LORMAN, Miss. — Fans got their first glimpse at how this year’s University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff team might fare in SWAC play Saturday.
UAPB fell 38-28 to Alcorn State at Spinks-Casem Stadium in Lorman, Miss., but compared to many of last year’s results, this loss was a small step forward for a struggling program.
Head coach Alonzo Hampton said UAPB (1-4, 0-1 SWAC) is doing many of the right things, just not enough of them.
“When you play good football teams that are used to winning, they don’t panic,” Hampton said. “We kinda get a little bit panicky, because we’re pressing trying to make a play. We just gotta continue to understand it’s a process. If we stay with the process, it doesn’t feel good right now, but I know we’re going to get where we want to get.”
Alcorn State (3-3, 2-0 SWAC) was the preseason favorite to win the West. The Braves, Prairie View A&M, Grambling State and Southern finished as the division’s top four teams last season and were predicted to do so again this year.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
UAPB lost to each by an average of 26 points last year. The closest games UAPB played were against the Braves and Panthers, who each won by 24. The Golden Lions didn’t fare much better against the East Division last season, losing to Jackson State by 26 and Mississippi Valley State by 25.
UAPB’s only SWAC games decided by fewer than 24 were the 31-24 loss to Alabama A&M and the 35-34 comeback victory at Texas Southern.
Hampton credited the offense for keeping the game closer.
“We can score,” Hampton said. “Obviously, on defense, we haven’t been able to get no sacks. We hadn’t been able to do some things. We have to continue to get better on defense.”
In UAPB’s West Division losses last season, the Golden Lions scored 8.75 points per game, never more than 14, with a shutout loss to Southern. UAPB scored 17 in the loss to Valley and 14 against Jackson State.
The 28 points UAPB scored Saturday was more than the Golden Lions scored in any game, SWAC or non-conference, except the Texas Southern win last season. UAPB matched that number last month against Tennessee State.
Mekhi Hagens and JaVonnie Gibson remain the leading passer and receiver, respectively, in the SWAC this season. Hagens’ 245 passing yards per game shatters UAPB’s 154 average from last season, while Gibson’s 575 yards and five touchdowns are already better than any UAPB receiver did all of last year.
The improved offense can keep UAPB in these games, but the defense will need to take a step forward to win them.
Early on Saturday, it seemed the defense had taken that step. Alcorn running back Jacorian Sewell was regularly unable to get anything on runs up the middle in the first half. Despite the Braves finding success when quarterback Xzavier Vaughn ran outside the tackles or threw screens to the perimeter, UAPB held Alcorn to 7 points until late in the half.
That success didn’t last. Alcorn scored touchdowns on three of its first four second-half drives with a field goal on the other. The runs finally broke through, and the Braves finished with 311 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
UAPB junior defensive lineman Abdulbasit Osholake said despite the result, the defense showed a lot of improvement against the Braves.
“We can build off of it by … fitting in our gaps, sending blitzes,” Osholake said. “(If) we ever go against a quarterback like (Vaughn), making sure we having the QB spy, that would be important. Sending blitzes off the edge, putting pressure on the quarterback.”
Through six weeks, UAPB ranks third in the SWAC in scoring offense but 11th in scoring defense.