Establishing the run will be crucial for the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff in this week’s Southern Heritage Classic, the coach said.
UAPB will face Tennessee State at 6 p.m. Saturday at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. This will be UAPB’s second appearance in the Classic after debuting last season.
HBCU GO will broadcast the game. Locally, the game will air on KARZ 42.1. The game may also be streamed at HBCUGO.tv or on the HBCU GO app.
The Golden Lions are coming off a 320-yard rushing performance in last week’s win against Arkansas Baptist, and UAPB (1-1) coach Alonzo Hampton said he is challenging his team to outrush TSU.
“For us, obviously, we’re going to have to win the line of scrimmage,” Hampton said. “Their D-line is really good. Their offensive line is huge, but we got some players on our offensive and defensive line that can match those guys. … The game always starts up front. You gotta be able to run the ball efficiently enough to get them off of you so we can throw the football.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Arkansas held UAPB to 7 rushing yards in the season opener, but three Golden Lion running backs scored last week against Arkansas Baptist. Tennessee Tech transfer OJ Ross led the way with five carries for 100 yards and three touchdowns. Johness Davis scored twice on five carries, while ULM transfer Za’Marion Webber finished with 60 yards and a score.
Ross has been UAPB’s rushing leader in both games so far and is averaging 11.3 yards per carry, but the Golden Lions have shared the snaps. Davis has carried the ball 11 times in two games, while Ross and Webber have 10 touches each, though most of Webber’s rushes last week came with the game already in hand. Quarterback Mekhi Hagens leads with 13 rushes.
Hampton said he is confident in the entire group.
“All three bring something different to the table,” Hampton said. “Two of those guys can take it the distance. You get out of a gap, it could be 60, 70 yards at a time. I like where we’re headed as a football program. Obviously, this week is a tough week for us, but it’s a good challenge.”
TSU (1-1) has also shared the load at running back. Jaden McGill leads with 51 yards on 11 carries through two games, while Jordan Gant is right behind with 50 yards on 15 carries. CJ Evans has 31 yards on 10 carries, and starting quarterback Draylen Ellis has 34 yards on 12 carries.
Interestingly, the Tigers’ only rushing touchdown so far this season came from Jalen Rouse, who has 33 yards on just four touches.
Ellis has been the main choice at quarterback, but Tevin Carter has also seen snaps at the position. Ellis has completed 38 of 58 passes for 484 yards and three touchdowns with one interception. Carter is more of a running quarterback and has attempted just one pass through two games, a 1-yard completion. He has rushed five times for 15 yards.
UAPB’s secondary dominated last week. Saturday, their biggest challenge will be TSU receiver Jalal Dean, who had nine catches for 144 yards and a touchdown against Mississippi Valley State.
Although this will be UAPB’s first game this season against a fellow FCS team, TSU has played two. The Tigers defeated Valley 41-21 before falling 52-3 last week at No. 2 North Dakota State.
TSU coach Eddie George said the two lopsided games against non-FCS competition UAPB has played so far makes scouting the Golden Lions difficult, but he can look back at last year’s Classic as well as UAPB’s final three games of last season.
“This is a team that doesn’t quit, and they’re well coached,” George said. “So, we look at what they’re able to do. I don’t think they’ll stray too far away from what they’re known for … but we anticipate some different twists or different looks or some different tendencies they may stray away from when we face off this Saturday.”