Three games have passed since Arkansas Tech University’s defense last feasted on a turnover.
The Wonder Boys (2-2) are hungry to change that heading into a Great American Conference match-up with the Southeastern Oklahoma State University Savage Storm (3-1) at Paul Laird Field in Durant, Okla., on Saturday, Oct. 3. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m.
Live coverage of the ATU-Southeastern game will be available beginning at 1:30 p.m. on KCJC 102.3 FM, www.rivervalleyradio.com/river-country and www.arkansastechsports.com.
Arkansas Tech has forced three turnovers this season, and all three were interceptions during a week one win over Southwestern Oklahoma State University. The Wonder Boys forced nine turnovers through their first four games in 2025, so they know the recipe.
“Pressure leads to turnovers,” said Roy Thompson, ATU head football coach. “We’re young and beat up in the secondary, so that makes you, from a defensive perspective, play a little bit more conservative coverage because you don’t want to give up the big plays. Turnovers come when you have guys in the right spot, doing the right thing consistently. Our big focus over the past couple of weeks has been shoring up our eyes in coverage. Once those guys get their eyes in the right spot, it will create more opportunities to create more turnovers.”
Southeastern Oklahoma State has leaned on its defense and special teams for its successful start to the 2026 season.
The Savage Storm ranks second in the GAC in total defense (254.5 yards allowed per game), rush defense (130 yards allowed per game) and pass defense (124.5 yards allowed per game), and Southeastern leads the GAC in stopping opposing offenses on third down (26.9 percent conversion rate).
“They are impressive to watch on defense,” said Thompson. “They are big up front, they are athletic, they do a really good job of re-creating the line of scrimmage and they get pressure on the quarterback.”
Punt return (14.2 yards per attempt, No. 1 in the GAC) and kickoff return (26.3 yards per attempt, No. 3 in the GAC) are two more ways in which the Savage Storm has excelled so far this season.
“We’ve worked hard on kickoff and punt coverage this week,” said Thompson. “We posed it as a challenge to those guys.”
Arkansas Tech will arrive in Durant looking to stop a two-game losing skid. The Wonder Boys led 17-0 early in the second quarter at the University of Arkansas-Monticello on Saturday, but the Boll Weevils rallied for a 30-27 victory.
“We have to finish,” said Thompson. “That’s really the biggest deal. Our kids played extremely hard in that game. We ran to the football and we reduced missed assignments. We did a lot of things really well. I’m proud of how hard our kids play. Southeastern is a tough place to play, and we have to do it again this week.”
Talk to you on the radio.
Tech Tidbits is a column written by Sam Strasner, ATU director of university relations and radio play-by-play voice for ATU football and basketball.
