FLORENCE - Individuals. University of North Alabama head football coach Terry Bowden welcomed 112 of them to UNA campus Monday as the Lions reported to begin pre-season preparations for their 2009 campaign. Bowden hopes that over the next four weeks he can mold those individuals into a team that will be able to compete for conference and national honors.

The Lions return 58 players, including 36 lettermen, from the 2008 team that 12-2 and reached the semifinals of the Division II playoffs. Add 27 freshmen, 20 transfers from NCAA Division I institutions and seven community college transfers and Bowden knows that getting all these individuals on the same page will be a key ingredient in determining the level of success the team achieves this season.

"We have a lot of guys back who have been a part of this program and have helped make it the great and successful program that it is, and that's where we start," said Bowden. "We also have a large group of freshmen coming in, many of whom we hope to redshirt or give a chance to grow and mature in the program. The other guys, the transfers, will have to come in ready to go from the first day because they are going to have to fill a lot of holes."

Over the next two days the Lions will meet, fill out paperwork and go through physical exams before going onto the field for the first time on Thursday. The Lions will have a two-hour conditioning test on the UNA practice field Thursday from 9-11 a.m. The first practice session for the 2009 squad will be on Friday from 9-11 a.m.