With three of last year’s defensive linemen set to play Bowl Subdivision football this fall, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff needs new players to elevate its struggling defensive line.
Two starters from last year, Anas Luqman and Antonio Johnson, will play in the Mid-American Conference this year: Luqman at Ohio and Johnson at Eastern Michigan. Meanwhile, Jason Gwan transferred to New Mexico State of Conference USA.
With Khalil Arnold, another starter, having graduated, that leaves Elijah Jenkins as the only returning starter on the defensive line. The graduate student made 25 tackles last season and was fourth on the team with 4.5 tackles for loss. He is the only returning player with a sack.
The one other returning player who had a noteworthy 2024 is Kavion Majors. The senior was 12th on the team in tackles with 32, including 2.5 for loss. He also recovered a fumble.
This has forced UAPB to rebuild a defensive line that didn’t have much success last year. UAPB allowed 218.3 rushing yards per game, which ranked 10th in the SWAC. Opponents rushed for a SWAC-leading 38 touchdowns.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The Golden Lions sacked opposing quarterbacks seven times, by far the fewest of any SWAC defense. The next lowest was Mississippi Valley State with 14.
UAPB had nine defensive linemen on the roster during spring practice, though two have since entered the transfer portal. Injuries to others left the Golden Lions shorthanded up front during the spring game, during which the UAPB offense rushed for 385 yards and two touchdowns.
After Jenkins and Majors, redshirt junior Cameron Coleman saw the most action of the returning depth players. He missed the first half of the season but played in six of the final seven games, making 11 tackles and 2 tackles for loss in that span.
The Golden Lions had one new signee at spring practice, junior college transfer Tylan Cole. Last year at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Cole tallied 38 tackles and was third on the team with 8 tackles for loss. He also made 2.5 sacks and recovered a fumble.
Since spring ball, UAPB has received public commitments from two other transfers. Jaiden Crawford comes to Pine Bluff after making 23 tackles in eight games last year at San Joaquin Delta College in California. The Golden Lions also received a commitment from defensive tackle Marquis Cagle, who saw limited time last year at Division III school Wisconsin-La Crosse.
Under head coach Alonzo Hampton, who is gearing up for his third season in charge, UAPB has primarily targeted the transfer portal for defensive linemen. The Golden Lions haven’t signed a high school defensive linemen in either of the past two recruiting classes, instead exclusively signing transfers, mainly from junior colleges.
Barring any last minute or as-of-yet unannounced additions, UAPB will take nine defensive linemen into fall camp, so there isn’t much room for injuries or busts.
The rest of the existing roster includes Javien Blanks and Isaiah Jones, who came to UAPB out of high school three classes ago, and 2024 junior college transfer Benjie Guar.
Guar was a summer addition ahead of last season. He came to Pine Bluff after making 37 tackles, 6 for loss, with four sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in 2023 for Sussex County Community College in New Jersey. Jones was a four-year varsity player and state champion at North Little Rock, while Blanks was a second team all-state player in Alabama. None saw significant reps last year but may have a chance to contribute more this fall.