1975 North Alabama Lions football team

1975 North Alabama Lions football
ConferenceGulf South Conference
Record6–4 (4–4 GSC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorRichie Gaskell (3rd season)
Defensive coordinatorMike Dean (3rd season)
Captains
  • Barry Koehn
  • Jerry Mizell
  • Roger Ralph
Home stadiumBraly Municipal Stadium
1975 Gulf South Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Nicholls State $ 7 – 2 – 0 8 – 2 – 0
No. 6 Livingston ^ 6 – 2 – 0 10 – 3 – 0
No. 11 Jacksonville State 5 – 3 – 0 7 – 4 – 0
Troy State 5 – 3 – 0 6 – 4 – 0
Delta State 5 – 4 – 0 6 – 4 – 0
4 – 4 – 0 6 – 4 – 0
Mississippi College 2 – 5 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
Southeastern Louisiana 2 – 6 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Tennessee–Martin 1 – 7 – 0 2 – 8 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from NCAA Division II AP poll for Livingston and NAIA Division I poll for Jacksonville State

The 1975 North Alabama Lions football team represented the University of North Alabama as a member of the Gulf South Conference (GSC) during the 1975 NAIA Division I football season. Led by third-year head coach Mickey Andrews, the Lions compiled an overall record of 6–4 with a mark of 4–4 in conference play, finishing sixth in the GSC. North Alabama played home games at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama.

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 13at Southeastern Louisiana
L 15–288,300[1]
September 13Livingston
L 7–147,500[2]
October 4Delta State
  • Braly Municipal Stadium
  • Florence, AL
L 9–217,500[3]
October 11at Alabama A&M*
W 48–296,800[4]
October 18Austin Peay*
  • Braly Municipal Stadium
  • Florence, AL
W 23–63,000[5]
October 25at Troy State
W 49–269,000[6]
November 1Mississippi College
  • Braly Municipal Stadium
  • Florence, AL
W 41–144,000[7]
November 8at Nicholls State
L 28–277,500[8]
November 15at Tennessee–Martin
W 30–205,000[9]
November 22Jacksonville State
  • Braly Municipal Stadium
  • Florence, AL
W 21–145,000[10]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Homecoming

[11][12][13]

Offseason

Spring Game

The annual spring intrasquad matchup took place on Tuesday, April 1st, at Braly Stadium. The game saw the team split into both Gold and Purple squads. The Golds, led by Steve Clark and Jerry Mizell, defeated the Purples 26-21.[14]

The game also saw honorary head coaches for both teams: Miss UNA Susie Vaughan for the Purple team and Miss Alabama Pam Long for the Gold team.[15]

GSC Summer Meeting

From June 12th to 15th, the Gulf South Conference summer meeting was held in Birmingham, Alabama. During the meeting, several topics were discussed. Due to multiple schools in the league holding dual membership in both the NCAA and NAIA, a recommendation was brought forward that any school must accept an invitation to any NCAA postseason tourney. The NCAA Division II-only schools of the league brought forth the idea to create a committee to look at the possibility of moving the conference up to Division I.[16]

Other decisions made during the meeting were to forbid exchanging football film with non-conference teams and to reduce football rosters from 55 to 50 players.[17]

Conference Realignment

On July 4th, it was announced that Northwestern State would leave the GSC to join the Southland Conference. The school listed poor attendance for conference games and the proposed plan to reduce Division II scholarship limits from 70 to 55. They believed this would give nearby Division I schools a recruiting advantage.[18]

Preseason conference poll

The Gulf South Conference released its preseason coaches' poll on August 3. The poll still includes Northwestern State despite its departure from the conference in July. [19]

GSC coaches' poll
Predicted finish Team Votes (1st place)
1 Jacksonville State 87 (7)
2 Southeastern Louisiana 70 (1)
3 Delta State 56
Livingston 56
5 Troy State 55 (1)
6 North Alabama 44
7 Nicholls State 37
8 Northwestern State 21
9 Mississippi College 17
Tennessee-Martin 17

Recruiting

Signees

Name Pos. Hometown High School
Weldon Abercrombie DG Robertsdale, AL Robertsdale High School
Danny Beeler TE Knoxville, TN Knox Central High School
Eddie Blankenship SE Pompano Beach, FL Pompano Beach High School
Bruce D. Childs OG Birmingham, AL Huffman High School
Phillip Connell DE Dunwoody, GA North Springs High School
Reginald Green OT Birmingham, AL Woodlawn High School
Harry Grimes LB Tuscumbia, AL Deshler High School
Marty Hanson DB Addison, AL Addison High School
Brad Hendrix DE Birmingham, AL Woodlawn High School
Mark Holmes FB Birmingham, AL Berry High School
Billy Hudson DT Muscle Shoals, AL Muscle Shoals High School
Marvin Jackson FB Millbrook, AL Stanhope Elmore High School
Mark Kreider QB Birmingham, AL West End High School
Chuck Lane OT Decatur, AL Decatur High School
Hugh Martin DT Brilliant, AL Brilliant School
Ronald Moon RB Commerce, GA Commerce High School
Rusty Prater DB Florence, AL Coffee High School
Howard Ross LB Birmingham, AL Woodlawn High School
Terry Stooksberry RB Florence, AL Bradshaw High School
Albert Walker DE Decatur, AL Decatur High School
David Waller OG Huntsville, AL Johnson High School
Ricky Wheeler QB Nashville, TN Glencliff High School
Tim White DE Robertsdale, AL Robertsdale High School
Johnny Williams DE Holt, AL Holt High School

Source:[12]

Roster

1975 North Alabama Lions football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
G Weldon Abercrombie Fr
TE Danny Beeler Fr
SE Eddie Blankenship Fr
RB Maurice Brawley So
G Bruce Childs Fr
QB Steve Clark So
SE John Cochran Fr
C Jerry Davis Fr
C Louie Davis So
SE Curtis Dixon Jr
QB Garner Ezell Fr
C Joe Fry Fr
SE Will Fuller Sr
FB Bimbo Fuson So
OT Reginald Green Fr
OT Tim Harden Jr
G Benjamin Hawks Jr
QB Frank Higginbotham Fr
FB Mark Holmes Fr
C Billy Hudson Fr
OT Barry Johnson Sr
G Barry Koehn Sr
QB Mark Kreider Fr
G Chuck Lane Fr
TE Bob Martin So
RB Marc Merritt Jr
FB Jerry Mizell Sr
OT Andy Morris Jr
RB Melvin Pointer Fr
FL Roger Ralph Sr
RB Burnis Rose Jr
TE Mike Shipp Jr
TE Myles Smith So
FL Ricky Smith Jr
FL Robert Steele So
SE Terry Stooksberry Fr
G David Waller Fr
QB Ricky Wheeler Fr
G Terry Witherspoon So
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
LB Mike Allison So
DT Steve Bridges Jr
DE John Byrd So
DB Rodney Bivens So
DE John Connell Sr
LB Phillip Connell Fr
DE James Crawford Jr
DB Steve Davis So
DE Frank Deliz Jr
DB Jim Ezell Sr
DB Bubba Gibson So
LB Harry Grimes Fr
LB Frankie Hammock So
DB Marty Hanson Fr
DE Robert Harris Sr
DE Brad Hendrix Fr
DB Robbie Hudson Sr
LB Marvin Jackson Fr
DB Clayton Lundy Jr
DT Hugh Martin Fr
DB Mike McCombs Jr
DT Mike Murray Jr
DB Donald Pearson So
DB Rusty Prater Fr
LB Ivan Richard Sr
LB Howard Ross Fr
DE Tobin Sexton Jr
LB Norman Sims Jr
LB Steve Stewart Sr
DT Willie Taylor So
DE Albert Walker Fr
DB Collins Warren So
DE Tim White Fr
DT Johnny Williams Fr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
K David Atkins Fr
P Aubrey Haynes Jr
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
  • Richie Gaskell – Offensive coordinator
  • Mike Dean – Defensive coordinator
  • Wally Burnham – Offensive line coach
  • Jim Blair – Defensive line coach
  • Andy White – Linebacker coach
  • Tommy Jones – Wide receiver coach
  • Johnny Long – Trainer
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured
  • Redshirt

[12]

Awards

Honors

References

  1. ^ "SE Louisiana Bounces North Alabama, 28-15". Times Daily. Florence. September 14, 1975. p. 19. Retrieved September 5, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
  2. ^ Stout, Harold (September 21, 1975). "Livingston Holds Off Lions in GSC Battle". Times Daily. Florence. p. 27. Retrieved September 5, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
  3. ^ Stout, Harold (October 5, 1975). "Delta State Spoils Lions' Homecoming". Times Daily. Florence. p. 27. Retrieved September 5, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
  4. ^ Stout, Harold (October 12, 1975). "UNA Decks Alabama A&M". Times Daily. Florence. p. 23. Retrieved September 5, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
  5. ^ Carpenter, Gary (October 19, 1975). "Lions Bounce Austin Peay". Times Daily. Florence. p. 25. Retrieved September 6, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
  6. ^ "North Alabama Lions Ramble over Troy, 49-26". Times Daily. Florence. October 26, 1975. p. 23. Retrieved September 6, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
  7. ^ Stout, Harold (October 26, 1975). "UNA Rolls Over Choctaws, 41-14". Times Daily. Florence. p. 19. Retrieved September 6, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
  8. ^ "UNA Falls to Nicholls". Times Daily. Florence. November 9, 1975. p. 21. Retrieved September 6, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
  9. ^ "Injuries Dull UNA's Victory". Times Daily. Florence. November 17, 1975. p. 7. Retrieved September 6, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
  10. ^ "Late Lion score beats Jacksonville". The Montgomery Advertiser. November 23, 1975. Retrieved September 6, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Final 1975 Cumulative Football Statistics Report". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  12. ^ a b c Thomas, Ronnie (1975). "1975 Football Guide" (PDF). RoarLions.com. North Alabama Athletics. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Thomas, Ronnie (1976). "1976 Football Guide" (PDF). RoarLions.com. North Alabama Athletics. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  14. ^ Stout, Harold (April 2, 1975). "Lions 'Much Improved'". Times Daily. Florence. p. 9. Retrieved September 25, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
  15. ^ "UNA Lions' Spring Game Set for Tuesday". Times Daily. Florence. March 31, 1975. p. 8. Retrieved September 25, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
  16. ^ "GSC starts meeting today". Gadsden Times. Gadsden. June 12, 1975. Retrieved September 25, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
  17. ^ "GSC Presidents End Annual Summer Meeting". Times Daily. Florence. June 15, 1975. p. 16. Retrieved September 25, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
  18. ^ "Northwestern Leaving GSC". Times Daily. Florence. July 4, 1975. p. 24. Retrieved September 25, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
  19. ^ "Defending Champ Jax State Picked to Claim GSC Again". Times Daily. Florence. August 3, 1975. p. 21. Retrieved September 25, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
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