Football brings 'Road Dawg' mentality to Conway

Get Hyped!

The Details

Game: Abilene Christian (1-1) at No. 14 Central Arkansas (2-0)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 14
Kickoff: 6:05 p.m.
TV: ESPN3
Radio: 98.1 FM - The Ticket
Real-Time Stats

98.1 - The Ticket Game Preview

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- The night before the Southland Conference season opener is akin to Christmas Eve for Wildcats' head football coach Adam Dorrel.

"I'm excited about Saturday," he expressed with enthusiasm to his staff and players. "I'm excited because I finally feel we have the talent here to start winning Southland Conference games. We're fully loaded. Now it's up to us be tough for 60 minutes ... Tomorrow's going to feel like Christmas Day."

The Wildcats enjoyed a solid week of practice while preparing for the 14th-ranked Central Arkansas, who have climbed the polls in recent weeks by winning back-to-back road games with epic fourth-quarter comebacks. UCA outscored Western Kentucky, 21-0, in the fourth quarter to win 35-28, and last week at Austin Peay, the Bears scored two fourth quarter touchdowns after trailing, 13-10.

UCA's+32 fourth-quarter scoring margin has caught Dorrel's attention. He knows the Bears' explosiveness on offense will keep them in the game, and that it'll be up to his team to win all four quarters. The best way to do that is to employ a 'Road Dawg' mentality.

"This is their home opener," he said, "and for us to beat a ranked team on the road we have to immediately exceed their enthusiasm and energy, and be ready to change the momentum. Look each other in the eye. Communicate and have maximum focus."

Additional areas of emphasis include coming out of the game with a positive turnover margin. Not only do the coaches expect the offense to take care of the ball, they want the defenders to be aggressive in getting the ball back.

"If it's close, pick it off," said Dorrel to his players. "Strip the ball, but don't just fall on it. Pick it up and run!"

At the same time, the secondary has to be more than cautions defending the Bears' talented wideouts, and the best way to eliminate their big-play offense is to keep all the action in front of them.

Offensively, Dorrel expects better play from his o-linemen; however, if they all block up front, the Bears' defense will have trouble stopping ACU's varied running attack led by Tracy James, Billy McCrary and Tyrese White.

The series has not been kind to the Wildcats in recent years as their only win over the Bears in Southland Conference took place in Plano, Texas during the 2014 season (W, 52-35). ACU's only win vs. the Bears prior to that victory took place at Little Rock's War Memorial Stadium, where then-sophomore quarterback Jim Reese led the Wildcats to a 27-10 triumph.

Reese again will be with the Wildcats Saturday as the color analyst for ACU Football's coverage on 98.1 FM - The Ticket. Zach Carlyle will handle the play-by-play responsibilities.

Schedule