CONWAY -- Clint Conque made a surprise announcement during the Christmas break after the 2013 season when he said he was resigning as head football coach at the University of Central Arkansas to take the same position at fellow Southland Conference member Stephen F. Austin.
Shortly thereafter, he was replaced by Steve Campbell. Then-redshirt freshman quarterback Hayden Hildebrand said he was stunned to learn that the coach who had recruited him was no longer in place.
"There are a lot of questions that go through your head," said Hildebrand, a senior and the 2017 Southland Conference Player of the Year. "We were all nervous. For one thing, it just came out of nowhere."
Campbell sympathized with Hildebrand's and his teammates' concern, but Hildebrand said his and Campbell's first meeting -- in a football office hallway -- served to soothe his anxiety.
"From the moment I met him, I could tell that he was all about football," Hildebrand said. "I could tell. That's his life. He's about football and he has a plan and was very optimistic. He has high hopes, and you could tell that he's going to do whatever he can to get whatever team he's coaching to the next level. I could tell from the first time I met him that he's very positive and very involved."
Campbell said he was immediately impressed by Hildebrand.
"He was a very conscientious guy," said Campbell, this year's conference coach of the year. "I could tell that he really had a good head on his shoulders, that he wanted to be successful, and that he showed a lot of maturity, and at that time, I didn't know he was a freshman. I was trying to assess a hundred guys, trying to figure them out, but I said, 'That's a mature guy,' and to find out he had four years to go, I thought that this guy has a chance to be really good."
UCA is ranked No. 3 in the NCAA Division I FCS coaches poll and begins its postseason at Estes Stadium in Conway against No. 20 New Hampshire at 2 p.m. today. The fourth-seeded Bears received a bye through the first round. New Hampshire, of the Colonial Athletic Association, advanced with a 14-0 first-round victory over Central Connecticut State last Saturday.
Hildebrand finished the regular season ranked first in pass efficiency among all FCS quarterbacks. He completed 66.9 percent of his passes for 2,768 yards and 27 touchdowns with 7 interceptions. He threw for an average of 10.3 yards an attempt, the statistical accomplishment that most impressed Campbell.
"He's a playmaker for us," Campbell said. "He makes plays. His yards per attempt are off the charts."
Hildebrand averaged 15.4 yards for each completed pass, which ranked third in FCS. Altogether, his accomplishments have drawn interest from professional scouts.
"The pro scouts have come in and watched the film," Campbell said. "They ask the character questions. You know, work ethic, character, is he a student of the game, all that type stuff, and I give him rave reviews. He definitely passes that part."
Hildebrand said he would not reject an NFL opportunity, but that his preparation for a career as a financial advisor has left him secure regardless. Hildebrand is on pace to graduate from UCA later this month.
"I had a little conversation with a scout the other day, but I'm not banking on the NFL," Hildebrand said. "I know that obviously, the chance is very small. Obviously, if an opportunity presents itself, I'd look into it."
Though Hildebrand said he had never heard of Campbell before he was announced as Conque's replacement, he could not help but be impressed by his new coach's resume. In 10 seasons as head coach at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Campbell compiled a record of 87-22 and led the school to an NJCAA co-championship in 2007. He also coached Delta State to the 2000 NCAA Division II national championship.
The change of coaches panned out well for the Bears, particularly Hildebrand.
"When we found out that Campbell was coming, we wanted to stay optimistic, so we stayed optimistic," Hildebrand said. "As it turned out, it's been a pretty successful change. It's worked out really well, not just for me, but for a lot of players that Coach Conque recruited as well."
Sports on 12/02/2017