Conque, UCA Debut at SLC Media Day

[TexasTerror]

From the UCA web site, we have an article about UCA's debut at the SLC Media Days where coach Conque brought two seniors, Jacob Ford and Aaron Fairooz. Conque believes that the Bears can and will compete with anyone. With a tough schedule, we'll see how the Bears make the transition to I-AA. I think an above .500 record is not out of the realm for the Bears...

UCA DEBUTS AT SOUTHLAND MEDIA DAY
FOOTBALL • Jul 26, 2006

LAKE CHARLES, La _ The Southland Conference football schools got their first look at the University of Central Arkansas Bears on Wednesday, and vice versa, as the Bears participated in the 2006 Southland Conference Football Kickoff Celebration.

UCA head coach Clint Conque and seniors Jacob Ford and Aaron Fairooz met the coaches, players and media from their new league during a media luncheon and interview session on Wednesday.

Conque, who has a playing and coaching background in the Southland, thinks the Bears can hold their own in the years to come, as well as this season.

"Our front-line guys are pretty good, some are really good," Conque said. "They can compete with anyone I think. The difference is going to be our depth, which will be very young, very inexperienced. But if we can stay healthy and the young guys can come on, I think we can reasonably expect to have a winning season.

http://www.ucasports.com/sport.asp?action=news&sportid=1&article=1378

[Bear Fan 101]

http://www.thecabin.net/stories/072706/spo_0727060028.shtml

UCA staff has several Southland connections

By DAVID MCCOLLUM
Log Cabin Staff Writer

LAKE CHARLES, La. - Sifting through the notepad from the Southland Conference kickoff celebration.

THE DEAN: Stephen F. Austin coach Robert McFarland said University of Central Arkansas defensive coordinator Denzil Cox was known as the dean of Southland Conference coaches when they were on staff together several years ago....

[Bear Fan 101]

http://www.thecabin.net/stories/072706/spo_0727060029.shtml

Fairooz, Ford have fun at SLC Media Day

By DAVID MCCOLLUM
Log Cabin Staff Writer

LAKE CHARLES, La. - Aaron Fairooz and Jacob Ford, both playful University of Central Arkansas football players, spent most of Wednesday afternoon trading playfulness.

UCA was making its first appearance at the Southland Conference's Kickoff Celebration. The Bears are the league's newest members, but are not eligible for the title and only play two league schools (Sam Houston State and Stephen F. Austin) this season....

[Bear Fan 101]

http://nwanews.com/adg/Sports/161727/

Conque at home back in Southland
BY NICK WALKER

Posted on Thursday, July 27, 2006

LAKE CHARLES, La. — When Central Arkansas Coach Clint Conque picked up a copy of the Nicholls State media guide Wednesday at the Southland Conference football media day, the first thing he did was flip to the back of the book.....

[Cat79]

We had great success our last two years in DII winning back to back National Championships. The loss of our successful head coach Jim Wacker (who left for DI-A TCU) was the beginning of a tailspin. The new coach did not maintain the quality depth to make a difference at the I-AA level. I-AA will be a challenge in the beginning for UCA. Your talent level at 1st string will be comparable but depth is the issue at this level. You have done one thing right by retaining a great coach according to some people I know in athletics

The two keys to being successful is keeping your quality coach and developing second team players. We failed on both of those areas making us the bottom dwellers of the SLC for many years. We had successful years in the first couple of years after the transition but started a losing streak that stopped with a few bright moments under a good young coach named Dennis Franchione when we won two years in a row. Our present coach David Bailiff is an excellent coach in my opinion. We expect continued success as long as David stays with our program.:hurray: :D

[Bear Fan 101]

I think that might be our key, developing talent in the 2nd and 3rd string positions for this upcoming season for obvious depth help. Then we'll hope that that young talent will progress along enough to become as good and quality as our starters and front liners this year and replace all the youth in the recruiting from here on out. Sounds easy doesnt it? ...

This will be a long and somewhat tough transitional period, but we know that going in. I'm looking forward to the challeneges ahead of us, that's for sure. Interesting times ahead for the Bears!

[Cat79]

The depth is crucial because the physical beating that takes place in this conference. Your weight lifting / conditioning program will now become critical in the development of the young players as backups.:D

The Delta State fans were complaining about us playing dirty. I explained to them that this type of play is everyday in the SLC.

[Lionsrking]

The depth is crucial because the physical beating that takes place in this conference. Your weight lifting / conditioning program will now become critical in the development of the young players as backups.:D



Excellent points. Depth was a primary concern for us last year in our first season of conference play. We were extremely thin at RB and LB and the fact we had to use a lot of starters on special teams likely cost us a chance to win a couple of more games. Our coaches feel like they've adequately addressed those areas in recruiting so hopefully won't have the same types of problems in '06.

As for UCA, I'm fairly familiar with their program and have no doubt they'll put enough talent on the field to compete with anyone on their schedule this year. The question will be can they stay healthy and perform consistently on a weekly basis, especially with that road schedule which presents another challenge entirely. By the time they're a full-fledged SLC member, they'll be ready to fight fire with fire.

[TexasTerror]

Remarks from UCA's players to keep an eye on...

JACOB FORD - (DE, Sr., Memphis, Tenn., University of Central Arkansas)
"This is actually a great opportunity for us to show how good a program we are, what kind of athletes we have, and where our program is.

"If injuries don't come into play, I don't think there will be that much difference (from Division II). I think we have quality athletes on par with the Southland teams. But if injuries do occur, depth will factor into it

"We had our opportunity to win a conference championship last year and to play for a national championship. But since we did, I don't have a problem with not being able to this year. Our final record will be our championship. We'll judge our success by our record.

AARON FAIROOZ - (WR, Sr., Mansfield, Texas, University of Central Arkansas)
"I know each week is going to be a new challenge in the Southland Conference. We aren't going to have any easy games. There won't be any teams we can take lightly anymore. We're looking forward to the opportunity to show what kind of team we have."

"One thing is there won't be that one weak link on a team that you can exploit. We will be facing great athletes across the board at every position."

"When I came in as a freshman (in 2002), I was hoping that we could move to Division I-AA my senior year because we had a great recruiting class that came in together and knew we would be ready by then. I think we are as ready as we have ever been to make this move. UCA football is at its best right now. "

http://southland.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/072706aab.html

[TexasTerror]

Nice to see a write-up about UCA in the Huntsville fishwrap. Click the link below for the full story. This was the 'top story' in the Item's sports section this AM...

Central Arkansas looking to get feet wet in SLC action

Bears to face SHSU, SFA during 2006 football season
Cody Stark
Assistant Sports Editor

The University of Central Arkansas got its first glimpse at the rest of the Southland Conference football squads this week at the league’s Football Kickoff Celebration in Lake Charles, La.

Since most of the teams in the SLC had almost finished their scheduling for 2006 when the Bears were offered an invitation to the conference last fall, UCA will have to wait until 2007 to play a full league schedule. But head coach Clint Conque and his team are excited about the upcoming season, and the chance to get the their feet wet when they play two SLC teams this fall — Sam Houston State and Stephen F. Austin.

“I think (playing two SLC teams) is going to give our underclassmen a chance to get a taste of what it is going to be like year in and year out,” Conque said. “Sam Houston is two years removed from a national semifinal run, and Stephen F. Austin is traditionally one of the top programs is the Southland. For our underclassmen it gives them a taste, and for our seniors it gives them a chance to blaze a trail for our program.”

The Bears will compete on the Division I-AA level this season, the first in school history after capping off their final year in Division II with an 11-3 record and a Gulf South Conference championship. Among the I-AA schools the Bears are slated to play are Georgia Southern, California-Davis, Illinois State, Missouri State and South Dakota State.

http://www.itemonline.com/sports/local_story_210000856.html?keyword=topstory

[GeauxLions94]

Another good one relating to Conque, a Baton Rouge native and former Nicholls State player, from the Baton Rouge Advocate.

Conque will need no map of Southland (http://www.2theadvocate.com/sports/3443106.html)

[JohnStOnge]

I think the NCAA's four year transition period requirement sucks. I think there's absolutely no real reason why UCA shouldn't be allowed to compete for the conference title and a playoff berth as soon as schedules can be worked out so that it can play a full conference slate.

Four years is ridiculous. The NCAA is ridiculous.

[ucdtim17]

I think the NCAA's four year transition period requirement sucks. I think there's absolutely no real reason why UCA shouldn't be allowed to compete for the conference title and a playoff berth as soon as schedules can be worked out so that it can play a full conference slate.

Four years is ridiculous. The NCAA is ridiculous.

Four years is also ridiculous because it's the exact length of time to ensure that one class has no chance to play for the playoffs in their college careers. The senior class at UCD is that class - 4 years of essentially exhibition games. You really have to tip your hat for the sacrifice they make for the school

[*****]

I think the NCAA's four year transition period requirement sucks. I think there's absolutely no real reason why UCA shouldn't be allowed to compete for the conference title and a playoff berth as soon as schedules can be worked out so that it can play a full conference slate.

Four years is ridiculous. The NCAA is ridiculous.wow, JSO. You know not of which you speak!

[RabidRabbit]

Four years is also ridiculous because it's the exact length of time to ensure that one class has no chance to play for the playoffs in their college careers. The senior class at UCD is that class - 4 years of essentially exhibition games. You really have to tip your hat for the sacrifice they make for the school

Both UC-Davis and NDSU are demonstrating that transistion teams shouldn't be held out of play-offs, if the goall is to have the 16 strongest teams in the play-offs.

But 5 years is a lot shorter than the 13 years impossed for bringing a whole conference up in bouncy ball.