Arkansas Pine Bluff Golden Lions Camp Report: Full Pads

UAPB HEAD COACH MONTE COLEMAN

PINE BLUFF, Arkansas  --  Five practices into the 2013 fall camp, Head Coach Monte Coleman and his Golden Lions football team dawned full pads on Thursday, as the players got their first taste of full contact. For some players this was their first contact on the collegiate level.

Offensively, the Golden Lions are taking a step in the right direction each day. With the upper classmen coming into camp with the right mindset, it's given the newest members of the team a great example to follow.

When asked about how he felt with the offense's performance, Offensive Coordinator Eric Dooley offered these comments, "I wanted to sharpen up the passing game and bring it up to speed with the running game. I think we're doing a good job but we have a lot of young kids as well," said Dooley.

During spring drills, a spot the coaching staff concentrated on heavily was the offensive line. There are some big shoes fill with the losses of seniors Christopher Wilson, Ryan Savage, Lyron McClenney, Jamaal Phillips and of course Terron Armstead ( New Orleans Saints). But with returning lineman Kenny Eagle, Keathric Brown, Me' kale Carter and LaFarius Hoskins, Dooley is confident the offense will find its stride by August 31^st.

"The good thing about it is that we have three returning starters that have all come back with the right mindset," offered Dooley. "Kenny Eagle set the tone in spring drills, Me'kale Carter believes he can do what Armstead did and Brown has been the team player he needs to be switching out from guard to tackle."

Defensively, the Golden Lions are poised to be a force to reckon with as they strive to be a dominate defense this season in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

"The thing I want them to do and be able to do well and that's going to dictate if we're going to be a great defense or not is run to the football," said Head Coach/ Defensive Coordinator Monte Coleman. "Our motto is all eleven hats to the football and I saw that today."

The defense has its own holes to fill, just like the offense, but with the additions of some junior college transfers Coleman believes his defense will adjust.

"Guys like Joel Green will be called on to take the place of Bill Ross. The mike backer position is his to lose," said Coleman. "Antonio Jenkins, a local kid form Watson Chapel, has moved back to the strong safety and he flashed today. I'm optimistic that when we're on the defensive set we have the right people in place and we will be a force to be reckoned with on Saturday's."

The Golden Lions will go through their first set of two-a-days practice of camp on Friday and have their first scrimmage of the fall camp on Saturday to close out the first full week of camp.

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS PINE BLUFF SPORTS INFORMATION