During the week leading up to Saturday’s game, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff football coach Alonzo Hampton said he needed more from his receivers.
They answered his challenge during UAPB’s 40-21 win against Southern University at Simmons Bank Field in Pine Bluff.
UAPB (4-5, 2-3 SWAC) true freshman wide receiver Ellis Stewart caught four passes, and two of them were highlight-worthy one-handed touchdown grabs.
Stewart said the first catch gave him the confidence to make the second.
“The second catch, he threw it, and I wanted to score,” Stewart said. “If I would have went up with two hands, I would have caught it, and then I would have just fell right there, got the first down, but I was going for a touchdown. I had already caught the first one, so I’m like, ‘Why not go up with one hand again?'”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The first came with 17.1 seconds remaining in the first half. The 31-yard grab sent UAPB into halftime with a 24-7 lead. The second was in the third quarter. After UAPB stopped Southern (1-8, 0-5) on fourth down at midfield, Stewart outdid his earlier catch with a diving grab that extended the lead to 38-7.
Stewart finished with a career-high 83 yards to lead the team. His previous high was 56 yards in the prior game against Bethune-Cookman. He also had 55 yards against Alcorn State.
Hampton said he has known since fall camp how good Stewart could be.
“This dude is confident, but yet not cocky,” Hampton said. “He believes in himself. He works every day. He deserves that. Sometimes I gotta pull him back, because he wants the ball, and the ball don’t come to him. I said, ‘Man, you’re a baby. Just trust the process. When God get ready to release you, everybody gonna know who you are.'”
Stewart is up to third on the team in receiving yards and leads UAPB in receiving touchdowns this season with five.
UAPB signed Stewart out of Cecilia High School near Breaux Bridge, La., which is 52 miles from Southern’s campus.
Stewart said it felt good to beat the Jaguars.
“I knew a couple people from the team and a couple of the coaches, so you know, it felt good to beat them,” Stewart said. “I went and talked to them after the game, probably going to talk to them later on, talk about the game.”
Stewart wasn’t the only receiver starting quarterback Christian Peters turned to in this game. Redshirt freshman D’Avery Robinson caught six passes for 75 yards, his longest going for 41. Junior Kareem Burke caught eight passes for 54 yards. Three other players made one catch each. Peters finished with 231 passing yards and two touchdowns with one interception.
Peters was the only quarterback to throw a pass for UAPB, but he wasn’t the only one to play.
DJ Stevenson carried the ball five times and scored the first touchdown. UAPB mostly used him inside the 10-yard line in goal-to-go situations.
Hampton said Stevenson deserves to play despite Peters winning the starting job.
“DJ will never have to worry about a job as long as I got a job,” Hampton said. “This kid is what you want as a coach. He’s not going to complain if he’s not on the field. He’s going to help his teammates. He’s going to pray for his teammates. He’s just an outstanding young man. So it was good for (offensive coordinator Tony Hull) to get him in the game. They had a package for him.”
Stevenson finished with 43 rushing yards. Running back Jaylen Jennings led with 99. Jennings, Stevenson and Peters each scored once as they led UAPB to a 158-yard rushing day, a new season-best against a Division I foe.