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]
WHITE – Takairee Kenebrew 20-yard pass from TJ Smith (Scott Payne kick) (White 24–14)
Third quarter
PURPLE – Noah Walters 8-yard run (Justin Luke pass from Noah Walters) (White 24–22)
WHITE – Sam Contorno 53-yard field goal (White 27–22)
Fourth quarter
WHITE – Ben Harris 8-yard pass from TJ Smith (White 33–22)
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
Predicted finish
Team
Votes (1st place)
1
Central Arkansas
77 (5)
2
Tarleton State
74 (3)
3
Southern Utah
54
4
Eastern Kentucky
53
5
Austin Peay
46 (1)
6
Abilene Christian
43
7
North Alabama
26
8
Utah Tech
19
9
West Georgia
13
Preseason All-UAC honors
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Position
Player
Class
DB
Edwin White Schultz
Redshirt JR
All-Conference Team Selections
Position
Player
Class
Offense
WR
Takairee Kenebrew
Redshirt Graduate
Defense
DB
Edwin White Schultz
Redshirt JR
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]
^"2024 FCS-to-FCS Transfers". Retrieved May 5, 2024.
^"2024 FCS-to-FBS Transfers". Retrieved May 5, 2024.
^Tanner, Emma (April 26, 2024). "Walters enters transfer portal". The Flor-Ala. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
^"2024 FBS-to-FCS Transfers". Retrieved May 5, 2024.
^ ab"Team White wins packed out 2024 Spring Game". North Alabama Lions. March 21, 2024. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
^"UAC Football Media Day Set for July 23rd at Texas Live". uacfootball.com. United Athletic Conference. July 17, 2024. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
^"2024 Preseason All-Conference and Coaches' Poll Announced". uacfootball.com. United Athletic Conference. July 17, 2024. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
^Kelley, Kevin (October 4, 2019). "Southeast Missouri adds future series with Dayton, Southern Illinois, North Alabama". FBSchedules. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
^Kelley, Kevin (March 4, 2022). "Memphis adds North Alabama to 2024 football schedule". FBSchedules. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
^Kelley, Kevin (August 22, 2023). "UT Martin to host North Alabama in 2024, play at UTEP in 2025". FBSchedules. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
^Kelley, Kevin (September 20, 2021). "Illinois State, North Alabama schedule football series for 2024, 2025". FBSchedules. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
^"UAC Football Announces Eight-Game League Schedule for 2024". United Athletic Conference. November 14, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
^"Revised 2024 UAC Football Slate Released". United Athletic Conference. June 10, 2023. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
^"UAC Football announces 2024 conference schedule". UNA Athletics. November 14, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
^Chavkin, Daniel (September 8, 2023). "University of West Georgia Announces Move to NCAA Division I". Sports Illustrated Network. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
^"West Georgia to join ASUN, UAC in 2024". UNA Athletics. September 9, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
^"2023 North Alabama Football Record Book" (PDF). UNA Athletics. August 16, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
^"2024 North Alabama Lions Football Schedule". FB Schedules.com. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
^"Football releases 2024 schedule, beginning with FCS Kickoff on August 24". UNA Athletics. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
^"Football announces revised 2024 football schedule". UNA Athletics. Retrieved June 10, 2024.