The defense showed out Saturday afternoon, but the offense had its moments in the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff’s spring game.
The defense won the Black and Gold Game 77-73 after getting stops on the offense’s last four drives.
Head coach Alonzo Hampton said the game went about as he expected.
“We’ve made a lot of strides on offense,” Hampton said. “I love the offense. We just gotta get some more weapons. We’re going to add them to the pot, but the defense has done exactly what they’ve done for 14 practices. They came out, had energy. They had passion, and they made a lot of plays.”
UAPB used a special scoring system for this game. Touchdowns were worth their normal value, but the offense was also awarded points for big plays and multiple first downs. The defense earned points for stops, sacks and takeaways as well as defensive touchdowns.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The offense scored four touchdowns, and the defense scored twice while collecting three turnovers.
Junior transfer quarterback DJ Stevenson completed, unofficially, 17 of 31 passes with two touchdowns and an interception. Returning quarterback Mekhi Hagens completed, unofficially, 5 of 14 passes with an interception.
Running backs Johness Davis and Dae’Trell Cooper scored rushing touchdowns.
Defensive backs Quintin Sterling and Tavon Hardwick scored the defensive touchdowns, Sterling on an interception return, and Hardwick on a fumble recovery. AC Swadling had the other turnover, an interception.
The defense dominated early, but the offense finally broke through late in the first quarter when Stevenson connected with wide receiver Cam Taylor for a score.
The run game was stifled often in the first quarter but started to break through in the second. Tennessee Tech transfer OJ Ross joined Davis in breaking through the defense for gains.
Running back BJ Curry nearly scored the second touchdown after catching a pass from Stevenson over the middle. He broke a tackle and sprinted for the end zone but fumbled the ball just before crossing the goal line, leading to a touchback.
Not long afterward, wide receiver Daemon Dawkins caught two passes from Stevenson and got the offense to the 1-yard line. Two plays later, Stevenson connected with University of Arkansas at Monticello transfer JaVonnie Gibson for his second touchdown pass of the day.
The defense held strong the rest of the first half and scored twice in three plays. First, Hardwick scooped up a bad snap and ran it back. Two plays later, Sterling intercepted Hagens and took it the other way for a touchdown. The defense ended the half with a fourth down stop.
Sterling said the defensive players have gotten closer throughout spring practice.
“We coming together as a whole, finally trusting everybody to do they job,” Sterling said. “That’s what coach [David Calloway] really wants us to do. Do our job and trust what he’s telling us. I feel like we finally coming together.”
The offense ran the ball on the opening drive of the second half, and Davis bounced a run outside to the left and found space to score the game’s first rushing touchdown. The defense answered on the next drive as Swadling intercepted Stevenson.
Hagens came out on the next drive and got the offense into scoring position after a big run and a pass to Maurice Hinton. One play later, Dae’Trell Cooper scored with a run to the left.
Stevenson said offensive coordinator Tony Hull’s up-tempo system helped the offense score, especially early in the second half.
“I feel like that will wear down a defense,” Stevenson said. “I feel like we’ll be a great second-half team, just wearing down a defense. Like Coach Hull says, they gotta come out hard and keep playing 100 percent, and we’re well-rested with our tempo, and we’re used to it. So, I feel like the tempo finally got to them and we broke a big run.”
One issue the offense faced was a litany of false start penalties. Stevenson said part of that comes down to him or Hagens making sure everyone is set before snapping the ball, and the offense will get that fixed in fall camp.
The spring game was the 15th and final practice of the spring. UAPB’s high school recruits will join the team in the fall, and Hampton said the Golden Lions are looking for a number of reinforcements in the transfer portal.