Playing elite defense isn’t a prerequisite to win college football games, but it doesn’t hurt if a team performs at an elite level on that side of the ball when it matters most.
The University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff can attest.
After fielding one of the worst defensive units in the Southwestern Athletic Conferences from 2013-18, UAPB (3-0, 3-0) has improved vastly on that side of the ball over the past two seasons.
The Golden Lions are surrendering 22.7 points per game and 347.3 yards per game, which are the third- and fourth-best averages in the SWAC, respectively. In 2019, UAPB ranked fourth and fifth in those same categories — far cries from where UAPB was situated in the preceding years.
“We’ve changed our style,” UAPB Coach Doc Gamble said. “We’re the aggressors now on defense. But even with that, you’ve got to be sound in what you do, and I think we are. It’s all about improving, and we’ve done that over the last few years.” During the six seasons prior to 2019, UAPB ranked either last or next to last in the conference in both total and scoring defense. Those numbers led to a 13-53 record in that stretch, not to mention last-place finishes in the West Division standings from 2014-18.
Things began to change defensively after 2018, and the results on the scoreboard did, too.
Instead of sitting back and allowing teams to dictate how games flowed with their offensive schemes, UAPB became the attacker.
In 2019, the Golden Lions had three players finish among the top 15 in the SWAC in total tackles, and placed at least two players in the top 11 for tackles for loss, sacks and passes defended.
Senior defensive back Jalon Thigpen said the Golden Lions needed the shake up.
“It was just a few tweaks that [former head coach Cedric Thomas] made that got the ball rolling,” said Thigpen, who was tied for second on the team in tackles with 64 during that 2019 campaign. “Our energy was the biggest thing we needed to get better at. It wasn’t that we didn’t have talent, it was how we came out that hurt us. Once we changed that, our confidence went up.
“When that happened, we started understanding what we were doing and how to approach everything. Instead of laying back waiting, we wanted to start setting the tempo.” Those adjustments played a huge part in the Golden Lions finishing 6-5 and posting their first winning season since 2012, when UAPB led the league in scoring defense and was second in total defense en route to winning a SWAC title.
UAPB carried that same mindset over despite being sidelined last fall because of covid-19. It also didn’t matter that Thomas resigned in February 2020. The attitude remained when Gamble was elevated from quarterbacks coach to head coach two months later, and it’s only intensified.
“We improved from 2018 to 2019, but we were still a little more bend but don’t break,” Gamble said. “We had to change that. Our staff does a great job, led by Jon Bradley [defensive coordinator], Josh Jones [safeties coach], Jackie Cooper [cornerbacks coach] and Deion Roberson [linebackers and defensive run game coach]. And then Quintin Smith [graduate assistant] over there. … those guys have done a really good job.
“Now we’re the dictators as opposed to teams dictating to us. There’s been a couple of plays here and there where teams have found a weakness or have popped a big play, which are things we’ve got to shore up. But it’s definitely not the defense of old, that’s for sure.” UAPB’s plus-5 turnover margin is fifth in FCS and its 11 sacks are sixth. Thigpen has two interceptions on the season, which is tied for the most in the SWAC, and nine Golden Lion players have recorded sacks.
Prairie View A&M is expected to present a challenge Saturday because of the Panthers’ offensive ingenuity, but Thigpen isn’t banking on UAPB folding.
“The type of mentality we have now, it’s we’re going to get you before you get us,” Thigpen said. “Everyone knows that if we all do our part, everything will fall into place. We know what to expect now, and we’ve got goals.
“So for us to achieve them, we’ve got to set the tempo from the start, go out, attack and not let up.”
At a glance
PRAIRIE VIEW A&M AT ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF
WHEN 3 p.m. Saturday
WHERE Simmons Bank Field, Pine Bluff
RADIO KPBA-FM, 99.3, Pine Bluff
RECORDS UAPB 3-0, 3-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference; Prairie View 2-0, 2-0
INTERNET uapblionsroar.com/live
TV None