BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Most coaches don’t bring kickers to media day.
In each of his first two years as the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff head coach, Alonzo Hampton brought an offensive lineman and a defensive lineman to SWAC Media Day in Birmingham, Ala.
Hampton brought an offensive lineman, Jeremiah Rodgers, with him to the 2025 event last Wednesday, but he chose redshirt junior place kicker Trey Glymph as his second player.
“He is UAPB,” Hampton said. “He does it right on the football field. He does it right in the classroom. He does it right in the community. This man loves UAPB, and he deserved to be here. Yeah, he was perfect on his kicks, but what you don’t know is all the hard work he puts in. All the times he’s cheering for his teammates. When he wants to kick a field goal, and I’m going for it, he just looks at me and smiles. He never complains about anything. He’s always there for his teammates.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Glymph was the only specialist from any school to attend, with the other 11 schools each bringing one offensive and one defensive player.
He will lead the special teams unit this fall after making all seven of his field goals and all 34 of his extra points in 2024. He was one of two perfect kickers in the SWAC last season, and he enters 2025 as a preseason second team All-SWAC selection. He kicked off 25 times and averaged 55.2 yards per kickoff with one touch back.
Glymph said the best way to follow up a 100% season is to do it again.
“Every opportunity is a special one,” Glymph said. “Getting to play for UAPB means the world to me. I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure I’m middle-middle every time, good height on the ball. Make every kick. On kickoffs, I’m going to be a lot more explosive this year. Ball goes probably 5-10 yards deeper than what it did last year, so I’m excited for every opportunity we get.”
Media day wasn’t Glymph’s first trip to Birmingham this summer. He said he and punter Shea Yurkunas spent three weeks there training and working on their chemistry together.
Yurkunas will take over punting duties following the departure of Jeremy Baker, who entered the transfer portal as a graduate transfer. UAPB is also bringing in freshman kicker Ty Ackerson, New Mexico State transfer punter Nikalas Theisler and Presbyterian transfer longsnapper Jackson Wilson to round out the special teams unit.
Glymph said he is already getting to know the newcomers, and as a unit, they will have a chance to make a difference in games.
“Coach Hamp tells us every day: Special teams, be special,” Glymph said. “We get, what, eight, 10 plays a game for field goal and kickoff, and then punt depends on the offense. Just taking advantage of every opportunity you get. Do your job. … Everybody’s got a job to do, and we’re excited to get to work.”
Although Glymph provided accurate kicking, the return game was a nonfactor for UAPB last year.
The Golden Lions returned the fewest kickoffs, 33, and the fewest punts, six, of any SWAC team in 2024. UAPB averaged 4.8 yards per punt return, 11th in the SWAC, and 19 yards per kickoff return, eighth in the SWAC. UAPB was one of five SWAC teams not to score a return touchdown.
In a season in which the Golden Lions had three close losses in SWAC play, better special teams play could have made a difference. This year, Hampton said the special teams unit, like the rest of the program, should be better.
“We’ll be more exciting this year,” Hampton said. “I’m just being honest. Man, we got some return guys back there. Kareem Burke is a guy I’m really excited about, him and Kristian Gammage in the return game. The running backs that’s not going to be starting, they’re going to be back there returning kicks. (Special teams coordinator Tom) Manley did a really good job.”
Burke, a wide receiver, averaged 21 yards per kickoff return last season. Gammage, who played receiver last year but will be a defensive back this fall, averaged 19.2.