Sixth in a series previewing the six Arkansas teams in the Great American Conference.
ARKADELPHIA -- Jaquan Cole figured something was up during fall camp last season.
The Henderson State running back hadn't been much more than a role player in his first two seasons with the Reddies. But during practices and scrimmages he would get more frequent breaks than before.
At a glance
HENDERSON STATE
MASCOT Reddies
COACH Scott Maxfield (80-40 in 12th season at Henderson State and overall)
LAST SEASON 11-2 overall, 10-1 in the GAC
OFFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH WR Courtney Whitehead
DEFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH DB Darius Thomas
NOTEWORTHY Begin the season ranked No. 9 in the NCAA Division II coaches poll. … The Reddies were picked as preseason favorite to win the Great American Conference title, which would be their fourth since the league was formed in 2011. … Is 40-4 against GAC teams since the league started. … Beat Sioux Falls last season, the first NCAA Division II playoff victory for any in-state team. … Ranked fourth in Division II in scoring defense while holding teams to 15.8 points per game, and pass efficiency defense rating of 89.7 was second. … Forced 37 turnovers, tied for third in Division II. … Sophomore Andrew Black will start at quarterback, after Idaho State transfer Michael Sanders quit the team last week. Black played in 10 games as a reserve last season.
SCHEDULE
DATE;OPPPONENT;TIME
Sept. 1;SE Oklahoma State*;7 p.m.
Sept. 10;at East Central (Okla.)*;6 p.m.
Sept. 17;NW Oklahoma State*;2 p.m.
Sept. 24;at SW Oklahoma State*;6 p.m.
Oct. 1;at Arkansas Tech*;6 p.m.
Oct. 8;Harding*;2 p.m.
Oct. 15;Arkansas-Monticello*;2 p.m.
Oct. 22;Southern Arkansas^*;2 p.m.
Oct. 29;Oklahoma Baptist*;2 p.m.
Nov. 5;at Southern Nazarene*;1 p.m.
Nov. 12;Ouachita Baptist*;1 p.m.
*Great American Conference game
^at El Dorado
"They always made sure I was rested," Cole said. "So, I figured they would be feeding me the ball."
Cole ended up being right. He carried 220 times last season, the most of any back in the Great American Conference and the most for any Henderson State back since 2003. The workload paid off, when he rushed for 1,189 yards, while earning the GAC Offensive Player of the Year award and leading the Reddies to an 11-2 season that included their third conference title in four seasons and a Division II Playoff appearance.
Does one season as a grind-it-out running offense mean Henderson State has shied away from the wide-open style that helped it win 30 games in 2012-2014? Not necessarily, Coach Scott Maxfield said. The Reddies ran the ball more than in recent years because of their personnel, with the departure of quarterback Kevin Rodgers and a bevy of receivers.
With a win-it-on-the-ground mindset, Henderson scored 27.9 points per game, but it helped a defense which led the GAC in scoring (15.8), yards (313.5) and turnovers forced (37).
It was difficult, initially, Maxfield said to change an offensive mindset that had worked so well.
"It's hard to get away from your roots, so to speak, and go to some other things," Maxfield said. "But that's the mark of a good coaching staff, is to adjust and do what their kids can execute."
That doesn't necessarily mean the Reddies will be the same this year. They're picked again to win the GAC, but Maxfield has left open the idea that they could open things up a bit more. Quarterback Andrew Black, a redshirt sophomore, will make his first start tonight against Southeastern Oklahoma State. Michael Sanders, who transferred from Idaho State and was competing for the job, quit the team last week.
Black, from Tyler, Texas, completed 25 of 49 passes for 209 yards as a backup last season. More than anything, Maxfield likes the weapons on the edge. Receiver Courtney Whitehead transferred from Central Arkansas to play his final season with the Reddies. They also have Austin Bennett, who began his career at Oklahoma and Al Lasker, a third-team Division II All-American in 2013 who has returned after taking two years off.
"Going into it, we feel like we're two-dimensional," Maxfield said. "We can do both and it's just going to dictate what the defense wants to do and try to take advantage of it."
Defensively, the Reddies return linebacker Josh Davis, a two-time first-team All-GAC selection; and safety Gary Vines, a first-team pick last year on a group so accomplished that it didn't get much attention.
"They've kind of gotten lost in all of the defensive excitement," Maxwell said. "Last year they were the bell cow of our team."
Vines, who had 76 tackles and 4 interceptions last year, said they don't mind that.
"If you're the type of person who cares about your name begin put out there, then you won't fit in here," he said.
That's not to say Vines isn't confident about the Reddies defense. He's just more comfortable listening to people discuss what the Reddies are doing on offense while helping to quietly lead another quality defense.
If both sides work well together, Henderson State could find itself in November where it's been three times in the last four years -- at the top of the GAC and heading into the playoffs. Since the GAC formed in 2011, Henderson State is 47-10 overall and 40-4 against conference foes. Both are the best marks of any of the 12 league teams.
The consistent seasons came after Maxfield won eight games just once in his first seven at Henderson. It was a period that required patience more than anything else, Maxfield said.
"It's hard to do something over night," he said. "It's just the hard work that we've put in as a coaching staff, the players that have come here and worked hard. It's kind of the fruit of our labor."
Sports on 09/01/2016