![New UAPB Coach Cedric Thomas (left) said restoring the players’ confidence is his first step toward success. “The fact that out of seven games [in 2017], we were in every game. But you lose seven games,” he said. “Some of that’s on the kids. Not all of that’s on the kids. We control a lot of that. We control a lot of that."](https://wehco.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/img/photos/2018/08/23/resized_272427-tab-23kuapb50pcolorandbw_30-25003_t800.JPG?90232451fbcadccc64a17de7521d859a8f88077d)
With a new artificial turf and scoreboard, the renamed Simmons Bank Field hardly will resemble what it looked like last season.
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff hopes its football team won't either.
A five-year, 11-44 record stretched through 2017, when former head coach Monte Coleman's contract was not renewed after a 2-9 season.
UAPB hired Alcorn State defensive coordinator Cedric Thomas, a former Golden Lions defensive back, on Dec. 27 to revitalize a football team filled with holes.
The laundry list was long.
• Fix an offense that finished 84th in the FCS in scoring offense (21 points per game) and 93rd in total offense (307.2 yards per game).
• Fix a defense that finished 107th in scoring defense (34.5 points allowed per game) and 102nd in total defense (427.1 yards allowed per game).
• Breathe confidence into a team that had an average scoring margin of minus-13.5, the second-worst turnover margin (-17) in the FCS, and lost the third most fumbles (14) in the nation.
Thomas knew the list well. He said he watched every game from the 2017 season 25 times before spring practice.
When the assistant coaches came together to help plan out the spring, Thomas had prepared a profile sheet on every player.
And when the players arrived, Thomas tackled confidence.
"The biggest thing was the culture, changing the narrative in the building," Thomas said. "The fact that out of seven games [in 2017], we were in every game. But you lose seven games. Some of that's on the kids. Not all of that's on the kids. We control a lot of that.
"But I seen some kids that fight, and I also seen what happened on the outside dictate how hard they play. A lot of kids just quit, regardless of the record. You're on full scholarship. Regardless of the score, you should be playing. We're paying for it. We should see you fight. We learned a lot, breaking through that."
Senior running back KeShawn Williams (Pine Bluff Dollarway) can sense the mood of the program shifting.
"This thing has changed completely," said Williams, who was named to the Southwestern Athletic Conference's preseason first team after rushing for 703 yards and 7 touchdowns in 2017. "First year, we were like, 'Man, we can compete, but we're probably not going to win.' Now, we have confidence. We're gonna whoop some butt."
Williams, who also recorded 332 receiving yards last season, is a centerpiece in UAPB's new Spread offense under first-year offensive coordinator Jermaine Gales, who was the wide receivers coach at North Carolina Central the past two seasons.
The UAPB coaching staff bolstered its quarterback competition by signing junior-college transfer quarterback Shannon Patrick. The 6-1, 200-pound Patrick was a NJCAA All-American at Northland (Minn.) Community College, where he led the league with 4,506 yards passing, 43 touchdowns and 18 interceptions.
"He's got a lot of experience as a college quarterback already," Thomas said. "We expect a lot of big things."
Thomas said he is installing a defense with multiple schemes -- much like his Alcorn State defense that ranked 31st nationally in scoring defense (21.8 points allowed) in 2017.
Junior defensive tackle Kevin Agee was named preseason All-SWAC second team after recording 6½ tackles for loss and 1½ sacks in 2017.
The 6-1, 285-pound Agee and the rest of the defense are expected to keep opponents from breaking off the large runs and passes that regularly gutted the Golden Lions.
"We're focusing on not giving up the big play," Thomas said. "Dictating the offense is what we want to do."
UAPB is looking for its first winning season since the Golden Lions won the SWAC championship game in 2012.
And Thomas has found a way to produce some incentives.
Aside from UAPB's $2.5 million donation from Simmons Bank, Thomas said the program also signed a new deal with Adidas.
When the Golden Lions open the season against Morehouse College on Sept. 1, the team will have new helmets and jerseys.
But until then, Thomas has divvied out accessories as rewards.
Gloves. Visors. Stickers. A low jersey number.
All of it is built toward doing what the team hasn't in years past.
"They got to make plays," Thomas said.
Sports on 08/26/2018