Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys football explained

Teamname:Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys football
Athleticdirector:Abby Davis
Headcoach:Kyle Shipp
Headcoachyear:4th
Hcwins:17
Hclosses:27
Stadium:Thone Stadium
Fieldname:Simmons Bank Field
Stadiumbuilt:1934
Stadcapacity:6,500
Stadsurface:FieldTurf
Location:Russellville, Arkansas
Ncaadivision:II
Conference:Great American
Pastaffiliations:Independent (1911–1928, 1956–1957)
Arkansas Intercollegiate (1929–1955, 1958–1994)
Gulf South (1995–2010)
Atwins:574
Atlosses:404
Atties:45
Playoffapps:5
Playoffs:3–5
Conftitles:14
Rivalries:Central Arkansas Bears
Harding Bisons
Southern Arkansas[1]
Mascotdisplay:Jerry the Bulldog
Websitename:arkansastechsports.com
Websiteurl:https://arkansastechsports.com/sports/football

The Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys football team represents Arkansas Tech University in college football at the NCAA Division II level. The Wonder Boys are members of the Great American Conference (GAC), fielding its team in the GAC since 2011. The Wonder Boys play their home games at Simmons Bank Field at Thone Stadium in Russellville, Arkansas.

Their head coach is Kyle Shipp, who took over the position for the 2019 season.

History

John Tucker is ultimately responsible for the idiosyncratic nickname "Wonder Boys" for Arkansas Tech University. On November 15, 1919, Tucker, as a 17-year-old freshman, scored two touchdowns and kicked two extra points to lead the Second District Agricultural School Aggies to a 14–0 upset win over Jonesboro. In newspaper accounts following the game, Tucker and his teammates were referred to as "Wonder Boys," and the nickname remains to this day. Tucker was labeled as "The Original Wonder Boy" and was associated with the school for the rest of his life. He went on to play on the University of Alabama's Rose Bowl team in 1931 and served Arkansas Tech in a variety of roles – including coach, athletic director and chemistry professor – between 1925 and 1972. Two buildings on the Tech campus – Tucker Coliseum and Tucker Hall – are named in his honor.[2]

Postseason and championships

Originally the Second District Agricultural School when formed in 1909, Arkansas Tech has made five appearances in football national playoffs (1971, 1994, 1999, 2004 and 2009). Led by All-American receiver Rick Thone, the 1971 Wonder Boys (12–1–0) made it to the national championship game of the NAIA playoffs, losing to Livingston State (now University of West Alabama) in the title game, 14–12, played in Birmingham, AL. In 1994, Tech lost in the first round of the NAIA playoffs to Langston (OK), 56–42, after capturing the final Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference (AIC) football crown earlier that season. Firman W. Bynum, long-time Dean of Men at Tech, was the school's first All-American football player in 1939.

Tech won AIC football championships in 1931, 1935, 1939, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1954, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1964, 1968, 1970, 1971 and 1994.

Arkansas Tech left the NAIA after the AIC disbanded following the 1994–95 academic year. Tech joined NCAA Division II and the Gulf South Conference at that time. Since then, Tech's football program has made appearances in the NCAA Division II Playoffs in 1999, 2004 and 2009. The 1999 team was the first from Arkansas to win the GSC football championship outright, while the 2004 Wonder Boys were the first team from Arkansas to host or win an NCAA Division II Playoffs game. Tech earned that honor by defeating Catawba College (N.C.) 24–20 on November 13, 2004. The Wonder Boys returned to the NCAA Division II Playoffs in 2009 and defeated the University of North Carolina at Pembroke 41–13 in the first round before falling to University of North Alabama 41–28 in the region semifinals.

Conference affiliations

List of head coaches

Coaches

No.! scope="col"
NameSeason(s)GCOWOLOTO%CWCLCTC%
1William A. Isgrig19117430
2Erwin H. Shinn1912–1915322471
3Walter B. Casey1916–19173111
4D. K. McWilliams19195221
5Edgar O. Brown1920–1932110772112
6John Tucker1933–1941, 1945–194710274171146137
7Raymond Burnett1948–19535730243
8Sam Hindsman1954–19584931162
9Marvin Salmon1959–1966785320537102
10Don Dempsey1967–1975985441330222
11Leon Anderson1976–197941152518151
12Harold Steelman1980–1985592235216201
13Ken Stephens1986–1992682937214281
14Brooks Hollingsworth1993–1996421625110141
15Steve Mullins1997–20121719675075580
16Raymond Monica2013–2018683434033310
17Kyle Shipp[3] 2019–present331221012210

Year-by-year results

National championsConference championsBowl game berthPlayoff berth
SeasonYearHead coachAssociationDivisionConferenceRecordPostseasonFinal ranking
OverallConference
WinLossTieFinishWinLossTie
Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys
19111911William A. IsgrigNCAAIndependent430
19121912Erwin H. Shinn420
19131913721
19141914800
19151915530
19161916Walter B. Casey101
19171917010
No team in 1918
19191919D. K. McWilliamsNCAAIndependent221
19201920Edgar O. Brown402
19211921700
19221922810
19231923611
19241924612
19251925720
19261926620
19271927510
19281928AIC7201stConference champions
19291929441
19301930522
193119317121stConference champions
19321932621
19331933John Tucker3316th231
193419345122nd412
193519358011st601Conference champions
193619366202nd510
193719378102nd310
193819384223rd220
193919397021st202Conference champions
194019405313rd121
194119416302nd330
No team from 1942 to 1944
19451945John TuckerNCAAAIC8001st600Conference champions
194619469101st600Conference champions
194719478101st600Conference champions
19481948Raymond Burnett820
19491949911
19501950631
19511951360
19521952170
19531953351
19541954Sam Hindsman810
19551955
19561956NAIAIndependent
19571957
19581958AIC
19591959Marvin Salmon
1960196010101st800Conference champions20
196119618011st601Conference champions17
196219628112nd610
196319633525th331
196419649101st700Conference champions16
196519657303rd520
196619663617th240
19671967Don Dempsey5312nd321
1968196810201st510Conference champions4
196919696412nd411
19701970Division I830T–1st510Conference co-champions
1971197112101st600L Champion Bowl2
197219725413rd420
19731973470T–5th240
197419741907th060
197519753806th150
19761976Leon Anderson11007th060
19771977640T–3rd330
197819785505th240
197919793613rd321
19801980Harold Steelman6403rd420
19811981451T–5th240
19821982370T–5th240
198319834512nd411
19841984450T–4th330
198519851907th160
19861986Ken Stephens640T–2nd520
198719872617th141
198819886403rd330
198919896304th330
199019904607th060
1991199101007th060
199219924515th240
19931993Brooks Hollingsworth1904th130
199419947401st400L NAIA Division I First Round
19951995NCAADivision IIGSC3618th261
19961996560T–7th350
19971997Steve Mullins4706th440
19981998550T–5th450
199919999301st810L NCAA Division II First Round
200020007304th720
20012001820T–2nd72016
20022002470T–8th360
20032003560T–5th450
2004200410202nd810L NCAA Division II Second Round16
20052005730T–5th630
20062006730T–5th530
20072007550T–6th350
20082008550T–6th440
200920099302nd620L NCAA Division II Second Round18
20102010470T–9th260
20112011GAC2808th140
201220125606th350
20132013Raymond Monica5607th550
20142014380T–7th370
20152015930T–2nd830
201620166506th650
20172017840T–2nd830
20182018380T–9th380
20192019Kyle Shipp380T–8th380
No team in 2020 due to COVID-19
20212021Kyle ShippNCAADivision IIGAC470T–8th470
20222022560T–6th560
20232023560T-7th560

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Taylor . Erick . Russellville set to host old rivals . Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette . 22 August 2023.
  2. http://www.atu.edu/centennial/docs/TheHistoryofArkansasPolytechnicCollege.pdf Polytechnic College
  3. Web site: 2019-09-02 . Dream Becomes Reality for Wonder Boys' New Coach . 2023-08-22 . Arkansas Tech University . en-US.