The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff is parting ways with third-year head coach Doc Gamble, as the Golden Lions are mired in a five-game losing streak.
After hiring Gamble in April 2020, Pine Bluff saw modest success in the ensuing 2021 spring season, when the Southwestern Athletic Conference played an abbreviated schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic wiping out the league’s plans for a traditional fall 2020 slate.
In winning four regular-season games in his first season as coach, Gamble led the Lions to an appearance in the SWAC Championship game in an eventual 40-33 loss to Alabama A&M.
But Pine Bluff’s good fortunes under Gamble seemingly ended in that contest.
The Lions have just four wins in their last 18 games; they lost nine of their final 10 contests last season.
This year, APB won back-to-back games against vastly over-matched competition – NCAA Division II program Lane College and fledgling NAIA program North American University – before dropping its last five contests.
With no game this weekend for the season’s lone open date, the Golden Lions close their 2022 campaign with four-straight SWAC contests Against Florida A&M, Grambling, Prairie View and Alabama State.
Gamble had been with the Pine Bluff program since 2018, first arriving as an assistant coach before taking over the head coach’s position. Prior to that, Gamble’s coaching stops included a five-year with MAC-program Kent State, a one-year stint as an assistant coach for Butch Jones at Cincinnati and also his first foray into the SWAC as an assistant coach at Alcorn State.
Offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach Don Treadwell has been named interim head coach.
“We appreciate everything that did for the program and we wish him the best with his future endeavors,” said AD Chris Robinson.
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