Q&A with Central Arkansas beat writer Sam Lane
Sep. 8—The Daily Journal caught up with Sam Lane of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette to see what he considers the keys to the Ole Miss-Troy matchup.
Running back Darius Hale was spectacular as a freshman last season. What are the expectations for him in 2022?
The expectation for Hale is that he'll pick up right where he left off. He rushed for 99 yards on 18 carries last week against Missouri State before UCA started to lean away from him as it began trailing. He will have to share reps with Kylin James and Trysten Smith in the backfield, but he's still firmly UCA's RB1.
Head coach Nathan Brown was a record-setting QB back in his day at UCA. What is the MO of this offense, and what does QB look like for the Bears this season?
Brown is much more traditional in his offensive approach than one might think given the stats he put up as a player. He's cultivated a running back room that he gushes over. At quarterback, UCA has brought in Northern Iowa transfer Will McElvain. Between injuries and splitting reps, McElvain hasn't played consistent football in nearly two years, so there's still some rust coming off, but the talent is clearly there.
Who are the defenders to keep and eye on Saturday?
UCA has a pair of edge rushers that could cause any offense trouble. David Walker and Logan Jessup are relentless and could be a problem for Ole Miss if they aren't addressed properly. They combined for five tackles for loss and three sacks a week ago.
The Bears have been to the postseason one time under Brown. What's the expectation for the team this year? And what is their realistic expectation/goal this weekend against Ole Miss?
The expectation Brown has for this season is, without question, to return to the postseason. He brought in a record number of transfers in the offseason in hopes of bolstering a roster that he felt underachieved last time around. UCA and Brown fully expect to contend for the ASUN title this season, so a trip to Ole Miss will be a good test to see what they need to hone in on improving before conference play starts Oct. 1.
If UCA is going to make this game against the Rebels interesting, _____ has to happen.
UCA has to be able to continuously utilize its running backs. The duo of Darius Hale and Kylin James rushed for 185 yards — but almost all of those came in the first half. UCA got away from them last week when they began trailing Missouri State and it made the offense one-dimensional. UCA's young cornerbacks will also need to hold up, so the defensive front can disrupt what Ole Miss tries to do.
MICHAEL KATZ is the Ole Miss athletics reporter for the Daily Journal. Contact him at michael.katz@djournal.com.
