With just a couple of days before kickoff, here is a look at the basics for the game, Central Arkansas' stats and players to know.
It’s Week 1, we’ve finally made it.
Each week, I will publish a basic scouting report with the game time, a couple of key players and the opponents team stats.
It will always run on Tuesday, including this week even though there’s only two days between now and game time.
Basic game info
- Where: Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium
- When: 6:30 p.m. Thursday (Aug. 28)
- TV: SEC Network
- Radio: Tiger Radio Network
Central Arkansas Team Stats (from 2024 season)
- Points per game: 31.8 (Would have been 37th in FBS, but Central Arkansas is an FCS school)
- Points allowed per game: 27.5 (Would have been 84th in FBS)
- Passing yards: 231.5 per game (Would have been 61st in FBS)
- Passing yards allowed: 237.83 per game (Would have been 102nd in FBS)
- Rushing yards: 199.8 per game (Would have been 21st in FBS)
- Rushing yards allowed: 133.7 per game (Would have been 42nd in FBS)
Players to know
- Caleb Koger, QB
Koger was the backup quarterback last season behind Will McElvain.
He completed 39-of-72 (54.17 percent) of his passes for 489 yards, three interceptions and four touchdowns in three games played.
The Bears also have returning junior Austin Myers, plus juniors Luther Richesson and Peyton Lyon, redshirt freshmen Jack Patterson and Patrick Miller and freshman Ethan Phillips in the quarterback room.
- Landon Chambers, RB
Sophomore running back Chambers is the most-productive returner in the running back group. In eight games as a true freshman, he rushed 32 times for 176 yards (5.5 yards per carry) and one touchdown.
He was shouted out by Missouri coach Eliah Drinkwitz during his Week 1 press conference as someone to look out for.
The Bears also have junior Cam Young, sophomores Chapman McKown and Joel Modie, and redshirt freshmen Desmond Davison, Jalen Washington, Elijah Jackson and Dennis Gaines in the running back room.
- Malachi Henry, WR
Fun story that Drinkwitz talked about with Henry. The Tiger coach was on a staff with Henry’s father when the sophomore receiver was around 5 years old.
Now, Henry is the most-productive returning member of the receiving corps, after catching 41 passes for 683 yards and five touchdowns in 12 games as a true freshman.
There are 16 members of the Central Arkansas receiver room, so I’m not going to mention them all, but Henry is certainly one to look out for.
- Dillon Williams, DB
The best returning tackler on the team, Williams is a junior defensive back.
He totaled 80 tackles last season for third on the team to go with 4.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sacks, one interception and five batted passes.
- Samuel Horton, DE
Going into his junior season, Horton is the primary returner among the defensive ends. He totaled 4.5 sacks in 11 games last season, good for second on the team, though he totaled just 11.0 tackles overall.
He hit the QB two more times and forced one fumble last season.
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Category: General Sports
