The 2022 East Central Tigers football team represented East Central University (ECU) as a member of the Great American Conference (GAC) during the 2022 NCAA Division II football season. Led by Kris McCullough in his first and only season as head coach, the Tigers compiled an overall record of 9–3 with a mark of 8–3 in conference play, tying for third place in the GAC. This was the best finish for East Central sine the 1993 season, when the Tigers went 10–3 and won the NAIA Division I national championship. East Central was invited to the Heritage Bowl, where the Tigers defeated , 38–21. The team played home games at Koi Ishto Stadium in Ada, Oklahoma.
Following the season, McCullough resigned to accept the head coaching job at UT Permian Basin.
Schedule
Preseason Coaching changes On March 12, 2022, head coach Al Johnson was hired to be Wisconsin's running backs coach, with offensive coordinator Kris McCullough being named the Tigers' interim head coach. McCullough was 26 at the time, making him the youngest head coach in all of college football. The interim tag was removed mid-season, with McCullough being hired as the full-time head coach on October 27.
GAC coaches poll The GAC coaches preseason poll was released on August 2, 2022. The Tigers were predicted to finish sixth in the conference.
Game summaries No. 9 Harding
Statistics HARECU First downs 15 11 Total yards 340 161 Rushing yards 219 14 Passing yards 121 147 Turnovers 3 0 Time of possession 33:54 24:23 Team Category Player StatisticsHarding Passing Cole Keylon 3/6, 121 yards, 3 TD Rushing Will Fitzhugh 14 rushes, 49 yards Receiving Kage Citty 2 receptions, 89 yards, 2 TDEast Central Passing Kenny Hrncir 20/33, 147 yards, TD Rushing Miles Davis 8 rushes, 14 yards Receiving Jayquan Lincoln 6 receptions, 33 yards
At Arkansas Tech
Statistics ECUATU First downs 23 19 Total yards 333 322 Rushing yards 124 165 Passing yards 209 157 Turnovers 3 2 Time of possession 35:47 24:13 Team Category Player StatisticsEast Central Passing Kenny Hrncir 19/42, 209 yards, 2 INT Rushing Nemier Herod 13 rushes, 61 yards Receiving Greg Howell 3 receptions, 54 yardsArkansas Tech Passing Taye Gatewood 13/23, 157 yards, 3 TD Rushing Devontae Dean 10 rushes, 58 yards Receiving Matthew Rivera 4 receptions, 39 yards, TD
At Southern Nazarene
Statistics ECUSNU First downs 23 19 Total yards 471 416 Rushing yards 198 256 Passing yards 273 160 Turnovers 0 3 Time of possession 28:04 31:56 Team Category Player StatisticsEast Central Passing Kenny Hrncir 18/27, 217 yards, 3 TD Rushing Nemier Herod 14 rushes, 80 yards, 2 TD Receiving La'Quan Wells 5 receptions, 117 yards, 2 TDSouthern Nazarene Passing Gage Porter 10/17, 155 yards, 2 TD Rushing Gage Porter 21 rushes, 150 yards Receiving Asa Robertson 3 receptions, 95 yards, TD
Northwestern Oklahoma State
Statistics NWOECU First downs 16 23 Total yards 254 452 Rushing yards 61 215 Passing yards 193 237 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 26:20 33:40 Team Category Player StatisticsNW Oklahoma State Passing Tanner Clarkson 21/35, 193 yards, INT Rushing Tanner Clarkson 11 rushes, 27 yards Receiving Darian Gill 1 reception, 57 yardsEast Central Passing Kenny Hrncir 22/27, 237 yards, 2 TD Rushing Nemier Herod 23 rushes, 193 yards, TD Receiving La'Quan Wells 8 receptions, 88 yards
At Southern Arkansas
Statistics ECUSAU First downs 24 23 Total yards 523 484 Rushing yards 214 326 Passing yards 309 158 Turnovers 1 3 Time of possession 33:57 26:03 Team Category Player StatisticsEast Central Passing Kenny Hrncir 21/30, 309 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Nemier Herod 25 rushes, 123 yards, TD Receiving La'Quan Wells 4 receptions, 107 yards, 2 TDSouthern Arkansas Passing Judd Barton 10/22, 100 yards Rushing Jariq Scales 22 rushes, 173 yards, 2 TD Receiving Cole Williams 3 receptions, 59 yards
Henderson State
Statistics HSUECU First downs 20 23 Total yards 342 398 Rushing yards 150 102 Passing yards 192 296 Turnovers 4 0 Time of possession 25:01 34:59 Team Category Player StatisticsHenderson State Passing Landon Ledbetter 14/22, 184 yards, TD, INT Rushing Korien Burrell 13 rushes, 60 yards Receiving Xavier Malone 7 receptions, 96 yards, TDEast Central Passing Kenny Hrncir 20/36, 296 yards, 3 TD Rushing Nemier Herod 19 rushes, 84 yards Receiving Greg Howell 3 receptions, 70 yards
At Oklahoma Baptist
Statistics ECUOKB First downs 28 20 Total yards 467 315 Rushing yards 213 68 Passing yards 254 247 Turnovers 0 3 Time of possession 38:22 21:38 Team Category Player StatisticsEast Central Passing Kenny Hrncir 21/34, 254 yards, 2 TD Rushing Nemier Herod 21 rushes, 121 yards, TD Receiving Jayquan Lincoln 3 receptions, 60 yards, TDOklahoma Baptist Passing Dayton Wolfe 26/40, 247 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing Nate Anderson 4 rushes, 27 yards Receiving Keilahn Harris 9 receptions, 95 yards, TD
Southwestern Oklahoma State
Statistics SWOECU First downs 23 22 Total yards 346 458 Rushing yards 242 219 Passing yards 104 239 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 26:26 33:34 Team Category Player StatisticsSW Oklahoma State Passing Tylan Morton 14/30, 104 yards, TD Rushing Dexter Brown 13 rushes, 93 yards, TD Receiving Jalen Lampley 4 receptions, 35 yardsEast Central Passing Kenny Hrncir 16/25, 239 yards, 3 TD Rushing Nemier Herod 22 rushes, 151 yards, 2 TD Receiving Jayquan Lincoln 3 receptions, 99 yards, TD
At No. 4 Ouachita Baptist
Statistics ECUOUA First downs 25 13 Total yards 400 348 Rushing yards 163 147 Passing yards 237 201 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 36:26 23:34 Team Category Player StatisticsEast Central Passing Kenny Hrncir 20/40, 237 yards, 2 INT Rushing Kenny Hrncir 14 rushes, 73 yards Receiving Jayquan Lincoln 4 receptions, 62 yardsOuachita Baptist Passing Riley Harms 10/19, 201 yards Rushing T. J. Cole 22 rushes, 103 yards, 3 TD Receiving Connor Flannigan 5 receptions, 81 yards
Arkansas–Monticello
Statistics UAMECU First downs 10 18 Total yards 164 272 Rushing yards 105 172 Passing yards 59 100 Turnovers 2 2 Time of possession 24:45 35:15 Team Category Player StatisticsArkansas–Monticello Passing Edwin Kleinpeter 11/25, 59 yards, 2 INT Rushing Gary Ferman 9 rushes, 42 yards Receiving Caleb Jacobs 3 receptions, 16 yardsEast Central Passing Kenny Hrncir 15/23, 100 yards, 2 INT Rushing Miles Davis 14 rushes, 88 yards Receiving Greg Howell 2 receptions, 29 yards
Southeastern Oklahoma State
Statistics SEOECU First downs 14 16 Total yards 216 257 Rushing yards 109 93 Passing yards 107 164 Turnovers 5 0 Time of possession 30:29 29:31 Team Category Player StatisticsSE Oklahoma State Passing Daulton Hatley 14/29, 107 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Ryan Hirt 18 rushes, 105 yards Receiving Braxton Kincade 3 receptions, 52 yardsEast Central Passing Kenny Hrncir 12/23, 164 yards, TD Rushing Miles Davis 11 rushes, 48 yards Receiving Jayquan Lincoln 4 receptions, 66 yards, TD
Vs. Texas A&M–Kingsville (Heritage Bowl)
Statistics ECUAMK First downs 17 14 Total yards 355 255 Rushing yards 208 64 Passing yards 147 191 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 35:17 24:43 Team Category Player StatisticsEast Central Passing Kenny Hrncir 8/14, 147 yards, TD Rushing Miles Davis 23 rushes, 127 yards, 3 TD Receiving La'Quan Wells 2 receptions, 51 yardsTexas A&M–Kingsville Passing Jacob Cavazos 14/31, 191 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Christian Anderson 14 rushes, 31 yards, TD Receiving Craig Clemons 5 receptions, 86 yards, 2 TD
Roster
References