Grambling will be playing the University of Arkansas Pine-Bluff on Saturday. The Tigers are coming off their first win of the season and they are focused on the game against UAPB (1-7 SWAC, 1-8).
“What we’re going to do is, we’re going to keep them focus, we’re going to stay focused and we going to move forward in everything we do,” said interim head coach Dennis Winston.
UAPB is the defending SWAC champion, but are struggling. They have only beat Mississippi Valley State University this season, the same team the G-Men have their only win against.
The most dangerous weapon on their team is quarterback Benjamin Anderson.
“He is always looking down field, an excellent runner, makes good decisions, not going to throw a lot of interceptions,” said Winston.
Anderson averages 243.9 passing yards per game, the third most in the SWAC, and is ranked fifth in passer efficiency at 131.4.
While they have success in the passing offense, their run defense has been terrible. UAPB is ranked last in the SWAC in rush defense and they allow an average of 277 rushing yards a game.
Last week, Grambling State started quarterback Johnathan Williams started for the first time. Williams accounted for seven touchdowns in the game, throwing for five and rushed for two.
Winston insisted that many people would play this coming week for the Tigers.
“We’re going to play a lot of players,” said Winston. “There won’t be anybody on our sidelines that is not happy that they are not playing.”
Winston did not give a definite answer on who was going to start at quarterback this weekend.
“Its better to have a shotgun with two bullets in it, than one bullet in it,” said Winston. “They’re going to have to prepare for two different styles of quarterbacks.”
Winston was a former defensive coach at UAPB, but he is not bothered by it at all.
“To me its just another stadium,” he said. “Once you step on the grass, ain’t no friends no more, they’re enemies.”
Winston believes that UAPB’s game plan is going to be straightforward and they won’t change much.
While UAPB has a good passing attack; the Grambling defense has played better recently in the last two games with four interceptions and nine sacks.
The interim head coach is very optimistic about the fans for the upcoming game.
“I think we’ll have screaming Grambling fans,” said Winston. “Pine-Bluff is only about three hours from here, we should have that whole section from that side filled.”
Kickoff is at 2:30 p.m. at The Golden Lions stadium.