Trey Glymph wasn't aware he converted five field goals. He just wanted to convert each one.
"I didn't think we kicked that many field goals, but the expectation is always go 100%," Glymph said after going 5 for 5 with a long of 43 yards in the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff's spring football game Saturday. "Just glad the coaches have a lot of faith in me. The operation looks pretty good."
Glymph scored 16 of the offense's 22 points, not only a sign that the rising sophomore has made his strongest case to be the No. 1 placekicker (in addition to punt duties), but that the defense made crucial stops on a number of drives.
Early on, the defense kept the offense from going into opposing territory, racking up sacks and tackles for losses with three starting offensive linemen from last year who were missing in the spring game because of injury.
"We knew going in it was going to be tough on those guys because you've got guys that haven't played a lot," said Alonzo Hampton, who wrapped up his first spring camp as head coach, four months after his hire. "Obviously, I feel really good. We've got good receivers. We weren't able to get them the ball much today, but moving forward, I'm not worried. We'll evaluate what we've got and we'll get what we need."
One thing the Golden Lions, who went 3-8 under Doc Gamble and Don Treadwell in the interim last season, do not have yet is a depth chart. Hampton did not indicate that there would be a timeline for one any time soon.
"The timeline is Aug. 31 when we play Tulsa," Hampton said. "That's what I tell my players. Nobody has solidified a starting spot. We're going to go out and make our football team each and every day. That's the process we're at, and our kids know that."
FLYING AROUND
Defensive coordinator David Calloway's unit closed the 15-practice spring strong with rising sophomore Anas Luqman, who saw extensive playing time last season, and redshirt freshman Rocky Jack leading the charge on the defensive line.
"It felt pretty good getting out there and putting on a show for the school and stuff like that," Luqman said. "It seems pretty good. He's got us in a new style. He's making us very aggressive. It's like when we're coming, we're coming. We just have to trust the process."
Jack, from Houston, has done just that after slimming from 270 pounds to 215 in the past year. He had 4 sacks Saturday.
"I just want to be the best, so I'm going to work hard," Jack said. "I know I'm undersized, but that doesn't matter to me. I'm just a dog."
Hampton said the defense "flew around" and made plays. Among them, linebacker Rico Dozier and defensive back Grant Ewell each forced a fumble in the backfield, and linebacker Elijah McDonald picked off a pass deflected by Martavious Miller.
"That's what we want, for our defense to be able to go out and play the game with a lot of passion and energy," Hampton said. "We got a lot of team plays and TFLs."
BIG PLAYS
The offense, rotating in redshirt freshman Mekhi Hagens, redshirt sophomore Jalen Macon and sophomore Chancellor Edwards, settled in after the defense's strong start and made players of its own.
Hagens fired a 30-yard pass to Derrick Lewis late in the first quarter, and the offense had moved into the opposition's territory for the first time, only to settle for a 41-yard Glymph field goal. A drive that saw Macon complete a 54-yard strike to Chrysten Cochran ended in another field goal, but Dozier's forced fumble set up an 8-yard Hagens touchdown catch.
Hagens was involved in two highlight plays before halftime. He made a 23-yard scramble and fired a 33-yard completion to Cochran, who pulled down the catch with one hand.
Edwards came in at quarterback in the third quarter and completed a 32-yard pass to Kenji Lewis.
"We're just getting better as an offense," Hagens said. "We didn't do as well as we had the previous 14 practices, but we've just got to get better day-by-day. On the offensive side, we just had to settle in, find our groove, get back going and make some plays."
Some of the offensive linemen who took the field were not on scholarship, Hampton said, but he doesn't think that's a cause for concern.
"Again, the system we have in place is a great system," Hampton said. "I'm not disappointed by that. When we get everything we need, we'll be just fine."
UAPB Coach Alonzo Hampton instructs the punting unit late in the first half of the scrimmage. Trey Glymph (62), who doubles as the team's punter and kicker, converted 5 of 5 field goal attempts. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)