CONWAY — Seeing his teammates advance to the second round of NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoffs last season was all the motivation Radarius Winston needed to get back on the field.
Winston could only watch from the sideline while recovering from a foot injury as Central Arkansas made its first FCS appearance, beating Tennessee Tech before losing to Montana the next week.
Now it’s Winston’s chance to play in the playoffs, as the Bears travel to Georgia Southern on Saturday for a second-round game.
“I’ve been saying it all week: It’s my first playoff game,” said Winston, now a junior free safety. “The guys who went to the playoffs last year, I know it was a great experience. They talk about it all the time. For this to be my first chance, it just feels great. With this team, it feels even better.”
Winston, 5-11, 192 pounds, from Bastrop, La., has started every game for the Bears (9-2), recording 54 tackles and 2 interceptions after making 36 tackles with 2 interceptions in 2010.
He wasted no time showing Coach Clint Conque and the Bears he was fully recovered. Winston had eight tackles and returned an interception 23 yards in a 49-27 loss at Ole Miss in UCA’s Sept. 1 season opener.
“He’s been the quarterback back there,” Conque said. “We missed that leadership and experience. ... He has a calming presence. We’ve got a few edgy players back there, and Radarius has a way to keep everything headed north.”
UCA’s defense has allowed 22.4 points per game and is 12th in the FCS with 14 interceptions. But the Bears have allowed 14 points or less in four of the past six games, all victories, en route to sharing the Southland Conference championship with Sam Houston State.
“We all trust each other to make the plays,” Winston said. “We all know each other and get along. There’s no conflict. The trust holds us together.”
Winston said the Bears know what they have to do against Georgia Southern’s potent triple-option offense, a scheme UCA has not faced this season.
The Eagles (8-3) lead the FCS in rushing with an average of 392 yards per game.
“We have to be disciplined,” Winston said. “We have to make the plays when we get there.”
Having Winston back in the UCA secondary is a plus, Conque said.
“He comes to work every day,” Conque said. “He’s absolutely a joy to be around. It was an unfortunate situation last year. There was some question as to whether he would get back. Mentally, he fought through that and physically he did the work that he needed to do.
“He was probably 85-90 percent in the spring, and throughout the summer you could see him get his quickness and speed back. He’s fun to be around every day.”
Winston said having to sit out last season has made him appreciate the opportunity to play again.
“Every day, I come to practice excited,” Winston said. “I go into the game excited. Late in the year, some guys will complain about practice. I’m like, ‘Hey, after sitting out last year, practice is the best thing right now. You never know when you’re day is up.’ Enjoy it while you can.”
Up next CENTRAL ARKANSAS
AT GEORGIA SOUTHERN
WHAT Second round of NCAA FCS playoffs WHEN 1 p.m. Central Saturday WHERE Paulson Stadium, Statesboro, Ga. RECORDS Central Arkansas 9-2; Georgia Southern 8-3 COACHES Central Arkansas: Clint Conque (98-53 in 13 seasons); Georgia Southern: Jeff Monken (29-11 in three seasons) SERIES Central Arkansas leads 1-0 RADIO KHLR-FM, 106.7, in Benton/ Little Rock; KUCA-FM, 91.3, in Conway; KCNY-FM, 107.1, in Conway INTERNET ESPN3.com, ucasports.com
FCS at a glance
SATURDAY’S GAMES
All times Central
Central Arkansas (9-2) at Georgia Southern (8-3), 1 p.m.
New Hampshire (8-3) at Wofford (8-3), 1 p.m. Coastal Carolina (8-4) at Old Dominion (10-1), 1 p.m. Illinois State (8-3) at Appalachian State (8-3), 1 p.m. Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo (9-2) at Sam Houston State (8-3), 3 p.m. South Dakota State (9-3) at North Dakota State (10-1), 3 p.m. Wagner (9-3) at Eastern Washington (9-2), 5 p.m. Stony Brook (10-2) at Montana State (10-1), 6 p.m.
Sports, Pages 24 on 11/30/2012