Conque not pushing panic button in trying to end skid

While he’s not firing up a chainsaw in desperation, University of Central Arkansas coach Clint Conque told supporters Monday that he intends to keep sawing wood.

Saturday’s 17-14 loss to Sam Houston State marked the third straight defeat for the Bears and sent them to the lower echelon of the Southland Conference standings at 5-5 overall and 2-4 in league play. It’s the first time UCA has lost three straight games since 2003 when it lost six in a row. The Bears have lost their last three games by a combined 10 points, their four conference games by a combined 13 points. All five of their losses have been by a combined 18 points.

“I’m frustrated, our players are frustrated and people are getting a little edgy,” said Conque at the weekly Bearbackers luncheon, “but I’m not panicking. We’re going to keep sawing wood and do the things that give ourselves the best chance to win. We’ve had a chance to win every football game this year. We’re going to do the things that have proven successful over time, not only in this program but others.”

Conque said Sam Houston’s high-pressure, blitzing defense was the key to the Bearkats’ victory. He said of 74 meaningful snaps on offense for the Bears, the Bearkats applied blitzing pressure on 70.

“I’m talking in-our-face, man defense,” Conque said. “They kept dialing it up, sometimes blitzing seven.”

He said the constant pressure that through the UCA offensive front quickly could not be neutralized by either the running or the screen game.

“We’re not where we want to be at outside receiver right now,” Conque said. “The defense can get right in the box and cover us with man coverage. When they put eight in the box and different people are coming every time, you’re trying to block eight with six.”

The Bears also lost three starters in the offensive line (a center and two tackles) to various injuries during the game. Tight end Rico Moss missed the game because of an injury, and the other tight ends, Josh Ragland and Mason King, were injured during the game.

Conque he hopes to have all back in some capacity Saturday.

“We’ll put the best group of players we can on the field against McNeese State (Saturday night’s opponent),” Conque said. “A couple of the injuries are head injuries and you don’t mess around with those. We are gonna have to have a good week of health.”

The Bears are on the 10th week of playing 11 straight weeks.

“Eleven straight games really gets into your depth,” Conque said. “But we’re not going to use that as an excuse.

“To compare it to basketball, we have been beat at the buzzer five times. After awhile, that wears you down.”

Conque praised the defense’s production Saturday against a high-powered offense.

“We were able to get great pressure on both the passing game and the running game with our front people,” he said. “Our tackling was better on defense with fewer penalties and we got some turnovers.”

THE BLOCK: Conque said a blocked punt and subsequent 36-yard, scoop-and-score touchdown return by Sam Houston’s Vincent Dotson (almost identical to the breakdown that hurt the Bears severely against Stephen F. Austin), was the game-changer.

“The emotion of the game changed after that,” Conque said. “I think it started Sam Houston to thinking they could win. It was a breakdown in communication that I thought we had fixed after the SFA game. Obviously, I didn’t get it done.”

ANOTHER TV GAME: Saturday night’s game against McNeese State at Lake Charles has been selected as the wild car pick for Southland TV’s Game of the Week. It will start at 6 p.m. instead of 7. If the Cowboys win, they earn at least share of the SLC title. If SFA defeats winless Northwestern State in its finale, the Lumberjacks will receive the SLC’s automatic bid to the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoffs because of their victory over McNeese. But a McNeese win, which would put it at 9-2, would put the Cowboys in strong position for a wild card playoff berth. Those chances would lessen with a loss to the Bears.