By Jim O'Hara
ROME, Ga. – The two teams have a lot in common.
Each both quarterbacks and running backs that have almost identical numbers on offenses that have proven they can move the ball. Both have defenses that have had a hard time slowing down foes. And the two squads are desperately looking to turn what has been this far a disappointing start to the season around as it nears the halfway point of their schedules.
There is, however, one obvious difference.
When the Shorter Hawks hit the turf at Barron Stadium on Saturday afternoon, determined to end an 0-4 start to the season, lining up across from them in a Gulf South Conference will be a team whose name is associated with NCAA Division II powerhouses – the North Alabama Lions.
"They've always been a mainstay in the conference and the ranks of Division II and they have a coach who is a legend," Shorter head coach Phil Jones said about North Alabama and the Lions' head coach Bobby Wallace, who has won more than 130 career wins and has led UNA's program – the school has won nine GSC titles and has made 17 NCAA playoff appearances – to three national championships
"We've got another big, big challenge," Jones said about the clash with North Alabama, which played at Barron in 1998 when they played Carson-Newman, Shorter's opponent next week.
Well aware of the foe they are about to play, the Hawks still understand that have to make sure they are focused on playing a complete game, eliminate the bumps in the road – turnovers, penalties, assignment breakdowns and an unusual number of injuries – that has prevented them from breaking into the win column and accentuate the positives.
Ironically, the Hawks (0-4 overall, 0-2 GSC) and the Lions (1-2, 0-1) share a number of positives.
North Alabama, which had last week off, enters riding a two-game losing skid. After downing non-conference foe Miles 42-7 in the season opener, the Lions fell to Division I FCS Jacksonville State in a 24-21 OT thriller and dropped their first GSC outing to Delta State 37-34.
In all three games, UNA's offense has been productive as the Lions come to Rome averaging a balanced 370 yards a game, 191 on the ground and 179 through the air. Sophomore quarterback Luke Wingo directs the spread attack having thrown for 536 yards and three touchdowns while sophomore running back Lamonte Thompson leads UNA with 269 yards this season through three games and is 41 yards shy of the career 1,000-yard rushing mark.
"They run a spread offense from a shotgun," Jones said about UNA's offense, "and have a lot of speed like most of the teams do in the conference, but they do have the capacity to load it up and come after you."
The Hawks have also developed a two-way threat running and passing the ball as they average 332 yards a game – 204 rushing and 128 via the pass. Senior fullback Bradley Moon and junior quarterback Eric Dodson have carried the load on the ground combining for 503 yards on 119 carries and three touchdowns, while Dodson has also passed for 512 yards and two TDs.
What has been a thorn in the Hawks' claws is that while they have been able to move the ball, potential scoring drives have been halted by turnovers (eight lost fumbles and five interceptions) and sacks (17 for the season.)
Likewise, the Shorter and North Alabama defenses will both be out to come up with a complete game.
So far this season, the Lions have given up more than 392 yards a game, most of that through the air (248 ypg) and allowed 23 points an outing.
They are still an active defense with linebackers Gabe Poe and Tavarious Wilson leading the team in tackles, while defensive lineman Shaquille Smith garnered GSC Defensive Player of the Week honors when against Jacksonville State blocked a Gamecock field goal attempt, recorded a sack for a safety and UNA's first points of the game and finished the night with six tackles, three of which were for losses.
"They're really big up front and behind those guys they have good size and speed behind them," Jones pointed out. "They look what a good Division II defense should look like."
The Hawks counter with its own set of linebackers who lead the team in tackles – senior Josh White and junior Dominique Henfield – and in last week's 31-14 GSC loss to West Georgia buoyed their pass defense when senior Kendall Lacey and red-shirt sophomore Jordan Shaw recorded interceptions, the first of the year for a Shorter defense that has yielding an average of 405 yards a game.
"You have to relate things to life because life sometimes doesn't materialize the way you want it to be," Jones said about the disappointing start to the season as the Hawks near the halfway point, "and when you haven't won on the scoreboard, you find that there's a lot of condemnation from people.
"But all of us – the players, the coaches – continue to work hard to be at the top of the Gulf South Conference," he said, "There are things you have to do to win and it's a process to get a win.
"Our guys are frustrated, but they're staying positive and they are hungry."
