Quick score provides octane for Bears’ victory

University of Central Arkansas football coach Clint Conque noted the spark for the Bears’ 31-7 victory over Nicholls on Saturday occurred within 13 seconds.On the Colonels’ first possession at Thibodaux, La., defensive end Jermayne Lett forced a fumble and defensive back Seith Allison picked it up and returned it 10 yards of a touchdown.“Like a match strike, that ignited our football team,” Conque said as the Bears upped their record to 4-3.The Bears scored twice with their defense. Jestin Love, a redshirt freshman, returned an interception 98 yards for a touchdown and stopped another drive with an interception in the end zone. He was named the Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Week and the defensive Player ofthe game by the UCA staff.“He (Jestin) actually accounted for 21 points,” Conque said. “His interception saved a touchdown and his interception on the goal line both save another potential touchdown and restults in a touchdown for us in giving us a 24-0 lead. That was a backbreaker.”The Bears tied a school record with 10 sacks.

“And when you count the times we had our arms around the quarterbacks’ legs, it could have been 14 or 15,” Conque said.Conque said the Bears played well in all three phases of the game at times and the 80-yard drive in six plays (without using a timeout) in the final seconds of the first half that put UCA up 14-0 was as good of offensive drive as the team has had all season.“That put us up by scores and our defense was playing at a high level and pitching a shutout,” Conque said. “That was a big momentum boost to go into halftime 14-0 at a place we’ve never won.”He was very disappointed in the Bears’ rushing attack, which produced only a net of 54 yards.

“Everybody’s frustrated, but at the end of the day, we’re not getting it done up front and knocking folks off the football,” said Conque, noting the Bears have three first-year starters in the offensive lines. “The next four games we are playing some physical and fast football teams in which we are going to have to run the ball.

“I said after the game we might have to throw every stinking down but we don’t want to do that. I don’t want to put our defense in a bad situation that they have to get back on the field too fast because we can’t drive the ball. I want to get in a position n on third down that we can do what we want to do — either run or pass.”

The Bear offense played only 46 snaps against Nicholls, including three straight three-and-outs in the first quarter.

“But we also got the two defensive touchdowns,” he said. “I’ll trade touchdowns for play every day of the week and twice on Sunday.”

UCA returns home for the first time in three weeks Saturday afternoon to play its homecoming game against Southeastern Louisiana. That will be televised on the SLC Network beginning at 2:05 p.m.

“This will be a huge game to keep the momentum going,” Conque said. “These kids haven’t quit believing. We’re goign to keep fighting and keep plugging and it’s encouraging to see we have a bunch of kids who believe in doing that.”

P In addition to Love, the UCA coaches selected wide receiver Ken Robey, who had eight receptions for 124 yards (his third 100-plus game of the season) as the offensive player of the game. Robey, a senior who didn’t have a reception until this season, is close to moving into the top 10 in the school record books for catches in a season. Jessie Sims, who had three tackles on special teams, earned the player of the game honor for that unit.

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NJURIES: Tight end Brennan Rushing and offensive lineman Matt Dickerson did not make the trip because of injuries. Conque said he hopes to have both back this week.