University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff football Coach Doc Gamble is eager to get started on what will be an unprecedented 2021 season.
What he isn't fond of is all the sleep he's missing because of the eagerness, but the first-year coach made it clear during the 2021 Southwestern Athletic Conference football media days Thursday that he's willing to do whatever it takes to get his team ready.
"It's satisfying, but I'm losing sleep now," Gamble said when asked about his excitement level for the spring season. "I'm getting up a lot earlier than I have been getting up. Now I'm back to getting up at 4 in the morning. I'd like to sleep at least until 6, but I haven't been able to do that. So I'm eager.
"What's good is that I'm not the first coach in the building right now. Those guys are doing the same thing as me. Hopping up, getting out of bed, getting to campus and looking forward to going to work every single day."
The Golden Lions will play a six-game conference schedule beginning in February after the league decided to postpone all fall sports competition because of health and safety risks surrounding covid-19.
The SWAC did give its member institutions the option of playing an additional nonconference game, and the league also designated a bye date for each team during the week of March 13 so games wouldn't coincide with the conference basketball tournament.
UAPB is slated to open the season Feb. 27 at home against Texas Southern before traveling to Southern the next week. The Golden Lions, whose 6-5 finish in 2019 was their first winning season since 2012, were picked fourth in the West Division behind Southern, Grambling State and Prairie View A&M.
Gamble will have a number of veteran players in tow that could make for a memorable season.
"We're looking to build upon the way we finished up a year ago," Gamble said. "We have several guys coming back that we feel really good about. For us, we're looking forward to taking the next step, moving forward and trying to get to the upper echelon of our conference."
The Golden Lions finished fourth in 2019 after being picked last in the preseason poll. UAPB (6-5) had chances for more victories but suffered close losses to Grambling State (39-33) and Jackson State (21-12).
UAPB had four players selected to the preseason All-SWAC first team, led by offensive linemen Mark Evans and Atondre Smith. Senior wide receiver Harry Ballard -- who finished fourth in the league in both catches (52) and receiving yards (938) -- and senior specialist Tyrin Ralph -- who was the league's top punt returner in 2019 and ranked fourth on the team in receptions -- were also first-team picks.
Gamble will have to replace a couple of key cogs on an offensive unit that averaged nearly 32 points per game. The Golden Lions used a two-quarterback system under then-head coach Cedric Thomas, but early indications point to UAPB using just one this season.
Quarterback Shannon Patrick, who completed 63% of his passes for 2,250 yards and 19 touchdowns in 2019, has transferred to first-year SWAC member Bethune-Cookman, leaving junior Skyler Perry as the unquestioned starter. The Louisiana native threw for 784 yards and eight touchdowns while splitting time with Patrick.
"[Skyler] is our quarterback," Gamble said. "Skyler's played a lot of football, he's played a ton of snaps from the first time he got on campus here. His best days are still ahead of him.
"We have some other young ones in the wings that are going to push him. We're in that mode of iron sharpens iron and not letting guys get satisfied and comfortable, but it's his job to lose."
UAPB also will have to replace running back Taeyler Porter, who rushed for 1,061 yards and 12 touchdowns, but the Golden Lions are expected to have several vying for that spot, starting with sophomore Omar Allen.
Gamble believes his defense will be better, powered by preseason all-conference second-team selections in junior defensive lineman Xavier Mitchell and senior defensive back Shawn Steele.
The first thing Gamble is interested in doing -- aside from catching up on sleep -- is getting his players back in the groove before their first scheduled practice Jan. 29.
"Right now, guys are getting back on campus, getting back acclimated to school," he said. "They've slowly but surely gotten back and gotten tested. Our next step for us is to get back acclimated into our weight training sessions, and as the days go on, we're looking forward to being able to get back to doing some football stuff.
"But right now, the transition has been good, and guys have come back eager. So the excitement is there."