2024 North Alabama Lions football team explained

Year:2024
Team:North Alabama Lions
Sport:football
Conference:United Athletic Conference
Short Conf:UAC
Record:0–0
Conf Record:0–0
Head Coach:Brent Dearmon
Hc Year:2nd
Off Coach:Kevin Wewers
Oc Year:2nd
Def Coach:Brock Caraboa
Dc Year:2nd

The 2024 North Alabama Lions football team will represent North Alabama University in the United Athletic Conference (UAC) during the 2024 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Lions will be led by second-year head coach Brent Dearmon. The team will play its home games at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama.

Offseason

Transfers

Outgoing

The Lions lost 5 players to the transfer portal.[1] [2] [3]

PlayerPositionNew school
Tylen CampbellWRSouth Alabama
Elijah Elmore DLAlabama State
Demarcus LaceyRBJacksonville State
K.J. TrujilloDBIdaho
Noah WaltersQBNone

Incoming

The Lions added 22 players from the transfer portal.[4]

PlayerPositionPrevious school
Jayvian AllenRBTennessee Tech
Travelle AndersonRBCentral Arkansas
Anthony BauerOLLouisiana–Monroe
Christopher BurnettDBCopiah–Lincoln CC
Dominic BraeschOLGeorgia State
Jackson BrattonLBUAB
Logan CollierWRLindsey Wilson
Travis CollierDBJacksonville State
Hayden EdgeOLStetson
Walter GogginsDLMercer
Jahbari HillDBFlorida Atlantic
Michael Jordan Jr.DBLehigh
Marlon KrakueDLFlorida Atlantic
Cade MansmannRBTroy
Caleb McDougleDBAlabama
Ari PatuQBStanford
Scott PayneKMiddle Tennessee
Jermaine Ray Jr.DBNortheast Mississippi CC
Tanaka ScottWRKansas
Jayme Motley-SimmonsOLSamford
Rayqwon SmithDLTennessee State
DC TabscottQBNew Mexico

Recruiting class

Preseason

Spring game

Over 1,500 fans packed Bill Jones Athletic Complex for the 2024 University of North Alabama Purple vs White Spring Game. Both teams were stocked with its own respective players and coaches. Offensive coordinator Kevin Wewers coached Team White, while defensive coordinator Brock Caraboa coached Team Purple.[5]

Team White led 17–0 after 1 quarter. Quarterback TJ Smith ran for an 8-yard touchdown to start the game, and then tight end Kaleb Heatherly caught a 23-yard touchdown from Smith, with transfer kicker Scott Payne closing the scoring with a 47-yard field goal. Team Purple would cut the deficit to 3 before halftime, after a 1-yard touchdown run from Dennis Moody and an 11-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver JJ Evans from quarterback Noah Walters, but receiver Takairee Kenebrew caught a 20-yard pass from TJ Smith to take a 24–14 lead at the half. Team Purple would start the 2nd half strong, after Noah Walters ran for an 8-yard touchdown and receiver Justin Luke caught the two-point pass from Walters. Team White would immediately answer with Sam Contorno hitting a 53-yard field goal. On the final play of the game, Kevin Wewers of Team White called a trick play, with transfer running back Jayvian "Juice" Allen taking the snap, handing it off to TJ Smith, who threw it to quarterback Ben Harris in the endzone for the 8-yard touchdown, capping the action with their 33–22 win.[5]

Media Day

The 2024 UAC Media Day was held on July 23, 2024 at Texas Live! in Arlington, TX. The Preseason Polls were released on the 23rd as well. Each team had their head coach available to talk to the media at the event along with a few players. Head coach Brent Dearmon, along with players Takairee Kenebrew and Jackson Bratton, were made available for media availability. Coverage of the event was televised on ESPN+.[6]

UAC coaches' poll
1Central Arkansas77 (5)
2Tarleton State74 (3)
3Southern Utah54
4Eastern Kentucky53
5Austin Peay46 (1)
6Abilene Christian43
7North Alabama26
8Utah Tech19
9West Georgia13

Preseason All-UAC honors

Preseason Defensive Player of the Year

All-Conference Team Selections

Source: [7]

Schedule

North Alabama will begin its 2024 campaign with a slate of four non-conference games. The Lions will start with a Week 0 face off against the Southeast Missouri Redhawks on August 24. This was originally slated to be held in Cape Girardeau, Missouri before becoming the FCS Kickoff game in Montgomery, Alabama. This game will also mark their first matchup since 1956.[8] The Lions' first road game will be an against the Division I FBS-level Memphis Tigers on August 31. This will be their first game against one another since 2022 and the second all-time meeting of the 2 schools.[9] North Alabama will stay on the road to face UT Martin on September 14 in Martin, Tennessee.[10] The Lions' home opener will be on September 21 as North Alabama welcomes Illinois State Redbirds to Braly Stadium. This will start a home and home series between the schools and it will also be the first ever meeting of the 2 teams.[11]

North Alabama and the UAC announced the 2024 football schedule on November 14, 2023.[12] This schedule was later revised on June 10, 2024 as Stephen F. Austin left the conference.[13] The 2024 Lions' schedule consists of 5 home games and 6 away games for the regular season. North Alabama will host four UAC conference opponents Tarleton State, Abilene Christian, Austin Peay and Utah Tech at home and will travel to four UAC opponents West Georgia, Central Arkansas, Southern Utah and Eastern Kentucky.[14]

West Georgia is the newest member of the United Athletic Conference and will join in July 2024 as a part of their transition to Division I athletics.[15] This will revive a former Gulf South Conference rivalry as West Georgia and North Alabama played each other for 35 consecutive years from 1983 until the Lions made the jump to Division I after 2017.[16] Their meeting on September 28 will mark their first meeting since 2017. [17]

[18] [19] [20]

Game summaries

vs. Southeast Missouri State

See also: 2024 Southeast Missouri State Redhawks football team.

Statistics North AlabamaSoutheast Missouri State
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Turnovers
Time of possession
Team Category Player Statistics
North AlabamaPassing
Rushing
Receiving
Southeast Missouri StatePassing
Rushing
Receiving

at Memphis

See also: 2024 Memphis Tigers football team.

Statistics North AlabamaMemphis
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Turnovers
Time of possession
Team Category Player Statistics
North AlabamaPassing
Rushing
Receiving
MemphisPassing
Rushing
Receiving

vs Illinois State

See also: 2024 Illinois State Redbirds football team.

Statistics Illinois StateNorth Alabama
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Turnovers
Time of possession
Team Category Player Statistics
Illinois StatePassing
Rushing
Receiving
North AlabamaPassing
Rushing
Receiving

at UT Martin

See also: 2024 UT Martin Skyhawks football team.

Statistics North AlabamaUT Martin
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Turnovers
Time of possession
Team Category Player Statistics
North AlabamaPassing
Rushing
Receiving
UT MartinPassing
Rushing
Receiving

vs West Georgia

See also: 2024 West Georgia Wolves football team.

Statistics West GeorgiaNorth Alabama
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Turnovers
Time of possession
Team Category Player Statistics
West GeorgiaPassing
Rushing
Receiving
North AlabamaPassing
Rushing
Receiving

at Utah Tech

See also: 2024 Utah Tech Trailblazers football team.

Statistics North AlabamaUtah Tech
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Turnovers
Time of possession
Team Category Player Statistics
North AlabamaPassing
Rushing
Receiving
Utah TechPassing
Rushing
Receiving

vs Abilene Christian

See also: 2024 Abilene Christian Wildcats football team.

Statistics Abilene ChristianNorth Alabama
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Turnovers
Time of possession
Team Category Player Statistics
Abilene ChristianPassing
Rushing
Receiving
North AlabamaPassing
Rushing
Receiving

at Central Arkansas

See also: 2024 Central Arkansas Bears football team.

Statistics North AlabamaCentral Arkansas
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Turnovers
Time of possession
Team Category Player Statistics
North AlabamaPassing
Rushing
Receiving
Central ArkansasPassing
Rushing
Receiving

vs Austin Peay

See also: 2024 Austin Peay Governors football team.

Statistics Austin PeayNorth Alabama
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Turnovers
Time of possession
Team Category Player Statistics
Austin PeayPassing
Rushing
Receiving
North AlabamaPassing
Rushing
Receiving

at Eastern Kentucky

See also: 2024 Eastern Kentucky Colonels football team.

Statistics North AlabamaEastern Kentucky
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Turnovers
Time of possession
Team Category Player Statistics
North AlabamaPassing
Rushing
Receiving
Eastern KentuckyPassing
Rushing
Receiving

vs Southern Utah

See also: 2024 Southern Utah Thunderbirds football team.

Statistics Southern UtahNorth Alabama
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Turnovers
Time of possession
Team Category Player Statistics
Southern UtahPassing
Rushing
Receiving
North AlabamaPassing
Rushing
Receiving

Statistics

Team

North AlabamaOpp
Scoring
  Points per Game
  Points per Turnovers
First Downs
  Rushing
  Passing
  Penalty
Rushing yards
  Avg per play
  Avg per game
  Rushing touchdowns
Passing yards
  Att-Comp-Int
  Avg per pass
  Avg per catch
  Avg per game
  Passing touchdowns
Total Offense
  Plays
  Avg per play
  Avg per game
Fumbles-Lost
Penalties-Yards
  Avg per game
North AlabamaOpp
  Punt-Yards
   Avg per play
   Avg per punt net
  Punt Return-Yards
   Avg per punt return
  Kickoffs-Yards
   Avg per play
   Avg per kick net
  Kickoff Return-Yards
   Avg per kickoff return
  Interceptions-Yards
   Avg per play
Time of possession / game
3rd Down Conversions (Pct%)(0%)(0%)
4th Down Conversions (Pct%)(0%)(0%)
Touchdowns Scored
Field Goals-Attempts
  PAT-Attempts
   2 point conversion-attempts
Sack by Yards
Misc Yards
Safeties
Onside kicks
Red zone scores(0%)(0%)
  Red zone touchdowns(0%)(0%)
Attendance
  Date/Avg per date
  Neutral Site

Individual leaders

Passing statistics
NAMEPOSRATCMP-ATT-INTYDSAVG/GCMP%TDLONG
QB0.00-0-00 yrds0.0%0 TDs0
TOTALS0.00-0-00 yrds0.00.0%0 TDs0

Defense

Special teams

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2024 FCS-to-FCS Transfers . 2024-05-05.
  2. Web site: 2024 FCS-to-FBS Transfers . 2024-05-05.
  3. Web site: Walters enters transfer portal . Tanner . Emma . 26 April 2024 . The Flor-Ala . 5 May 2024.
  4. Web site: 2024 FBS-to-FCS Transfers . 2024-05-05.
  5. Web site: Team White wins packed out 2024 Spring Game . North Alabama Lions . March 22, 2024 . March 21, 2024.
  6. Web site: UAC Football Media Day Set for July 23rd at Texas Live . 17 July 2024. uacfootball.com . United Athletic Conference . July 24, 2024.
  7. Web site: 2024 Preseason All-Conference and Coaches' Poll Announced. 17 July 2024. uacfootball.com . United Athletic Conference . July 24, 2024.
  8. Web site: Southeast Missouri adds future series with Dayton, Southern Illinois, North Alabama. FBSchedules . Kevin. Kelley. January 2, 2024. October 4, 2019.
  9. Web site: Memphis adds North Alabama to 2024 football schedule. FBSchedules . Kevin. Kelley. January 2, 2024. March 4, 2022.
  10. Web site: UT Martin to host North Alabama in 2024, play at UTEP in 2025. FBSchedules . Kevin. Kelley. January 2, 2024. August 22, 2023.
  11. Web site: Illinois State, North Alabama schedule football series for 2024, 2025. FBSchedules . Kevin. Kelley. January 2, 2024. September 20, 2021.
  12. Web site: UAC Football Announces Eight-Game League Schedule for 2024. United Athletic Conference. January 2, 2024. November 14, 2023.
  13. Web site: Revised 2024 UAC Football Slate Released. United Athletic Conference. June 10, 2024. June 10, 2023.
  14. Web site: UAC Football announces 2024 conference schedule. UNA Athletics. January 2, 2024. November 14, 2023.
  15. Web site: University of West Georgia Announces Move to NCAA Division I. Sports Illustrated Network. Daniel. Chavkin. January 2, 2024. September 8, 2023.
  16. Web site: West Georgia to join ASUN, UAC in 2024. UNA Athletics. January 2, 2023. September 9, 2023.
  17. Web site: 2023 North Alabama Football Record Book. UNA Athletics. January 2, 2024. August 16, 2023.
  18. Web site: 2024 North Alabama Lions Football Schedule. FB Schedules.com. January 2, 2024.
  19. Web site: Football releases 2024 schedule, beginning with FCS Kickoff on August 24. UNA Athletics. March 1, 2024.
  20. Web site: Football announces revised 2024 football schedule. UNA Athletics. June 10, 2024.

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