SWAC play for the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff this fall will begin against a team led by a former UAPB player and head coach.
UAPB will travel to Alcorn State on Oct. 5 for the Golden Lion’s first SWAC game of the season.
In December, former UAPB head coach Cedric Thomas was named Alcorn’s new head coach after serving as defensive coordinator for two seasons. The UAPB graduate replaced Fred McNair, who departed the school after being reported as a candidate for the Texas Southern head job, which ultimately went to Cris Dishman. McNair was later named an offensive assistant at Southern.
Thomas, a Mississippi native, graduated from UAPB in 2001 as a two-year letterman. He started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Alcorn, then returned to Alcorn in 2012 as a defensive coach, ultimately earning his master’s degree there.
He took over as the UAPB head coach in 2018. The Golden Lions went 2-9 in his debut season but improved to 6-5 in his second. In 2020, he resigned to take an assistant coaching position at Southern Miss.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The Braves finished tied for first in the West last season, though Prairie View A&M clinched the trip to the SWAC championship. Alcorn was top-five in the SWAC in both scoring offense and defense.
The Braves scored 25.6 points per game in SWAC play, but Thomas must replace a lot of last year’s production.
Starting quarterback Aaron Allen declared for the NFL Draft after completing 63.8 percent of his passes for 2,265 yards, 15 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also rushed for two touchdowns.
Alcorn has a couple of options with which to replace Allen. Tyler Macon was his backup last season, though he completed just 2 of 13 passes with two interceptions and no touchdowns.
The Braves signed former UAPB quarterback Xzavier Vaughn, who spent the past two seasons at Lincoln University of Missouri. Last season, Vaughn completed 49.1 percent of his passes for 1,519 yards with 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
Alcorn must also replace its leading rusher, Jarveon Howard, who scored 7 of the Braves’ 12 rushing touchdowns last year. Howard signed with the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent. Second-leading rusher Jacorian Sewell returns after rushing for 198 yards and a touchdown last year. Macon is the only other returning player with a rushing score or over 100 yards.
The Braves also lose their top two receivers. Tavarious Griffin is the leading returner, having caught four touchdown passes to go with 317 yards. Tevarrius Adams collected 201 receiving yards.
Defensively, the Braves lose their leading tackler but bring back several other top defenders. Defensive lineman Malachi Baily had nine sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss last year, both team highs. Defensive back Edwin Summerour and linebacker Stemarion Edwards had 63 and 62 tackles, respectively. Summerour joins Geoffrey McKelton as the returning leaders for interceptions with two each, though the top two interceptors do not return.
The Braves defeated UAPB 31-7 in Pine Bluff last season and have won six of the past seven games against the Golden Lions, including the past three. UAPB’s most recent win against the Braves was a 45-43 win in 2016 in Lorman, Miss.