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Providing the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff football team a full allotment of scholarships within the next five years is one of the school’s current goals, athletic director Chris Robinson said on Thursday.
“The NCAA allows 105 scholarships for football,” Robinson said. “In our entire athletic department, we only have 128 scholarships. So, our goal is to have a full complement of scholarships to get those athletes here to be able to represent the university.”
Robinson’s comments came during the school’s first “AD Circle” event, which was held Thursday at lunchtime at The Magnolia Food Market and Bar in downtown Pine Bluff. Robinson and football coach Alonzo Hampton spoke to a gathering of fans about the current state of UAPB athletics.
After the event, Robinson told the Commercial there are several ways the Golden Lions can increase their scholarship count. He mentioned when he was playing football at UAPB, a local business stepped in to fund his scholarship.
“Getting out and getting engaged with the community more and getting more people to get involved with the program, that’s one way,” Robinson said. “Then, to increase scholarships to be able to play the Power Five schools, we had a campaign to increase scholarships to be able to go out and get money-guaranteed games. I think we raised almost $400,000 during that time to get us up to 63 scholarships.”
Robinson’s comment about increasing scholarships to play Power Five schools references an NCAA rule in which FBS schools can only count a win against an FCS opponent such as UAPB toward bowl eligibility requirements if that FCS opponent provides at least 56.7 scholarships. Prior to recent rule changes surrounding the House v. NCAA settlement, FCS schools were capped at 63 scholarships, with 56.7 representing 90 percent of that allotment.
Not meeting that requirement would have meant FBS schools would be much less likely to schedule UAPB, leaving the Golden Lions without an important income source.
Robinson said private donors and scholarships have helped supplement the scholarship funding, as have academic scholarships for student-athletes who qualify, but scholarships and financial aid are no longer the only allowable way for schools to attract recruits.
In addition to Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deals, the NCAA now allows revenue sharing following the House settlement, through which schools can directly pay players.
The SWAC opted in to revenue sharing, authorizing its members to pay players. Robinson said UAPB is not currently participating in revenue sharing, saying the Golden Lions are in the “infancy stages” of it.
“We’re not at that point just yet, but we’re finding ways to do it,” Robinson said. “We have some incentives, academic incentives, where some students are receiving some funding for their academic achievements right now, but we’re continuing to try to build off of that.”
During his public comments, Robinson also spoke about the ongoing work to upgrade UAPB’s athletic facilities. He mentioned the recently completed softball field house and the new infield at the Torii Hunter Baseball Complex.
Robinson said plans to build a track and field complex and upgrade the soccer field have been temporarily halted.
“The quotes we got back was not what we wanted,” Robinson said. “The initial quote was $9 million to build a facility was done at $4 million at other places. We can’t do that. So, right now, we’re in talks. We’ve got it down to about $5.9 million right now, so it’s getting closer to where we want it.”
Hampton also spoke during the events. He emphasized UAPB’s need to recruit bigger players, particularly in the offensive and defensive lines. He said the Golden Lions have reduced the size disadvantage they have often faced, but it isn’t yet where they want it.
He also said he wants to sign more mid-year high school graduates moving forward. So far, current true freshman quarterback Garrison Davis is the only mid-year high school recruit UAPB has signed under Hampton.
“They graduate in December, which means we can get them in January, which means we have six months before we ever have to play a game, really about eight months,” Hampton said. “If you get them when June come, you’re not going to really have an opportunity to get those kids on the field.”
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