UNA Football Night @ Lost Pizza w/ Benjamin Ray 11/02/26

[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. We're back with you for another week of UNA Football Night from Lost Pizza Shoals.

Benjamin Ray, Mike Ezekiel on hand in historic downtown Florence, getting set for another home game at Bank Independent Stadium on Saturday and celebrating a road win over on the stripes against Central Arkansas at Estes Stadium. Final score of 14-9. And Mike, winning is not easy. Winning is especially not easy when you go on the road. It's really not easy when it's pouring down rain. It's the other team's homecoming. And you know what? North Alabama went out on the road and did something pretty tough. Good teams always find a way to win. And that's what North Alabama did on Saturday. And going on the road, not an easy task, especially on the stripes.

Not a lot of teams go to the stripes and win this late in the season. North Alabama did just that. And Ben, early in the season, I think a lot of us had two games circled on our calendar to say, hey, are we a top-tier team or are we a bottom-tier team? And those two games were on the road at EKU and on the road at Central Arkansas. North Alabama's 2-0 in those games on the road. Those are huge wins. And no matter how you do it, you got it done. It was a rain game. It was ugly at times.

Halloween night. But guess what? This defense really stepped up. The offense stepped up when it needed to. Got the job done. Now with three games remaining on the season, North Alabama improves to 2-2 in UAC play. The Lions sit in fourth place overall in the conference standings. North Alabama's also 5-4 overall now in the five FCS wins. Mark, the most Division I wins in a season at the Division I era. And Mike, we feel like we still got three more in us. Absolutely. And it starts this week against the West Florida team. They are transitioning up. They've had a good start so far, 4-3 on the season.

They've been ranked at times. Now they are outside of the rankings. But they're coming here a little bit hungry. But North Alabama is at home. And they feed off that energy. The Lions are excited about this one. And then after that, you go on the road at West Georgia, another game where North Alabama will probably be favored. And then, of course, Charlton coming to town. And you've got a chance there. If you win all three of those games, you're probably a playoff team. North Alabama gets West Florida in a rematch of Old Gold South Conference.

Friends, 6 o'clock, Bank Independent Stadium. Mike, you blew my phone up today. Mike and I used to share an office area. Now I'm in the stadium. Mike's in the old office. He's going to move to the stadium soon. But Mike was blowing my phone up today with all sorts of incredible stats. And the first one I want to touch on tonight, Mike, home attendance. North Alabama is doing something pretty special at the new stadium that kind of puts us up there with the elites in FCS. Yes, so capacity is 10,000, as our fans know.

We had 12,000 people come out for that game against Austin Peay. And what that means is the 10,000 seats were filled. And so the rest of the 2,000, that's standing room only. And if you looked at the berm, you saw probably over 1,000 people. And then you look around the concourse, you look at tailgate, you look all around. UNA is doing more than its capacity. And there are only three teams in the nation in FCS that are averaging above their capacity per game. North Alabama's won. The other two, Montana and Montana State.

Montana State, they've won, what, the last two national championships? Montana, we went there back in 2019, I believe it was. One of my favorite trips ever. I mean, that was one of the best FCS crowds I've ever been a part of. But that is what North Alabama is building here. It's incredibly special. We hope to see you out there Saturday. Let's continue to show people what UNA football is all about and what the Shoals area can do, turning out to watch. All right, Mike, it is crossover season.

Basketball starts tonight. The men are out west at UC Davis. Chuck is not here. Chuck's with Coach Pujol out there. He took a long road trip out to California. But you know what? He still left us some food to sample. Let's bring Katie up for everybody's favorite sample. We're going to taste some food. You can add this to your tailgate orders for Saturday. There's still two more home games this season that you can come and tailgate for. The pines have been absolutely packed. Last time out, Mike, what do we count?

We were estimating over 1,000 people out on the pines just by themselves. I mean, tailgating has become the place to be. Yeah, no doubt. It had to be over 1,000 people. And I'm sure Lost Pizza, the phone was ringing all day long with orders. Saturday was crazy. It was just absolutely awesome. The energy just keeps getting bigger and better, and it's so much fun to see it grow. It is indeed. And Lost Pizza's been a big part of that with their tailgate packages. We've had sandwiches, wings, desserts, dessert pizza, traditional stuff.

[5:06] I mean, we've had it all. More appetizers. What did you bring us tonight, Katie? All right, so we've got our classic cheese sticks, which is basically a cheese bread. It's our small, thick crust cut into 12 sticks with a bunch of cheese and marinara. And then we've got our spinach dip, which is super good, definitely a fan favorite. I can smell it from here. It smells amazing. I love spinach dip, and I'm excited to dig in. Now, the cheese sticks, right, this is the regular cheese stick.

We got the secret chuck recipe earlier, right? Explain the difference in the two. So cheese sticks is just cheese. Our garlic bread sticks is just bread, no cheese. And then the olive bread has olive salad on it, which is just a blend of olives. And then the chuck whey was with the pepperoni and ham on it. Spilled some marinara there right there. Mike, what are you going in for? I'm going for the spinach dip, I think. I'll go with the cheese stick right here. Here we go.

I can see the boys over there. They're wanting to dig into it. What's all in the cheese right there? So it's spinach dip. It's got spinach and artichokes, cream cheese, and Parmesan. Yeah, I love cream cheese. I think that's going to be a good fit. It's so good. Perfect. Cheers, here we go. Cheers, indeed. Perfect fit on the chip there, too. You can't go wrong with the cheese stick. It's just as good as the pizza. Mike looks like he's enjoying that spinach dip. It is so warm in the best way possible.

That is fresh. So good. We make it in-house every single day. Good ingredients, too. And the cream cheese, it's a perfect ratio. Super cheesy, super good. Add these to your tailgate order. Give Katie a call this Saturday. How do they schedule this as part of their orders? Yeah, just call us by the end of day Friday. Either ask for me or Jaina, and you'll ask for a tailgate delivery. We'll get everything set up for you. We deliver every 30 minutes to the Pines, and we'll get your payment day up and bring it straight to you.

There you go. It's that easy. Katie, you bring us delicious food every single time. Thank you so much. Of course. We'll take our first time out. When we come back, we're going to jump into things with North Alabama head football coach, Britt 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. 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, crafts 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.

Well, you know what happens when the seasons change. The pests come looking for a place to stay. Don't give them an invitation. Southern Pride Pest Control has year-round prevention plans. Protecting your home from pests, termites, bedbugs, moisture, ants, rodents, and mosquitoes. Proudly serving the Shoals area since 2010, we're here when you need us most. Send those unwanted guests packing. Call 256-383-1890. Southern Pride Pest Control. Locally owned and operated. Protecting what you're proud of. When you have pests, we have solutions. North Alabama head football coach Brent Dierman is in the house here on this first November night.

[10:24] Q&A football night from Los Pizza Shoals on 93-9, the score. Benjamin Ray and Mike Ezekiel with you. Coach, Mike and I just summed it up like this. You guys went on the road, played in the rain, conference game at night, in a tough environment, and you went out there and got a road dub. Had to feel pretty good coming home. Yeah, it wasn't pretty, but it was a W. I think they still spell it the same way. I tell you what, this is not an excuse by any means.

I was telling a couple people here tonight, and maybe you can ask some of the players when they come and talk. We had about 15 or 20 guys get the flu within our team last week, Thursday, Friday, Saturday. Snap Reed was one of them that was just kind of struggling through the day Saturday. Camor Harris was another one that just hit really hard. And to see our guys to still go out there, we're to our ninth starting offensive lineman. We're playing with 15, 20 guys that's got flu-like symptoms. And to go out and get a road victory in the rain, we'll take it every time.

So I was proud of the grit and the fight that our guys showed in that game. Yeah, there was a lot of adversity to overcome in that game. The offense did enough to get the win defensively. That was one of the most dominating performances we've seen. I mean, Coach, the fewest points we've scored in a game, 14 for a victory. The last time we did that was 1992, and I almost liken it to this. That was the defense that kind of – That was a pretty good team back then.

I was going to say, that was the foundation building for three consecutive national championships. Defense wins championships, and that defense played a championship game. Yeah, they did. You know, I think Coach Bowen will probably tell you they gave up too many yards with 350. But it was a bend but don't break. It was an unbelievable effort day out of our defense. You know, Chuck, our punter – I think I saw Charles in the room tonight. So our freshman punter pins him down deep at the three-yard line. First play of the drive, their running back busts out into the boundary run on a stretch play.

And one of the highlights of the day for me was Dallas Johnson was the field corner, comes out of nowhere and makes an unbelievable play and knocks that guy out of bounds at the four-yard line. And we end up holding them to no points on that drive. Just an unbelievable effort by our defensive coaches and staff. Won us that football game. You know, Coach, cornerbacks, defensive backs are kind of like offensive linemen, right? You only really talk about them when they're getting pass interference or something bad, right?

But Dallas Johnson had the first turnover of the game, an interception in the end zone. One of the four times Central Arkansas had it in the goal line. They scored three points in those four trips. So he gets the interception there. He recovers the fumble in the end zone to seal the victory. And then he really makes the play of the game another game-winning play on that tackle right there. I mean, how about Dallas and his breakout game? Well, to me, there's one more that early in the game they throw an out route up their sideline that Tay Martin comes and just didn't make the tackle.

And that's rare for Tay. And Dallas gets off of the block of the receiver and chases the guy down again there. So Dallas, to me, really had four game-saving, touchdown-saving plays for us. Yeah, and the one we're going to talk about a lot is the interception or the fumble recovery. But the one you talked about, the 90-plus yard run where he ran from field side, you can almost tell at the 50, I was thinking in my head, I think there's only one guy that can stop him, and he had the angle and did a really good job.

How much does that still get practice, the pursuit angle? You try to practice it a lot, but this late in the year, I mean, you're trying to save guys' legs a lot of times. That's just solely an effort play. And for the people that love kind of weight room numbers like Ben Ray does over here, our GPS units measure a couple things. Number one, it measures how fast players run. It measures how many yards and distance they cover during the game. On that play, Dallas and Conigel both hit 21 miles per hour, and they had to hit it to make that tackle.

Pretty fun to watch. Wow. And, Coach, as we keep talking about remarkable plays, again, it felt like we were dominating that ball game until the final, what, eight minutes of that fourth quarter. They have a scoop and score for their only touchdown. They go for two. We get a stop. Then they're in a position after another turnover to get the win. And their quarterback, he played a pretty solid game. He's a great runner. He's kind of a gutsy quarterback like we've seen the last couple of ball games.

Well, he breaks free, and it looks like he's about to score. And a couple guys are out at this point in the ball game, and it's Raylan Sims stepping up with the game-winning play. Gets his – I don't know if his helmet got in there, just a hard hit. Pops the football back. But what about Raylan, Coach? Getting his number called and stepping up. Yeah, I mean, you're talking about a redshirt freshman linebacker that, on the road, steps up and makes a heck of a play like that.

Just an unbelievable effort play of never quitting. And I've watched that replay many, many times, like I'm sure you guys have. I bet that ball is two inches from the goal line. Do we have the photo? Two, three inches away from them making the go-ahead score on us right there. And his high school teammate was Camor Harris. Camor Harris missed the tackle right in front of him. He comes over to the top, makes a heck of a hit, creates that turnover, and I don't know where we'd be without him making that play.

[15:29] Unbelievable play. I sent that to our leadership group when y'all texted to me on the bus ride home. Just that play right there saved that football game. Iconic photo. It is. That one may be one that goes down the history books right there to see. You know, to me, the guy that probably had a chance to be the player of the game, Mo Harris, was in great position, doesn't make the play. Their quarterback's a heck of a player. And Tay Martin was the initial, but Raylan Sims' hit, the impact of his hit, really what's creating that turnover.

Yeah, it was a lot of fun discussing it in the press box. And I think a lot of their statistics staff was like, guys, I think that was out before the one. It was funny watching their team celebrate touchdown, our team thinking, hey, that's a recovery. But like you said, Coach, it was by the hair of our skin we got that one. It was a huge play. This is the difference in football nowadays is the last two years we now have the iPads on the sideline.

And Coach Craig Schurig, I think he's in the room here tonight, him and Nick are in the box. And so every reviewable play, I get on my headset and say, all right, guys, what do y'all see already on the iPad? So I actually get the information before the referees come over and tell me information now. So they, on the Xavier fumble, they told me exactly, essentially what happened with the refs is there was not enough to overturn it. So X's fumble was his elbow down, was his knee down.

There wasn't enough to completely overturn it. So whatever they called on the field. But that's exactly what Coach Schurig told me in the headset and the same with the fumble. He said, Coach, it's out. It's our ball. We won this football game. Wow. And, Coach, that's one of the things I want to jump into you with tonight. The reviews went our way on Saturday, right? Noah, Greg, touchdown pass. I think even before you saw the iPad, you were signaling touchdown, got them to go back and look at it.

But what exactly does Coach Schurig, what is he able to see up there in the booth? What's on those iPads? Is it the broadcast or more? No, it's what we get on the film. So it's not the broadcast version. It's our coach film. Our coach film. So the film that we'd watch on Sunday, they're actually to go in and it's happening in game right there. So there's multiple angles he's able to see. Noah, unbelievable play. So Noah got chewed out, first off, because he didn't flatten out like he was coached to this past week.

I think he's in the room. All right. But if he flattens out, then we're not even reviewing it. But Noah's right foot, half of the foot is inbounds. He doesn't put his heel down. And because his whole foot doesn't come flat and he puts his heel down, it ends up being a touchdown. And that's how close we are from those plays, winning and losing games, is just putting his heel down or not putting his heel down. It's something pretty unbelievable. I thought one of the things that helped is, we're kind of jumping to our plays of the game early.

I thought one of the things that helped is you can see that the beads fly up with his left foot. There's no beads. I guess that's water. Water is water. That's sand. Sand. Okay. Sand. Yeah. It didn't rain at this point, I guess. Yeah. So right here, it's funny to watch. Noah is watching his life flash before his eyes right here as he's looking around and looking at the referees. What is coach going to say to me right here? And coach, it's a cool moment, too, because I know Noah's been banged up a little bit.

He's a crowd favorite. He's a local hero. And we always go crazy when those kind of dudes make plays. And everybody was so excited for him right here. Yeah. Both of our touchdown passes, I mean, we've got a great group of receivers as a whole. I think Snap and X are getting all the attention that they deserve. And to watch two guys like Noah and K.J. Fields that have made big-time plays for this program in the past step up in this big road game was fun to watch.

Yeah. And let's go back to K.J. and talk about his touchdown. Just able to get an open space. And as he was going, I think he had one guy to beat, and he beat him. Did a really good job getting in the end zone. And like you said, to get those two guys involved when maybe X or Snap's getting more of the spotlight had to be special. Well, both of their plays, really, somebody else, one of those other two guys was the initial target. With Noah's, Snap reads running a whip route on one side that actually pulls the safety out of the roof, which opened Noah up.

Right. On K.J.'s play, Snap is running a bubble play where we fake the bubble throw, and Xavier's running the post over the top. So they keep two guys over X. The Sam Nickel linebacker comes out to make the tackle on Snap, which opens up K.J. on his kind of fake bubble block there. There are so many guys that stepped up and made big plays in that road win, and it's put North Alabama in a position for success down the stretch. We've got more to talk about with UNA head football coach Britt Dierman, but right now we're going to slide away.

This is UNA football night from Lost Pizza Shoals on 93.9 The School. 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.

[20:32] 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 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 rafts, $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. The fun continues down here at Lost Pizza Shoals. This is UNA Football Night. Benjamin Ray, Mike Ezekiel, head football coach at the University of North Alabama. Brent Dierman is in the house. And coach, we love coming to Lost Pizza every single Monday. It's a highlight of the week for sure.

And for you, you've got a group that we need to recognize here tonight, right? Sitting over there with your coaches. Yeah, I do. Our whole uni council came out tonight. You know, for us to be put in this, we've kind of put ourselves in a good situation sitting here at five and four, three close losses in our FCS games. But to think where we've come from, it's because of this group here. I think back to Leo, Jaheim, who've been through the ups and downs, been through so much tough, adversity situations.

And then the new guys that have come in and really added to our culture, our character. We're the gritty team we are because of those 14 guys there. And I'll tell you this, but pregame, I didn't feel a lot of energy on the field. And it probably had a lot to do with the sickness and the flu bug going through our team. I pulled those 14 guys aside and I said, hey, I don't know what you got to do, but y'all need to go in this locker room and make sure we do whatever it takes to win this football game.

And sure enough, they did it. So this core group of guys we have here tonight is special. And Coach, speaking of this core 14, one of the things we've all noticed, especially here at Las Pizzas Shoals for football night, is every guest we have had talks about how close this team is, the relationships amongst one another. And it feels like it probably starts with that table right there. Yeah, it does. I mean, to me, your leadership within your organization, within your program, whatever you do, the team takes on the persona of your leadership group.

The team takes on the persona of those 14 guys there. And I think there's never finger pointing. What I love, most teams, when the offense fumbles twice in the fourth quarter, the defense does some finger pointing at the offense. That's reality. This team here can say, you know what, this is an opportunity for us to go out and play again. And took advantage of that opportunity. Now, I pointed some fingers. I pointed a lot more fingers than they did. But to see teammates act the way they do with each other.

They go to church together. We've got FCA on Monday night together. They hang out at each other's houses all the time. I mean, this is a close group. One of the guys I'm excited that we're talking to tonight is Josh White. He seems like he's one of the most vocal guys of that 14. And something that's really cool about him, I think every captain you've had, Coach, since you've been here, it's been a guy that's been here at least one year. Josh White's really the only one that did it as a transfer in his first year.

[25:48] What does that say about his leadership and what his teammates think about him? It just shows you the impact he has on people in a short amount of time. He's got a, number one, he's a huge person. As soon as he walks in the room, his presence alone is going to kind of win the room over. But then he's got a huge personality, a great character to him as well, that others kind of tend to flock to him a little bit. He's a big teddy bear.

I tell you a funny story about Josh that he probably don't want me to tell people. But the other night, Josh got hurt in the game. And Josh is laying out, and I'm like, oh, my goodness, we're late in the game. Big Josh is hurt. I'll walk out there, and I look at Josh, and he gives me a wink. He's laughing. He's got a laugh out of that. I think Josh needed a breather, and he knew the defenseman needed a breather. And I'm worried to death that whole walk.

He's a smart guy. He's very smart, very smart human being. He gave you a fright right there. Coach, some other dudes that have been standing out, let's talk about him. He's here tonight as well. Xavier Johnson. And he is having one of the best receiving seasons in North Alabama football history right now. Third in the nation in receiving yards. Third in the nation in receiving yards per game. He's electric. He's the great showman of Bank Independence Stadium. And he's got a strong case for the Jerry Rice Award building right now.

And he's got his own song. I mean, how many players in history have had their own song at the home game? So, I mean, he's an electric player. We do everything we can to get the ball in his hands in different ways. Sometimes offensively, and I take the blame for most of them, I try to get it in his hands in trick plays and reverses. The other night we caught a reverse, and we lost eight yards. And those are the ones that you go, well, we tried our best to get the ball in his hands.

And sometimes because he has been so dynamic, there's so many eyes on him that it doesn't work. So, he's got a knack for the football. He's a long strider. He's having a heck of a season. I'll say that. That graphic right there, talking about Eli Gilman at Montana and Xavier being the only two players at FCS to have a 75-yard run and a 75-yard catch, it's probably more impressive for X because Gilman's a running back. And so, you know, there's probably a screen pass that you could do that on.

But for X, he's a receiver and did it on a run play. I mean, just how important is it to get the ball in his hands no matter which way? You know, we try our best to. I mean, there's a couple guys on our offense that there's a little box on our play sheet that we know what play gets to them. Some plays, there's multiple options in plays. But as a play caller, as an offensive staff, you've got to know how do we get this guy the ball in his hands.

And for receivers, it's a little bit harder than running backs. Running backs, you just call a run play and you hand it to them. Receivers, you've got to try to generate it somehow. And we probably, like I said earlier, we probably try too much to get that in his hands if that's possible. But you showed a clip earlier. Western Illinois, the refs took a touchdown away from him. He should have five, but he's making a heck of a case for the freshman of the year, I'll tell you that.

And right here, Coach, he's on record watch. Dre Hall, one of the all-time greats, he'll get in the Hall of Fame next year. All-time leading receiver, single-season record holder. He broke Michael Edwards' record, which held from 94 up until 2016. Unbelievable. Michael Edwards was the single-set wide receiver in the option days during the championship years. Lion fans will recognize the other names on the list. Anthony Merritt, fourth-most receiving yards in a single season. Marcus Lewis, all part of the HUD era. Miko McSwain, the Ole Miss transfer when he was here.

And X right there, sitting seventh all-time with 880. He's got a chance to climb. I mean, for North Alabama fans, those are some really big names. But it's kind of special to watch record chases like this. It is. And he's got three games left. One game he didn't play in. I think Eastern Kentucky played a couple snaps and was a little banged up, so didn't play much. So to see him on that list, knowing that he missed one and still got three left is pretty unbelievable. Yeah, and a lot of guys on this list ahead of him.

55 catches, 81 catches, 80 catches. X only has 47. I mean, he's done this in a short amount of time, and his receiving yards per catch is among the best in the nation. Yeah, he's a big play receiver. He's either catching a post or a go route most of the time. You know, I think some of those other guys, you look at Snap Reed, does a phenomenal job at that intermediate or go ball-like plays. Noah Gregg's another one that gives us a lot of different options. K.J. Fields is probably our better intermediate cross over the middle of the field because of the toughness he plays with.

And X is, I mean, he is what he is. He's a deep ball guy, and so he rarely catches some of those type routes. But he's really good at what he does. And then the last guy on a record chase as well. Chase Glover is our sideline reporter on radio, and this young man made a great play, and he ran up to Chase afterwards. He says, hey, I'm three away from the all-time record. I'm talking about Avery Howard over there. He's got eight sacks now on the season.

Right now, that is ninth in the nation, and he wants that record held by an all-time favorite in Reginald Ruffin. But, Coach, teams are not making it easy on Avery right now, and he's still finding ways to disrupt the backfield. Yeah, a lot of times he's getting double-teamed. They're putting the tailback or tight end on him. The other night we had an opportunity where Avery was one-on-one with one of their tackles. And when he gets those moments and opportunities, a lot of times he takes advantage of it.

[31:09] Now, there's been times that he gets blocked in those situations, but his pass rush ability is really on another level right now. And he scares teams. But the other thing is, sometimes in our third down packages, you look out there and him, Camor Harris, Caden Atkins, and Jaheim Ingram are the four on the field. And you've got a single one of them or two of them. So, I think as good as Moe and Caden Atkins and those guys are getting, it's singling Avery up more often.

Man, what a great problem to have if you're on the defensive side. Which one do you throw out there? Which combination? And Avery Howard, obviously, among them. And you don't want him one-on-one. And we saw why at Central Art. Yeah, I made a joke with Big Josh the other day at practice. I think Coach Bowen yelled for the nickel speed group. And I looked at Josh and said, that's not you in that group there? No, they don't know my true speed, Coach. All right. Well, I think it's time for Brent Dierman Trivia.

Are you ready? I think I'm ready. All right. Well, I think this is a really good one. Yeah, this is a really good pull, and it's very similar to last week. So, we're playing West Florida this week. We've played them three times before, 2016, 2017, and 2018. And I want to go back to the 2016 game. North Alabama won that game 51-3. Coach, who were the quarterbacks for both teams in that game? All right. I know one of them solely because his daughter is in my wife's pre-K class. And I think it's – well, my first guess would have been Luke Wingo, but I think that was the year before Luke or year after Luke.

So, I'm going to say that would have been Jacob Tucker. That is correct. Jacob Tucker. And, in fact, Blake Hawkins was his backup. But Jacob Tucker, that was his year that he was the starting quarterback, led UNA to the championship. Now, bonus points. Can you guess West Florida's quarterback? And then I kind of – I know you asked me this last week, so I'm going to just take a guess because last week their head coach was – UCA's head coach was part of it. So, I'm going to guess that their head coach maybe was the quarterback for their team.

Hey, Coach, look at you. You got it exactly right. Caleb Nobles was the quarterback for West Florida in that game. And now he's the head coach. Pete Shinnick, I believe, was the head coach at that time. And he has called Caleb Nobles Mr. West Florida because he transferred from Valdosta after playing four years. He was a grad transfer when that was a thing. And then he was the quarterback there for one year, then became a coach, went on to Clemson for a few years with Dabo, and then came back as the head coach.

Yeah, and I'll tell you what, me and Coach Nobles know each other pretty well through that kind of Clemson-Auburn. Coach Malzahn and Chad Morris connections, they're very similar in their offensive style. I think they've got some Chad Morris, Gus Malzahn, 11 personnel type stuff in their schemes. I've always respected him and how he does things. I think he's a heck of a football coach. We'll talk more about West Florida with Coach Dierman coming up here in just a little bit. But we'll slide away for now. And when we come back, Noah Boltikoff will join us next with Alabama offensive linemen.

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. 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 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 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.

[36:29] 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. Well, you know what happens when the seasons change. The pests come looking for a place to stay. Don't give them an invitation. Southern Pride Pest Control has year-round prevention plans protecting your home from pests, termites, bedbugs, moisture, ants, rodents, and mosquitoes.

Proudly serving the Shoals area since 2010, we're here when you need us most. Send those unwanted guests packing. Call 256-383-1890. Southern Pride Pest Control, locally owned and operated, protecting what you're proud of. When you have pests, we have solutions. He's from Rose Hill, Kansas. He's in his second season here at the University of North Alabama. He's 6'4", 315, an offensive lineman. We're excited to welcome in Noah Boltikoff to the show here at Law's Pizza Shoals. Benjamin Ray, Mike Ezekiel with you as well. And Noah, we're super excited to chat with you.

And we're going to kind of work backwards here in this interview. And you want to go to law school next, right? Yes, sir. So tell Lion fans kind of where that interest in law comes from and why you want to pursue a career in law after football. So I've kind of just always wanted to help people. Like, that's always been my goal in life. And going into college, I didn't really know where that was going to take me. And I kind of found the criminal justice path.

I thought that was going to take me to law enforcement. But as I studied up and eventually got my master's here, that's kind of what drew me to law. Man, and you're crushing it there. You had an internship where you were in your full suit. You were going there. Then you were coming back to watch film and do all those sorts of things. So really cool to see. But also a 4.0 GPA student, I guess from a class. Yeah, there you go. Yeah, that's applause worthy right there.

I know I certainly didn't do that. So tell those of us that have not achieved a 4.0 GPA, what do you have to do to do that? You know, I think it's just finding time management. It's just being able to stay on top of everything because it does get kind of jam-packed. But when you learn to prioritize everything, and then, you know, you've got to put, obviously, school and then football. But if you're able to knock out school first, then football comes a little bit easier. So it's just that time management and prioritizing.

Let's jump to your journey to North Alabama next. How do you go from Rose Hill, Kansas, to the University of North Alabama? Well, I went to high school in Rose Hill. Fun fact, Coach Dierman actually recruited me to KU out of high school. But my offensive line coach in high school went to TCU, and that ultimately pulled me there. Playing at TCU, you obviously got the chance to play in the national championship there, and that was an amazing experience. But my best friend ended up going to play quarterback for Indiana, and that pulled me to Indiana.

I went to go play at Indiana. You know, I didn't have the football career that I wanted there. Ended up tearing my ACL, and, you know, I hit the portal not knowing if I was going to have another opportunity, and Coach Dierman hit me back up again, and I just knew it was a place to go from there. It's amazing that he recruited you to Kansas. It didn't work out that time, but then landed you here in Florence a couple years ago. Now you've been here two years.

What were some of the things you learned being on a national championship team like TCU and being at Indiana who went on to a national championship and was building that foundation? What did you learn from those two programs that you were able to bring here to your career in Florence? The difference between winning and losing is extremely small, and it's all about the details, all about discipline, all about having that team bond, like having players who are bought into the program, and I think that's something that we have been able to accomplish a lot better this year and this season.

Let's talk about the sled dogs next. Your fellow offensive lineman, Coach Clegg, he's in the house as well. Man, this group is tight, and they have been battle-tested. Guys keep rotating in after a couple of injuries. I mean, what can you say about the way this group has come together and persevered through all that? You know, I think Coach Clegg has done an amazing job just kind of building the culture in the room. You know, he came in here halfway through the spring, and he did not have a lot of time to work with us, but the things he has done with our culture, the people that he has brought into the room, and ultimately just everything that we have been able to build together have made us into the room we are today.

Man, it's been impressive to see, and the whole sled dog mentality is you run together and you pick each other up, make sure you're all going at the same direction, same speed, and what you see there is you might be down to your ninth or tenth offensive lineman on the depth chart at this point in the season, and to see people step up like that, I mean, what does that mean to you to see all the teammates that you have that are all just stepping up when needed?

[41:45] You know, I think it just talks about the culture in the room. It talks about the guys that are bought in because we can trust those people, people who may not have the same reps as some of the older guys in the room, but we can trust them to step in without a beat, and I think that just tells you about the buy-in in the room and tells you about what Coach Clegg has done for us. Well, Noah, we got a big one coming up on Saturday against West Florida, man.

We enjoy rooting for you. Three more games left at North Alabama, then you can pursue your law career, but hey, let's do these three plus some with a little playoff run. How's that sound? Yes, sir. It sounds great. Let's close it out strong. That's Noah Boltikoff. Thank you for joining us, sir. We'll take a timeout. We got another Big Daddy. Coming up next, Josh Wyatt is our next guest here on UNA Football Night for Los Pizza Shoals on 93.9. Game day's coming, and your tailgate crew is counting on you.

That's why Los 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'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 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 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, drafts 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. 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.

All right, up next, he's a captain his first season at North Alabama. He's got a tackle for Laws in six of nine games played, six for the season, 19 tackles overall. You know him as big number zero. Joshua White is in the house here at Laws Pizza Shoals for UNA football night. Benjamin Harry, Mike Ezekiel with Big Daddy as well. Josh, man, nine games into this season. Man, we still got a lot to play for over these next three. Benjamin, what can you say about the way this team has come together this season?

It's unexplainable. This is a great team. Like, everybody plays their role, and, you know, transferring in, you know, that's hard when the transfer portal gets a lot of new guys and being able to burn so quickly from spring to summer workouts to fall camp and to the season, just seeing everything pay off is really a good thing to see. We got eight different players from where you were at last year, Memphis, and y'all had a lot of success, went to some bowl games, won a lot of games.

Obviously, your former head coach went on to Arkansas. Now he's at the SEC level. But to have all those guys come here, and it seemed like you were maybe one of the first ones to come and kind of help everybody else join you here at North Alabama. What was that like for you? Family going to another family, making a bigger family. I really did. And I wasn't the first one. It was actually KV on Ben, number nine. He came in from talking to Dierman. He said, oh, guys, I committed.

[47:02] And then once he committed, it was really everybody else committed too. That's awesome. Josh, this defense, one of the best in the nation at getting to the quarterback, one of the best at the nation in TFLs. Mike told me today, well, we've already set the sack record. We're three tackles for loss away from setting the single season division one tackle for loss record. 19 different players have a TFL this season. That is crazy. 11 different players have a sack. That's unbelievable. And then, I mean, just look at what we did last week.

Raylan Sims comes in and forces that phone board. This group is deep. How about that depth on this unit? Everybody can play ball. You know, the best teams with the most depth. So, if you can play three depth, you're going to win the majority of the games. And Ray Ray, that's my boy. Ray Ray, you know, he's a great player. He has some days. He has his down days. But he's going to come. He's a people person like me. So, we have a lot of talk.

And actually, the night before the game, we talked about him for the football. Wow. Yeah. And he came into reality. I love Ray Ray. He's such a quality guy, just like you said. And for him to come up with that play, playing in the fourth quarter was big for him. Josh, I want to go back to something Coach Dierman was talking about earlier. You talked about the depth on this team. And it's good when you can have guys step up when needed. Was he serious about the accusation of the wink?

Let's hear your perspective of that. Well, you got to get that again, please. Going back to the fourth quarter, you gave him kind of a wink, I guess. You were trying to get off the field, maybe get a breather. Was that accurate? Yeah, that's true. That's true. That's true. That's true. That's true. You know, big guys need a break sometimes. Josh, I want to go back to two weeks ago. I got to witness a pretty cool moment pre-game where a bunch of former UNA players came back for the homecoming ceremony.

I took them on a tour of the stadium. It was Jeff Red Cross. It was Gerald Smith. It was Ronald McKinnon and Israel Raven, key players on the championship teams. Israel Raven, everybody knows Big Israel. He blocked a punt in the 1993 national championship game, and he always says, I won UNA those three national championships with that block. He's got a larger-than-life personality. He's one of the most beloved players. Coach Dierman called you over and introduced you to Big Israel, man. And for you coming in, you've been embraced by this fan base.

You've loved being at North Alabama. We can tell the way you represent UNA how much you love it. How cool was it to meet an alum like that as someone who plays the same position as you and is just as beloved? I've never felt smaller in my life. I'm like, oh, okay, yeah. It felt good. That was a big human being, and I'm a big human being, so yeah. But it's just a great community. Just love everybody. There's no hate. When you lose games, some people just turn away.

Our fan base still comes to every game. See us in the church. I love my church, Christ Chapel. Every Sunday, hey, Josh, great game. You know, win, lose, or draw, so yes. You've become a fan favorite just instantly with this fan base. And one thing that really stood out to me was when it's time to stand up for your teammates, stand up for the student section, stand up for the community, you're always the first one to kind of step up and do that. What makes you feel like you need to do that, and why do you do that for this community?

Shout out to my mom. You know, just growing up, she always told us, as a man, you got to protect your family. And the students, that's our family. That's our fan base. So if I see somebody trying to hurt my family, I'm going to protect my family at all costs. Speaking of family, how are the kids? Oh, they're doing great. They're doing great. Yeah, my babies. They're doing great. How have they enjoyed Bank Independence Day? What's it like for you looking back into the stands and seeing them?

Good. You know, they come on the field after every game. You see them front row. You know, just having fun. You might see them down, sliding down the field sometimes. It just depends on how they feel. But, yeah. I'm trying to get them with a mask. I think they're scared, but we're going to get there. We're going to get there. I love it. I love it. It's a big family thing. And one other guy I want to ask you about, back on the team. This was in July.

Had a good conversation with our very own Jaheim Ingram. We were in the car together. He said, man, y'all are going to see with Josh White. Y'all are going to see with this defensive line. And, you know, you've been a really good running mate together, both of you, when you're on the field. Talk about him and how you complement each other. Jaheim is Jaheim. I was just like, oh, yeah, he's a great guy off the field. You know, so many people get confused about this stuff on the field.

There's really nothing on the field. It's more off the field, just a bungee crate going out to eat. Like, we went to Waffle House today. You know, it starts, like, if you know why a person is playing ball, you can help each other, complement each other's game. So it's more off the field than on the field. Well, Josh, we love having you here at the University of North Alabama. This team's already done some special stuff. You got a chance to do some more special stuff. You're a big part of it.

Thank you for swinging by here tonight. Thank y'all for having me. That's Josh for a while. Give a big round of applause. We'll take a final timeout. Brent Dierman's back up next to wrap up this week's edition of UNA Football Night from All Speeds to 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.

[52:09] 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 2-5-6-6-4-8-5-7-1-0.

Again, that's 2-5-6-6-4-8-5-7-1-0. 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.

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, drafts 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.

Well, you know what happens when the seasons change. The pests come looking for a place to stay. Don't give them an invitation. Southern Pride Pest Control has year-round prevention plans protecting your home from pests, termites, bedbugs, moisture, ants, rodents, and mosquitoes. Proudly serving the Shoals area since 2010, we're here when you need us most. Send those unwanted guests packing. Call 256-383-1890. Southern Pride Pest Control. Locally owned and operated. Protecting what you're proud of. When you have pests, we have solutions. Man, the hour absolutely flies by here at Lost Pizza Shoals for you in a football night.

Benjamin Ray, Mike Ezekiel, head football coach Brent Dierman. Let's jump into our Burnley Spine and Sport Preview. Coach, back home Saturday against West Florida, a team transitioning in their first year from Division II to Division I. We've got history with them in the Division II days, going back to when they joined the Gulf South Conference in 1994, but they didn't add football until the 2016 season. In 2017, they played for a national championship. I think they went on to win it in 2019. So it's a program that very quickly established itself at the top, and they've made some noise early on in their first year as a Division I program.

They have. They're a really good team. You look at last year, I remember we looked at some guys off their team that went into the portal. I think most of their portal guys ended up at a group of five and even some power five programs. Last year's starting quarterback is now the starting quarterback in Memphis. They've always got talent. They're in a talent-rich area of the world down there in Pensacola. You can go from New Orleans to Tallahassee on I-10 and find about everything you want in recruiting.

So it's a very good staff. Coach Nobles does a great job. His offensive and defensive staff, they've been together for a little while. So they're a very talented football team, and they've won some big games. I mean, beat UCA early in the year, beat Southern – a ranked – I think they may have been a top-10 team in Southern Illinois to start the year. Beat SEMO. I mean, they've had some big-time wins this year. So very talented team. Yeah, Southern Illinois was number 16, Central Arkansas number 24. That was their first two wins, two ranked teams.

They were even in the rankings for a little bit. Coach, what are some of the games that maybe you look to when you're looking at this West Florida team to try to scout? You know, we really only have just this year. Because of them transitioning from D2, you can't really go back and find other teams, other games. So usually the teams that we play against, I could look back and I could say, all right, last year this team scored a lot of points on them. Let's go pull that game off of the system we have.

[57:12] Well, the D2, they operate off of Huddle. So it would be a little bit different. So there's some games in the past that I would love if we could find them, but there's just no way to get to them with our current system. So we have this year's games to go off of. And you just try to find offensive or defensively teams that match up to what we do, and you try to pull from that. Note for UNA fans, there's an alum on their staff. DJ Thomas was one of my high school football coaches.

He played at Florida State under Mickey Andrews. Came to North Alabama as well after that. A lot of people know Coach Thomas, so he'll be down on the sidelines against West Florida. Kind of a cool note there. But Coach, as we turn our attention to this one, Mike mentioned the attendance numbers right here. This is a big football game. This UNA team has a chance to check off a lot of goals this season with three games left. Still have a chance to make the playoffs. Still have an outside shot at winning the conference championship.

But you've got to beat West Florida on Saturday. It won't be easy, but one thing we know, life is better at Bank Independence Stadium when it is 100%, 110% full. We need a big crowd on Saturday. How much has it fueled you guys in the previous four? Oh, it's been amazing. I mean, our home environment has become one of the best FCS home environments in the nation. But we need everybody this weekend. I mean, you just said it. I think in some polls, they got us sitting from 20 to 28 range in some of the different polls.

So we're right there in striking range for everything that we want to make the playoffs, to do something that we haven't done in the Division I level. But we can't look past this game. We can't look to other games down the road. We've got a very talented West Florida team coming into our house. We've got to feed off of our fan base. We've got to feed off of our band, our student section, and play a good game at home. Final thought for me. I mean, it's been really good to see the purple outs that we've had with over 10,000 in both of those.

We've had a white out. We've had a gold out. And now we get to have a blackout. So make sure you wear your black on Saturday. Ben, last time we had a blackout, I think, was basketball. And we packed that gym out. So I'm excited for a blackout on Saturday. Let's pack Bank Independence Stadium as well. Let's do it, Andy. Coach, we appreciate your time as always. We'll do this again next week. Best of luck on Saturday at Bank Independence Stadium. Thank you. Roar Lions. Roar Lions, indeed.

That's North Alabama head football coach Brent Dierman. Shout out to Noah Boltikoff, Josh White, for Grant, Braden, Zach, Ty, Blair back at the station. A lot of people to ramble off for Mikey Zico. I'm Benji Murray saying we'll see you Saturday at Bank Independence Stadium. Roar Lions. 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. We'll see you next time.