UNA Football Week 1 Pregame Show vs. Memphis

from the xports network this is the unaa report presented by first class Charter welcome to the pregame show I'm AJ good getting you ready for the week one matchup against Memphis the lions are coming into this game at 01 after a tough defeat the FCS kickoff against Southeast Missouri State here's what head coach Britt deerman has to say for the Lions they get ready to take on a team from the FBS hey coach uh I know week one didn't go the or week zero didn't go the way you guys wanted to but what kind of positives what kind of lessons you take out of that game you learn probably more in a loss than you do in a win and um there was so many things that we can pull from that you're you're playing a um um a top 30 FCS program a team that's won won their conference three times in the last 11 years I mean they're solid team you had every chance to win that game um and we're tired of getting to the point where we should win we could win uh now we got to finish it up take that next step and win um I thought in the second half we played not to lose instead of playing to win um so we've just got to get better clean some little things up it's exciting to see a run game um be able to run the ball a really good thing so a lot of good things we pulled from it offensively like you said ran the ball well passing wise did well what kind of things can you clean up here this week four turnovers um you know four turnovers going to beat you every time we were we were very effective on first down we got into our Tempo we were we were rolling um we had about as much yards as they had we about 20 25 less plays so we're being explosive we just got to take care of the football you eliminate four turnovers uh you don't get the fourth to one stop I think that's our ball game Memphis tough team uh you know one 10 games a year ago and you guys know it's going to be a tall task here coming up on Saturday night absolutely Memphis is extremely tough you know Memphis some of memphis's staff is still there from Mike norvale staff who's in Florida State now so I'm sure they're going to share some information DC is YouTube Mar guy I'm sure they're going to share information so they've got about everything on us I'm sure so we've just got to be smart we got to play sound football we got to know what what their strengths are we got to know what our strengths are how do you how do you what kind of things can you do to help these guys like you said a lot learn how to finish games uh we got to put them in situations every day that are hard um you know winning is hard thought football winning is hard um so we probably had one of our hardest pracs of the year today and yesterday we really got after it um and and it was exciting to see our guys show up and play the way that they did these last two days but You' got to have adversity and overcome it virs in [Music] practice now let's head on over to the other side of the football field to he what Memphis has to say going into week number one Memphis has one of the most talented rosters in all of the group of five and they're hoping for big things in 2024 I I like the depth I really do um I go back and I look at and someone had mentioned this to me you know a couple weeks ago in 2018 um that team actually had 19 NFL guys on that roster probably the most talented roster uh and look we're going to recruit our tails off we're going to do really well that's probably the most talented roster in maybe Memphis history uh 19 NFL guys on and 19 fish 8 and six we got a lot of talent here and we have higher expectations for what we need to do the tigers are one of the preseason favorites to win the American Conference and possibly make it to the playoff but they're not looking ahead just yet out like coach be every season's important right I mean I don't think there's ever a head coach since well last year was as important I mean they're all yeah I I and and un unfortunately or fortunately I live every day like it's the ultimate last day like man we've got to maximize this day and I pour that into our players as well and so um I don't want them to sit there and stress about the expectations on the outside and you guys have heard me saying I I mentioned in um a couple weeks ago is you know for me Devon like the expectations on the outside are great that means people are talking about Memphis football and as you guys know 14 years ago they weren't talking about Memphis football not one bit it was you know what a a down program it had become and to to hear National pundit and people talk about the program and where it's at and the expectations that's a great thing with a lot of returners and experience on both sides getting their talent the right amount of snaps will be difficult this coaching staff is preaching patience and I always tell our players we tell them all the time like let's not get caught up and and number starts I mean I I had to explain to our freshman that rock Taylor's only started one season here and they're like and they're all like wait Rock Taylor's only started one season here absolutely yeah Joe skates who has a good chance to make the Jacksonville Jaguars average 1.9 catches a game here you know started I think four games last year Antonio Gibson started five games here was a third round draft pick so I don't get caught up into the starts right ultimately when you go on the field um if you get five touches make them all great it's no different than practice the Tigers week one opponent in unaa will be no Cakewalk and they know they can't take this day off they played Florida State last season we actually up at Florida State in Tallahassee 13 Midway through the second quarter so they've played um you know quote unquote uh major division one programs and have held their own they actually played pretty damn hard in that game and we expect we're going to get their absolute best you know last week they averaged six yards a carry versus Simo um they've got a they've got a preseason All-American wide receiver that's actually in the seventh year they've got an All-American returner uh that transferred into their system um they also have returned 15 or 22 starters so you sit there and talk about man oh it's just enough yet no they they're going to bring everything they got the Lions already have a game under their belt and already a chance to work out the Kinks we always talk about week one in college football you just go back to those week zero games and see a lot of the blunders you know a lot of teams um that could have given away games teams that were highly favored that came a lot closer um upsets all those things ball security penalties those are concerns always going into week one and now we're facing a team that's already played a game so they've already had their quotequote dresser h and and know what it's like to play full speed you can practice you can do all those things but there's nothing like uh the live bullets flying in a full game so uh we're going to have to bring our aame Memphis will need to get the basics down to bring home a win in week one we can't Overlook the team in front of them we got to go to work and they understand that I mean I I put up the Florida State score they up 13 nothing Midway through the the quarter and I undefeated Florida State team last year I mean like if we don't show up it we're going to be in for a rude awakening and again part of that the first game like we got to be able to take care of the football we got to be able to block well tackle well coming up next we have a pair of features on a couple of local guys in Russ lale and Kobe warden for decades first class Charter has provided highquality motor coach transportation services to the Tennessee Valley with numerous safety and cleanliness accreditations first class Charter is ready to make your group trip a reality contact us today by visiting FirstClass charter.net FirstClass Charter the official motor coach company of the north Alabama lions from the xports network this is the UNA report presented by first class Charter welcome back to the pregame show we're getting you ready for that week one matchup for the Lions against Memphis one of the guys on defense is looking to make an impact is Rush land Dell and native of columia Tennessee and a guy who is very familiar with Memphis Rush L Dell has been in north Alabama for a short time but it felt like he belonged from the first moment family here um is close to home it feels like a family environment I love it here he coach this coaching staff is great uh his team is great and uh it's a real family environment and I fell in love with it when they recruited me so it's been home ever since when the Colombia native came out of Memphis the lions were the first team to come calling a decision for the best I didn't think i' been in high school but I always knew it was close to home and uh I'm just grateful that coach de and his staff outed the transfer portal uh gave me an opportunity to come play here and uh finish out my college career so I've enjoyed it switching positions in Florence lale has thrived in his new role and he's only getting better just the transition from safety to linebacker was huge last year was kind of getting used to it um not playing as fast as I could uh but this year you know I'm playing fast had that offseason to train and you know get in the film room and really understand the position uh got with Coach Davis and just watch film and you know just stay Stayed on top of it in this off season um but yeah just coming in this this season and looking to have a bigger role and uh make a bigger impact playing under defensive coordinator Brock caribo allows rush to play free and have fun oh it's great he gives us a lot of uh a lot of freedom um you know we pressure a lot and uh know it's it's great he's a great great great guy good personality um we trust and so he puts us in the right spots it will be a homecoming of source for Rush when he heads to the Liberty Bowl but the only focus is coming out of Saturday with a win we just got to come out there and not play scared you know we got to play hard uh trust one another trust us uh trust this team trust the coaches of what we got going in um and just go out there and play our ball play how you know how we've been practicing and put it all together now over to the offensive side of the ball where they have a local product making a big name for himself as Kobe Warden looks to make an impact in more ways in one at unaa in the Lions opening game against Southeast Missouri State R sh senior Kobe Warden had six Touches for 54 yards a nice start but he'd rather have a victory fun first half was good we came out sloppy second half so I mean everybody can get excited over you know having a good game players can but I mean we lost so I don't really care to be honest with you it's fun having a couple catches you know getting the ball get the ball your hands be a to make plays but I mean I guess I didn't make enough plays so and get back this week hope I can get some more opportunities to make plays the killer native in Brooks graduate decided to stay close to home for his college ball a commitment that's worked out well being at home being at home was great um all my families here they come to all the games all the time so that's nice um I enjoyed the coaching staff at the time um went through a lot of different changes here over the years but coach here now I love them love this whole staff so it's been great I'm glad I stayed here I'm glad I stayed my last year uh year five so many compare Warden to the likes of Wes Welker and Julian Edelman but Kobe just wants to be his own guy I don't know I just kind of just I just play football I just always played Just Shifty I had never uh people say they watch people but I ain't never wanted to beat somebody I just always wanted to be the best version of myself so like I don't I had never been the guy like oh I want my routes to look like him I just it could be any any number I really just watch just all receivers I mean it ain't nobody specific so I really just trying to be the best version of myself I mean just working on sness quickness route running whatever it is is seen a lot of change during his time at unaa something that will prepare him for the future I'll tell somebody when I get a job um when I take a job interview is I can handle change I've been through a million different changes here uh practice locations new practice fields I mean I was here when the the fields at the on campus were just sideways like they didn't even have full Fields so um it's been fun it's kind of been exciting some of it's not been as fun you know down years and whatnot but it is what it is I've enjoyed playing football I just graduated recently so you can always be thankful for that I'm getting my masters right now so I mean I'm blessed I can't complain too much the Lions have a big task in front of them in week one at Memphis and Kobe wants to see his team play with an A+ effort I want to go see is just play competitive football I mean we're going to play group five school who cares I mean they play football just like we play football I've been playing for I don't know 16 17 years I mean probably some of them do the same way I mean there there's no difference I we we show we can play with anybody last year in FSU we show we can SC score points at the highest level I mean that was a top four team at the time so I mean if we can do that with them I mean take that same mentality go in there and just play ball coming up next we check in with everything else going down in Una Athletics after the break for decades first class Charter has provided highquality motor coach transportation services to the Tennessee Valley with numerous safety and cleanliness accreditations first class Charter is ready to make your group trip a reality contact us today by visiting FirstClass charter.net FirstClass Charter the official motor company of the north Alabama lions from the xports network this is the unaa report presented by first class Charter welcome back to the pregame show it's been a very busy week for unaa athletics let's check out everything that's been going down Li soccer team met up with Middle Tennessee State on Thursday here in the first half down one to nothing Molly parm's going to find the back of the net tying the game up at one moving ahead now to the second half off the corner kick the loose ball is going to find Anna furino she finds the back of the net and the lions will go on the win from there taking this one 221 up next for unaa they'll hit the road to Southern Illinois on Thursday the LI volleyball team dropped its first two games of 2024 at Auburn first to the tigers Three to nothing later in the day to wford 3 to2 up next they'll face Georgia Southern this morning at 10:30 that does it for the pregame show kickoff is just around the corner don't forget to check out our postgame report coming up later tonight this is the xports network [Music]