LITTLE ROCK — Points in bunches for HSU
As if Henderson State needed more ways to score points.
The Reddies entered last week’s game against Southeastern Oklahoma State averaging a Great American Conference-best 61 points per game.
Henderson State, ranked No. 17 in this week’s American Football Coaches Association NCAA Division II poll, then scored 56 points in just 16 minutes, 55 seconds of possession against the Savage Storm.
The Reddies did that with a special teams unit that’s becoming just about as potent as their Spread offense, which averages a league-best 503.2 yards per game.
Robert Jordan returned punts of 69 and 85 yards for touchdowns, and Chuck Obi returned a blocked punt for another score to prove sophomore quarterback Kevin Rodgers, who leads Division II with 19 touchdown passes, doesn’t even need to be on the field for them to pile up points.
“Anytime you can get some extra points in that area of the game, that’s always a plus,” Reddies Coach Scott Maxfield said.
Jordan gave them plenty last Saturday.
The senior from Miami was a part-time punt returner last year but took the job this year after Nick Johnson was signed to the St. Louis Rams’ practice squad.
His first return for a touchdown Saturday went for 85 yards and gave Henderson State (3-0, 2-0) a 14-0 lead.
His second came in the middle of an 11-minute, 33-second stretch in which the Reddies ran only two offensive plays because of a 75-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to Darius Davis, Jordan’s return and Obi’s fumble return.
But Jordan’s first return was the most impressive.
He received the punt at the 15, went to his left, was hit before rolling over a would-be tackler, then found the home sideline and ran untouched the rest of the way.
Israel Valentin also returned the opening kickoff against Arkansas Tech for a score on Sept. 15, and Jordan’s 22.6 average yards per punt return is fifth-best in Division II.
“Robert’s done a lot better with his decision-making,” Maxfield said. “He’s one of those guys that thinks he can score anytime he touches the ball. Which can be good and bad.” OUACHITA BAPTIST
Still not sure
Ouachita Baptist quarterback Benson Jordan missed the final three minutes of last week’s victory over Arkansas Tech after injuring his shoulder.
He had ice wrapped around his right, throwing shoulder as the final seconds ticked off, and he had his arm in a sling as he left the field. As of Thursday morning, Jordan hadn’t practiced all week and his status for Saturday’s game at Southeastern Oklahoma State is still uncertain after what Coach Todd Knight described as a “separationor a deep bone bruise.”
Jordan, a sophomore who was thrust into the lineup when senior Casey Cooper suffered a season-ending knee injury four plays into the season, will travel and dress, but his status won’t be revealed until kickoff.
“If he could do it, I don’t know if I’d let him,” Knight said. “We just got to think, is it a one-game thing or should we think about the whole season?”
If Jordan doesn’t play, sophomore Ty Towers will fill in. Towers took over when Jordan went down last week.
Though listed as a receiver, Towers played quarterback at Star City High School and took about 15 snaps in a Sept. 8 victory at Stillman College. He has yet to throw a pass in a college game, but Knight said the playbook won’t be trimmed if Towers plays.
“He throws the ball well,”Knight said. “We’re going to stay with our stuff and do what we do.” SOUTHERN ARKANSAS
Showing signs
Southern Arkansas is 3-0 for the first time in almost a decade, thanks in part to a defense that’s found ways to halt drives even if it gives up yards.
The Muleriders, whose last 3-0 start ended with an NCAA Division II playoff appearance in 2003, rank seventh in the 11-team Great American Conference in total defense (359.7 yards per game) but third in scoring defense (19.3 points per game).
They’ve forced six turnovers in the past two games, including four in last week’s 35-34 victory over Southwestern Oklahoma State.
Three turnovers came in the final 6 minutes and they all helped Southern Arkansas (3-0, 2-0) twice come back from 14-point deficits.
“It’s been huge for us,” Coach Bill Keopple said of the turnovers. “People get caught up in how many yards you give up. But the bottom line is: How many points are you giving up?”
Two turnovers led directly to touchdowns Southwestern Oklahoma State, including Tyler Sykora’s 9-yard touchdown pass to Carlos Brown with 5:10 left. The score was set up by sophomore defensive back DeMario Thomas’ fumble recovery at the SAU 35 that he returned to theSouthwestern 9.
Sykora found Brown on the next play and Southwestern’s final two possessions ended when Aaron Wilson recovered another Southwestern fumble and Nick Davis intercepted a pass.
HARDING
Tough test
The East Central (Okla.)team Harding will host Saturday won’t have as gleaming of a record as some envisioned before the season.
A struggling offense has contributed to a sluggish start for the Tigers, picked in a tie for second in the Great American Conference before the season, who are 2-2, 1-1 in the GAC.
But the Tigers will bring a defense that features five returning all-conference players who, collectively, have the best shot at slowing down Harding’s triple option offense that averages an NCAA Division II best 363.7 yards per game.
“They’re a very big, long team,” Harding Coach Ronnie Huckeba said.
“They’ve got a lot of team speed on defense.”
Through four games, East Central hasn’t allowed more than the 128 rushing yards Southwestern Oklahoma State gained in a victory over the Tigers two weeks ago.
Huckeba said East Central scrapped its base 4-2-5 scheme for a 4-3 in last year’s 23-16 overtime victory over Harding, but he said most defenses change their base before playing his team.
The scheme isn’t a concern to Huckeba. His concern is the players.
Defensive end Armonty Bryant, defensive tackle Erik Howell and linebackers Jason Catchings, Amos Cherry and Brian McGrew were all named allconference last year and all lead a unit that allows less than 2 yards per rush.
“I think they’re pretty good all-around,” Huckeba said.
Sports, Pages 23 on 09/28/2012