After starting the season 0-3, Coleman’s Golden Lions start
their second season tonight when they travel to Alcorn State for a
matchup with their Southwest Athletic Conference cohorts in a game to
be televised by ESPNU. Though the teams play in the same conference,
the game doesn’t actually count as a conference game. But that
doesn’t matter to Coleman, who is treating it like one just the
same.“We’re not telling our players it’s not a SWAC
game,” Coleman said. “It’s a SWAC game. We want to
win all SWAC games.”And the Golden Lions just might have a
newfound confidence to help them do just that. After struggling
mightily in their first two games of the season, both losses to NCAA
Division II members Arkansas-Monticello and Henderson State, the
Golden Lions stayed close to a very talented Central Arkansas team
Saturday. The Bears entered the Claw and Paw Classic as the 19th-
ranked team in the Football Championship Subdivision. The Golden Lions
limited UCA quarterback Nathan Brown, who entered as the leading
collegiate passer in state history, to only 181 yards through the
air.The Golden Lions will have a similar test today. Coleman said
Alcorn State quarterback Tim Buckley is a run-pass threat. Through
three games, Buckley, a junior from Madison, Miss., has thrown for 389
yards and rushed for 95 more. Though his stats aren’t extremely
eye-popping, Coleman, who also serves as the Golden Lions’
defensive coordinator, said Buckley would have to be contained if his
team had any chance for victory.
“That makes it very hard,” said Coleman of Buckley’s
running ability. “You don’t usually account for the
quarterback. With a quarterback that can do those things, it makes us
have to change the gameplan some.”But Buckley’s legs
aren’t his only weapon. The junior has completed 51 percent of
his passes on the young season, including completions to 11 different
receivers. Elliott Moore has been his favorite target thus far,
gaining 150 yards on 16 receptions.“They’re a 60/40 (pass-
to-run ratio) team,” Coleman said. “Their quarterback has
a good, accurate arm. They’re a spread offense, and
they’re very effecient. They run three wide receiver or five
wide receiver (sets).”Aimed with stopping the balance of the
Braves (0-3) is a UAPB squad that’s coming off arguably its best
game of the season. Though it surrendered 41 points to UCA Saturday,
the Bears scored 13 points off of UAPB mistakes.Linebacker Tim Turner
leads the defensive charge for the Golden Lions. The senior from
Little Rock leads UAPB with 34 tackles on the season.Meanwhile, UAPB
will counter with an offense that had its most productive game against
UCA. A unit that failed to mount much of a charge in its first two
games, the Golden Lions’ offense attacked UCA with big gains
from running back Mickey Dean and Martell Mallett. The duo combined to
rush for 204 yards. As a team, the Golden Lions gained 216 yards on
the ground, after gaining less than 220 yards of total offense against
Henderson State the week before.“It’s a mind thing
now,” said Coleman of the way his team played agains the Bears.
“They’ve shown us what they can do. That’s what I
anticipate every week. I’m sure they’ll answer the call of
the bell.”But Coleman still knows victory won’t come easy.
Though the Braves have been outscored 128-28 in three games this
season, Coleman knows victory isn’t guaranteed.“The thing
I’ve noticed is they’ve moved the football,” Coleman
said. “Their record doesn’t indicate the type of team they
are.”Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. with ESPNU airing the
game to a national television audience.