Gary Goff, the newly appointed head coach of the University of Arkansas at Monticello football program, arrives with a proven record of turning around Division II teams at Tiffin University, Valdosta State, and McNeese State.
His first task is to reshape a roster that blends 19 transfer players with 53 freshmen and 30 returning lettermen, a mix that includes quarterback Drew Forkner, who left Saint Anselm College for the promise of a new culture under Goff.
Forkner brings a career tally of 4,367 passing yards and 37 touchdowns, having completed 56 percent of his throws, and he sees the move to Monticello as an opportunity to lead a unit that lost last season’s starter, Tavion Faulk, who transferred to Edward Waters University in Florida.
The offensive skill position group also features running backs Davion Alston and Braylon Henry, transfer Parker Bruno, and senior Micheal Lott, while veteran linebacker K.J. Wells and defensive back Jack Chiasson provide depth on the other side of the ball.
Defensive overhaul and playmaking
Defensively, the coaching staff has placed an emphasis on assignment accuracy, bringing in 16–17 defensive backs to sharpen playmaking skills. Among the newcomers are Charles Thomas, Jayden Parker and Villanova transfer Nino Betances, who together aim to tighten a unit that was outgained 425.4–301.6 in total yards last season.
The Boll Weevils open their season on September 3 at home against Southeastern Oklahoma State, a game that will serve as the first measuring stick for a team hoping to break a 15‑year drought without an outright conference title and finally post a winning record in the Great American Conference.