LIVINGSTON, AL-----The West Alabama Tigers open the 2024 campaign here Saturday evening against the high-powered Miles College Golden Bears.  UWA closed 2023 with a 5-5 record while Miles finished 7-3.  The Tigers did beat two playoff teams last year, West Florida and Limestone.

UWA had the second-best defense in the Gulf South Conference, allowing only 319 yards a game.  Miles averaged over 30 points and over 400 yards offensively last season. 

"We don't know much about Miles," said Tiger head coach Brett Gilliland.  "Coach (Sam) Shade and his staff do a really good job.  They play really hard.
Their only losses were to SIAC Champion Benedict, D-I Arkansas Pine Bluff, and to Albany State on the last game of the season.  That probably knocked them out of the playoffs."

Gilliland feels like the preparation has been good.  "Our kids have been in the right frame of mind," he added.  "It hasn't been like pulling teeth to get them to work hard.  We have some good leaders and they are saying and doing the right things."

Gilliland also noted he was really pleased with his depth this season, compared to last year.  He was also excited about the return of tight end Caeleb Bass (St. Cloud, FL/West Virginia), defensive end Austen Cosby (Tuscaloosa County), and safety Lamar Gray (Vicksburg, MS/Co-Lin CC), who all missed 2023 with various injuries.  Gilliland also mentioned the play of defensive back Jamari Jemison (Birmingham/Jacksonville State).

A starter at quarterback has not been named for UWA, but Spencer Arceneaux (Mobile/Nebraska) and Kason Lincke (Mobile/Western Carolina) have had good fall camps. 

Arceneaux is the leading returning passer for the Tigers with 481 yards along with 103 rushing yards.  Bry Webb (Dothan/Dothan) is the leading returning rusher with 728 yards.  

Defensively, UWA returns linebacker Trevon Stanford (Manchester, GA/UT-Chattanooga), who led the team with 63 tackles.  Defensive end Davonta Jackson (Greensboro/Hinds CC) led the team with 12 sacks and 3.5 tackles for losses.

"The big key is controlling the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball," said Gilliland.  "We need to extend drives and protect the ball on offense.  We will have to play sound on defense to stop them."

Kickoff is set for 6:00 p.m. in Tiger Stadium on the UWA campus.