University of Arkansas Monticello - Boll Weevil Yearbook (Monticello, AR)

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UAM BETTERS RECORD A quick glance at UAM’s 1978 overall and conference football re- cord leads one to believe that the grid season was similar to those of the past decade. The Boll Weevils didn’t break the 10-year losing jinx, but the Monticello club did manage to eclipse 24 individual and team re- cords. The 5-6 overall mark was the best slate since the 1968 season. With 17 starters returning, predictors la- beled UAM as one of the best in the AIC, but early injuries and the lack of needed breaks saddled the Weevils with a 1-5 league slate. The game results resemble a see- saw as UAM posted two victories, dropped three, won once, dropped three more and triumphed twice. The Boll Weevils opened with a bang with easy wins over UA-Pine Bluff and Southwestern on the road. Losses to Tarleton State, Ouachita and Central Arkansas made things bleak before a shutout over Evangel put life back into the squad. It wasn’t enough, however, as Arkansas Tech, Harding and Henderson posted AIC wins. The team rallied in the final two outings to score large victories over Panhandle State and Southern Arkansas. UAM wasted no time in chalking UA-Pine Bluff Southwestern Tarleton St. Quachita Central Arkansas Evangel College Arkansas Tech UAM UAM UAM = UAM ) UAM UAM 26 UAM 14 up its first triumph against UAPB, thrashing the Golden Lions 26-0 for the fourth consecutive year. The of- fense, with Terry Alexander gaining enough yardage to break the all- time career rushing record, moved the football impressively in the opener and the defense stifled Pine Bluff at every threat. UAM had trouble hanging onto the ball against Southwestern, but the defense came up with four intercep- tions and Jerry Bingham cruised for 269 yards and four touchdowns to provide the spark. In his first colle- giate start, the junior tailback broke open for scores of 47, 12, 54 and 48 yards behind the fine blocking of the offensive line. The offense ended with over 400 yards while SAM gar- nered less than 130 and had eight turnovers. Tarleton State, one of the top NAIA Division II schools, left Cotton Boll Stadium with a hard-earned 10- 7 victory. Turnovers plagued the Boll Weevils tremendously as the of- fense couldn't get rolling against a tough Texan defense. Tarleton scored its points early and it stood up until Donald Harris’ 81-yard inter- ception return put UAM on the scor- eboard in the fourth quarter. All oth- er scoring opportunities were denied by the Texan defenders. Ouachita proved to be the better in the AIC opener as the Tigers romped to a 31-0 shocker. OBU, too, jumped to an early 10-0 margin and added three touchdowns in the second half. The Weevils could man- age only 56 yards rushing while the Tigers, paced by All-American Wil- liam Miller, gained 259. Three big passing plays provided the difference for UCA in its 17-7 win. After Benjie Timmons connect- ed with Rodney Franklin on an 83- yard touchdown pass to tie the game, the Bears took advantage of a questionable pass interference pen- alty and moved in for the go-ahead score. UAM completely dominated Evan- gel as the Weevil defense limited the Crusaders to a minus ten yards rushing. The offense got cranked up after a 3-0 halftime margin and put 23 more points on the scoreboard in the last half for the 26-0 blanking. Arkansas Tech pulled out a heart- breaking loss at Russellville as the Wonder Boys scored the winning touchdown on a fourth-and-six situa- tion with 34 seconds to play.“ UAM had erased a half-time deficit for a 14-10 advantage then Tech pulled it out. The Weevils had several scoring UAM 6 » UAM 15 Harding 22 Henderson 38 UAM 42 Panhandle St. 6 UAM 51 Southern Arkansas 13 conference games Tom Farmer clears the way for Benjie Timmons. 172 Athletics

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HE Was A STRAIGHT A” | STUDENT IN ALK GRADVAETE WoRK-WAS NOMINEE FoR. RHODES SCHOLARSHIP — come ETED -D, DEGREE CONGRATULATIONS Qs. a COAC U CTC WA Q PROBABLY THE MOST ORGINAL COACH IN FOOT BALL-DOESN'T CARE WHETHER HIS TEAM e WINS OR LOSES. SO LONG AS His PLAYERS ENJOY THE GAME ARRANSAS A. AT. AND sald HE G S VA Carer Do you Mean { o0TSiDE oF By ScoRING THAT TOLDCH DOWN — AINATHING Don'T OI THAT ToDo! COACHES AS AN AVO CATION —1(5 ALSO DEAN OF MEN- HEAD OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION DEPT.— DIRECTOR OF STUDENT LABOR-EXTENSION PROFESSOR FOR UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS VISITING PROFESSA8R AT LS. tl. EACH HIS CAACHING AGREEMENT STATES THAT HE DOES Nov HAVE To WIN SINGLE GAME IN THREE Years WANDERING WEEVILS OF 1941 The 1941 Wandering Weevils were: ‘Fuzzy’ Watts, Paul Stegall, Charles Colvin, Benny Gaston, John ‘Scritch’ Scritchfield, William Bowers, Lawrence ‘Larry’ Lavender, Robert ‘Bob’ Potter, Frank ‘Buddy’ Carson, Lester ‘Yank’ Corwin, Oscar Dove, Ples ‘Pete’ McDonald, George ‘Bud’ Heroman, Eugene ‘Crack’ Jackson, Jim- mie ‘Twig’ Moore, Aurthur Isch, William ‘Wild Bill’ Owen, Rex Hoy. The Wandering Weevils visit with one of the U.S. Postmaster Generals. Athletics 171

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opportunities in the contest, but could only punch in two. touch- downs. Six turnovers paved the way for 15 Harding points and it proved to be the difference in the 22-6 home- coming loss to the Bisons. The Boll Weevils fell behind 15-0 and could never recover in the final half. UAM was able to cross into Harding terri- tory only three times in the entire afternoon. The Boll Weevils once again out- played Henderson from start to fin- sih, but this year the dirty tactic Reddies rubbed in a 38-15 verdict. Again the big plays were the main obstacle as Henderson tallied on a kickoff return, an interception and a bomb pass. UAM marched through and around the Reddies for 22 first downs and 357 rushing yards, but could only manage touchdowns by Bingham and Alexander and a field goal by kicker Danny Barker. The offensive machine continued to mount up the yardage against Panhandle as the Green rolled up he? “ se eet thet = aa Benjie Timmons wards off a strong attack. 459 yards of total offense. Alex- ander garnered 202 yards and three touchdowns in the 42-6 whipping and reserve quarterback Ronnie An- derson added two more. Alexander, back in his junior form, raced for three more touchdowns and 170 yards as UAM posted a 51- 13 lopsided victory over Southern Arkansas. The win left Monticello out of the conference cellar and was the first triumph over the Magnolia school in 12 years. Big plays pro- vided most of the excitement as John Tatum picked up a loose fum- ble and scored on a 98 yard return, Bingham took a pitchout and an- other 98 yards for a score, fullback Mike Flanagan tallied on a 43 yard burst and Alexander scamped for touchdowns of 49 and 54 yards. The offense finished with a 557 total yard effort. Not a bad way to end a somewhat frustrating, but yet, rewarding sea- son. Weevils await defensive instructions. Timmons scores only Home- coming TD.