The longest road trip of the season for the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff this fall will take the Golden Lions to a struggling team returning a lot of last year’s production.
UAPB and Bethune-Cookman will meet for the first time as SWAC opponents on Oct. 25 in Daytona Beach, Fla.
Bethune (2-10, 2-6 SWAC in 2024) is entering its third season under Head Coach Raymond Woodie Jr. The Wildcats went 2-6 in SWAC play in each of his first two seasons but bring back many of last year’s starters this fall.
Redshirt senior quarterback Cam’Ron Ransom appeared in 11 games last year and completed 62.6% of his passes for 1,844 yards, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions. Luke Sprague, who will be a graduate student this year, helped out with 336 yards, three touchdowns and one interception after completing 60.87% of his passes in five games.
The duo split time in Bethune’s first win of the season against Mississippi Valley State, with Sprague leading the way with 73 yards and a touchdown. Ransom played the bulk of the win against Grambling State two weeks later, completing 18 of 20 passes for two touchdowns.
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Arkansas State transfer Timothy McClain will look to compete with them for the starting job. McClain, a Florida native who also played at South Florida and UCF earlier in his career, appeared in four games and threw four touchdown passes as a Red Wolf.
Whoever starts at quarterback for the Wildcats will have plenty of targets, since Bethune is returning six of its top nine receivers. Tight end Thomas Nance, who was second on the team in receiving yards, is the most notable loss.
Last year’s leading receiver, Maleek Huggins, returns after catching 37 passes for 543 yards and three touchdowns. Lorenzo Jenkins also caught three touchdown passes along with 285 yards.
Leading rusher Dennis Palmer, a second team All-SWAC selection, returns after he and Ransom tied for the team lead in rushing touchdowns with five each. Palmer finished the season with 706 yards on 159 carries.
The Wildcats lost the little depth at running back they had behind Palmer, though they signed Pitt transfer Montravius Lloyd, a former three-star recruit, from the transfer portal.
On defense, the Wildcats lose leading tackler Raymond Woodie III, a safety, but bring back the rest of their top seven.
Linebackers Kevin Washington Jr. and Malik Stinnett were among the top four tacklers, combining for 132 tackles with 9.5 for loss. The Wildcats were short on depth at that position with those two doing most of the work and will lack experience behind them.
In the secondary, the Wildcats lose Woodie but bring back six others with notable playing time last year. Safeties Antwone Watts and Joshua Thornhill each grabbed two interceptions and combined for six breakups. Watts was the team’s third-leading tackler with 70.
Bethune also brings back its top two defensive linemen. Defensive end Jeremy Greaves Jr. was second on the team in sacks with 3.5, while defensive tackle Adrian Hall Jr. made 51 tackles with 4.5 for loss.
Notable transfers include Nevada defensive back Devin Gunter, Charleston Southern defensive lineman Laron Davis and Stetson defensive lineman Abram Fofana.
The Wildcats also bring back last year’s first team All-SWAC punter, Anthony Frederique.
This will be the first trip to Daytona Beach for UAPB (3-9, 2-6) since 2005.