Doc Gamble was named Arkansas at Pine Bluff head football coach in April 2020, and, in the historic 2021 spring season of Southwestern Athletic Conference football, has guided the Golden Lions to the SWAC Western Division championship since 2012 and a berth in today's Cricket Wireless SWAC Championship Game presented by Pepsi Zero Sugar.
The 21st head coach in program history is in his third season with UAPB, having joined the staff as assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach in the spring of 2018.
In 2019, UAPB ranked second in the SWAC in passing yards with 3,105. Using a two-quarterback system most of the year, Shannon Patrick (2,250 yards, 19 TDs) and Skyler Perry (784 yards, 8 TD) along with Taylor Holston combined for the third-highest passing TDs total in the league with 28. Patrick had a three-game stretch in contests against Lane, Miss. Valley St. and Grambling where he threw for nearly 900 yards and nine touchdowns.
In Gamble's first season at UAPB, he guided a pair of first-year quarterbacks to solid seasons. Junior college transfer Patrick got off to an explosive start in throwing for 700 yards with six touchdowns and no interceptions in two games before an injury to his throwing hand sidelined him for the rest of the season. True freshman Perry started the final eight games, passing for nearly 1,800 yards and eight touchdowns.
In Gamble second year at UAPB, he had three student-athletes to be named All-SWAC honors, Linebacker Monroe Beard III, Offensive Lineman, Mark Evans II, and Punter Josh Sanchez.
Evans is a two-time First Team All-Conference, BoxtoRow All-American, HBCU Classic All-American, and Rated top-10 HBCU player by Pro Football Network. Evans started in all 11 games and tagged on several NFL scouts' draft boards as players to watch. He played a significant role in helping UAPB finish in the top 6th (SWAC) in total yards per game (1,383), and ranked in the top in the conference in knockdowns, and gave up only one sack for the Golden Lions.
Beard ranked in the top-10 in several categories in the conference, 5th in total tackles (78), 5th tackles average per game (7.1), 6th in the conference in solo tackles (44), 9th in the conference in sacks (5).
Sanchez started in all 11 games for the Golden Lions and ranked one of the top punters in the conference, averaging (40.2) yards per punt, ranking 6th in the conference. Sanchez tied for first in the conference (SWAC) with punts landed inside the 20 with (21), ranks 5th in the conference with punts over 50+ (8).
Prior to UAPB, Gamble spent five seasons at Kent State University as wide receivers coach. In Gamble's first season with the Flashes (2013), Dri Archer earned All-MAC honors as a slot receiver. Wideout Chris Humphrey doubled his output from the previous season, catching 51 passes for 613 yards and three touchdowns, the most yards by a Kent State receiver since 2010.
In 2014, Humphrey matched his 51 catches and topped his receiving yard total (635) in 11 games. He was also named to the Academic All-MAC Team. Sophomore receiver Ernest Calhoun had a breakout season with 33 catches for 319 yards, while redshirt freshman Kris White totaled 25 catches for 270 yards.
In 2015, Gamble helped develop a pair of freshman receivers (Antwan Dixon & Johnny Woods), who combined for 47 catches and 521 receiving yards. At season's end, Connor Arlia and Luke Grandjean each earned Academic All-MAC honors.
Three true freshmen (Kavious Price, Trey Harrell & Mike Carrigan) worked their way into the receiver rotation in 2016 under Gamble's guidance. Senior Ernest Calhoun caught a career-high four touchdowns.
Prior to Kent State, Gamble coached running backs and tight ends and served as the recruiting coordinator at Alcorn State University in 2012.
Prior to Alcorn State, Gamble spent one season as an offensive assistant at the University of Cincinnati. The Bearcats went 10-3 in 2011 and won a share of the Big East title.
From 2003-07, and from 2009-11, Gamble coached at his alma mater, Withrow High School in Cincinnati, Ohio. He posted a 53-19 record and a pair of playoff appearances. He also served as the head football coach at Fairfield High School for one year (2008). During his time at Withrow and Fairfield, 120 of his student-athletes went on to play college football at various levels. In 2004 he received the Paul Brown Excellence in Coaching Award, while at Withrow.
Coach Gamble began his coaching career as a student-assistant coaching quarterbacks at the University of Tennessee at Martin in 1995. He then returned to Withrow as an assistant coach for four seasons.
Returning to the college ranks in 2000, Gamble was an assistant at Mount St. Joseph University for two seasons. He was also a graduate assistant and linebackers coach at East Carolina University in 2002.
While a student at Withrow, Gamble was the quarterback for three seasons, including one undefeated year.
He then went on to play quarterback at North Dakota State College of Science and at the University of Tennessee at Martin. He graduated from the University of Tennessee at Martin in 1995 with a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education and health with a concentration in sports management.
