CONWAY -- The Central Arkansas Bears have a new coach and a new quarterback.
Their new season starts today against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane at Tulsa's Chapman Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.
"We're excited," said UCA Coach Nathan Brown, who was hired shortly after Steve Campbell resigned as UCA's head coach to take over the same position at South Alabama in December.
Campbell led UCA to NCAA FCS playoff appearances in 2016 and last season, when the Bears were the outright Southland Conference champion.
"I think we're ready," sophomore quarterback Breylin Smith said.
Brown said Smith is ready to take over, but inexperience is overcome only one way.
"Breylin has done it in scrimmages; he's done it in practice; he's done it in high school; but he has not done it in a Division I football game," Brown said. "There will be growing pains, and we've talked about that with him. You have to have a short memory and move on and play the next play, but I don't think there's any doubt with his teammates that he's the guy and that he has a chance to be a special player."
Smith will work behind an offensive line that lost four starters from last season. Brown said he thought that unit and the defensive backfield that lost two players currently on NFL rosters were his most significant offseason challenges.
Former UCA defensive back Tremon Smith was drafted in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. George Odum signed as a free agent with the Indianapolis Colts. Brown said both are hard to replace.
"We're going to have to develop a couple of new corners," Brown said.
The front-runners include junior Trai Mosley, sophomores Jackie Harvell, Robert Rochell and Brandon Northcross, and junior-college transfer Duke Upshaw.
Newcomers on the offensive line are led by junior tackles Hunter Watts and Alex Bridges, junior guard Curtis Parker, and sophomore center Toby Sanderson. They will join the lone returning starter, sophomore guard Adrian Harris.
"We've got some talented kids on the line we've recruited in our starting spots and in our two-deep that we feel good about, but they haven't done it in a game," Brown said. "They'll be fun to watch to see how they react in a big-game situation. They're a very skilled group."
Returning strengths for UCA start with experienced running backs and defensive linemen.
The linemen are led by senior defensive tackle Eric Jackson and junior defensive end Chris Terrell.
"We have a really good defensive line," Brown said. "When you have a good defensive front, you can have a good defense."
UCA returns its top three rushers from last season, led by junior Carlos Blackman and sophomore Kierre Crossley.
Crossley rushed for 780 yards and 4 touchdowns last season. He averaged 5.0 yards a carry. Blackman rushed for 770 yards and 9 touchdowns. Senior Cedric Battle rushed for 220 yards and 4 touchdowns, caught 13 passes for 340 yards and 5 touchdowns, and finished third in the Southland with an average of 100.8 all-purpose yards a game.
"Our running back group is as talented as we've had in a long time," Brown said. "You'll see a deal where it's really 1A, 1B and 1C. It will be whoever has the hot hand, and they can make whoever's in front of them look good. They're that talented."
UCA offensive coordinator Ken Collums shares Brown's optimism.
"The whole key to a dynamic offense is about having the playmakers, but also it's about having a level of trust to use them," Collums said. "I think that's what we have with our running backs."
As confident as Brown sounds in his team's talent and ability, he knows the tests begin today in Tulsa.
"I think our guys are excited to face the challenge," Brown said. "It will be fun to watch those guys get after it, because they love football."
Sports on 09/01/2018