First-year head coach Roy Thompson will provide Arkansas Tech University football fans with a preview of the 2025 Wonder Boys during a scrimmage at Simmons Bank Field at Thone Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 23.
It will begin at 7 p.m. Admission will be free.
“Hopefully you see a detailed, organized football team,” said Thompson during a Green and Gold luncheon at Old Bank in Russellville Downtown on Friday, Aug. 22. “My goal for Saturday is to treat this like the first game. We’re dividing the team into two teams. We want a practice round. We want to use this as an opportunity to get our football team ready to go play against Southwestern (Oklahoma State). We don’t want to see a lot of penalties. We want to see an ability to run the football. We want to get on and off the field on defense. We want to make sure we don’t have a lot of missed assignments. In my mind, this is the first football game. We want to go out there and execute like everything is on the line.”
Thompson was hired as the 18th head football coach at Arkansas Tech in December 2024. This year marks the 110th season of Arkansas Tech football.
The Wonder Boys, who were 5-6 last season, are picked by Great American Conference head football coaches to finish seventh in the league in 2025. Thompson and his staff welcomed approximately 140 players for the beginning of fall camp, half of which are newcomers to the ATU program.
Arkansas Tech will begin its season Thursday, Sept. 4, with a 6 p.m. GAC game against Southwestern Oklahoma State University at Milam Stadium in Weatherford, Okla.
The Wonder Boys will make their 2025 home debut when they host Northwestern Oklahoma State University for a 7 p.m. kickoff in GAC action at Simmons Bank Field at Thone Stadium on Thursday, Sept. 11.
Tickets for ATU home games are available at www.arkansastechsports.com/tickets.
Live coverage of every game during the 2025 Arkansas Tech football season will be provided by KCJC 102.3 FM, the EAB Media Group app and www.arkansastechsports.com.
