Two teams will enter Simmons Bank Field at Thone Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 30. One will leave with its first win of the season.
Kyle Shipp, Arkansas Tech University head football coach, would be very pleased if the Wonder Boys’ birthday week gift to him was that victory.
“We need to win,” said Shipp. “Not just winning this game…it’s winning everything. Winning in the classroom, winning off the field, winning in life…we’ve got to learn how to win in every aspect. When we do that, it always correlates to the on the field part. It’s about teaching a bunch of young guys how to do that, not just once or twice a week, but an everyday commitment to winning in everything.”
The Wonder Boys (0-4) will host the Northwestern Oklahoma State University Rangers (0-4) for a 6 p.m. Great American Conference game at Simmons Bank Field at Thone Stadium on Saturday. Tickets are available at www.arkansastechsports.com/tickets.
During Shipp’s previous three seasons as head coach, Arkansas Tech has typically played its best football during the second month of the season. He knows that continuing that trend will begin with improving the Wonder Boys’ rushing offense (60.8 yards per game) and rushing defense (280.5 yards allowed per game). ATU ranks last in the GAC this season in those categories.
“That’s something we’ve talked about all week,” said Shipp. “We have to get a run game established and we have to figure out a way to stop the run. We’ve made some tweaks on both sides, and hopefully those tweaks will show this week. It’s really important to be a balanced offense if you can.”
Live coverage of the ATU-NWOSU game will be available on KCJC 102.3 FM, www.arkansastechsports.com and the EAB Media Group app.
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.
