MonticelloLive

University of Arkansas at Monticello head football Gwaine Mathews welcomed 103 players to the UAM campus on Sunday afternoon as a prelude to the opening of summer football drills Monday morning. “We’ve got a lot of people wanting to play for us,” said Mathews. “We’ve got more people wanting to walk on than openings.”

Mathews has long taken an optimistic attitude about his team’s strength, but this year, Mathews sees a great deal of speed to compliment his team’s strength. “We are very, very fast. I’ve always felt that not many teams will be stronger than us with our weight program,” said Mathews. “This year we’ve got five or six guys that have legitimate 10.7 second speed in the hundred meters. We will be a lot faster team.”

The Weevils’ fastest player thus far is linebacker/defensive end Danzel Issac, a transfer from Eastern Arizona who originally committed to Oregon State after being recruited by Nebraska and Texas A&M. “I’ve been coaching a long time,” said Mathews. “I have a slow watch, and I have only had one other guy in my career at 4.3 (seconds in the 40-yard dash). And Danzel is a defensive lineman.”

Quenton Arnett returns to the Weevils to provide speed at wide receiver, but newcomer Clarence Denmark, a transfer from Troy University, could challenge Arnett for speed awards on the outside. Warren High School product Mike Green will also fit into the equation at wideout along with newcomers Ike Knighton and Emmanuel Baker and a talented cast of returners, including Tim Harris, giving the Weevils a variety of targets for the starting quarterback this year.

“There’s no doubt that offensively we’re going to be faster than we’ve been. John L. Williams is running better than ever before, and we’ve got some big-time speed guys that will get a lot of attention. We will be very fast and very deep, inside and out.”

The race for the quarterback position is also wide open. Returning starter Elijah McDonald will be challenged by freshmen Blake Barousse, Scott Buisson, and Stuttgart High School product Joseph Lockwood for playing time this year. “Elijah has really had to respond to the challenge our freshmen will give him. Buisson is as advertised, and Barousse throws a very good, very catchable ball, but the best one is going to be our guy, period. Elijah is tough and resilient, though,” said Mathews. “He’s not just going to give the quarterback spot away. That’s not in his chemistry.”

Mathews figures to have more speed on the defensive side of the ball this year as well. “We’re going to be faster, and we will have more attitude,” said Mathews. “Our secondary is better, and we have an experienced defense. There will be some new faces, but there is a lot of experience. (Defensive lineman) Baron Lemar played at Troy. (Linebacker) Larry White played at Chattanooga. We have some guys with junior college experience to go with the guys that are coming back.”

The Weevils will open their schedule with Southern Arkansas on Saturday, September first. For the second straight year, the Weevils will play their longtime rivals in a non-conference game due to the Gulf South Conference’s schedule knocking SAU and Arkansas Tech off the Weevils’ conference slate in 2006 and 2007. UAM will look to avenge a heartbreaking 18-15 loss in the season opener last year at Magnolia.

“I give all credit to coach (Steve) Quinn and the players at SAU,” said Mathews. “Last year I think we had them beat for 58 minutes, and they came back and pulled it off in the last minute. They’re a solid team, and we’re going to try and get that one back.”

The Weevils will then travel to Huntsville, Texas for a meeting with Division I Sam Houston State before opening their conference schedule on September 15 at Ouachita Baptist. UAM returns home to face Harding before back-to-back road games against Missouri-Rolla and Henderson State. The Weevils’ homecoming will come against preseason GSC favorite North Alabama on October 13, and then the Weevils are back on the road for two weeks, facing West Georgia in Carrollton, Ga. and West Alabama in Livingston, Ala. before returning home to wrap up the season with dates against Valdosta State and Delta State.

While his Weevils were picked to finish last in the Gulf South Conference, Mathews does not put a lot of stock into pre-season polls. “We haven’t turned in an outright last-place finish in my two years here,” said Mathews. “We tied last year, but we were never flat-out last. As far as the poll, it is what it is. I think we will win a bunch of games this year. We have talent. We have recruited and retained. This hasn’t been a quick fix, and now it’s time to show the fruits of our hard work. I think we will. There are no excuses, we are ready to play – and win.”