BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Alonzo Hampton said at SWAC Media Day on Wednesday that he isn’t worried about the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff offense losing its two best offensive players from last season.
In fact, the third-year head coach said this year’s team could be better than the one that featured quarterback Mekhi Hagens, now at Alabama A&M, and wide receiver JaVonnie Gibson, now at Oklahoma.
“Nobody ever knew who JaVonnie was,” Hampton said. “He had 20 catches coming in. I’m telling you right now, we got some guys that you don’t even know about that are going to be just as good. This is a better football team than we had last year. So I’m excited about those guys getting a chance to prove who they are. We’re not worried about the guys that are gone.”
Hagens and Gibson led a major improvement in the offense last year. UAPB went from 11th in the SWAC in scoring in 2023 to fifth in 2024.
Now the Golden Lions have a five-player battle to replace Hagens as the starting quarterback. Returning backups DJ Stevenson, Tysan Robbins and Landon Holcomb are battling graduate transfer Christian Peters and freshman Garrison Davis for the job.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Hampton said the quarterback battle remains open with all five still in the running. At receiver, players such as Kareem Burke and Maryland transfer Josh Richards are looking to break out the way Gibson did last fall.
But while the Golden Lions will need new players to step up in the passing game, the rushing attack will be led by one of the first recruits Hampton brought to UAPB two years ago.
Junior running back BJ Curry, who led UAPB in rushing last season with 509 yards, enters 2025 as a preseason All-SWAC second team selection.
Hampton said Curry is an outstanding student-athlete who has worked hard since arriving in Pine Bluff, but he is even more excited about the depth UAPB has built in the backfield.
“It’s good for him to be able to get the accolades that he’s getting, but BJ will tell you we got three more running backs that are really, really good,” Hampton said. “Za’Marion Webber is pretty doggone good. So we’re excited about the guys behind him. We signed another kid, Jaylen Jennings, man, he’s good. Ja’Quae Walden, the freshman. I’m excited about the running back group.”
Webber followed Curry with 334 rushing yards last season. Jennings led East Mississippi Community College with 65.9 yards per game and 10 touchdowns last season. He spent two years at EMCC after beginning his career at Bowling Green.
Walden is a freshman from Elkins who tallied 2,481 all-purpose yards and 39 touchdowns in high school.
The one thing that held back the offense last year was struggles up front. UAPB brings back one starting offensive lineman, Jeremiah Rodgers. He said this year’s unit has a great work ethic and he has enjoyed being around them as they work on their chemistry with one another.
“It’s a lot about being around each other for a long time,” Rodgers said. “Being around, just being a group, going everywhere together, being in unison. Great minds think alike, so you all gotta think on the same way.”
Rodgers said the offensive line needs to play smarter and know the field better to have a better performance this fall, and it falls to him to lead by example.
Hampton praised the offensive line for working hard throughout the summer and said he is excited about that group. He didn’t say much but was noticeably more optimistic than he was at last summer’s Media Day. Overall, he said he wants to build depth across the field this fall.
“We’re going to play multiple guys, and that’s at every position across the board,” Hampton said. “I’ve challenged my coaches to be able to teach and get more guys on the football field. When you have a lack of depth, you want to be able to get as many guys on the field. Make them feel like they’re part of it. It’s your job as a coach to make sure you got four to five guys that can play, and so we’re excited about that part of our program, too.”