HARDING UNIVERSITY BISONS

COACH Paul Simmons 2023 RECORD 15-0 CONFERENCE GAC RETURNING STARTERS Offense( 6); Defense( 6) PLAYERS TO WATCH QB Cole Keylon( 6-0, 200, Junior); FB Blake Delacruz( 5-8, 195, Sr.), SB Jhalen Spicer( 5-8, 180, Senior); DE Dre Hall( 6-1, 245, Senior); LB Clark Griffin( 5-9, 185, Senior). SCOUTING REPORT The Bisons captured the NCAA Division II national championship last season, going 15-0 and blasting Colorado School of Mines in the title game with its smashmouth Flexbone offense and a smothering defense that allowed a paltry 10.9 points per game. Blake Delacruz, the team’ s leading rusher at fullback, battered his way to 1,502 yards on the ground last season with 21 touchdowns. Delacruz rushed for a championship game-record 212 yards. Clark Griffin has led the team in tackles the past two seasons and returns to lead that unit after compiling 40 solo stops and 94 total tackles, 14.5 of which were behind the line of scrimmage.

CENTRAL ARKANSAS BEARS

COACH Nathan Brown 2023 RECORD 7-4 CONFERENCE United Athletic RETURNING STARTERS Offense( 8); Defense( 8) PLAYERS TO WATCH: QB Will McElvain( 5-11, 185, Senior); RB ShunDerrick Powell( 5-9, 180, Senior); RB Darius Hale( 5-11, 225, Senior); LB David Walker( 6-2, 260, Senior). SCOUTING REPORT The Bears will have an explosive offense, keyed by returning quarterback Will McIlvain, who has compiled more than more than 9,000 career passing yards at UCA( 5,069) and Northern Iowa( 3,958) combined. McIlvain will have plenty of weapons at his disposal in stellar RB ShunDerrick Powell( 1,106 yards, 6 TDs) and

Darius Hale( 2,441 career rushing yards, 398 career receiving yards, 34 total TDs). Linebacker David Walker is a two-time conference Defensive Player of the Year who recorded 18 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks in 2023.

OUACHITA BAPTIST TIGERS

COACH Todd Knight 2023 RECORD 9-2 CONFERENCE GAC RETURNING STARTERS Offense( 7); Defense( 9) PLAYERS TO WATCH RB Kendel Givens( 5-9, 215, Senior); WR Connor Flannigan( 5-10, 190, Senior); DE Chance Taylor( 6-2, 230, Senior); DB Mario Ganter Jr.( 6-0, 175, Senior). SCOUTING REPORT The Tigers had another solid season in 2023, but its two losses kept them out of the Division II playoffs. Ouachita lost to eventual national champion Harding( 41-10) and bitter cross-the-street rival Henderson State( 31-27) in the season finale. The Tigers have plenty of returning experience to once again compete for the GAC championship, led by all-conference back Kendal Givens, who ran for 1,225 yards and 21 scores last season. Defensive back Mario Ganter Jr. is one of the conference’ s top players after intercepting 4 passes to go with 30 tackles.

HENDERSON STATE REDDIES

COACH Greg Holsworth 2023 RECORD 9-3 CONFERENCE GAC RETURNING STARTERS Offense( 8); Defense( 7) PLAYERS TO WATCH QB Andrew Edwards( 6-3, 200, Junior); WR Timieone Jackson( 5-9, 185, Senior); DL Gary Lewis( 6-2, 215, Junior). SCOUTING REPORT The Reddies will have a different head coach on the sideline this season for the first time in almost 20 years as Scott Maxfield retired this summer and was replaced by defensive

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Blake Delacruz | Harding Bisons File Photo