UAPB’s offense gets wobbly late

PINE BLUFF — One by one, Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s defense kept putting its suspension-riddled offense in good spots Saturday afternoon.

But four second-half takeaways netted only three points for UAPB, and when Grambling State’s Edward Patterson returned an interception 26 yards for a late score, UAPB couldn’t muster enough plays to make up the difference in a 27-20 loss in front of 9,202 at Golden Lion Stadium.

“Anytime you get turnovers,” UAPB Coach Monte Coleman said, “you’re hoping your offense can come on and punch it in.”

But UAPB’s running game stalled - it was slowed in part by 12 players serving suspensions dictated by the Southwestern Athletic Conference after an Oct. 15 post game brawl - even with the gifts and the Golden Lions lost control of the race in the SWAC’s Western Division.

UAPB did well with its first takeway, when Derrick Timber, starting in place of suspended linebacker Joe Dalton, intercepted a tipped Frank Rivers pass on the game’s third play to set UAPB up at the Grambling State 44.

Quarterback Ben Anderson faked a hand off to Adrian Moore on the next play and connected with Mareo Howard on a post route for a 44-yard touchdown pass to make it 7-0 less than two minutes in.

The Golden Lions scored on their next drive, too, when Anderson completed a screen to freshman Jevon Dixon, who took it 48 yards untouched to make it 14-0.

“That’s when you’ve got to put your foot on their throat and just keep going at them,” tight end Rontrell Bailey said.

But once Grambling State (4-4, 3-3) switched to zone coverage in the secondary after UAPB’s second score, points were hard to come by, as the Golden Lions got only two Chris Ewald field goals - one from 39 yards and another from 30 - the rest of the afternoon.

Ewald’s 30-yard kick made it 21-20 late in the third quarter after Robert Dorsey recovered a Rivers fumble.

One series earlier, Timber recovered a Dawrence Roberts fumble at the Grambling State 24. But UAPB lost 11 yards over its three offensive plays and punted.

On the drive immediately after Ewald’s field goal, a Rivers pass was tipped at the line and defensive tackle Johnny Ware came down with it at the Grambling State 39. But Anderson bobbled the snap on fourth-and-inches and UAPB turned it over on downs.

Then, Jer-ryan Harris recovered Kenneth Batiste’s fumble on the UAPB 41, and again Grambling State held UAPB without a first down, this time after four plays netted 3 yards.

UAPB still had a chance at the end.

Patterson put Grambling State up 27-20 with his interception return, and Coach Doug Williams elected to go for two because, “we wanted to put it in a position to where it was a two-score game.”

But a pass from D.J. Williams, the coach’s son, fell incomplete and UAPB got the ball back with a chance.

Anderson, who finished 18 of 38 passing for 223 yards with 2 touchdowns and 1 interception, moved UAPB from its 35 to the Grambling State 17 with passes to Bailey, Dixon and Moore and the help of a pass-interference penalty.

But his final four passes fell incomplete and the Golden Lions were left to ponder the chances they left on the field as they sit near the top of what has become a muddled Western Division.

“We had a few mental errors in key moments,” Anderson said. “At times we just lost focus. New people in because some people were out. But, if it’s anybody’s fault, I take fault for the loss.”

UAPB’s defense set a season-high for takeaways and gave up 275 total yards.

But UAPB was held to 100 rushing yards, its lowest output since a season-opening loss to Langston (Okla.) University, and well below its 170-yard-per-game average.

The Golden Lions played without Stephen Jones, who is second in the SWAC with nine rushing touchdowns, and Justin Billings, who had 101 yards in an Oct. 15 victory over Southern. Jones and Billings were among those suspended for the post-game fight two weeks ago. The Golden Lions were also without leading receiver Dezmond Beverly and right tackle Lyron McClenney because of the suspensions.

Adrian Moore gained 62 yards on 14 carries and Dennis Jenkins, who had 111 yards two weeks ago, was held to 13 on 9 carries. Anderson gained 39 yards on three early scrambles, but he finished with 18 yards.