A defensive front that could be one of the best in the Big 12 awaits the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff football team Saturday.
UAPB kicks off the season against Texas Tech at 6:30 p.m. at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas, on ESPN-Plus.
No. 23 Texas Tech (8-5 in 2024) is historically better known for offense than defense, but the Red Raiders enter this year with three preseason All-Big 12 players in their defensive front.
Senior defensive linemen David Bailey and Lee Hunter made the list, as did senior linebacker Jacob Rodriguez. The latter was also named Big 12 preseason defensive player of the year. No other school had multiple players in the defensive front on the preseason All-Big 12 team.
UAPB coach Alonzo Hampton said the Golden Lions (3-9 last season) know what they will be facing Saturday.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
“We gotta be ready to get rid of the ball quick if we’re going to pass it,” Hampton said. “We just need to run our offense. Our offense is very similar to what they do, and so we kinda know some things that may help us. … Our kids just need to play within the scheme. We’re not going to ask them to do too much.”
This star-studded defensive front will be a huge early test for a UAPB offensive line that struggled last season, allowing a SWAC-high 43 sacks.
The Golden Lions bring back one starter from that line, right tackle Jeremiah Rodgers. Right guard Bryce Lusk, who appeared in five games last season, joins junior college transfer Aydan Blair and Division II transfers EJ Pullins and Frank Bean as the new starters.
Hampton and offensive coordinator Tony Hull praised the work new offensive line coach Donovan Jackson has done with this group, though Jackson has only been on the staff since just before the start of fall camp.
At quarterback, UAPB listed Division II graduate transfer Christian Peters ahead of returning backup DJ Stevenson on the game-week depth chart, though the coaches haven’t officially named a starter. Hampton said Monday that whoever starts isn’t guaranteed to play the entire game.
Regardless of who plays quarterback Saturday, Hampton said he feels good about running backs BJ Curry and Za’Marion Webber, who return from last season. Curry was named to the preseason All-SWAC second team.
“We gotta be able to run the football,” Hampton said. “We’re going to run our offense, and we’re going to take what they give us. I think they got maybe three guys on defense making over a million dollars. … Our kids are excited about the opportunity to block some of those million-dollar guys.”
On the other side of the ball, UAPB brings in an unproven defensive front to face a Tech offense that led the Big 12 in scoring last season.
Like with the offensive line, the Golden Lions return one starter, defensive end Elijah Jenkins, on a defensive line that struggled. UAPB had by far the fewest sacks of any SWAC team last year and ranked 10th in run defense.
The defensive coaching staff was overhauled in the offseason. Secondary coach Jeff Burrow was promoted to defensive coordinator, and the Golden Lions hired a new defensive line coach, George Ricumstrict, to get that unit back on track.
UAPB will turn to Isaiah Jones, who made six tackles in seven appearances last season, alongside freshman Vaughn Highland and junior college edge rusher Tylan Cole as new defensive line starters.
Their first test will be a Tech offense led by senior quarterback Behren Morton, who was third in the Big 12 last year with 277.9 passing yards per game. He threw 27 touchdown passes with eight interceptions and was the first Red Raider quarterback to start every game of a single regular season since Patrick Mahomes II in 2016.
Morton missed the Liberty Bowl against Arkansas after undergoing shoulder surgery after the regular season. Tech coach Joey McGuire said Morton has had better pace on the ball since recovering.
“You see a guy that is running around, feels great,” McGuire said. “The ball is coming out of his hand. He’s got a really, really good feel for this offense. He and (offensive coordinator Mack Leftwich) have become really close and have great conversations of what we can do. He’s also a guy that knows that he’s got some really good football players around him, wants to take advantage of it.”
The Red Raiders suffered a big loss earlier this month when Southern California transfer Quinten Joyner suffered a season-ending injury. Cameron Dickey and J’Koby Williams, who combined for 461 yards playing behind Cincinnati Bengals draftee Tahj Brooks last season, are listed as joint starters at that position.