LIONS OPEN SPRING FOOTBALL DRILLS MONDAY

FLORENCE -- The University of North Alabama football team will officially begin preparations for the 2005 season on Monday, March 21 when the Lions open their Spring drills at the UNA practice field at 3:15.   After reaching the semifinals of the NCAA Division II playoffs and winning a Gulf South Conference title in 2003, UNA slipped to a 5-5 record last season. The Lions have a wealth of talent returning from 2004 and have added several talented newcomers who will also take part in Spring workouts.   North Alabama has 44 lettermen returning from last season, with 20 back on offense, 21 on defense and three on special teams. Of that number, 14 are returning starters.  "We have a great returning group of players and we have a lot of impact players that are back," said UNA head football coach Mark Hudspeth. "We should also have more depth this Spring than we have had in the past so it should make for some good competition."  Hudspeth said the team's priorities for the Spring are to expand the offensive attack and to install the defensive system of new defensive coordinator Karl Morgan. He said that system will be similar in some ways to the Lions defense of the past two seasons but will work with a four-man front.  

One area of particular concern for the UNA coaches is finding leadership at the quarterback position.  Hudspeth said that Vinnie Saylor of New Orleans, La., who started part of the 2004 season for the Lions, will return, along with redshirt freshman Rodney Bivens of Tuscaloosa, Ala., and redshirt junior Joe Riner of Downers Grove, Ill.  He said Brett Wilcutt of Bartlett, Tenn., will also be in the mix and he expects a very competitive quarterback situation.   "Offensively, we should have a lot of weapons to go to," said Hudspeth. UNA returns senior running back DeMarcus Blount of Pensacola, Fla., who has rushed for 2,277 yards and scored 49 touchdowns in his career with the Lions. Blount will enter the 2005 season as the sixth leading rusher in school history and he needs just four touchdowns to break the Gulf South Conference touchdown and points scored records. Also back is senior wide receiver Marcus Lewis of Pensacola, Fla., who ranks fourth in UNA history for career pass receptions (125) and is third in career receiving yards (1,913).   New weapons on offense will include transfer running back Eric Packer of Pine Hill, Ala., and defensive back Anthony Merritt, who will make the switch to wide receiver.  Hudspeth said the Lions will use Blount as a wide-out in the Spring to give Packer and freshmen Terrandon Garner and Kevin Hall more repetitions in the backfield, and to keep Blount healthy.  Two-time All-GSC and All-American center Lance Ancar of Harvey, La., is back to anchor the offensive line. 

Defensively, UNA returns five starters from 2004, including All-Gulf South Conference linebacker Courtney Wright of Wetumpka, Ala., and All-GSC defensive back Blake Farris of Jasper, Ala.  Also back is linebacker Donald Tharpe of Pensacola, Fla., who earned All-GSC honors in 2003 but missed most of the 2004 season due to medical concerns. Wright made 71 tackles last season, including nine tackles for loss. Farris had 39 tackles, three interceptions and 13 pass break-ups. The Lions have seven defensive returnees who had 25 tackles or more last season.  Hudspeth said he is also looking forward to seeing Michigan State transfer Alfonzo Townsend take the field on defense. "He could be one of the best defensive players in this league," said Hudspeth.  UNA also returns both its starting punter and place-kicker from last season. Lyle Atkinson of Guin, Ala., averaged 36.8 yards per punt last season, while kicker Beau Tanner of Longview, Wash., made 10 of 17 field goal attempts and 31 of 33 extra-point attempts.  The Lions will practice on selected dates from March 21 through April 22 and will then close out the Spring session with the Purple-White Game at Braly Stadium on Saturday, April 23 at 10 a.m.

Spring Practice Dates

March 21 (3:15 p.m.)

March 23 (3:15 p.m.)

March 24 (3:15 p.m.)

April 4 (3:15 p.m.)

April 6 (3:15 p.m.)

April 8 (3:15 p.m.)

April 9 (9 a.m.)

April 12 (3:15 p.m.)

April 14 (3:15 p.m.)

April 15 (3:15 p.m.)

April 16 (9 a.m.)

April 18 (3:15 p.m.)

April 20 (3:15 p.m.)

April 22 (3:15 p.m.)