23 Aug 2023 Plenty of weapons in UCA passing attack

CONWAY — A football team that returns its top three receivers from the previous season is usually one destined to have a quality passing attack.

The University of Central Arkansas Bears are one of those teams, with the return of Jarrod Barnes, Christian Richmond and Myles Butler. That trio combined for 96 receptions that totaled 1,567 yards and accounted for 11 touchdowns. Two of the returnees, Barnes and Richmond, are highly experienced seniors who also double as return specialists.
Richmond, a 5-foot-8, 175-pounder from Cypress, Texas, is a three-year starter at receiver who is also one of the ASUN’s top kick returners.

“Christian is a kid who has battled through the ups and downs of a serious injury a couple of years ago,” said UCA head coach Nathan Brown. “Banging up his knee so bad that he was told he may not ever play again. And now he is still one of the best receivers in the conference. 

“Christian is that guy who gets us going. He’s a guy you have to get the ball in his hands early in the game and usually good things are going to happen. He’s going to head up our slot receivers and it will be a lot of fun to watch him this year.”

Barnes, a Cabot, Ark., native, transferred to UCA from the University of Arkansas in 2019 and led the Bears in receiving last season with 40 catches for 708 yards (17.7 per catch) and five touchdowns. 

“Jarrod Barnes is back as our leading receiver from a year ago,” said Brown. “[He is] obviously a dynamic punt returner as well. Jarrod is just more of the total package. You can move him around, he can play inside, he can play outside. He’s a matchup problem. And when the ball is in his hands, he’s hard to tackle, and that’s been proven over the years. Good things happen when he has the ball.

“I think Christian and Jarrod both have so much experience and talent and maturity, they just go to work.”

The third member of that trio made his presence known late last season and again during spring practice. Butler, a 6-2, 190-pound sophomore from Montgomery, Ala., had 117 receiving yards against North Alabama in Week 8 and finished off the season with five catches for 120 yards against Jacksonville State. For the season, Butler had 22 receptions for 442 yards, with a stellar 20.1 yards per catch.

“Myles Butler is a kid I could see exploding on the scene this year,” said Brown. “He had moments last year where you saw star power. He reminds with his body type of Lujuan Winningham or Tyler Hudson, Dezmin Lewis, some of those guys we’ve had in the past. And we know how good those guys were. He has that physicality, that kind of work ethic. And really, he has the ability. 

“Right now I think he’s playing confidently, he’s playing with a purpose. He has a good rapport with Will, and I think that matters. They really trust each other. So I expect Myles to solidify himself as a bonafide No. 1 receiver.”

Brown said the talent does not stop with the aforementioned three.

“I think our wide receiver room being back and a year older and adding more and more depth there is going to show up,” he said. “You have your front-line guys in Jarrod and Christian, and then Myles Butler ended the year with a bang. But it’s fun to see some of the talented guys we brought in—or have maybe been here for a year or two—that are stepping up.

“(Junior) Trustin Oliver has taken another step. He’s a wild card. If he lives up to his potential, there is no telling how good that wide receiver room can be. He’s just physically gifted. He makes catches sometimes that just drop your jaw. Jared Long had a great spring, the best since he’s been here. He’s a long kid, one you can put on the outside and is a matchup problem.

“(Sophomore) Tyion Berry is another kid who had spot duty the last couple of years. He’s a slot receiver that has a chance to come into his own. And (redshirt freshman) Manny Smith, the Conway native, he needs to take another step. (Redshirt freshman) Tristan Edwards, (redshirt freshman) Isaiah King, (sophomore) Kam Robinson. those are guys that it’s their turn. There’s a ton of depth in that room and I’m excited about each and every one of them.”

The tight ends could also figure more into the UCA passing attack this season, according to Brown, with several talented returnees, starting with 6-6, 255-pound sophomore Jordan Owens from McGehee High School (Desha County).

“If you could draw up what an NFL tight end looks like, Jordan Owens is probably what you would put together,” said Brown. “I told somebody today that this may be as good as our tight end room has looked, as far as prototypical tight ends are supposed to look like. Jordan Owens and (redshirt freshman) Tyler Siddons (6-5, 260), when they step on the field, they are good-looking tight ends. 

“And I’m excited about (true freshman) Ben Haulmark. He’s athletic, he did a lot of things at Russellville High School during his career there. He played quarterback, defensive end, tight end, wide receiver, he did it all for them. So we’re looking forward to using his athletic ability.”

And that’s not even mentioning the one true veteran in the mix, graduate Austin Eldridge, who has been productive throughout a career that began at UCA in 2018.

“Austin Eldridge is a team leader. He is one of the main guys, if I had to put a guy in front of the team, it would be Austin Eldridge,” said Brown. “He’s just one of those guys who does all the dirty work, you can play him at fullback, tight end. He’s going to catch a few balls and probably score a few touchdowns, but Austin gets his glory with victories. 

“He’s probably going to come out of the game sweaty with his nose bloody but nobody will be happier than him. That’s what’s fun to watch.”

Brown also mentioned a highly touted transfer from the University of Arkansas, Dax Courtney from Clarendon HIgh School.

“We’re excited about Dax Courtney,” he said. “He had a really good prep career at Clarendon, He’s a big, long kid as well. And we made the shift with Nnamdi (Adim-Madumere) from wide receiver to tight end. He was a big, physical wide receiver that we thought could create some matchup problems in the tight end room. Looking forward to seeing how that works out.

“The tight end room is one we need to get more production out of. They do a great job in the run game, but we also need them to be a strong element in the pass game.”