The back end of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff defense has been solid this season, and those defensive backs will be key for the Golden Lions on Saturday.
UAPB will face Bethune-Cookman at 2 p.m. CDT on SWAC TV at Daytona Stadium in Daytona Beach, Fla. It will be the Wildcats’ homecoming game.
UAPB Coach Alonzo Hampton said the Wildcats may have the SWAC’s best offense.
“I don’t even think it’s close, honestly,” Hampton said. “Those guys can flat-out run, but they got two running backs that can take it the distance. Quarterback is special. I don’t know it’s another quarterback anywhere in our conference like him. That kid is tremendous with the ball in his hand. We just gotta do our job.”
UAPB (3-4, 1-2 SWAC) has held opponents to 198.3 passing yards per game so far this season, which ranks fourth in the SWAC.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The Golden Lions lead the conference in interceptions with nine and are one of five teams to have returned one for a touchdown. Each of those nine interceptions was made by a different player. Converted wide receiver Kristian Gammage scored the touchdown.
Starting safeties Quintin Sterling and Ja’Marlin Green are UAPB’s third and fourth leading tacklers with a combined 51.
Bethune-Cookman (3-4, 2-1) will test the UAPB secondary on Saturday. The Wildcats average 252 passing yards per game, second most in the SWAC. Hampton said Bethune’s offense has been nearly unstoppable so far in SWAC play, so the defensive backs will have to play well when called upon.
“It’s just playing technique, doing what you’re told to do, align where you’re supposed to do, and get hands on if you’re pressing, things of that nature,” Hampton said. “If you go watch them, man, nobody’s been able to stop them. Those guys can run. They stretch you vertically down the field, and then, if you play too far off, they’ll throw the ball underneath, and you gotta be able to tackle in space.”
The Wildcats have used two quarterbacks this season. Redshirt senior Cam’Ron Ransom has completed 82 of 128 passes (64.06%) for 1,131 yards, 12 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. Arkansas State transfer Timmy McClain has completed 66 of 93 passes (70.97%) for 633 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Both have appeared in each game so far. McClain threw most of Bethune’s passes in their first two games against Football Bowl Subdivision foes Florida International and then-No. 5 Miami, but Ransom has led the team in four of the five games since. The exception was two games ago against Alabama State, when McClain saw most of the action.
McClain threw for a season-high 266 yards against Alabama State, while Ransom threw for 254 yards in Bethune’s last game against Southern. Ransom’s season high was 302 yards with four touchdowns against South Carolina State on Sept. 13.
Regardless of quarterback, the Wildcats have some very reliable targets. Redshirt senior Maleek Huggins leads the SWAC with 86.9 receiving yards per game and has caught six touchdowns, second most in the league. Sophomore Javon Ross is fifth in the conference with 61.1 yards per game. The Wildcats have two other receivers averaging at least 32 yards per game. Bethune coach Raymond Woodie attributed his receivers’ success to arriving at practice early and staying afterward to work on their technique.
“Everybody wants to do their job well, and those guys, it sticks out to me you see that group always coming to practice early and staying late,” Woodie said. “So, I just think, obviously, the coaches are doing a good job with the techniques and fundamentals, and that’s obviously helping them with the execution of the play.”
The UAPB secondary has been shorthanded without sophomore safety Na’il Johnson and cornerback Zach Williams. Johnson is UAPB’s fifth-leading tackler with two pass breakups and a fumble recovery, while Williams has an interception.
Hampton said on Monday they are day-to-day.
“At the end of the day, next man up,” Hampton said earlier this week. “I don’t really care. They were banged up and couldn’t go. Next man up, and that’ll be the same way this week. We got four days of practice before we can get off, but I think both of those guys will be ready come Saturday, though.”