-0 215 Fr. Tunica, Miss. / Rosa Fort HS
Robert Rochell DB 6-2 180 Fr. Shreveport, La. / Fair Park HS
John Parker Romo PK 5-11 157 Fr. Peachtree City, Ga. / McIntosh HS
Leandre Rucks DB 6-6 180 Fr. Strong, Ark. / Strong HS
Breylin Smith QB 6-3 187 Fr. Conway, Ark. / Conway HS
Robert Paul Upshaw WR 6-0 170 Fr. Little Rock, Ark. / Baptist Prep
Tyler Wallace OL 6-6 254 Fr. Milton, Fla. / Milton HS
Hunter Watts OL 6-7 295 Fr. San Antonio, Texas / John Marshall HS