Defense steps up from 2018
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff may be off this week, but Coach Cedric Thomas isn’t treating it as such.
The Golden Lions played perhaps their best game under Thomas when they crushed Mississippi Valley State 38-6 on Saturday to notch their fifth victory of the season, a notable milestone considering the team won just five games total from 2016-2018. UAPB returns to the field Oct.
26, when it hosts perennial power Grambling State at 3 p.m. Nonetheless, preparation for the Tigers started the day after the Golden Lions beat the Delta Devils.
“We’re getting prepared to make sure we’re giving ourselves all the advantages,” Thomas said. “[Grambling State] is always the staple of the conference and that’s a good football team. They may not look like Grambling teams of old schematically, but they are still who they are.
“As long as that ‘G’ is on that helmet, they play up to that level.”
UAPB has taken its game up a notch as well, and because of it, is enjoying a bounce-back season thanks largely because of its offensive capabilities. The Golden Lions rank 22nd in total offense and 25th in scoring offense in the FCS. The only other team from the SWAC that sits in the top 25 of both of those categories is Western Division rival Prairie View A&M. But while UAPB’s offense is receiving the bulk of the credit for the teams’ resurgence, the Golden Lions’ defense is quietly putting together a feel-good story itself.
A year ago, UAPB statistically had the worst defense in the FCS. The Golden Lions allowed 558 yards, gave up an average of 43 points per game and were slated near the bottom of the pack in several other defensive categories.
However, an extra year in Thomas’ system seemingly is paying off.
“Honestly, the scout team has been a big part of it,” defensive back Shawn Steele said. “They give us good looks in practice. We always talk about staying over our cuts and playing hard. We’ve done that this year.
“The hunger we have now has been the main thing, though. We’re hungrier.”
The Golden Lions, who allow an average of 383.6 yards and 27.7 points per contest, are fourth in the SWAC in total defense and have nine interceptions, which is tied for fifth in the FCS. UAPB is also tied for sixth in total forced turnovers (16) and sits 27th in tackles for losses.
Steele has been one of the leaders of the defense’s revival. The 5-11, 180-pound junior from New Orleans leads the conference in interceptions (3), pass breakups (11) and passes defended (14). He has four takeaways in the past three games.
The numbers say UAPB’s defense has improved this season, but according to Mississippi Valley State Coach Vincent Dancy, the Golden Lions pass the eye test as well.
“They did a good job of attacking us,” he said. “[UAPB] is a very good team. We just couldn’t put any points on the board.”
Aside from an early scoring drive, the Delta Devils weren’t able to do much. Mississippi Valley punted the ball five times, turned the ball over on downs three times and committed three turnovers.
“I can’t speak enough about Coach [Torenzo] Quinn, Coach [Deion] Roberson and Coach [Jonathan] Bradley,” Thomas said about his defensive coaches. “Those guys put a great game plan together. They did a good job of settling the kids down and getting them back to Monday’s, Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s practices.
“They threw some wrinkles out there that they’d work on during the week. I thought once they did that and got back to keys and reads, we really got a chance to play our brand of football defensively.”