So any Uca fans on here? I heard this is your first year of d-1aa football.
What is skinny on your team?
Missouri State prepares for raucous crowd

Central Arkansas expects to more than fill its stadium for its first Division I-AA game.

Lyndal Scranton
News-Leader

Central Arkansas might be a newcomer to Division I-AA football, but it’s no stranger to winning.

“We’ve won 23 of our last 30 going back to the middle of 2003,” coach Clint Conque said. “Our kids believe they’re gonna win every time they tee the ball up.

“That’s a good thing for me because they’re a highly motivated group.”

Central Ar-kansas, after years of success in Division II, plays host to its first I-AA opponent tonight when Missouri State visits Estes Stadium.

An overflow crowd of at least 10,000 is expected in the 8,500-seat stadium for the first meeting between the schools since 1951.

“There is a buzz in the community, a lot of excitement about this game,” Conque said.

Which does not surprise Missouri State coach Terry Allen, who has warned his team to expect a raucous atmosphere.

“This is a lot better team than you want to face, especially playing them down there,” Allen said.

While Conque has 21 seniors who were key members of last season’s D-II quarterfinalist, he said, “It’s a whole new animal now as we play people like Missouri State.”

There’s some definite I-AA talent on hand. Senior receiver Aaron Fairooz and quarterback Nathan Brown are examples on offense, and safety Jasper Johnson and cornerback Ahmad Brown are defensive leaders.

Brown, however, will miss the game with a broken hand.

Conque said depth is his biggest concern as the program transitions to a full Southland Conference schedule in 2007.

“The majority of our depth is redshirt freshmen and freshmen with a sophomore or junior sprinkled in,” he said.

“Illinois State (last week’s opponent) had seniors and juniors as backups. It’s going to take us four or five recruiting classes and developing them until we can become a contender week in and week out.”

Of course, there are some built-in advantages. Conque has been able to recruit athletes under less-stringent D-II academic guidelines in recent years and many of those players will play prominent roles tonight.

“You (also) could go the transfer route and pick up six to eight Division I-type players that may have had academic issues. Those doors are closed now,” Conque said.

To find top-level talent that academically qualifies, Conque said it’s vital to expand a recruiting base that has always been Arkansas- and Louisiana- heavy.

“We’ll be deeper into Texas, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Mississippi,” he said. “You have to go where the players are.

“The move already has gotten us in some doors we weren’t getting into before.”

Conque said two things need to happen to success tonight: a big game from his veteran defense and good play from freshman quarterback Robbie Park.

Park started last week at Illinois State. He passed for 299 yards but threw two interceptions.

“Nathan Brown is an exceptional player,” Conque said. “But last week Robbie did a lot of good things. Our team knows he can lead us.”

Missouri State will be without tight end Payne Hall (knee) but gets receiver Tamarkus McElvane back after he missed a game with a shoulder strain.

“We’ve had a good week and I think the guys are ready,” Allen said. “I just hope they’re ready for the (atmosphere) they’ll see.”