by By Doug Crise , Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Boll Weevils Coach Gwaine Mathews learned shortly before his team's season opener with Tarleton State that academic issues would claim a handful of transfers he'd penciled in as offensive starters. Instead of looking to better a breakthrough 7-4 season in 2008, the Boll Weevils struggled without a proven offensive line or game-breaking receiving threat.

Arkansas-Monticello regrouped to win four of its last six games, and Mathews said 2009 will go down as the best coaching performance by he and his staff during his five-year run at the school.

Though Mathews said he plans to stick with his philosophy of pursuing transfer players, he and his staff plan to spend more time with recruits to better gauge their academic viability.

"I've got to get that kid who can survive in the classroom," Mathews said.

Best phone call Talk about minimumeffort recruiting.

After the end of the 2008 season, a quarterback from the University of Nevada dialed the Arkansas Tech football offices. He explained that he'd lost his starting job and was researching Division II schools that needed a quarterback, ran Spread offenses and would allow him to transfer his mechanical engineering credits.

Looking back, 3,416 yards and 31 touchdown passes later, Wonder Boys Coach Steve Mullins is no doubt glad someone answered the phone when Nick Graziano called.

Worst place for healthy QB Harding Coach Ronnie Huckeba stopped short of trolling the intramural fields for quarterbacks, though no one could have blamed him.

Junior transfer Josh Powell won the starting job in two-a-days but eventually succumbed to knee and shoulder injuries. At the time, Harding's most experienced backup was junior Zach Tribble, though he also was inactive because of shoulder problems.

That led to giving a start to redshirt freshman Chaz Rogers, who started one game before giving way to converted senior receiver Zac Ross. A plan to have Rogers and Ross battle in practice was canceled when Rogers was subsequently hospitalized with an undisclosed illness.

"It was really strange," Bisons Coach Ronnie Huckeba said. "It really got to be comical." Best quote Until Gwaine Mathews leaves Arkansas-Monticello, he'll have this title on lockdown.

The hyperactive Cajun didn't have the fun he had last season, when his team competed for a playoff spot, but he still served up his own brand of honesty.

Following a Sept. 12 42-3 loss to Delta State: "Our offense right now is a joke." A few days following the same Delta State loss: "Our offensive line looked like a mini-me squad." Discussing a run of injuries: "I hate to say when it rains it pours, but this season is starting to resemble the weather here in southeast Arkansas." His reason (tongue-incheek) for not recruiting his son, Brishen, a standout safety at Monticello High School: "I didn't want to deal with his mother." Best use of cell phone The Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys always knew exactly where they stood in their march to the playoffs.

Liz Mullins, wife of Arkansas Tech Coach Steve Mullins, stayed online via her cell phone during games to keep tabs on other teams in the region competing for a playoff spot. Thanks to her staying plugged in, the Wonder Boys knew immediately they were safely in the postseason following Saturday's victory over Harding.

Worst economic news Henderson State's reputation as a haven for junior college transfers is about to change.

The recession has Reddies Coach Scott Maxfield anticipating the elimination of waivers that allow students to attend without paying out-of-state tuition. A former junior college coach, Maxfield has milked the waivers over the past five years, bringing in players from junior colleges across the country in reviving a formerly moribund program. The waivers don't apply to students from adjoining states, but Maxfield said the presence of established Division II programs in Texas and Mississippi prevent much headway into those juco-rich territories.

"It's going to change the complexion of our recruiting strategy," Maxfield said. "We are going to have to wean ourselves off the junior college transfers." Best budget recruiting Ouachita Baptist Coach Todd Knight won't have a packed itinerary when it comes to off-season recruiting.

The Tigers lose only eight seniors, and most of the returning players have experience after injuries hit the team hard during the second half of the season.

But among those losses are leading receiver Jeremy Young and running back K.J. Johnson, who was the Gulf South Conference's lone 1,000-yard rusher.

"The little bit of recruiting we do is going to be big-time important," Knight said.

Worst learning curve Southern Arkansas' Bill Keopple is a coaching veteran, but he was a Gulf South Conference rookie in 2009.

The former assistant at Central Arkansas, Arkansas and Tulsa gets passing grades for the Muleriders winning more games than they did last season, including a five-overtime thriller over eventual playoff participant West Alabama.

But Keopple said he learned some hard lessons in his maiden voyage, namely after many injuries left him regretting not being more aggressive on the recruiting trail after he was hired.

"I probably should have taken some of the kids who were available to me," Keopple said. "You've got to get where there's competition at every position."

State college awards

COACH OF THE YEAR

Steve Mullins, Arkansas Tech Arkansas Tech's playoff hopes appeared dim after the Wonder Boys lost their second Gulf South Conference game of the season to North Alabama on Oct. 3. But Mullins successfully walked the line between keeping his players focused and making them aware of their postseason standing. The result: five consecutive victories and a spot in the NCAA Division II playoffs.

RUNNER UP Gwaine Mathews, Arkansas-Monticello

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Nick Graziano, Arkansas Tech Arkansas Tech knew it would be getting a proven quarterback, but Graziano exceeded expectations. The former starter at the University of Nevada was named Gulf South Offensive Player of the Year after leading the league in passing yards and touchdowns.

RUNNER UP

K.J. Johnson, Ouachita Baptist

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Josh Jones, Harding Harding had one of the nation's worst defenses a year ago, and its turnaround began with the senior defensive back from MInnesota -Moorhead. Jones' 94 tackles were fifth in the Gulf South Conference, and he led the league with eight interceptions.

RUNNER UP Cedric Thornton, Southern Arkansas

Gulf South standings

CONF. ALL

North Alabama ....................7-1 10-1

Arkansas Tech ...............6-2 8-2

West Alabama .....................5-3 7-4

Valdosta State ....................5-3 6-4

Ouachita Baptist ............4-4 6-4

Delta State ...........................4-4 5-5

Ark.-Monticello .............4-4 5-6

Harding.......................3-5 5-6

Henderson State ............3-5 3-7

Southern Arkansas .........2-6 3-7

West Georgia ......................1-7 1-9

This article was published 11/13/2009

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