UNA Football Night @ Lost Pizza w/ Benjamin Ray 09/14/26

[0:00] It's time for UNA Football Night from Lost Pizza. For the next hour we'll go in-depth as we talk to your University of North Alabama Lions. UNA Football Night from Lost Pizza is brought to you by Lost Pizza Shoals, Burnley Spine and Sport, Singing River Brewery, Southern Pride Pest Control, Alabama Health Guidance, The Carriage Wine and Market, and Brown Equipment Company. Live from Lost Pizza in historic downtown Florence, here's the voice of the Lions, Benjamin Ray. Hello and welcome back down to Lost Pizza Shoals in downtown Florence, Benjamin Ray alongside Mike Ezekiel.

We're back with another edition of UNA Football Night. We took last week off for the holiday and now we're back. And Mike Ezekiel, it's perhaps the most anticipated game we've had maybe all time, something that's been talked about for a really long time. We finally made it happen. We've had this date circled. We've got, what, four or five more days before we were there, but this has been a long-awaited home football game on campus with a grand opening of Bobby Wallace Field at Bank Independent Stadium on Saturday, on campus for the first time, a 6 p.m. kick against Alcorn State.

Benjamin, I got goosebumps. And a lot of people here at Lost Pizza tonight, I just want to ask a question. Who likes numbers? Because I like numbers. I'm going to give you some numbers, so listen closely. Are you ready? 26 years since the university was founded in 1830, 114 years since the first football team was fielded in 1912 here at UNA, 98 years since that team was disbanded, and then 78 seasons of football since then, the rebirth of football in 1949, and in all of that time played at a high school municipal, probably municipal stadium, did not play on campus.

And then 53 years ago, a blueprint went out for an on-campus stadium in 1973 in a media guide. And then it took two years to break ground on an actual on-campus stadium, and here we are seven days away. No, six days? Five days? Something like that. Five days. Five days away from opening that stadium. I know it's coming up very quickly. Saturday will be here before we know it. And for the first time ever, campus will be connected to a home football game. I mean, used to, we would tailgate on Spirit Hill, and campus was not a part of it.

Unless we left something in the office, we had no campus connection on game days. We were at Brawley all day long. Now, we'll all be at the office early Saturday morning. We'll be there all day getting ready. Campus will come to life, tailgating alongside the Pines. The Lion Walk will take place down Pine Street. Everybody's walked to class on Pine Street, driven through Pine Street. Pine Street's going to be the heart of Bobby's backyard, Bobby Wallace Field at Bank Independence Stadium. And there's going to be so much activity.

But that's what I'm most excited about, is to see campus come to life with a new Saturday sanctuary. Yeah, hearing you put it that way, that's kind of how it was, you know, when game days were at Brawley Stadium. Campus felt a little dead. And if we had to go back to get something, there wasn't much going on. Nobody walking around campus, but now campus is the heart of it. Everybody's going to be walking around near the fountain, near, you know, where the lion's cage was.

And just walking all through campus, where the amphitheater was. So many great things going on. And then you've got the Pines coming up down the hill there, right outside the stadium. It's going to be beautiful. I'm excited, Ben. Campus will be buzzing on Saturday. I had a thought today, and I don't think I've mentioned this to you yet. I mentioned it to Dr. Looney. I believe Saturday will be the largest event hosted on campus all time. I still have to run that through some numbers. But we're expecting to have 10,000 people, and probably plus that.

I can't think of another event at UNA. Think about all the concerts. You hear stories about the concerts. Billy Joel played on campus. There's a great list of people. But those venues didn't hold this many people. We're talking 10,000 people on campus. I can't think of another time that has happened. I can't either. And, man, pulling out all the stops for those thousands and thousands of people that will be there. I know a lot of you watching, listening on the radio, the people that are here today at Lost Pizza, they're all excited for it.

And there's going to be some pyro, some fireworks, a lot of things going on that are going to be excited. The flyover that got announced, that's going to be exciting. And, of course, UNA football playing their first game on campus. It's going to be so exciting. We're going to be talking about that all week long. And, hey, we've been teasing every episode, the tailgate package that Lost Pizza and the carriage are putting together. We've been testing food. We've had sandwiches. We've had tamales. We've had wings.

It's all been delicious. And we've got one more item to talk about. Let's bring up Katie McDonald, the bar manager here at Lost Pizza. I don't know what she's bringing. Oh, we've got some pizza, Mike. Look at that. Let me get my drink all out of the way. My daughter's so excited right now. She ran up here. Thinks she may want some of this. I know what that one is. That's the beekeeper right there. That's my go-to. What do we have here, Katie? Let's get the headset on you.

[5:16] Everybody got quiet. They want to know what we're eating tonight. This has become a favorite segment of this show. What did you bring us to chow out on? So we know and love the beekeeper. And then we've got our limited edition, the Philly, y'all. Like a good old Philly cheesesteak. It's got Alfredo base, onions, peppers, mushrooms, and steak. I know Brayden Rogers. He's a Philly sports fan, unfortunately. He's excited for this one right here. And the beekeeper, is that the most popular pizza here? Oh, yeah, for sure.

Just classic pepperoni and then with a little extra honey on there. It makes it so good. Yeah, I'm a big beekeeper fan. I usually like it with the hot honey. That's kind of where I go. But Philly, man, that Philly looks amazing. I can't wait to try the Philly, y'all. It's pretty good. All right, so we've teased all the different items from wings, tamales, sandwiches, and then lost pizza. You know it's got to be the pizza. So let's tell people again, how do they order this?

What do they need to know to have this at their tailgate spots on Saturday? So you'll be able to order directly through us. You'll have to call the restaurant. We'll get you in. Our system will be delivering to the stadium every 30 minutes. And, yeah, we've got a set tailgate menu. You'll be able to get one of those here in the store. And they're online on Instagram and Facebook. You can see our whole menu. Everything's on there. Just pick what you want, and we'll bring it to you.

How early do they need to get their orders in? Preferably Friday, but first time for everything. So we'll try it out. If we need to do Saturday, we can do Saturday. Well, Katie, we look forward to this every week. Everybody's been asking, what are you guys going to eat tonight? And it's turned into our favorite segment. So Mike and I are going to get to this pizza in just a second. I think we've got Edward from the carriage here. So thank you so much for treating us to food every single week.

So we'll slide Katie off, and let's get Edward up here from the carriage. So, again, we've got tailgate sandwiches. We've got tailgate tamales, wings. We've got pizza Mike and I are going to get into here in just a second. We've got Edward here from the carriage right next door. Welcome back. Thank you, thank you. Always glad to be here. All right, so what pairs with this? A wine. Listen, if I was going to eat this Philly, I would have me a pretty bold red blend, something smooth and silky to kind of go with this steak and these onions.

Oh, gosh, beekeeper, I don't know. Maybe something sparkling, maybe some champagne or something like that. I don't know, something to help kind of balance out the heat of the pepperonis and the hot honey. Who knows? Who knows? A lot of good options. What do fans need to know about placing orders with you all for Saturday? Yes, so this is kind of our first go-round with this, but we've built it out on our website, carriagewine.com, where you can actually go on our website and basically build your own case of wine.

You'll have the options for dry whites, still rosés, sparkling rosés, bold reds, light reds, anything you can think of in that category. We'll put the case together for you and we'll have it ready. All you've got to do is swing through. We'll even have it chilled down for you if it's all white and rosé wine. So then all you've got to do is swing through and pick it up on your way to the tailgate. I hope it's just that easy. Yeah, well, and we know downtown's going to be popping on Saturday.

You know, the game's going to be going on. You know, what's the hours for the carriage on Saturday during game day? I'm so glad you asked. We're open at 10 o'clock on Saturday mornings and we are slinging blue cups. We're slinging those to-go drinks. I know that the area that you can have blue cups has now extended all the way down to the stadium. So we can come downtown, get you a snack, get you a drink, and then take it with you. I mean, UNA has made it so easy for people to be able to tailgate every week.

I mean, Law's Pizza, the carriage, both downtown businesses, right? I mean, how much of a game changer is it knowing? We just talked about campus will be connected to football, but now downtown will be connected to football games. That's right. The buzz is huge, y'all. I mean, every day we're hearing people talk about it and how much more they're excited to get down to the stadium. I've finally been able to drive past it on my way home after the street has been closed for so many weeks, and it's a beautiful stadium.

I cannot wait to see it filled up with all that purple and gold. Well, one more time, how do we get those orders into the carriage? You've got it, carriagewine.com. It's that easy. That easy. We can't wait for Saturday. It's going to be a big part of game day. Do you want to try one of these with us? Absolutely. Let's dive in. I'll go Philly. I'm really torn because the beekeeper is what I always get, but we got the Philly, which looks delicious, so I'm going to start out with the Philly, too.

I'm going Philly as well. Oh, we're all going Philly. Sorry, beekeeper. We'll come back. Out of the gate. Oh, thank you. Cheers, friends. Cheers. Roar Lions. Roar Lions. Oh, yeah. Chuck, you've done it again, my friend. That is fantastic. It's the cheese. The cheese makes it. The Philly, limited time. Get it for your tailgate on Saturday or just come get it any day of the week. Can't go wrong with it. I hope you guys are very busy on Saturday. Thank you so much. We can't wait.

Hey, when we come back, we'll talk some football with North Alabama head coach Brent Dierman. This is UNA Football Night from Lost Pizza Shoals on 93.9 The Score. Game day's coming, and your tailgate crew is counting on you. That's why Lost Pizza Company Shoals put together the tailgate playbook, specialty pizzas, wing trays, and subplatters, all built to feed a crowd. It's why we're the go-to pizza place in Florence, Alabama, now bringing that same lineup straight to your tailgate. Order for pickup or delivery to UNA tailgate only.

[10:37] Call 256-415-8693 or order online at lostpizza.com front slash shoals. From our playbook to your plate. Hi, this is Ike Fowler with Alabama Health Guidance. Whether you are looking for a Medicare health plan or you are under 65 and exploring individual health care options, Alabama Health Guidance can help you find the plan that fits your needs. Our local agents make it simple, so stop by our office at 885 Florence Boulevard or give us a call at 256-648-5710. Again, that's 256-648-5710. Welcome to Burnley Spine and Sport Chiropractic.

Located in downtown Florence, we offer a large array of therapies and techniques to help you get back in the game of life. One of those therapies is red light slash infrared light therapy. Dry needling is used to help reduce pain associated with painful trigger point. Our class 4 laser therapies are used to decrease inflammation and improve the speed of healing of sprains, tendinitis, and plantar fasciitis. Burnley Spine and Sport Chiropractic is proud to partner with UNA to keep our lions performing at their best. Roar Lions. Get comfortable.

Football season is back at the carriage. There are a few things we love more than a good Saturday in the South, and football season is officially back at the carriage. All season long, we'll have the games rolling with plenty of cold drinks, good food, and a comfortable spot to settle in for a quarter, a game, or the better part of the day. Saturdays get $5 craft drafts, $2 off wine slushies, paraffs of mimosas, and game day bites from the kitchen. Stock up in our markets before kickoff with plenty of snacks, dips, cheeses, something sweet, and all the good stuff for your game day spread.

Football season looks pretty good from the carriage on East Mobile Street in historic downtown Florence. It's summertime in the shoals, which means sunshine, hot weather, and a lot more bugs. Ants, mosquitoes, termites, they love this time of year just as much as we do. That's why so many homeowners and businesses trust Southern Pride Pest Control, locally owned and operated right here in Muscle Shoals. With years of experience, honest service, and a commitment to doing the job right, our team doesn't walk away until you're completely satisfied.

Let us help you take back your home this summer. Call Southern Pride Pest Control today to schedule an appointment. When you have pests, we have solutions. We're back. And we're welcoming back UNA Head Football Coach Brent Dierman to UNA Football Night from Lost Pizza Shoals. Benjamin Ray and Mike Ezekiel. We're here enjoying this Philly. It has been a big hit. Everybody's been asking why I didn't go for the beekeeper. It's what I always get. It's my favorite. I'm about to get a slice. But I had to try the Philly.

Coach has the – you went with the beekeeper right there, Coach. Yeah, you got me on the beekeeper. I was the Otis guy. I still like the Otis. But sitting beside you for a year last year, I finally tried the beekeeper and really like it. That was the goal right there. That's what we do. We sell these pizzas. And when they feed us, it helps especially. Well, and then I've got a little small picture of you up in my locker because you're my idol. So I had to eat what you eat.

Well, Coach, Bank Independence Stadium. Yeah. Oh, I thought my cat's so funny. I wasn't ready yet. You go first. So, Coach, Bank Independence Stadium. I know this was probably a distant dream when you took the job three, four years ago to finally be at this point Saturday. Just how does it feel? Man, it's a relief. It's a weight off your shoulders. It's an exciting week. I mean, there's so many different emotions going into this week. What our message to our kids today was you got one first opportunities in life.

You got your first kiss. You got your first date. You got your first impression. You know, the first time you go to church. And then you got the first football game on campus in school history. And our kids get to be a part of that game. It's going to be a really good week. It's going to be a fun Saturday. That's a good way to put it into perspective. And going back to the Arkansas locker room, I remember you told the guys, hey, we're going to get to practice on this field.

And you'll finally get to break it in. And, you know, the first practice is also something that's really special. And talk about the turf. I mean, that's been kind of a big focal point in how significant that is because the turf is very high quality. It's very rare. I think we're one of four schools in Division I with that turf. Yeah, it's different. You got to get used to it. It plays just like grass. Your kids come in thinking it plays more like turf. So they plant outside their frame a lot.

So it helped us last week. You know, our kickers were the ones that probably struggled with it the most. Ian, the first couple days, had trouble. Lost his plant foot a couple times. And then he's had to change his plant shoe. So it was good for us to kind of work those kinks out last week. Kind of creates a home field advantage a little bit for us. But the science behind that turf is it prevents injuries. There's a lot less knee and ankle and back injuries because it doesn't send the force back through your body.

[15:50] It absorbs the force. And it's been really good for me and my low back. I know that. So I think our players have really liked it. It's just the whole field, the turf is just the icing on the cake. But the whole field, the stadium, being in there, they were trying out the sound system a little bit today. The band was in there today. I mean, you just got chills in there today. What was it like the first time that team walked through the tunnel for practice?

It was unreal. It was a moment you'd been waiting for for two, two and a half years. You go back and you think about the old practice field right there of just walking across. And with the track around it and all that. And then to step into that moment of walking underneath that road and that tunnel, the lights are hanging in there now. The UNA going down, the North Alabama going down the tunnel. It was just surreal. It's something the guys have been waiting for. You think of Colin Wright, Jaheim Ingram, guys that have been here for four years.

Colin going on five years. I thought Colin was about to cry out there the other day. So, it's been really fun. You were talking about music earlier. And, you know, I can already see the music going through the tunnel and, you know, the third down song. If Brent Dierman has the ox court and he's picking that motivational song, what is it? Well, Drew's turned me down already. I mean, I sent Mo Bamba as a third down song. We're trying to get a fourth quarter startup to play song.

So, DJ Drew on the ones and twos. I've been hollering at him about some things. You mentioned talking to the team about those firsts, right? And everything that happens on Saturday will be a first. But, also, how do you not let it be too big of a moment to where guys don't blow it up too much and they go out and remember that this is a game that we need to win? You know, I think the way the schedule's laid out, it's really helped us in this moment.

I mean, to go into Fayetteville, Arkansas and play in a big stage like that, you would think the jitters and the nerves would be in that game. So, I'm glad we played that one before we're playing this one. To go on the road last week and play your first true tough opponent on the road. Let one slip, but to see our players face a little adversity in that. So, I think the last two games have set us up to come home and hopefully have the jitters out of us playing this first home game.

First home game coming up this Saturday and then next Saturday, of course, being a home again as well. Six home games coming up this year. Ben, is it time for Brent Dierman Trivia? Let's do it. Let's do it. Brent Dierman Trivia. We're talking new stadium. We're talking stadium things. So, I'm going to hit you with a trivia question. Are you ready? I think so. All right. There have been five FCS stadiums, including ours, that have opened since 2016 from the ground up, built from scratch. Can you name four of the five?

Oh, man. I don't know if I can do that. Can you name one? Can I name one of the five FCS stadiums from scratch? Oh, man. Should he get a hit, Ben? I think you could help him. So, I'm going to give you two hints. Okay. There's two schools that we have connections to. One of them is in the league. The other has a connection to Mike sitting at the table. And in a roundabout way, Mike's connected to both. Yeah. Okay. I don't know if it helps me much at all.

How old is Tarleton's? Tarleton's has been renovated. I knew it looks newer. Yep. They've had renovations done. West Florida? They will be. They're in the process. That's right. They will be. So, West Florida's getting. I think theirs will complete next year. So, they're getting new. And it's pretty cool because when West Florida's done, that'll give three of the most recent four in the UAC. Oh, Abilene's got to be somewhat new. Abilene is one of them. You got it. We'll give you credit there. Abilene Christian opened in 2017.

And you kind of see some similarities in our stadium to theirs, like the bowl feel. I think ours is going to be the best, obviously. Absolutely. They've got a great stadium, too. They do have a nice setup, the concrete bowl kind of feel. It's very similar to ours. Give the whole list there, Mike. All right. ETSU was the most recent before UNA in 2017. I was actually part of that opening. This one I'm more excited about because I came in kind of late to that process at ETSU.

It was my, like, you know, first month on the job. This one, a lot of hard work has went into that from a lot of people. This is really exciting. South Dakota State, 2016, and Prairie View A&M was the other. Okay. I would not have known those. And now North Alabama in 2026. I know Tennessee Tech has done a renovation. Yes, that's right. But it's not new. The more you know. So, there you go. It's very exciting. North Alabama will make history on Saturday. Let's take a timeout.

I'm going to reload with some beekeeper. And when we come back, we're going to talk some more UNA football with head coach Brent Dierman. This is UNA football night from All's Pizza Shoals on 93.9 The Score. Game day's coming, and your tailgate crew is counting on you. That's why Lost Pizza Company Shoals put together the tailgate playbook, specialty pizzas, wing trays, and subplatters, all built to feed a crowd. It's why we're the go-to pizza place in Florence, Alabama, now bringing that same lineup straight to your tailgate.

[21:01] Order for pickup or delivery to UNA tailgate only. Call 256-415-8693 or order online at lostpizza.com front slash shoals. From our playbook to your plate. Hi, this is Ike Fowler with Alabama Health Guidance. Whether you are looking for a Medicare health plan or you are under 65 and exploring individual health care options, Alabama Health Guidance can help you find the plan that fits your needs. Our local agents make it simple, so stop by our office at 885 Florence Boulevard or give us a call at 256-648-5710.

Again, that's 256-648-5710. Welcome to Burnley Spine and Sport Chiropractic located in downtown Florence. We offer a large array of therapies and techniques to help you get back in the game of life. One of those therapies is red light slash infrared light therapy. Dry needling is used to help reduce pain associated with painful trigger point. Our class 4 laser therapies are used to decrease inflammation and improve the speed of healing of sprains, tendonitis, and plantar fasciitis. Burnley Spine and Sport Chiropractic is proud to partner with UNA to keep our lions performing at their best.

Roar Lions. Join us at Singing River Brewery, your local hub for great beer and community fun. Ready to serve delicious drinks and host amazing events? Try our Golden Mainer Leo's Roar, and 50% goes to UNA Athletics. Support your local business and college community while enjoying a fantastic atmosphere. Don't miss out on the good times. Come sip, socialize, and savor the taste of Singing River Brewery. Get comfortable. Football season is back at the carriage. There are a few things we love more than a good Saturday in the South, and football season is officially back at the carriage.

All season long, we'll have the games rolling with plenty of cold drinks, good food, and a comfortable spot to settle in for a quarter, a game, or the better part of the day. Game day Saturdays get $5 craft drafts, $2 off wine slushies, paraffs of mimosas, and game day bites from the kitchen. Stock up in our markets before kickoff with plenty of snacks, dips, cheeses, something sweet, and all the good stuff for your game day spread. Football season looks pretty good from the carriage on East Mobile Street in historic downtown Florence.

Make the most of every lawn with Kubota commercial landscaping equipment. From the productivity-boosting Z700 mower to the reliable SVL track loader, it's a lineup built to get the job done right. Because when your reputation is on the line, you need equipment that will never let you down. Visit your local Kubota dealer today. Stop by Brown Equipment, located at 826 North Military Street in Loretto, or visit them online at brownequipmentcompany.com. We got a nice assist of some napkins to help us with these delicious pizzas. I got my beekeeper there.

We've been chowing down. I've noticed more and more people from the crew behind the scenes coming up in between breaks. We got to feed them. They're the hard workers here, Coach. Mike and I just get to look pretty up here. They do the work. Grant, Braden, Cruz in the house. When I want to talk about music, they didn't want to say nothing to me. Now we've got Pete's over here. Drew jumps up, ready to go. Coach, we're enjoying the fun here at Lost Pizza Shoals. And let's back up last week in Hammond, Louisiana, taking on Southeastern Louisiana, a program that's been to the playoffs four times in the last eight years.

They had high expectations when they hosted last year, but they lost to an Illinois State team that won three straight road games while making it to the FCS championship. So we knew they were going to be a great team second in the Southland preseason poll. Just your takeaways as you reflect back. Yeah, I mean, you talk about a really good road test for us. You know, I'm still upset. It's Monday night. I'm still upset because I think we let one slip away. I mean, you outgain them in yards.

I think we had almost 300 yards of offense in the first half. First drive of the game, we go two plays, probably about 70 yards or so. Get down to the one-yard line and snap the ball over the head of our kind of wildcat quarterback with Ty in there that we would have, by the play design, it looked like we would have easily went in the end zone. Had a 7-0 lead, hopefully to start off there. In the second quarter, we had a two-score lead. We're driving down the field, third and one, inside the 15-yard line.

We have a false start penalty that backs us back up. We could have taken a touchdown there, and I think the momentum would have fully been on our side. We jump off sides and we lose momentum. We kick a field goal, but there's a big difference between 7 and 3. And then they score. They win what we call the middle 8. We miss a field goal right before halftime. They come out and score. They really dominated us in the middle 8, and that's where we lost the football game. I think it was 14-0 in the middle 8.

[26:07] And that's really what decided the game. I thought we were explosive in the fourth quarter. We've got to get better at tackling. That was a big emphasis today. We had too many busts on defense. Didn't set an edge. So I don't know if that's me saying enough about how upset we were as a staff and a team with how we went down there and played. Let's put it into this perspective. After the game was over, you talked about the standard, and we've got to meet our standard.

You said we didn't meet it in Louisiana. What does the standard look like to you, and how would you describe that to fans? You know, I've talked to a couple people, and it's bothered me. It's kind of rubbed me the wrong way, and I've tried to make it where I'm not upset at them for the way they say things, but there's no more moral victories in our program. There's no more, oh, we lost to a playoff team on the road. There's some good to take. No, there's not.

We go down there to win the game. That's what we're here for. We're here to win, and we had an opportunity to go down there and win, and our players understand that it's a different standard around this place now. We can compete with anybody in the country. We have a team that can go down and play in Hammond and win. We have a team that can battle in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and compete to win. So our standard is to win football games. Our standard is to do things right all the time.

Our standards, to have our eyes and our keys in the right spot, our standards to make tackles when the ball comes to us. And we didn't meet that. Coach, after the way that the team played in the first two games, and I know you're disappointed in this past game against Southeastern Louisiana, could it also serve as kind of a wake-up call for the team? Hey, look what you guys do when you come in focused and locked in. If you want to, you know, we had a nice wake-up call today.

We had a very nice closed-door team meeting today. They got their butts chewed out a little bit. But I'll say this. In public, everything's always my fault. If a player misses a tackle, it's my fault. A player misses a throw, it's my fault. A player misses a block, it's my fault. When we win, the players won the game. When we lose, I lost the game. And it's always going to be that way as long as I'm here. I didn't put them in that situation enough. I didn't plan against that coverage enough.

I didn't plan against that open-field tackle enough. And closed doors, we're going to talk about it. But it's always going to be my fault, and I want our players to know that. Coach, I think these first three games have proven one thing for sure, and that is we have the talent to win. And we had a lot of talent on this team this year. And one guy I want to talk about, he's been in the program a couple years now, and he's really shining right now.

Tay Martin on the defensive side of the ball. What does he add to this defense? He's an explosive football player that can play really anywhere on the back end. You know, he played corner a lot last year. We threw him in there early in the season against Illinois State and put him at field corner on a day we were struggling. And he goes against the national runner-up and kind of shuts down that side of the field over there. We've moved him into nickel this year. Because he's so versatile, he can cover a slot receiver.

What happens a lot of time in football is the slot receiver is the shifty guy. He's the faster guy. So the nickel has become a very kind of Swiss army knife position where you've got to be able to tackle, but you've also got to play man coverage on a guy that's probably really fast. And you don't have a lot of human beings on earth that can do that trait. So he's a special talent. And he's just a football junkie. Was a three-sport athlete in high school.

Won three state championships in the three sports. Was a heck of a baseball player and basketball player. He's just uber talented and just shows up to work, puts his hard hat on every day, and doesn't really say much. We're going to hear from him in just a moment. And the other player we're going to hear from next, Xavier Johnson. He leads the nation in receiving yards in FCS football. He also has the most receiving yards by a UNA player in the first three games of a season all time.

He's caught 19 passes, 386 yards, two touchdowns as well. And for UNA fans, some names you'll remember. The previous record was Jarman Fortson, Florida State transfer, played under Coach Bowden in 2010. He had 278 receiving yards through the first three games of the 2010 season. This is a blast in the past for a lot of people. Joe Maul, Showtime Campbell in 2007, had 18 catches, 268 yards. Just a few years ago, Cortez Hall in 2019 had eight catches, 265 yards. If UNA fans will remember, he had back-to-back games with a 75-yard touchdown catch against Montana.

And my memory's going blank on Western Illinois. That was the other one right there. So three great receivers in UNA history. And Xavier Johnson's got the most. Coach, 386 yards through three games is unbelievable. Yeah, I think that's the most in my career for a receiver in the first three games. And to break the record at UNA by over 100 yards is pretty special. I mean, he's got a talent. I was talking to some of the media guys about it. He can stretch the field. He's a long strider.

[31:08] He can open up and run. But his body control, that second deep ball he caught the other day, the DB was on his back hip. And he had the body control to jump up in the air and shield the DB from making the play. A lot of receivers that are straight-line fast struggle with the body control to make those type plays. So it's a great asset to us to have him. It's going to help us to get kind of safeties out of the box a little bit more, hopefully, as the season goes along.

But he's done a fantastic job these first three games. And, Ben, one more name on that list that you were talking about. It's kind of an asterisk by his name because he didn't play the first game of his season, but he played the next three after that. Takari Kennebrew, another guy that had, what was it, about 200, a little over 200. Yeah, but 386, just outstanding. And, Coach, last thing for me on Xavier, as we talk about him, the touchdown catch, another instance of him having to control his body, come down with the grab.

Walk us through that play if you remember. Yeah, we ran a what's called a glance wheel concept, about the 15-yard line. He's got a line at the bottom of the numbers. He's got a square up the corner that was hard inside leverage. It's a seven-step slant is really what it is. Broke hard across the corner's face. The wheel route pulled the safety out of the roof. That way there was no safety help over the top. And then Destin did a good job of throwing on time.

Probably could have let him another inch or a foot and made it not as hard of a catch. But to have the body control on that kind of deep slant route to turn and make that catch, and a tough catch, was a heck of a play and had a good time for us. Well, Coach, we'll let you eat some more pizza if you want to during this break. We've eaten half of these two pizzas so far. We'll try to put a bigger din in it as we go throughout this night.

We'll catch up with you here in just a little bit, Coach. Absolutely. Thank you, guys. Coming up next, we'll talk to Xavier Johnson, then Tay Martin after that. This is UNA Football Night from Lost Pizza Shoals on 93.9 The Score. Game day's coming, and your tailgate crew is counting on you. That's why Lost Pizza Company Shoals put together the tailgate playbook specialty pizzas, wing trays, and subplatters, all built to feed a crowd. It's why we're the go-to pizza place in Florence, Alabama, now bringing that same lineup straight to your tailgate.

Order for pickup or delivery to UNA tailgate only. Call 256-415-8693 or order online at lostpizza.com front slash shoals. From our playbook to your plate. Hi, this is Ike Fowler with Alabama Health Guidance. Whether you are looking for a Medicare health plan or you are under 65 and exploring individual health care options, Alabama Health Guidance can help you find the plan that fits your needs. Our local agents make it simple, so stop by our office at 885 Florence Boulevard or give us a call at 256-648-5710.

Again, that's 256-648-5710. Welcome to Burnley Spine and Sport Chiropractic, located in downtown Florence. We offer a large array of therapies and techniques to help you get back in the game of life. One of those therapies is red light slash infrared light therapy. Dry needling is used to help reduce pain associated with painful trigger point. Our class 4 laser therapies are used to decrease inflammation and improve the speed of healing of sprains, tendinitis, and plantar fasciitis. Burnley Spine and Sport Chiropractic is proud to partner with UNA to keep our lions performing at their best.

Roar Lions. Join us at Singing River Brewery, your local hub for great beer and community fun. Ready to serve delicious drinks and host amazing events? Try our Golden Manor Leo's Roar, and 50% goes to UNA Athletics. Support your local business and college community while enjoying a fantastic atmosphere. Don't miss out on the good times. Come sip, socialize, and savor the taste of Singing River Brewery. Get comfortable. Football season is back at the carriage. There are a few things we love more than a good Saturday in the South, and football season is officially back at the carriage.

All season long, we'll have the games rolling with plenty of cold drinks, good food, and a comfortable spot to settle in for a quarter, a game, or the better part of the day. Game day Saturdays get $5 craft drafts, $2 off wine slushies, perhaps some mimosas, and game day bites from the kitchen. Stock up in our markets before kickoff with plenty of snacks, dips, cheeses, something sweet, and all the good stuff for your game day spread. Football season looks pretty good from the carriage on East Mobile Street in historic downtown Florence.

It's summertime in the Shoals, which means sunshine, hot weather, and a lot more bugs. Ants, mosquitoes, termites, they love this time of year just as much as we do. That's why so many homeowners and businesses trust Southern Pride Pest Control, locally owned and operated right here in Muscle Shoals. With years of experience, honest service, and a commitment to doing the job right, our team doesn't walk away until you're completely satisfied. Let us help you take back your home this summer. Call Southern Pride Pest Control today to schedule an appointment.

[36:12] When you have pests, we have solutions. Our next guest is one of North Alabama's leading tacklers from Realtown High School. He's got 23 tackles, three TFLs, two sacks, four pass breakups. He's in his second season. Welcome in. Tay Martin back to the house here on UNA Football Night from Lost Pizza Shoals. Benjamin Ryan, Mike Ezekiel with you as well. Tay, it's great to have you back with us, man. Your season so far, man, you've been making plays like crazy. How does it feel to be back for year number two after last year was kind of cut short due to an injury?

It feels great being back on the field and being a ball player and being me. Yeah, I think that's a good way to put it. We saw glimpses of what you could do last year. Just talk about that development, what you learned from your first year of college, and how you've kind of put that into play here in your second year in this breakout season you're having. The biggest thing I noticed from my first year coming back from an injury was that I need to get bigger, more stronger, and faster.

Because coming out of high school, I was about 160, 155. And where are you at now? I'm like at 180, 175. Yeah, getting those gains. So you're listed at 5'11". You said you weigh about 180, 185. And listen to this, man. So you're a defensive back. You've played in eight career games now. So defensive backs, you don't think about these numbers right here. You have four tackles for loss in eight career games. You have three sacks to your stat line in eight career games played now. I mean, you don't see that every day from a defensive back.

How much pride do you take in being aggressive out there on the field? I'll tell you, that's like one of my biggest strengths in me playing is being aggressive. I can't go out there and underestimate people. I've got to be the commander on all the time on the field. Hearing Coach Dierman talk about you, he said you're a great multi-tool type player. You can play the outside. You can play safety. You can play the nickel position. Which one of those positions do you like the most?

I like nickel better because I'm closer to the ball. I like tackling, covering speed guys, and just being me. Yeah, and talk about what goes into covering a speed guy like that in the nickel position. You've got to have great technique, great eye discipline, and hand-eye coordination, and know the develop the routes. Now, you've done a great job with film study. Your coaches were bragging on you. Arkansas, you jumped a route. You read it right, but you didn't get the interception. Let's talk about this for one second.

Have you been dreaming about that ball that you missed on the first drive? Has it been haunting you? Yeah, it's the first one, yes. But then, after that, I just brushed it off and hoping he'll throw me another one. And that film study, Coach Bowen was the one actually telling me about what you saw and how you reacted. How much time are you putting in the film room to see things like that? I'm putting in at least 18 hours a week, like studying film, going over calls that's like when they're lining up, I go over calls, write down my tips, and go over the plays.

Yeah, and let's talk about some of those schemes we were talking about. You watch a lot of film. You run a lot of schemes now. Coach Bowen has installed a great defense, and it's been really exciting to watch these first three games. Talk about the coaching staff a little bit. Coach Bowen and, obviously, Coach Lockett that you've been with for a few years now and Coach Moffitt. With Coach Bowen, I knew how he was going to coach and be very hard on players that he knows has a lot of potential.

And being with Coach Lockett and Coach Moffitt, they teach me a lot. Coach Lockett be on me hard about my grades, and Coach Moffitt be very detailed in everything I do on the field. So, overall complete, I love the coaching staff that I'm on. Well, Tay, your career is going to be even bigger this Saturday. The first ever game on campus, Bank Independent Stadium, Bobby Wallace Field. You guys have been practicing it. First of all, how excited is everybody on this team to have that opportunity to play on the on-campus stadium?

We're very excited because this is the first on-campus game in a very long, long time. That's right. 78 years of football without an on-campus game. 196 years since this university opened, and now to play an on-campus game. It sounds like it means a lot to you guys. Let's go back to that first practice, that first week of being on the turf and getting to experience it. How did it feel for you to be on the turf and then just describe, like, what it was like practicing on it?

Like, my first day on the turf, it was a very different feeling because of how the turf is. It's more like grass-like turf. So, you have to stay, like, inside your frame in order to come out your breaks and, like, stand on your feet. Like, being on the practice field itself, or being on the game field itself, it's a very different environment because of how big the stadium is. We'll tell you this Saturday, we cannot wait to see you out there for the first time at Bank Independent Field.

[41:25] We've talked a lot with guys as we have interviewed them about who's going to get the first what. Who do you think will score the first touchdown in Bank Independent history? Xavier Johnson. That's who we're talking about next. But what about a little pick six, maybe? That's if they throw it in my way. I will score for sure. Have you guys as players talked about that much? Like, who will get the first? What it will mean to get the first? Yeah, so we have, we, we have, like, bets, like, like, individual bets to our, to ourself on, like, who will get the first pick, who will get the first tackle.

So, we're very, we're very competitive in a DB room. Well, if you get one on Saturday, we want to see you take it to the house. How does that sound? Sounds great. Tay Martin, we're glad you're a Lion man. We love watching you out there. Thanks for joining us. Yes, sir. That's Tay Martin. We'll take a time out. We're going to talk with the nation's leading wide receiver when we come back, Xavier Johnson. This is UNA Football Night from Lost Pizza Shoals on 93.9 The Score. Game day's coming, and your tailgate crew is counting on you.

That's why Lost Pizza Company Shoals put together the tailgate playbooks, specialty pizzas, wing trays, and subplatters, all built to feed a crowd. It's why we're the go-to pizza place in Florence, Alabama, now bringing that same lineup straight to your tailgate. Order for pickup or delivery to UNA Tailgate only. Call 256-415-8693 or order online at lostpizza.com front slash shoals. From our playbook to your plate. Hi, this is Ike Fowler with Alabama Health Guidance. Whether you're looking for a Medicare health plan or you are under 65 and exploring individual health care options, Alabama Health Guidance can help you find the plan that fits your needs.

Our local agents make it simple, so stop by our office at 885 Florence Boulevard or give us a call at 256-648-5710. Again, that's 256-648-5710. Welcome to Burnley Spine and Sport Chiropractic, located in downtown Florence. We offer a large array of therapies and techniques to help you get back in the game of life. One of those therapies is red light slash infrared light therapy. Dry needling is used to help reduce pain associated with painful trigger points. Our class 4 laser therapies are used to decrease inflammation and improve the speed of healing of sprains, tendinitis, and plantar fasciitis.

Burnley Spine and Sport Chiropractic is proud to partner with UNA to keep our lions performing at their best. Roar Lions. Join us at Singing River Brewery, your local hub for great beer and community fun. Ready to serve delicious drinks and host amazing events? Try our Golden Mainer Leo's Roar, and 50% goes to UNA Athletics. Support your local business and college community while enjoying a fantastic atmosphere. Don't miss out on the good times. Come sip, socialize, and savor the taste of Singing River Brewery. Get comfortable. Football season is back at the carriage.

There are a few things we love more than a good Saturday in the South, and football season is officially back at the carriage. All season long, we'll have the games rolling with plenty of cold drinks, good food, and a comfortable spot to settle in for a quarter, a game, or the better part of the day. Game day Saturdays get $5 craft drafts, $2 off wine slushies, perhaps some mimosas, and game day bites from the kitchen. Stock up in our markets before kickoff with plenty of snacks, dips, cheeses, something sweet, and all the good stuff for your game day spread.

Football season looks pretty good from the carriage on East Mobile Street in historic downtown Florence. A lot goes into taking care of your property. You need equipment with more reliability and versatility built in. Like Kubota, BX, and L-Series compact tractors that get the job done right. Z-Series mowers that deliver a quality cut and sidekick utility vehicles where durability meets speed. Visit your local Kubota dealer for a demo today. Stop by Brown Equipment, located at 826 North Military Street in Loretto, or visit them online at brownequipmentcompany.com.

Well, our next guest is the nation's leading receiver. 19 catches, 386 yards, two touchdowns. It's the most receiving yards by a North Alabama player in the first three games of a season in school history. Xavier Johnson, a North Alabama newcomer, is with us. Xavier, man, how much are you enjoying playing in North Alabama this season? I've been fun. It's a bust. I'm bust. But it's very fun. Well, and we talked about this before, just you and I talking before. This is your first year of actually playing football.

Obviously, you were at Memphis last year, and you redshirted. And Sanford was your first game, and it was a breakout game. You told the media just how great it was to actually play your first game. And now you've got three under your belt. You've been a superstar out there. How does it feel now that you've got three games under your belt, and you've actually gotten to experience that taste of college football? I'm just ready to show what else I can do. I know I've still got more in me to show.

[46:38] Your first reception, 95 yards. I mean, that ball's flying through the air. You catch it. School record at that, man. You keep checking off all the records. You're smiling big. How did that feel to know that was your first ever collegiate catch? I'm just blessed with the opportunity, you know, because there's a lot of people who wish they was in my shoes, so I try not to take it for granted. And then take us through the play. They jumped off sides, and I would just run down field, and I'd just seen the opportunity, so I just ran with it.

So as soon as he jumped off sides, were you like, okay, let's go do this? Yes, sir. And then you just took off flying? Gone. It was a thing of beauty, man, let me tell you. Well, when you caught that ball, did you know anybody was in front of you? Like, did you know that you had it wide open? I didn't see anybody in front of me, but I knew somebody was kind of bombing. But I just thought they'd just get away. Well, you talked about being in your shoes.

A lot of people would like to be in your shoes because you got some fast ones, that's for sure. You've got three big catches over these first three games. Obviously, the 95-yarder. But then in Arkansas in the fourth quarter, you had a pretty big game-breaking type play that kind of sparked what could have been a comeback. And then you also had the big touchdown and another big catch last week at SLU. Which one of those catches has been your favorite? I don't think I've seen my favorite yet.

I like that answer. Yeah, that's a good answer. I like that a lot. Yeah. Haven't seen your favorite yet. We've got a couple of favorites for sure. But for UX, this offense, what is it that you like playing in it the most? Just being able to play with the guys next to me, you know. Like, we've been through a lot. So we just try to showcase and show the people, you know, we could do this. You know, turn things around and around here. Well, you've got a lot of good teammates, and they like playing with you.

And let's talk about these coaches as well. Coach Partridge and the offense he's installed and playing for Coach Ellis. How do you like this coaching staff on the offensive side of the ball? What have they done for you? The one thing I really can say is they don't tell me the stuff that I want to hear. They tell me the stuff that I need to hear. And, you know, as a player, you really need that around you because you don't want to be patterning your back all the time, you know, because that's just the expectation.

So, yeah, really just them holding me to the standard. We have talked to every offensive player, really every player that we've had on this year about who will get the first, who will have the first touchdown, who will have the first catch. I mean, how much pride would you take in knowing if you were able to get a couple of those first? Again, I would just be blessed. It would just be an honor for all. What kind of smack talk has there been in the locker room about that?

I mean, I don't really pay attention to it. I got you. I don't really. You know, I just try to keep quiet and just do my job. Yeah, and obviously all about the team. You talk a lot about that and just how much of a blessing it is. Whoever gets that first touchdown, as long as it's a victory. Let's go back to last week, first day of practice in the new stadium. Vibes are really high. Everybody getting used to the new turf, looking at the surroundings, knowing that it's going to be surrounded by 10,000 fans in a couple weeks.

What was that first day of practice like for you? So I think it was raining that day, and so I was slipping all over the place, kind of. But, you know, we got adjusted to it, and we love the grass for it, and we're thankful for it. We are thankful indeed. We can't wait to see you out there on Saturday. Last thing for you, this North Alabama program, and what sold you on coming here? You know, just having a chance to really show what I can do and what I can be.

You know, they took a chance for me, you know, and it was a lot of coaches who skipped past me just because I was still young, and I didn't have no film for real. But, again, I'm just thankful for the opportunity that Coach Dierman and the rest of the coaches gave me here. Well, we're thankful that you're here, Xavier. Everybody watches, loves watching you fly around out there. And, hey, we hope we see a couple deep shots this weekend, my friend. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

That's the nation's leading wide receiver, Xavier Johnson. We'll take one final timeout when we come back. North Alabama head football coach Brent Dierman. We'll help us wrap up this week's edition of UNA Football Night from Lost Pizza Shoals on 93.9 The Score. Game day's coming, and your tailgate crew is counting on you. That's why Lost Pizza Company Shoals put together the tailgate playbooks, specialty pizzas, wing trays, and subplatters, all built to feed a crowd. It's why we're the go-to pizza place in Florence, Alabama, now bringing that same lineup straight to your tailgate.

Order for pickup or delivery to UNA tailgate only. Call 256-415-8693 or order online at lostpizza.com front slash shoals. From our playbook to your plate. Hi, this is Ike Fowler with Alabama Health Guidance. Whether you are looking for a Medicare health plan or you are under 65 and exploring individual health care options, Alabama Health Guidance can help you find the plan that fits your needs. Our local agents make it simple, so stop by our office at 885 Florence Boulevard or give us a call at 256-648-5710.

[51:46] Again, that's 256-648-5710. Welcome to Burnley Spine and Sport Chiropractic, located in downtown Florence. We offer a large array of therapies and techniques to help you get back in the game of life. One of those therapies is red light slash infrared light therapy. Dry needling is used to help reduce pain associated with painful trigger points. Our Class 4 laser therapies are used to decrease inflammation and improve the speed of healing of sprains, tendonitis, and plantar fasciitis. Burnley Spine and Sport Chiropractic is proud to partner with UNA to keep our lions performing at their best.

Roar Lions. Join us at Singing River Brewery, your local hub for great beer and community fun. Ready to serve delicious drinks and host amazing events? Try our Golden Manor Leo's Roar and 50% goes to UNA Athletics. Support your local business and college community while enjoying a fantastic atmosphere. Don't miss out on the good times. Come sip, socialize, and savor the taste of Singing River Brewery. Get comfortable. Football season is back at the carriage. There are a few things we love more than a good Saturday in the South, and football season is officially back at the carriage.

All season long, we'll have the games rolling with plenty of cold drinks, good food, and a comfortable spot to settle in for a quarter, a game, or the better part of the day. Game day Saturdays get $5 craft rafts, $2 off wine slushies, rafts of mimosas, and game day bites from the kitchen. Stock up in our markets before kickoff with plenty of snacks, dips, cheeses, something sweet, and all the good stuff for your game day spread. Football season looks pretty good from the carriage on East Mobile Street in historic downtown Florence.

It's summertime in the Shoals, which means sunshine, hot weather, and a lot more bugs. Ants, mosquitoes, termites, they love this time of year just as much as we do. That's why so many homeowners and businesses trust Southern Pride Pest Control, locally owned and operated right here in Muscle Shoals. With years of experience, honest service, and a commitment to doing the job right, our team doesn't walk away until you're completely satisfied. Let us help you take back your home this summer or call Southern Pride Pest Control today to schedule an appointment.

When you have pests, we have solutions. We're wrapping up this week's edition of UNA Football Night from Lost Pizza Shoals. Benjamin Ray, Mike Ezekiel, we've got the head football coach Brent Dierman of North Alabama back with us. We'll be here every Monday night for the rest of the season. The bye week will be here in a couple weeks. We'll give coach the night off. Have some of our fall sport coaches on. But make your plans every Monday night, 7 to 8 p.m. You'll hear from coach and random guests from the program, players, other coaches as well.

We'll take you inside UNA football. Come enjoy the great food that we have showcased. Get your tailgate orders in as well for this weekend. And coach, we've talked about it a lot, but this UNA football program has achieved so much since coming back full-time in 1949 from being the first program to fully integrate in the 60s to the first conference championship in 1980, the national championships in the 90s. And it feels like on Saturday, your team, your program, you guys are getting to add that next great moment in program history.

That's got to feel pretty cool. Yeah, this is huge. I mean, this ranks up there with the national championship. This ranks up there with the White House visit. I mean, to me, this is a top three, top five moment in UNA football program history of having the first on-campus football game. This program deserves it. This fan base deserves this. The alumni deserve this. Now, we've got to play in such a way we honor all those people in that new stadium. And coach, just from day one since you got hired in December of, what, 22, going into that 23 season, I remember, like, tradition was a big deal to you.

And you knew the tradition of North Alabama. I wanted to keep that going and involve that past. And I remember the pride of our past thing we did to count down the first season and some of the things you've done with the Ronald McKinnon, the 44 number, and him presenting that and, you know, welcoming guys like Cody Gross, Jacob Tucker, and some others that have, you know, come back, talked to the team. That tradition means a lot to you. And to continue that with this milestone is going to mean a lot.

Yeah, there are so many people that built this program through their blood, sweat, and tears. And we want to honor them by the way we play the game. And we put on that uniform. We put on that North Alabama jersey. We put that Purple Swarm helmet on. There's so many people that laid the foundation, laid the groundwork for where we're at. I was texting with Red Cross about a week ago, trying to get him organized to come speak to the team. There's been different players that have come around from Steve Carter, having him around the program.

Fred Riley reaches out to me and texts me pre-game, post-game. And then I was just talking to y'all. I need to educate myself. I want to get more, maybe some people here know a little bit more about, but to tell them where we're from, y'all. I want to know where that came from. We sang the fight song with the band today on the field. I mean, from Pride Rock. There's so many great traditions at this program. And I want us to keep those things going. And as we jump into our Burnley Spine and Sport preview, before we talk about Alcorn State, I got to ask, Coach.

[57:08] I mean, you've been a part of some big programs, big games. But how nice will it be on Saturday knowing when the game's over, you can just go through that tunnel and go right up to your office and kind of decompress for a minute instead of having to figure out, remember where you parked or how you're getting back to the place or figuring out what's next, like we used to. Oh, yeah. At Brawley, I would go, after my post-game interview and all that stuff, I would go to the hill and help my wife load up her tailgate stuff and put it in the truck.

And to not have to drag it up the hill over there at Brawley up to our parking spot anymore is going to be amazing. But it just, everyday efficiency is so much better. You look at today, we were able to go out on the field and there was a 10-minute window from when meetings stopped to when walk-through started. Where we previously were, it was about a 25, 30-minute window to get out there. 30-minute window to get back. So the players have about an hour more every day taken off of them.

So it's more efficient. They can focus more on their grades. They can get in study hall more. There's just so much more time now that we have. Coach, diving into Alcorn State, you've had a couple days to watch that film now. And I'm sure the film's really interesting from Saturday, 53-51, double overtime win over Arkansas Pine Bluff over in Memphis, the Southern Heritage Classic. And quarterback was nominated for a national award this week. I mean, 32 for 45 passing. Jalen Tolbert, five touchdowns, 485 yards. What have you seen in Alcorn State so far?

I mean, I remember Jalen in high school when I was down at FAU. He was right down the street from us. He was a heck of a high school football player and has developed as a really, really good college quarterback. You know, he had 460 yards passing last week. They're a 10-personnel, 11-personnel air raid system. So it's going to be a different offense than we've seen in these first three weeks. We're going to see faster tempo than we've seen in these first three weeks. So we've got to be ready for tempo.

We've got to be ready for them to throw it around a little bit. So I think they've got some skilled guys that are very talented. They're really big up front, so they're going to give us a lot of challenges with their offense they're bringing in here this week. On Saturday, Coach, 6 o'clock, first-ever game on campus, Bobby Wallace Field at Bank Independence Stadium. We hope you'll make your plans to be out there with us. Coach, I hope some point during pregame warm-ups during the game that you get a chance to take it all in.

I know that you get locked in during games. I know I'm going to try to make it a point to get down there and take it all in. But we all get caught up in doing what we do. I hope we can all find time to enjoy Saturday because it's going to be special. I'll probably enjoy it on Sunday. That's right, yeah. But there's just so much. And after 18 years of coaching, I still get butterflies pregame. I still get anxious the night before. We're dealing with 18-year-old kids, and you have to wonder if the 18-year-old kid's prepared and ready to play.

So I don't think I'll be able to take much in on Saturday. We're also coming up with new traditions and hoping all those things work out well. So it's going to be amazing, but I'll probably sit back more on Sunday than I do on Saturday. Well, Coach, best of luck this weekend, and we'll do this again next week. Thank you, fellas. Royal Lines. That's North Alabama head coach Brent Dierman. Hope to see you out at Bank Independent Field this Saturday, 6 o'clock, against Alcorn State. Shout-out to Braden, Grant, Ty, running the backhouse show.

Blair back at the station. I'm Mike Ezekiel, head coach Brent Dierman. I'm Benjamin Ranks, and Roar Lines. You've been listening to UNA Football Night from Lost Pizza. Tonight's show is brought to you by Lost Pizza Shoals, Burnley Spine and Sport, Singing River Brewery, Southern Pride Pest Control, Alabama Health Guidance, The Carriage Wine and Market, and Brown Equipment Company. Thanks for listening, and Roar Lions! Roar Lions!