# 2021 East Central Tigers football team

The 2021 East Central Tigers football team represented East Central University (ECU) in the 2021 NCAA Division II football season as a member of the Great American Conference (GAC). The Tigers were led by fourth-year head coach Al Johnson. The Tigers finished the season with a record of 7–4 to finish tied for fifth in the GAC. The team played its home games at Koi Ishto Stadium in Ada, Oklahoma.
On March 17, 2022, Johnson was hired to be the running backs coach for the Wisconsin Badgers. Offensive coordinator Kris McCullough would be named the Tigers' interim head coach before being promoted to full-time head coach in the middle of the following season.

## Preseason
### GAC coaches poll

The GAC coaches preseason poll was released on August 3, 2021. The Tigers were predicted to finish sixth in the conference.
GAC coaches poll :
| Predicted finish | Team |
| 1 | Ouachita Baptist |
| 2 | Harding |
| 3 | Henderson State |
| 4 | Oklahoma Baptist |
| 5 | Southern Arkansas |
| 6 | East Central |
| 7 | Arkansas–Monticello |
| 8 | Arkansas Tech |
| 9 | Northwestern Oklahoma State |
| 10 | Southwestern Oklahoma State |
| 11 | Southeastern Oklahoma State |
| 12 | Southern Nazarene |

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 4 | 6:00 p.m. | at No. 22 Harding | First Security StadiumSearcy, AR | L 0–28 | 3,500 |
| September 11 | 6:00 p.m. | Arkansas Tech | Koi Ishto StadiumAda, OK | W 13–10 | 0 |
| September 18 | 8:15 p.m. | Southern Nazarene | Koi Ishto StadiumAda, OK | W 40–13 | 3,071 |
| September 25 | 6:00 p.m. | at Northwestern Oklahoma State | Ranger FieldAlva, OK | W 20–17 $^{OT}$ | 6,500 |
| October 2 | 2:00 p.m. | Southern Arkansas | Koi Ishto StadiumAda, OK | W 38–17 | 3,114 |
| October 9 | 2:00 p.m. | at No. 9 Henderson State | Carpenter–Haygood StadiumArkadelphia, AR | L 24–59 | 3,016 |
| October 16 | 6:00 p.m. | Oklahoma Baptist | Koi Ishto StadiumAda, OK | L 20–47 | 2,115 |
| October 23 | 2:00 p.m. | at Southwestern Oklahoma State | Milam StadiumWeatherford, OK | W 44–34 | 402 |
| October 30 | 2:00 p.m. | No. 6 Ouachita Baptist | Koi Ishta StadiumAda, OK | L 28–43 | 3,114 |
| November 6 | 2:00 p.m. | at Arkansas–Monticello | Cotton Boll StadiumMonticello, AR | W 35–10 | 0 |
| November 13 | 2:00 p.m. | at Southeastern Oklahoma State | Paul Laird FieldDurant, OK | W 30–28 | 2,132 |
| HomecomingRankings from AFCA Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Central time ||||||
    Schedule source:

## Game summaries
### At No. 22 Harding

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Tigers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| No. 22 Bisons | 21 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 28 |
at First Security Stadium, Searcy, Arkansas
* Date: September 4
* Game time: 6:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Sunny, 93 °F (34 °C)
* Game attendance: 3,500
* Referee: Ron Standridge
* Box score, Recap
| Statistics | ECU | HAR |
| First downs | 9 | 16 |
| Total yards | 146 | 374 |
| Rushing yards | 48 | 333 |
| Passing yards | 98 | 41 |
| Turnovers | 5 | 2 |
| Time of possession | 22:54 | 37:35 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| East Central | Passing | Kenny Hrncir | 11/25, 98 yards, 4 INT |
| East Central | Rushing | Ontario Douglas | 13 rushes, 45 yards |
| East Central | Receiving | Jackson McFalane | 2 receptions, 23 yards |
| Harding | Passing | Preston Paden | 2/3, 41 yards |
| Harding | Rushing | Cole Chancey | 17 rushes, 102 yards, 3 TD |
| Harding | Receiving | Roland Wallace | 1 reception, 32 yards |

### Arkansas Tech

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Wonder Boys | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
| Tigers | 3 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 13 |
at Koi Ishto Stadium, Ada, Oklahoma
* Date: September 11
* Game time: 6:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Sunny, 90 °F (32 °C)
* Game attendance: 0
* Referee: Tommy Little
* Box score, Recap
| Statistics | ATU | ECU |
| First downs | 16 | 21 |
| Total yards | 232 | 418 |
| Rushing yards | 164 | 289 |
| Passing yards | 68 | 129 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 26:39 | 33:21 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Arkansas Tech | Passing | Jack Lindsey | 12/25, 68 yards, INT |
| Arkansas Tech | Rushing | Caleb Batie | 17 rushes, 98 yards |
| Arkansas Tech | Receiving | Tucker Kennedy | 3 receptions, 22 yards |
| East Central | Passing | Kenny Hrncir | 11/23, 129 yards, INT |
| East Central | Rushing | Ontario Douglas | 29 rushes, 170 yards, TD |
| East Central | Receiving | Chris Shaw | 2 receptions, 50 yards |