Saturday to be a homecoming of sorts for UAPB Lions

Photo: Mo Forte, UAPB Head Football Coach

By Mike Marzelli, Pine Bluff Commercial

It’s always special for an Arkansas-Pine Bluff team full of Little Rock natives to return to War Memorial Stadium.

Historically the Golden Lions have enjoyed playing in the Capitol City, posting a 12-6 record in the Rock since 1971, including last season’s 33-28 win over Saturday’s opponent Grambling State, but lately the game has also served as a homecoming for many UAPB players. The Lions currently have 10 players from Little Rock on their roster and three more from North Little Rock.

Six of the players hail from Central High School with McClellan, Parkview and Mills High Schools also represented.

“It’s very important to these guys to have the chance to go back home,” UAPB head coach Mo Forte said. “There friends and family still get to see them play here only 30 minutes away but we have a lot of kids from a lot of the different schools up there and they’re very proud of being from Little Rock.

“They take a lot of pride in playing on that field and in their city and this game takes a little extra meaning for them.”

The majority of UAPB’s Little Rock natives are major contributors. Michael Witherspoon (Central), Anton Williams (Central) and Tim Turner (Parkview) are the team’s starting linebackers. Freshman left tackle Jason Thomas (Mills) starts at left tackle. Stewart Franks (Central) starts at free safety and both running back Mickey Dean (Central) and safety Kevin Thornton (Central) hold quasi-starting roles.

“There’s no doubt that [Little Rock] is a place where we go for a lot of talent that makes up out football team,” Forte said. “This is a game that’s great for these guys but it’s also important as a showcase for our program because it puts what we have to offer on display in the city and helps us keep tapping into the pipeline of talent that comes out of there.”

Getting defensive

Forte knows a lot about what his offense will be up against Saturday — literally.

Two of Grambling’s key defensive players, junior tackle Melvin Matthews of Clinton, La. and senior linebacker Zaire Wilborn of Houston, Texas were recruited hard by Forte and his staff before eventually choosing Grambling.

Wilborn, nicknamed “Pit Bull,” by his teammates, was the SWAC Defensive Player of the Week two weeks ago and was named preseason All-SWAC prior to the season.

“They’ve got some fine athletes over there but those two guys were ones we really wanted to get,” Forte said. “Matthews is really a load, a really good player up front. Wilborn we talked to as well and he’s very quick and athletic.”

As usual, UAPB’s biggest need against the Tigers’ defensive will be to establish its dormant running game, which showed flashes of effectiveness for the first time all season in its last game at New Mexico State.

“It was our ability to finish the play and be more physical than we have been,” Forte said. “Grambling’s defense is strong. It’s got some quickness but it’s stronger more than it is quick so we’re going to have to be physical at the point of attack.”

A good cause

As part of Literacy Week and in conjunction with Saturday’s Delta Classic for Literacy, 20 UAPB players will be reading to elementary school children in Little Rock on Friday morning.

That is just one of many events sponsored by the state’s Literacy Council as it tries to promote its cause through the remainder of the week and into gameday.

“This particular Classic game proves that it’s not all about athletics in the SWAC, it’s about caring for the individual,” Forte said. “This Literacy Classic is a great cause and they’ve done a great job getting the thing promoted because it shows people, especially young people, that you need to get an education and it’s really going to be a tough go for you if you don’t.

“These elementary school kids look up to our guys and when they go and read to them it helps stress how important reading and getting that education is.”

UAPB’s entire team will attend a Literacy Luncheon on Noon on Friday before checking into the team hotel. The Lions will practice at War Memorial Stadium for an hour Friday afternoon at 3 p.m.