MONTICELLO – Pinned in its own red zone twice in the first half, Henderson State University didn’t take long to score on both occasions.
Henderson found cracks in the University of Arkansas at Monticello defense to make game-defining explosive plays to extend those drives, and the Reddies staved off a third-quarter Boll Weevil surge on their way to a 48-18 win Saturday night at Willis “Convoy” Leslie Cotton Boll Stadium.
Hud Jackson, UAM’s 15th-year head coach, was nothing short of frustrated after this defeat – the fifth in a row for the Weevils since last winning Nov. 2, 2024, against Oklahoma Baptist University at home.
“I don’t know how to explain it, to be honest with you,” Jackson said. “You get in a situation like you’re talking about, (and) you have a chance to get the ball back. Defense is playing good. For a quarter-and-a-half, maybe two quarters, we’re playing like we’re capable of playing, and they break contain.”
The Reddies (3-0 overall and Great American) outgained the Weevils 565-290 in total yards and overcame a 15-7 third quarter by UAM with a 17-0 fourth quarter.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The loss sent the Weevils (0-3) to their worst start since 2015, when they lost their first five and finished the season 1-10.
“It’s frustrating, obviously, trying to find answers in regards to what that is, but you’ve got people there to make plays,” Jackson said. “And we’ve got to make plays. It’s that simple. But, look, our backs are against the wall, and the only way I know to do is fight and try to find a way to win.”
Henderson went into halftime with a 24-3 lead, the largest halftime deficit for the Weevils this season.
Trailing just 7-0 in the first quarter, UAM gave up a 44-yard pass from Andrew Edwards to Taylin Paskel on third-and-8 from the Reddies’ 18. The Reddies converted three more first downs in the next eight plays, scoring on a 7-yard Edwards keeper with 1:14 left in the quarter.
Edwards, a redshirt senior, made a case for conference Offensive Player of the Week accolades after collecting 4 touchdowns in three ways. He completed 19 of 28 passes for 243 yards and 2 touchdowns, caught a 36-yard TD pass from wideout Micah Greene on a double reverse early in the Reddies’ dominant fourth period, and scored on a 7-yard carry late in the first quarter to make it a 14-0 lead. He carried 9 times for 75 yards.
“I really just think we have so many different aspects in our offense,” Edwards said. “We have an all-American tight end (Cayden Davis) and a lot of good receivers and running backs who can do different things. That just helps me out as a quarterback, all those guys making plays.”
Henderson’s offense, one of the most potent in the Great American, outgained UAM 565-290 in total yards, topping its season average by more than 65 yards. Freshman wideout Maddox Davis, the reigning Offensive Player of the Week, caught 4 passes for 46 yards and a TD, while Trent Davis had 5 receptions for 83 yards and Taylin Paskel 2 passes for 67 yards in the win. Cayden Davis totaled 5 catches for 27 yards.
Two other Reddies ran for touchdowns. Jeremiah Davis rushed 9 yards for the opening score more than 5 minutes into the game, and Chris Gannaway ran through the middle 45 yards for the final score with 9:01 left to play.
Ahmari Cox led UAM receivers with 115 yards and 2 touchdowns on 5 receptions. UAM was held to 71 rushing yards, led by Jaylen Sulton’s 21 yards on 6 carries, while Travelle Anderson rushed 5 times for 12 yards in his Boll Weevil debut.
UAM’s Tavion Faulk completed 16 of 32 with an interception for 219 yards. He was strip-sacked by Henderson’s Paul Manning, and Taylor Hughey recovered at the Weevils’ 30 on UAM’s second offensive series. That led to Davis’ first carry.
Henderson charged to a 24-0 lead after a 31-yard Ryan McDonnell field goal and 33-yard Edwards-to-Maddox Davis touchdown pass. That pass capped a 6-play, 85-yard drive helped by Gannaway’s 40-yard run after a zip catch on third-and-19, splitting two would-be Weevil tacklers.
UAM ended the shutout bid on a 36-yard field goal by Charles Stinson with 1:12 left before halftime.
The Weevils’ defense came up with stops on the Reddies’ first two drives of the second half, an interception and by linebacker Dajon Doss and a stop on fourth-and-goal. They finally cashed in after the latter stop with Faulk’s 29-yard heave to Cox on a post route with 9:23 left in the third, pulling UAM within 24-10.
Whatever momentum the Boll Weevils found from the score evaporated on the Reddies’ next offensive play, a 41-yard carry by Edwards. Two defensive penalties later, Edwards found Cayden Davis on a cross route from 5 yards out for a touchdown.
Then, the Weevils regained momentum. Cox took a pass from Faulk 61 yards to the end zone with 3:37 left in the quarter, and after Henderson was flagged on a bobbled extra-point snap, Faulk ran up the middle for the extra 2 points, narrowing the Reddies’ lead to 31-18.
“We just had a couple of assignments we slipped up on,” Henderson Coach Greg Holsworth said. “We got aggressive. We blitzed, and a couple of our guys didn’t cover their guys. Sometimes, when you get aggressive, that room for error can be pretty devastating if you miss on your assignment. Credit to Monticello; they took advantage when we messed up and made the score close, and we had to come out and perform after that.”
McDonnell was 2 for 3 in field goals, his second make coming from 40 yards out with 10:43 left in the game.
UAM will visit Arkansas Tech University in Russellville next Saturday and return for homecoming Oct. 4 against Southern Nazarene University.