Wonder Boys.

What is the secret of their powers? Or at least the secret of their nickname?

Arkansas Tech’s unusual moniker dates to Nov. 17, 1920, when the school defeated Henderson State 13-0. Previously known as the Aggies — a dime-a-dozen name if there ever was one — some enterprising sportswriter or editor at the Arkansas Gazette decided something snappier was needed.

The Wonder Boys were born, and they’ve never died. (For those wondering, Tech calls its women’s teams Golden Suns rather than opting for the Lynda Carter-inspired Wonder Women).

This is Arkansas Tech’s 100th year of football, and Saturday’s game at Football Championship Subdivision No. 5 McNeese State represents one of the biggest challenges the Division II Wonder Boys have faced in that century. Tech has faced two Division I opponents in modern times — McNeese in 1997 (a 55-7 loss) and Nicholls State last year (a 44-34 loss).

Wonder Boys second-year coach Raymond Monica chuckled when asked what his team needed to do to win, but made it clear he still believes in them.

“Anything can happen on any given Saturday,” Monica said. “We’re looking forward to the challenge. They’re a very good football team. They should have beat Nebraska. I’ve known that program for a very long time. We need to protect the ball, get turnovers and limit big plays.”

The affable Monica is newish to Arkansas Tech, but he’s been around the coaching block.

A Louisiana native who graduated from East St. John High School and Nicholls State, he was an assistant for the North Alabama program that won three consecutive D-II titles from 1993-95. After that it was eight years as defensive coordinator at Temple before seven season as head coach at D-II Kutztown (Pa.) State.

Monica’s recruiting philosophy isn’t far from that of Cowboys head coach Matt Viator. Playing at a level of football in which many lineups are heavily infused with Football Bowl Subdivision transfers, Monica primarily recruits high school players and plugs in holes with transfers, in this case typically from junior colleges.

“We’re trying to build it brick-by-brick with high school kids, the majority from Arkansas and surrounding states,” Monica said. “We’re building with high school kids and mixing in transfers, the same way McNeese is doing it.”

The biggest turnaround has come on defense.

The year, before Monica’s arrival, Arkansas Tech statistically had the third-worst defense in Division II.

This season the Boys of Wonder (2-1) have 33 tackles for loss, seven sacks and 10 interceptions in their first three games.

Three Wonder Boys — linebacker Wesley McKinney, free safety Shai Kobayashi and cornerback Trevon Gooden — have two interceptions apiece. Middle linebacker Logan Genz has also been extremely productive, leading the way with 36 tackles (5 TFL).

However, they haven’t faced a test quite like this, with Monica admitting he’s not sure it will matter how many defenders he’s got when Daniel Sams lines up as McNeese’s quarterback.

“We’re doing all we can do to be the best we can be,” Monica said. “We’ve got to try to get better today, and tomorrow, than we were last week.”(MGNonline)