An Apache helicopter fly-over and an Army ROTC halftime show will add a flare to the Bucs’ Sept. 11 football game at UT-Martin this Thursday.
Coach Paul Hamilton said watching videos of other UT-Martin games let him know UT-Martin has kids who can run the ball.
The UT-Martin Skyhawks quarterback Brett Hall threw for 180 yards last week when Martin faced division I-A Arkansas State.
But that was not enough, as Arkansas State beat the Skyhawks 63-6.
“We decided to play UT-Martin because they have financial problems as we do.
We were supposed to play Martin next year too,” said Hamilton.
UT-Martin has not played well recently, but Bucs wide receiver Andrew Nuckolls does not take anything for granted.
“We can’t go in there thinking they’re easy. The UT-Martin secondary is young, and they move very well,” Nuckolls said.
The Bucs have a big gun now, and they’re ready to use it.
It’s Carl Meadows, and he’s bringing confidence to the offense.
“The past two years, we have not been able to throw well. Carl Meadows brings that extra ability to move the ball,” Nuckolls said.
“It really felt good to put that many points on the board, 44 points, and shut somebody out,” he said.
Hamilton said he knows work still has to be done.
“The team played two good quarters but had some assignment problems,” he said.
Hamilton said he was happy with the kicking game.
“John Godfrey continues to be the most pleasant surprise of the year,” Hamilton said.
Godfrey produced the highlight of the game with a 51-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. “He’s worked to become an outstanding kicker,” Hamilton said.
The team as a whole has spent the first few weeks of the season working hard to improve their game.
“They bring their lunchbox everyday and come out to work,” he said.
“We’re not where we need to be, but fortunately we’re not where we were.”
Hamilton said he’s ready to see the end of the Thursday night game schedule the team has followed during the first three weeks of the season.
Although, he doesn’t want to see quarterback Carl Meadows ease off at the UT-Martin game this week.
Red-shirt freshman Meadows led the Bucs to their home-opener win last weekend with 300 yards, passing for four touchdowns.
“I think we’ve got a guy who will stand in there and make tough throws,” Hamilton said.
For his performance, Meadows was named freshman of the week in the Southern Conference.
This week’s game at UT-Martin begins Thursday at 7:05 p.m.
This will give the Bucs a few extra days to prepare for their first conference game match-up at Elon on Sept. 20.

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