Untimely fumbles cost Golden Lions

• By JOSH TINKER
• Special to The Advocate
• Published: Nov 1, 2009

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PINE BLUFF, Ark — It was no surprise when the Southern University offense showed up Saturday.

The Jaguars ranked first in the Southwestern Athletic Conference in scoring offense, total offense and pass offense before to the game. SU’s 335 total yards in the game nearly equaled its SWAC-leading average.

The surprise was the fact that the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff nearly out-gunned the Jaguars before Southern claimed a 24-10 win at Golden Lion Stadium. 

UAPB was ranked as the third-worst offensive team in the SWAC before the game. But the Golden Lions tallied 330 total yards on offense, their second-best total of the season.

However, UAPB could not overcome two drive-ending fumbles that ultimately stymied its chances to win.

“I thought we really came in with good game plans on offense,” UAPB coach Monte Coleman said. “We moved the ball very successfully; we just couldn’t finish.” 

Coleman was upset with the two drive-killing fumbles — the first by Mickey Dean at the Southern 19 that ended an 11-play drive just before halftime, and the second by Dhabion Woodfin at the Southern 12 that ended a 14-play drive to begin the third quarter. Otherwise, the second-year coach was pleased with his offense’s performance. 

All season, Coleman has said he wants his team to either pass to set up the run or run to set up the pass. On Saturday, the Golden Lions (5-3, 2-1 SWAC) did just that.

Early on, UAPB used the legs and arm of quarterback Josh Boudreaux, who attended Catholic-New Iberia, on rollout passes. As a result, the junior quarterback connected on his first eight passes.

Starting only his second game of the season after replacing an ineffective Rontrell Bailey during a 20-13 victory over Jackson State on Oct. 10, Boudreaux finished 17-for-25 for 182 yards and a touchdown, including completing at least one pass to 10 different receivers. 

“I’m just trying to make something happen,” Boudreaux said. 

He did from the start, throwing a 33-yard strike to fullback Hezekiah Smith.

On the play, Boudreaux scrambled left to elude defenders and hurled a pass to Smith, who ran over a defender and tip-toed along the sideline to the end zone.