21 Aug 2024 Receiving room lacks experience, not talent
CONWAY — The University of Central Arkansas Bears had 11 different wide receivers or tight ends record receptions during the 2023 season. Seven of those are no longer with the program, including three of the top four receivers from a year ago.
However, UCA head coach Nathan Brown is optimistic about the receiver/tight end rooms heading into the 2024 season opener at Arkansas State.
“Obviously, if you had a question mark on offense right now, it would be the receiver position. And that’s fine, that’s happened before, that’s not new territory for us,” said Brown, whose teams have consistently put up big passing numbers in his six seasons as head coach. “You lose senior Jarrod Barnes, who had a really successful career here, you lose senior Christian Richmond, who was a solid return guy and receiver for four years. Obviously, the departure of (transfer) Myles Butler, who had some success and some moments over the last couple of years.
“But every loss is an opportunity for someone you’ve either recruited or brought in from the transfer portal. So we’re very excited about the wide receiver room.”
Brown said some returning receivers will have to step up for the Bears.
“There are some names that have been here and you’ve seen and who have been out there a little bit, that could have a ton of success this year with the opportunity,” he said. “It starts with Kam Robinson out of White Hall (Ark.) High School. He had some big moments last year, and probably started four or five games for us. He had some big catches. He has a huge upside. He runs great routes, has good speed, has a very tenacious mentality when he’s on the football field.
“And then Tyion Berry from Stuttgart (Ark.), came here as a walk-on and earned a scholarship. And he’s not only turned himself into a great special teams player, now he’s going to have to turn himself into a great starting receiver. It’s not a lack of talent or skill, I think it’s just been a lack of getting an opportunity behind some really skilled older guys.
“Those are two guys in the slot that I’m very excited about, that are older guys that maybe haven’t gotten as much time in the first part of their careers. But you should see them make a big impact throughout this year.”
Several other returnees will be counted on heavily this season, according to Brown.
“Redshirt freshman Malachi Henry from Van Burnen (Ark) on the outside. I just feel like he has No. 1 receiver potential,” said Brown. “Could have played last year, probably should have played in some moments. He saw two or three games but we were able to hold his redshirt under the four games. He’s a kid that’s mature beyond his years. He traveled last year, didn’t necessarily have to play him, but he was ready to go. His physical ability is very, very high. His ceiling is super high.
“I think he is a guy that can really get in one-on-one matchups and win. And that’s what you are looking for at that position.
“I think one of the best springs through 15 practices was Manny Smith of Conway. Not only should he help us in the return game, but also as slot receiver and just moving him around on the field. Because when he’s got the football in his hands, he is a very dynamic playmaker. He’s hard to get your hands on because he’s not a very big kid. He’s probably one of the fastest guys on the team, and that’s saying something because we feel like we have good speed on our team as a whole this year.”
Two other Bears with a couple of years under their belt are Isaiah King (Manvel, Texas) and Triston Edwards (Red Oak, Texas).
“They have to step up, and they’re going to have every opportunity to do what we’ve recruited them to do,” said Brown. “Those guys are dual guys, they can go inside or outside, they have some good one-on-one ability. But now it’s just taking a step and now you have an opportunity to be the guy, you’re not waiting behind somebody.”
The biggest name in the receiver room may be Oklahoma transfer Trejan Bridges, a former five-star recruit from Carrollton, Texas.
“Trejan Bridges played as a true freshman at OU. His roommate was (current Dallas Cowboy) Ceedee Lamb,” said Brown. “He’s seen the best, he’s been a part of the best, he’s played in one of the premier programs in the country, and has success doing it. He’s played in the Sugar Bowl, he’s been in big moments. His upside may be as high as anyone I’ve had at receiver, and that’s saying something because we’ve had Tyler Hudson, Lujuan Winningham, Dezmin Lewis, I can keep going down the list.
“There’s just something about that guy that’s different. He gets it. I can see why he was a five-star recruit at Oklahoma. There’s a reason why he ended up there. He is an unbelievable talent that has a huge upside.”
Another transfer, Arlie Lee from UA-Monticello, joins his brother All-American defensive end David Walker, in the UCA program.
“Another guy that had moments in spring and is really showing a confidence throughout the summer is Arlie Lee. He started out at UA-Monticello and was a freshman all-conference player in the GAC (Great American Conference) last season as a utility player. He played receiver, he played running back, he played wildcat quarterback. He’s a big guy but he’s fast. He’s a legit 4.5. Very strong hands.
“Just catching him up to speed with the scheme. You go from a totally different offense at your prior school to a new offense, it takes time. But when Arlie gets it, he’s going to be special, I truly believe that.”
Another possibility at receiver is former Shiloh Christian quarterback Eli Wisdom.
“Eli Wisdom is a young man that signed with Army out of Shiloh,” said Brown. “Played quarterback at Shiloh and had maybe one of the best prep careers in Arkansas high school football history. He won a couple of state championships as a quarterback. They played him at receiver. He did it all. He is a very talented player with the football in his hands. He’s really just now learning the receiver position but I can see him really coming on and having some big moments this year.
“(Junior) Daithan Davis is a big receiver, 6-5, 210, can really be a good 50/50 guy for us. We need him to take another step.”
UCA signed several talented receivers, including Mytorian Singleton from Bryant, Ark., and Aiden Joseph from Plaquemine, La.
“Mytorian Singleton is obviously from a program (Bryant High School) with culture, one that knows how to win. A program that has had one of the most successful runs in Arkansas high school history. And Aiden Joseph is another big receiver from Louisiana. If you watch him run in summer conditioning and some of the things we’ve done, he was a track star, you can just see. No waste of movement. For his size, he moves unbelievably well. He’s a kid I could see break into the rotation this year, very talented young receiver.”
“So it’s not a lack of talent, it’s just a lack of experience. And some of these guys have experience from other schools. There’s just not a ton of UCA experience, not a lot of catches coming back that have done it for the Bears. But I know Coach (Jamar) Johnson and Coach (Ken) Collums are excited about the potential of these guys. And really, we need about 6-7 of them to really step up. So who are those 6, 7 or 8 guys that are going to be the guys you go to battle with every Saturday.
“Whether they are a freshman or a senior, I don’t care. I just want guys who are going to compete, do right and put us in a position to win.”
The tight end room has a little more experience returning, despite the loss of fifth-year senior Austin Eldridge. It starts with junior Jordan Owens, a 6-6, 255-pounder from McGehee, Ark.
“I think tight end is a position that I might be the most excited about on offense because we’re starting to look the part,” said Brown. “You start with a guy that is an all-conference caliber guy in Jordan Owens. When you look at Jordan Owens walk out of the tunnel, you say that’s what an NFL tight end looks like. And really Jordan is still young at the position, he’s only been doing it for two years. He was a quarterback at McGehee High School here in Arkansas. Never really played the position until he went to junior college and then we signed him.
“So he’s still figuring it out. But man, he is physically gifted. He has great hands. He’s not going to beat you over the top with just unbelievable speed but he can body you up with his size, and he’s a really, really good in-line blocker. He’s a tough kid. It starts with Jordan. He knows our offense, he’s had success here, he’s our starter again for the second year.”
The tight end depth is what Brown said he is most pleased with.
“And then a guy like Tyler Siddons (Salem, Ark.), it’s time for him to take another step. Again, protype size , 6-5, 260. He battled a little bit of injury last year, had to have offseason knee surgery. But he’s full go now, had a great summer. He has a huge upside. And then a guy like Ben Haulmark (Russellville, Ark.), who redshirted last year. 6-3, 245, I feel like he could play the Austin Eldridge role that we’ve seen over the last three or four years. With Austin’s departure from graduation, we need someone to fill that role. Austin was so consistent, and Ben can be that guy.
“He can be inline, he can slide into fullback, he can line up in the backfield, you can split him out. He has better size, better speed, it’s just a matter of how smart can he be to do all those things that Austin did.”
Dax Courtney (DeWitt, Ark.) is a transfer from the University of Arkansas.
“We hope to get something out of Dax Courtney, who transferred from Arkansas last year coming off a knee injury. He was actually medically retired at Arkansas but he got a second opinion and, fortunately for us, he is able to get back on the field. He’s just now getting into football shape with a full year here and a full offseason. Good hands, probably one of our best route runners in that room.
“And two new guys that I think can really make an impact, Jackson Kostmayer (Biloxi, Miss.) from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. He was one of the, I don’t want to say surprises, because when you sign somebody you expect them to be great. But I think how quickly he was really good in the spring really got us excited. He looks the part but he is really, really fast. He’s 260 pounds and is a 4.8 forty guy. He can really get down the field and can extend the defense. Talking to some of our defense ends and edge guys, when he gets his hands on you, they say he’s tough.
“He’s got some ability that we are definitely going to utilize. You’ll see him a lot early and hopefully he grows into an all-conference type type end.
“And then two freshmen, Jake Jones from Hoxie (Ark.), he’s more a tweener body at 6-2, 230, but man, he loves football. He understands Xs and Ox, knows how to get lined up, very smart kid, not going to be out-worked. Hoxie has been great to us over the last couple of years, and Jake is no different.
“And Kealen Juniel, who won a state championship at Malvern as a tight end and was committed to an FBS program up until the last minute and switched to UCA. We feel like Kealen has a huge upside. He’s had a good summer in our conditioning program. It’s just a matter of how quickly he can learn the offense, that’s how quickly he’s going to play.”
