KEY PLAYERS OUT FOR UAPB

By Josh Tinker/COMMERCIAL SPORTS EDITOR

Monte Coleman might feel more like a medical doctor this week than a football coach. That’s because the first-year UAPB coach has spent more time this week answering questions about his injured players instead of football.

Because of a midseason injury swoon, the Golden Lions (0-7 overall, 0-3 Southwest Athletic Conference) will enter today’s homecoming game against Lincoln University with at least five starters either our or limited because of injuries suffered the past two weeks. Four of these players are starters on defense.

Linebacker Tim Turner, who leads the team in tackles, will miss his second consecutive game with a turf toe injury suffered against Jackson State on Oct. 11. Starting defensive tackle Kenneth Leichman is out too after suffering a foot injury against Prairie View A&M last week.

Aside from that, starting safety Stewart Franks will see “spot” action with a bruised left shoulder, Coleman said, and starting defensive end Ladarius Anthony is a game time decision with a right shoulder injury. Starting quarterback Johnathan Moore, who missed last week’s game against Prairie View A&M with an assortment of injuries, practiced this week. And while Coleman said he’s a gametime decison, the coach expects him to start.

“He looked real good the last couple of days,” said Coleman of Moore. “He’s moving better than he did last week. I think that week off really did help him. Right now we’ll take it a day at at time, but right now, it looks like he’ll be the starting quarterback.

“We’re going to hold Tim Turner out,” Coleman continued. “He didn’t practice this week. He came out, tried it. He’s fine going straight ahead, but any cuts, he’s limited with that. Ladarius will play. Franks, we might spot play him if we need him, but it doesn’t look like we’ll play him. But the only for sure one I can say will play is (Moore).”

And while many of the Golden Lions key contributors likely won’t play or will be limited, it seems they couldn’t have picked a better week to be injured. In Lincoln, UAPB faces an opponent that has had a tough go of it so far this season. The Blue Tigers enter the contest at 1-5 with their lone victory coming against Haskell Indian Nations University, a game they won 43-37 in overtime. Furthermore, in the five team Great Lakes Football Conference, the Blue Tigers rank no higher than third in any offensive or defensive category.

As a result, Coleman and Moore think the Golden Lions will be able to attack the Lincoln defense.

“They play a lot of press man leaving the midle of the field wide open,” Moore said. “We’re hoping to take advantage of it. We’ve got to get the passing game going, then when we get the passing game going we can get the running game going.”

But getting either one rolling has been difficult for the Golden Lions this season. Entering this matchup, UAPB currently ranks las in the Southwest Athletic Conference in scoring offense (7.7 points per game), total offense (217.6 yards per game), rush offense (77.3 ypg) and passing offense (140.3 ypg).

Things have gotten so bad for the Golden Lions offense this season, that in a 15-0 loss the Prairie View A&M last week, that, playing with a freshman quarterbak and center, the Golden Lions’ offense gained only 88 total yards. Coleman said his offense would take what the Lincoln defense gives them.

“They’ve got not a complicated defense, but a very aggressive defense,” Coleman said. “They do give you some things in the passing game. ...We’re going to take what they give us.”

What Coleman does hope for is a victory. In his first season as UAPB head coach, Coleman, who also serves as defensive coordinator, hopes to break the Golden Lions winless streak this weekend. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. at Golden Lion Stadium.