Year three of the Alonzo Hampton era is underway.
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff opened fall camp this week as the Golden Lions look ahead to their season opener against Texas Tech, which will be played on Aug. 30 in Lubbock, Texas.
Practice began Thursday. The first two sessions were held with helmets only. UAPB added shells on Saturday with the first full-pads practice scheduled for Tuesday.
Hampton said after Friday’s practice, this team has more depth than his first two seasons.
“It’s a better football team all around,” Hampton said. “We just gotta continue to develop guys. This team will be built on depth, and you’ll see a lot of guys play. I’m just excited about the opportunity to see who’s going to step up and be the guys everybody knows about.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The 12 freshmen UAPB signed in February joined an ever-growing list of summer transfers who committed after spring practice and are participating in their first official UAPB practices.
Hampton showed last year he isn’t afraid to play true freshmen in prominent roles. Freshmen Amyrion Mingo and Zach Williams established themselves as starting-caliber cornerbacks last season. Mingo led the team in interceptions, while Williams, originally a walk-on, was the fifth-leading tackler.
Freshmen linebackers Kyle Vocque and Jonathan Goins also played key roles early before missing the bulk of the season. Vocque has since transferred to Central Arkansas, while Goins is now at Alabama A&M.
Four 2024 high school state champions are among this year’s crop of freshmen looking to be next. Cecilia (Breaux Bridge, La.) wide receiver Ellis Stewart will join three signees from Edna Karr (New Orleans): wide receiver Bryant Sanchez, defensive back Tyrik Brigalia and linebacker Ace Bolds Jr.
Stewart and Sanchez are among a larger group of young receivers Hampton said he is excited about, which also includes Raylen Spratt from Dumas, De’Ontae Clark from Stuttgart and Floyd Flugence from Crowley, La.
“We want to get an opportunity to watch what they can do,” Hampton said. “They can run. You got a Raylen Spratt. You got Ellis Stewart, guys that are really, really talented. If you see them with the ball in their hands, Floyd Flugence, man, he can run.”
Other incoming freshmen looking to prove themselves during this camp include Elkins running back Ja’Quae Walden and Mills defensive back Zay Stribling.
The post-spring transfers include several defensive players looking to help engineer a turnaround on that side of the ball. Three come from Monroe University, a junior college in New Jersey. Defensive back Na’il Johnson leads that group after tallying 36 tackles and recovering three fumbles last season.
Hampton mentioned another Monroe transfer, defensive back Michael Henderson, along with Stribling and Wisconsin-La Crosse transfer defensive tackle Marquis Cagle as defensive newcomers who have looked good so far.
“Obviously, you just kinda installing the basic stuff for the first couple of days,” Hampton said. “Once we go from there, man, I think once we get into the middle of next week and by the time we get to the scrimmage on the next Saturday, we’ll have a really good idea of who the guys (are) that’s gonna be able to help us.”