LITTLE ROCK – Thursday night’s lopsided loss was a tough way to start the season, but some of the many newcomers at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff showed promise.
The 70-0 loss to Arkansas at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock was the UAPB debut for a litany of transfers and true freshmen Head Coach Alonzo Hampton brought in for his second season in Pine Bluff.
Hampton said inexperience led to mistakes throughout the game, but what he saw reinforced his belief they will develop into key players.
“We got a lot of young guys that are going to help us, and they’re going to be really, really good players,” Hampton said. “So, I’m excited about where we going. This game here, as coaches, you want to play it, but you want to play it towards the end of the year after you got everybody kind of oiled up, ready to go.”
Starting quarterback Mekhi Hagens completed 11 passes, and nine of those went to incoming transfers.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Arkansas-Monticello transfers Kristian Gammage and JaVonnie Gibson combined for five receptions for 53 yards. Ohio transfer Aramoni Rhone caught two passes for 34 yards. Florida Atlantic transfer Donovan Giles caught one 21-yard pass, and Eastern Illinois transfer Jaxson Isaac caught a 9-yard pass.
UAPB (0-1) struggled to run the ball against a Southeastern Conference defensive front, finishing with 7 yards, but it was again a newcomer who led the way. Tennessee Tech transfer OJ Ross rushed five times for 13 yards.
Defensively, Northwest Mississippi Community College transfer Ja’Marlin Green and true freshman Kyle Vocque from Bauxite led the team with seven tackles apiece. Vocque and fellow freshman Derrick Murdock from Little Rock Southwest teamed up for a solid tackle on the final play of the third quarter to limit Arkansas (1-0) running back Braylen Russell to a 3-yard gain.
Hampton said Vocque stood out to him.
“He was on the scout team all week, but that young man from Bauxite, he’s worked his tail off,” Hampton said. “He’s a football player. So, we’re happy to have him, and he gonna make a lot of noise for the Golden Lions.”
The top six tacklers from UAPB were newcomers. Junior college transfer Kaylon Bradley had six tackles. Jaden Kelly and Liam Lindo, also junior college transfers, had five tackles apiece, as did true freshman Jonathan Goins from Pine Bluff. Kaleb Knox was the leading tackler among returning players with four. Goins and Lindo led the team with three solo tackles each.
Junior college transfer Abdulbasit Osholake made both of UAPB’s tackles for loss in the game. Redshirt freshman Antwon Jackson forced a fumble and broke up a pass.
Hampton also named true freshman Amyrion Mingo from Alexandria, La., as one of several young players who stood out. Mingo finished with two tackles.
“That kid’s a pretty good player, man,” Hampton said. “We got some really, really good young players, and I told everybody we’re building a foundation. They gonna grow up fast, and we’re going to win a lot of football games.”