PINE BLUFF, AR – Mother Nature gave the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff a brief reprieve from the heat Wednesday, as a strong thundershower rocketed through the Pine Bluff area Wednesday afternoon.
But for first-year head coach Monte Coleman and the Golden Lions, the rain only slowed things down a little bit. The team was forced inside briefly as the storm passed, but the “Men in Black” were soon back outside in shorts and shoulder pads for the first time this fall.
“The weather is part of it,” Coleman told the Pine Bluff Commercial. “If we had a game, we would have to be out in it. (The weather) is not going to hinder us. We got 100 percent when we stepped on that practice field.”
The team was able to wrap up the afternoon session with a series of live, contact drills pitting the offensive unit against the defensive unit.
Coleman was pleased with the performances of Pat Sanders, Larry Jenkins and Aaron Hence.
“The offensive side of the ball is doing some things we want them to do,” Coleman said after practice. “The whole offensive line matured. We're still not there, and we've a long way to go, but we've come a long way, too. We don't expect to be SWAC champions today, but we're where we want to be right now.”
The Golden Lions will resume practice in shorts and shoulder pads Thursday, before donning full gear on Friday. Coleman said UAPB have two practices in full pads on Saturday before taking Sunday off.
