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American college football season
The 1974 North Alabama Lions football team represented the University of North Alabama as a member of the Gulf South Conference (GSC) during the 1974 NAIA Division I football season . Led by second-year head coach Mickey Andrews , the Lions compiled an overall record of 4–6 with a mark of 4–4 in conference play, tying for fifth place in the GSC. North Alabama played home game at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama .
Date Time Opponent Site Result Attendance Source September 14 7:30 p.m. Southeastern Louisiana L 17–218,300 [ 1]
September 21 7:30 p.m. at Livingston L 16–283,000 [ 2]
October 5 7:30 p.m. at Delta State L 10–266,500 [ 3]
October 12 7:30 p.m. at Western Carolina * L 7–326,500 [ 4]
October 19 7:30 p.m. at Austin Peay * L 14–205,400 [ 5]
October 26 2:00 p.m. Troy State Braly Municipal Stadium Florence, AL L 29–368,200–8,300 [ 6] [ 7] [ 8]
November 2 7:00 p.m. at Mississippi College W 30–234,500 [ 9]
November 9 7:30 p.m. Nicholls State Braly Municipal Stadium Florence, AL W 17–86,000–7,000 [ 10] [ 11]
November 16 7:30 p.m. Tennessee–Martin Braly Municipal Stadium Florence, AL W 42–103,000 [ 12]
November 23 2:00 p.m. Jacksonville State W 28–245,000–5,500 [ 13] [ 14]
*Non-conference game Homecoming
[ 15] [ 17]
Despite little change on the football end of things, Florence State University would undergo a big change. On December 27, 1973, the Board of Trustees voted to change the name to University of North Alabama. This change would come into effect on August 15, just one month before the beginning of the football season.
The reasons stated for the change include broader support and greater visibility for the university. Also included was the potential confusion between Florence State University and Florida State University as they both shared the abbrivation of "FSU."
Preseason conference poll [ edit ]
The Gulf South Conference released their preseason coaches' poll on August 3.[ 18]
GSC coaches' poll
Predicted finish
Team
Votes (1st place)
1
Troy State
83 (6)
2
Jacksonville State
73 (2)
3
Northwestern State
61 (2)
4
Delta State
53
5
Livingston
47
6
Southeastern Louisiana
-
7
North Alabama
-
8
Mississippi College
-
9
Nicholls State
-
10
Tennessee-Martin
-
Transfers In
Source:
Signees
Name
Pos.
Hometown
High School
Mike Allison
FB
Birmingham, AL
Woodlawn High School
David Atkins
K
Guin, AL
Marion County High School
Ricky Baker
OT
Thomaston, GA
Thomaston High School
Rodney Bivens
CB
Birmingham, AL
Minor High School
Steve Clark
QB
Birmingham, AL
Shades Valley High School
Jerry Davis
C
Athens, AL
Athens High School
Louie Davis
OG
Huntsville, AL
Butler High School
Stan Debord
DT
Lafayette, GA
Lafayette High School
Butch Garrison
DE
Birmingham, AL
Jones Valley High School
Tony Hendon
DB
Birmingham, AL
West End High School
Frank Higginbotham
DB
Trussville, AL
Hewitt High School
Rocky Jacobs
LB
Northport, AL
Tuscaloosa County High School
Billy King
LB
Hueytown, AL
Hueytown High School
Ricky Kirkpatrick
OT
Russellville, AL
Russellville High School
Fred Mahler
DE
Nashville, TN
Father Ryan High School
Bob Martin
TE
Birmingham, AL
Banks High School
Mark Neuhauser
LB
Demopolis, AL
Demopolis High School
Donald Pearson
TE
Birmingham, AL
West End High School
Billy Reynolds
FB
Huntsville, AL
Butler High School
Fred Rosenblum
DB
Huntsville, AL
Huntsville High School
David Seymour
WR
Decatur, AL
Decatur High School
Myles Smith
TE
Birmingham, AL
West End High School
Robert Steele
TE
Columbus, GA
Hardaway High School
James Tanniehill
RB
Silura, AL
Thompson High School
Willie Taylor
DT
Birmingham, AL
Ensley High School
Lawrence Versa
RB
Athens, TN
Athens High School
John Wall
DT
Milledgeville, GA
Milledge Academy
Terence Witherspoon
DT
Fairfield, AL
Fairfield High School
Source:
vs. Southeastern Louisiana [ edit ]
Game One – North Alabama Lions vs. Southeastern Louisiana Lions – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Southeastern Louisiana
0
6
8 7 21
North Alabama
8
3
0 6 17
at Braly Municipal Stadium • Florence, Alabama
Date : Game time : 7:30 p.m. CDT Game attendance : 8,300
Game information
First quarter
UNA – Roger Ralph 8-yard pass from Roger Ferrell (Mike Allison pass from Roger Ferrell) (UNA 8-0 )
Second quarter
SLU – Jay Daniel 7-yard pass (2-point conversion no-good) (UNA 8-6 )
UNA – Creig Bell 24-yard field goal (UNA 11-6 )
Third quarter
SLU – Horace Belton 2-yard rush (Jay Daniel rush) (SLU 14-11 )
Fourth quarter
SLU – Horace Belton 3-yard rush (Saia kick) (SLU 21-11 )
UNA – Clayton Lundy 80-yard punt return (Kick no good) (SLU 21-17 )
Statistics
UNA
SLU
First downs
12
19
Total yards
227
342
Rushing yards
132
280
Passing yards
95
62
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
7-20-1
5-12-0
Punts
6-35.6
4-39.2
Fumbles/Lost
2-0
3-2
Penalties
4-46
5-27
1974 North Alabama Lions football team roster
Players
Coaches
Offense
Pos.
#
Name
Class
FB
Mike Allison
Fr
WR
Frankie Amos
Fr
WR
Richard Bagwell
So
OT
Ricky Baker
Fr
TE
Creig Bell
So
C
Richard Bowers
Jr
RB
Maurice Brawley
Fr
QB
Steve Clark
Fr
C
Jerry Davis
Fr
G
Louie Davis
Fr
QB
Roger Ferrell
Jr
OT
Tim Harden
So
G
Ben Hawks
So
RB
Marvin Jarman
So
OT
Barry Johnson
Jr
WR
Charlie Kennedy
So
OT
Ricky Kirkpatrick
So
WR
Mike Knight
Jr
OT
Barry Koehn
Jr
QB
Randy Lee
So
TE
Bob Martin
Fr
QB
Nick Martelli
Fr
FB
Tony McMinn (C)
Sr
RB
Marc Merritt
So
FB
Jerry Mizell
Jr
RB
Terry Mizell
Jr
C
Joe Moore
Fr
G
Andy Morris
Jr
TE
John Musick
So
G
Paul Parvin (C)
Sr
TE
Donald Pearson
Fr
RB
James Pointer
Fr
WR
Roger Ralph
Jr
FB
Billy Reynolds
Fr
RB
Burnis Rose
So
WR
David Seymour
Fr
QB
Mike Shipp
So
TE
Myles Smith
Fr
WR
Ricky Smith
Fr
TE
Robert Steele
Fr
G
Frank Strickland
So
RB
James Tanniehill
Fr
RB
Lawrence Versa
Fr
RB
Sandy Vinson
Fr
Defense
Pos.
#
Name
Class
DB
Rodney Bivens
Fr
DB
Eddy Burns
So
DT
Buddy Childs
So
DE
James Crawford
Fr
LB
John Connell
Jr
DT
Stan Debord
Fr
DE
Frank Deliz
So
DB
Curtis Dixon
So
DT
Jud Driver
So
DB
Jim Ezell
Jr
DE
Butch Garrison
Fr
LB
Frankie Hammock
Fr
LB
Tom Hardy
Fr
DE
Robert Harris
So
DB
Tony Hendon
Fr
DB
Frank Higginbotham
Fr
DB
Robbie Hudson
Jr
LB
Rocky Jacobs
Fr
DB
Larry Jeffreys (C)
Sr
LB
Billy King
Fr
LB
Bill Loden
So
DE
Sparks Lunceford
So
DB
Clayton Lundy
So
DE
Fred Mahler
Fr
DB
Mike McCombs
So
DT
Mike Murray
So
LB
Mark Neuhauser
Fr
DB
Mike Petty
Fr
LB
Kelly Pool
Jr
LB
Ivan Richards
Jr
DB
Fred Rosenblum
Fr
DE
Tobin Sexton
So
LB
Norman Simms
So
DE
David Stalcup
So
LB
Lawrence Stephens
So
LB
Steve Stewart
Jr
DB
Randy Stokes
Fr
DB
Jimmy Sullivan
Fr
DT
Willie Taylor
Fr
DT
John Wall
Fr
DB
Abe Washington
Fr
DT
Terence Witherspoon
Fr
DB
Terry Wray
Fr
Special teams
Pos.
#
Name
Class
K
David Atkins
Fr
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Richie Gaskell – Offensive coordinator
Mike Dean – Defensive coordinator
Wally Burnham – Offensive line coach
Legend
(C) Team captain
(S) Suspended
(I) Ineligible
Injured
Redshirt
^ Stout, Harold (September 15, 1974). "UNA Drops Tough Decision, 21-17" . Times Daily . Florence. p. 21. Retrieved August 2, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
^ Stout, Harold (September 22, 1974). "Livingston Upends UNA, 28-16" . Times Daily . Florence. p. 15. Retrieved August 2, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
^ "UNA Falls to Statesmen, 26-10" . Times Daily . Florence. October 6, 1974. p. 25. Retrieved August 2, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
^ "WCU Wins with Big Second Quarter" . Times Daily . Florence. October 13, 1974. p. 25. Retrieved August 2, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
^ "Austin Peay Slips past Lions, 20-14" . Times Daily . Florence. October 20, 1974. p. 25. Retrieved August 2, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
^ "Troy State outlasts UNA" . The Anniston Star . October 27, 1974. Retrieved November 11, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
^ Stout, Harold (October 27, 1974). "Late Score Ruins Lions Homecoming" . Florence Times—Tri-Cities Daily . Florence, Alabama . p. 1. Retrieved August 2, 2024 – via Google News Archive .
^ "Final 1974 Cumulative Football Statistics Report (Troy State)" . National Collegiate Athletic Association . Retrieved November 11, 2022 .
^ "UNA Snaps Drought; Knocks off Choctaws" . Times Daily . Florence. November 3, 1974. p. 25. Retrieved August 2, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
^ Stout, Harold (November 10, 1974). "UNA Lions Stop Visiting Nicholls State, 17-8" . Times Daily . Florence. p. 27. Retrieved August 2, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
^ "Final 1974 Cumulative Football Statistics Report (Nicholls State)" . National Collegiate Athletic Association . Retrieved November 18, 2022 .
^ Stout, Harold (November 17, 1974). "UNA Chalks Up Third Straight Victory, 42-10" . Times Daily . Florence. p. 21. Retrieved August 2, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
^ "UNA Lions Upend Jacksonville State, 28-24" . Times Daily . Florence. November 24, 1974. p. 27. Retrieved August 2, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
^ "2023 Football Media Guide" (PDF) . Jacksonville State University Athletics. p. 175. Retrieved August 5, 2024 .
^ "Final 1974 Cumulative Football Statistics Report" . National Collegiate Athletic Association . Retrieved August 2, 2024 .
^ Thomas, Ronnie (1975). "1975 Football Guide" (PDF) . RoarLions.com . North Alabama Athletics. Retrieved August 2, 2024 .
^ "Troy State Picked To Repeat As GSC Champs" . Times Daily . Florence. August 3, 1974. p. 6. Retrieved August 3, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
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