GOLDEN LIONS REPORT: Two-QB plan good early on

Using a two-quarterback system this season wasn't necessarily in the cards for University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Coach Cedric Thomas, but after seeing how the Golden Lions offense has operated through three games, it might be tough for him to abandon it.

Sophomore Skyler Perry and junior Shannon Patrick have flourished in their shared quarterback roles, combining for nearly 800 yards passing and 10 touchdowns against only 2 interceptions. That kind of production has helped steer UAPB to a 2-1 mark heading into Saturday's road tilt at Tennessee State.

"Just efficient," Thomas said of his two signal-callers. "What we're doing is changing the culture. We want to be efficient, we want to be tough, sit in the pocket and make big-time throws.

"But we want to be able to process a lot of information, too, and [quarterback coach Doc Gamble] has done a tremendous job with those guys. They're just being efficient and taking what the defense gives them."

The two quarterbacks also have given the Golden Lions hope that this season will be much different than 2018. UAPB has already matched its win total from a year ago, and a victory over the Tigers will give the Golden Lions their first three-game winning streak since 2012.

The biggest bonus, however, has been their unselfishness by showing that two starter-worthy quarterbacks can exist at the same time.

When Patrick was lost for the season prior to last year's third game because of a hand injury, Perry, then a true freshman, took over. Perry struggled at times but improved during the second half of the season to finish with 1,748 yards and 8 touchdowns on 177-of-294 passing. Patrick, who was able to use 2018 as a redshirt season, was intent on returning in 2019, but Thomas made it clear during the spring that he wouldn't automatically hand the starter's job back to Patrick. In fact, Thomas said he looked at the dilemma as a "good problem" to have instead of a perceived controversy.

"Nowadays when you're not the starter in college football, you normally enter the portal," said Thomas about the NCAA's Transfer Portal. "But those guys are team players. When you see Shannon throw a touchdown, Skyler is high-fiving and running out there to support him. And vice versa.

"We're just glad to have both of those guys, but it's a testament to the coaching. Coach Gamble does a great job in the meeting room making sure those guys are prepared."

The Golden Lions' offense hasn't missed a beat when either has played. Perry, who has started each game, has completed 24 of 36 passes for 331 yards with 6 touchdowns, while Patrick, who routinely enters on the third possession, is 26 of 42 for 438 yards and 4 touchdowns. Each threw their only interceptions in the season opener against TCU. They teamed to go 16 of 21 for 324 yards and 4 touchdowns last week to help the Golden Lions cap one of their best two-week stretches in recent memory with a lopsided 53-15 victory over longtime rival Langston.

Thomas said he isn't about to change things up, especially with the heart of the team's conference schedule upcoming.

"We're going keep it as is," he explained. "It didn't dawn on me until recently when Coach Gamble said that that's how they practice. Ever since they've been here, before Shannon got hurt, each one of them have started a practice off.

"I had to go back and watch the film, and lo and behold, there was a new quarterback that started with the particular one group. So they've been on that rotation a whole year, and those guys are good with it. Each one of them could've easily entered their name into the portal, but it says a lot about them, who they are and how much they believe in the system to compete."

Ballard in top form

Wide receiver Henry Ballard needed just three games to show why he consistently drew high praise from UAPB Coach Cedric Thomas during preseason camp.

The junior leads the SWAC with 325 yards receiving on just 13 receptions. Before hauling in 5 passes for 147 yards and 2 touchdowns last week against Langston, he had 5 catches for 140 yards and 3 scores on Sept. 7 against Alabama A&M. The five touchdowns are tops in the conference among receivers.

"He's just a big-time college football player," Thomas said. "He's physical, catches the ball at the highest point, blocks when the ball is not coming to him. ... He's just a great perimeter asset, and he's doing it the right way. Just to have him be a part of us this year has been tremendous."

Expectations were understandably high for Ballard, who was ranked as the No. 7 player in Missouri by Rivals as a senior in 2016. He committed to the University of Missouri that same year but later enrolled at Jones County (Miss.) Junior College. Ballard signed with UAPB in December 2018 and has made an immediate impact on an already stacked receiving corps.

After then-leading wide receiver Josh Wilkes went down with a season-ending leg injury in the third game of the 2018 season, sophomore receiver Dejuan Miller stepped up to catch 56 passes for 801 yards en route to becoming the SWAC's Freshman of the Year. The Golden Lions also returned tight end Jeremy Brown and receivers Tyrin Ralph and Kolby McNeal, all of whom combined to catch 110 passes for 1,168 yards last year. Adding Ballard to the mix essentially made a productive unit that much better.

"The biggest thing is that he's a team player," Thomas said. "He's not an I guy because he's all about the team. That's what really helps Dejuan, Tyrin Ralph and all those guys inside. Just him coming to work, opening some things up.

"It just so happens that these last couple of weeks, he's gotten open. That could be because you've got an All-American [Miller] on the other side and people may be rolling coverage toward him. But Harry has been able to make some big-time plays."

Familiar Tigers

Tennessee State is no stranger to UAPB Coach Cedric Thomas.

The Golden Lions and Tigers have met four times, the last occurring in 2016. Thomas was at Alcorn State at the time but so was Tennessee State offensive coordinator Shannon Harris.

"That's my football brother," Thomas said. "We were in those meetings together at Alcorn State, won championships together. So I know a lot about those guys."

Thomas also coached against Tennessee State when he was on the staff at the University of Tennessee-Martin in 2002. The Tigers, members of the Ohio Valley Conference, are 1-2 and coming off a 49-44 loss to SWAC member Jackson State last week. Tennessee State also beat Mississippi Valley State, another SWAC opponent, 26-20, in its opener.

"They're a great ballclub," Thomas said. "They lost a tough one [Saturday], so I know they'll be champing at the bit to get back and make amends for it. They've got a lot of speed, a lot of athleticism and a lot of Division I transfers.

"We've got our hands full, but we wouldn't want it any other way."

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Skyler Perry

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Shannon Patrick

Sports on 09/20/2019

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