JACKSON, Miss. — This season has been a step forward for the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff football team, but Jackson State showed the Golden Lions how far they still must go on Saturday.
The Tigers remained the last SWAC team without a conference loss after defeating UAPB 41-3 at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.
UAPB (3-6, 2-3 SWAC) coach Alonzo Hampton said the biggest difference between the teams is line play.
“The O-line, D-line is the most important thing that we gotta get fixed,” Hampton said. “We gotta get it fixed real quick in order for us to take the next step. We got some skill guys. We gotta get a couple more guys in the secondary. We’re just not making enough plays, but eventually, we’ll get there.”
Jackson State (7-2, 5-0) used its offensive line to rush for 247 yards. This is the fifth time this season the Tigers have exceeded 200 rushing yards, with their best performance coming against Bethune-Cookman with 349 yards.
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By comparison, UAPB rushed for 67 yards. This was the fifth time the Golden Lions have been held below 100 yards rushing. Quarterback Mekhi Hagens led with 34 yards. BJ Curry led the running backs with 25 yards.
Hampton said Golden Lions need more depth up front to catch up to JSU at the top of the SWAC.
“We don’t have enough bodies,” Hampton said. “Today, it caught up with us. We’d been masking it a lot on the O-line, because Mekhi is able to move around and get away from some things. But in order for us to grow as a program, we gotta be able to get guys on the offensive line that can help us and that can move.”
The Tigers sacked Hagens four times, with the junior using his mobility to escape some other near sacks. On the other side, UAPB never sacked JSU quarterback Jacobian Morgan.
UAPB’s defense has just four sacks this year, the least in the SWAC. Defensive end Khalil Arnold had four last season, contributing to a team total of 18. Through nine games this year, he has just 0.5 sacks. Anas Luqman leads the team with 2.5.
Hampton said the lack of pass rush is hindering the Golden Lions.
“We’re not winning the one-on-one battles,” Hampton said. “Not using our hands, not being physical at the point of attack like everybody else is doing on us. We gotta look at a lot of different things. … We gotta do a better job coaching it, and we gotta find us some guys that can rush the passer.”
Timeout stalls UAPB drive
UAPB started the game hot offensively.
The Golden Lions started the game with the ball and reached the red zone in four plays. Hagens completed passes of 10 and 12 yards to tight end Kevin English and wide receiver Daemon Dawkins on the first two plays. After a 1-yard run by Dawkins, Hagens hit receiver JaVonnie Gibson for 19 yards to the 19-yard line.
The Golden Lions were snapping the ball quickly between plays, not giving Jackson State time to regroup. After the fourth play, the Tigers called their first timeout 2:07 into the game.
After that stoppage, Hagens threw two incomplete passes, and Curry had a 1-yard run. After a great start, UAPB had to settle for a 28-yard field goal to go up 3-0.
Gibson said that timeout may have gotten the Golden Lions out of the great rhythm they started with.
“Almost every game, we come out first quarter, we driving that thing,” Gibson said. “We trying to punch it in. So, I really think that probably did slow the momentum down.”
UAPB didn’t score again and went 0 of 3 on fourth downs.
Gibson kept in check
Gibson has been the SWAC’s leading receiver this season, but JSU held him to 45 yards on six catches. Only Arkansas and Central Arkansas have held him to fewer yards this season. He has exceeded 100 yards against five of UAPB’s nine opponents.
The SWAC knows about Gibson after he put up 180 yards against Alcorn State and 183 against Prairie View A&M, and stopping the redshirt sophomore is undoubtedly a top priority in the game plan of every team.
Hampton said JSU pressed and double-teamed Gibson, showing why the offense can’t rely on one receiver.
“It looks good when JV’s doing it, but we got other receivers, man,” Hampton said. “So, that’s hindering us, and it definitely hindered us today, because they didn’t let him get it. They were doubling him. Now, Mekhi’s looking for him, and he’s taking sacks. He’s gotta get the ball to other guys when they open.”