FLORENCE, Ala. — North Alabama has not gone to Division I; it only seems that way.
The Lions didn’t stop landing major college talent with the hiring of former Auburn coach Terry Bowden. Division I players have poured in from all over the place, including seven from his father Bobby Bowden’s Florida State team alone.
The team’s 24 transfers includes starting quarterback Harrison Beck (North Carolina State), former FSU receiver Preston Parker and ex-West Virginia starting defensive back Quinton Andrews.
Now, the question is how will this newly assembled group jell in a program that reached the Division II semifinals last season? Only two of the transfers went through spring practice with UNA.
“We’re going to try to shoot to surpass last year,” Bowden said. “That’s our goal. And you know something, I don’t think we’ll not meet our goal because of talent. I think we have found … athletes that will give us a talent level that is equal to or exceeds last year.”
The Lions have reached double-digit wins and made the playoffs in each of the past four seasons under Mark Hudspeth, who left to become a Mississippi State assistant.
Bowden has been out of coaching since 1998.
Miles
16 starters back for Golden Bears
Coach Billy Joe’s peers are expecting big improvement from his second Miles team.
The Golden Bears were picked by Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference coaches to finish fifth in the league this season, a year after going 2-8.
Quarterback Chivas Jones is a preseason second-team All-SIAC pick after throwing for 1,051 yards with seven touchdowns and nine interceptions as a freshman. Offensive lineman Kenneth Peaks was also tabbed for second-team honors.
The Bears have to replace leading rusher LaQuan Phillips in a weak ground game that produced only five rushing touchdowns. Phillips accounted for three of those.
Nine starters return on offense and seven on defense.
Stillman
Cole takes over Stillman reigns
Former Alabama State coach L.C. Cole takes over the program amid low expectations. The Tigers were picked to finish ninth in the SIAC.
Cole does still have preseason All-SIAC running back Quinn Porter. Porter rushed for 740 yards and added 350 more receiving last season, scoring a combined 11 touchdowns.
Cole has to replace six starters on offense and eight on defense, including defensive back Dre’Mail Hardin and end Alex Dumeus. Porter is the only one of the top four receivers who returns. Quarterback Cedric Harris is also gone.
Cole is 41-25 as head coach.
West Alabama
Williams returns at quarterback
Quarterback Deon Williams is back after receiving a medical redshirt year. The junior college transfer sustained a season-ending knee injury in the third game, and the passing attack was never quite the same. Williams already had thrown for 838 yards and 10 touchdowns against three interceptions.
The Tigers went 4-7 and won just two Gulf South Conference games.
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