LIVINGSTON, Ala. - With the season set to begin on Sunday for the University of West Alabama Football team, UWA Athletics will preview the team's offensive and defensive groups in a two-part series, beginning with the Tigers' offense.

West Alabama's offense averaged 34.0 points and 423.1 yards per game in 2025 which were two of the better marks in the region. The Tigers scored 30+ points in five of their nine games, with a season-high 52 points coming against Barton College and North Greenville. 

UWA enters the 2026 campaign after losing their starting quarterback, Spencer Arceneaux, All-GSC receiver, Dearrius Nelson, and starters on the O-Line in TJ Storey and Brandon Kirksey. Though the Tigers lost important pieces on the offensive side of the ball, they will return valuable talent while head coach Scott Cochran and Offensive Coordinator Carmen Felus have secured impact transfers.

QUARTERBACKS

With Arceneaux no longer on the roster, coach Cochran brought in a highly touted transfer in Luther Richesson. Richesson transferred in from Central Arkansas this past summer and is slated to be the Tigers' starting Quarterback. Richesson was named the starter for Central Arkansas to begin the 2025 season and went on to start five games. For the year, the fifth year threw for 726 yards along with six touchdowns on a 62.2 percent completion percentage. During the season, Richesson was named the UAC Player of the Week once after a four-touchdown performance against Arkansas Pine Bluff.

Senior Carter Hankins will serve as the backup while redshirt freshmen Rida Ghazzali and Nate Commandor provide depth down the depth chart.

RUNNING BACKS

West Alabama's Running Back group is arguably the strongest group amongst the team. The Tigers return their three-headed monster from a year ago in Brayden Jenkins, Contravious Blanks, and Michael Dujon. The trio of Jenkins, Blanks, and Dujon combined for 823 rushing yards which is the most of any returning trio in the GSC. 

Jenkins is the lead back and enters the year after being named Second Team All-GSC in 2025. The senior rushed for 433 yards and seven touchdowns last season, averaging nearly 62 yards per contest. 

Blanks worked his way up the depth chart in 2025 and became a featured back. The fifth year played in six games and rushed for 234 yards before a leg injury against West Florida ended his season. The Running Back returns in 2026 and looks to build on a solid 2025 campaign.

Dujon turned heads as a true freshman in 2025. Similar to Blanks, the Running Back worked his way up the depth chart and became a valuable contributor in the Running Back room. Dujon rushed for 163 yards on 33 carries, averaging 4.9 yards per attempt which led all Running Backs on the team.

On top of the returns of Jenkins, Blanks, and Dujon, West Alabama also brought in transfer brothers in Dakarai Shanks and Derick Shanks Jr. Dakarai Shanks is a former three-star recruit who began his collegiate career at Troy. Shanks redshirted last season and comes to the Tigers ready to contribute as a redshirt freshman.

As for Derick Shanks Jr., he transferred in from Dodge City CC. The incoming junior rushed for 822 yards and three touchdowns last season, leading to a Second Team All-Conference selection.

WIDE RECEIVERS

With Nelson no longer on the roster, TD Parker is slated to be UWA's WR1 in 2026. Parker was named Second Team All-GSC in 2025 after turning in the best season of his career. The fifth year made 25 catches for 490 yards and four touchdowns, with all of those marks serving as career-highs. 

Parker will by vying for another All-GSC selection but will share targets with a slew of impact transfers and returners.

Transfers Nick Crayton, Madixx Morris, Cam Joseph, and Torrey Ward are all likely to see the field throughout the year. Crayton comes to West Alabama after playing two seasons with Samford. The 6'3" Receiver recorded 21 reception and 182 yards and will be a big time target for Richesson in 2026.

Morris enters his first season with the Tigers after a stint with Northwest Missouri State. Morris played in 23 games  across three seasons with Northwest Missouri State and totaled 425 receiving yards on 35 catches. 

Joseph transferred in from Holmes CC and instantly gives the Tigers more depth at the position. The junior played in nine games last season with Holmes CC and recorded 32 catches, 247 receiving yards, and two touchdowns.

Like Crayton, Ward transferred in from Samford. The 6'3" Wideout played in two games last season, earning a redshirt. Ward has a combination of size and speed which could result in explosive plays for the Tigers.

Amongst the returners in the group, Kaden Cupp, Jaylon York, and J'Quon Sturdivant will likely get opportunities and will look to make a statement.

OFFENSIVE LINE, TIGHT ENDS

The Offensive Line room is stronger than ever for West Alabama as they enter the 2026 season. Led by Preseason All-GSC selections and returning starters in Ben Newton, Barrett Cain, and Mason Hiller, UWA is stout in the trenches. 

Behind their offensive line in 2025, the Tigers led the conference with 198.6 rushing yards per game while ranking second in sacks allowed. West Alabama will only build on that success as they also returned quality depth in Louis Snell, Seth Lawson, Kenneth Dell, and Zach Felton.

UWA also brought in reinforcements on the OLine, securing Devan Drennan, Billy Gilmore, and Gabriel Hecht along with true freshmen in Erwin Snell, Josh Singleton, George Pugh III, and Trevonte Dumas.

With the amount of high quality talent at the position, UWA's Offensive Line is slated to be one of the top position groups on the Tigers' roster. 

For the Tight End room, West Alabama returns starter Jaxon Colvin. Colvin played in six games last season and recorded two touchdowns which led the group. Along with Colvin, Tommie Weatherspoon III returns for the 2026 season. Weatherspoon III is a major red zone threat, carrying a 6'5" 230+ LB frame. 

Another notable about the Tight End room is that former Offensive Lineman, Nick Smith made the transition from OLine to Tight End over the offseason. Smith carries a 6'4" 250+ LB frame and serves as another dangerous red zone threat while specializing in run/pass blocking. 

SPECIAL TEAMS

When talking about Special Teams, the conversation immediately goes to the excellence of Kicker, Elijah Guyton. Guyton returns as the Tigers' Placekicker with two All-American, All-Region, and All-GSC selection on his resume. The redshirt senior is one of the best kickers in the country and has been automatic from 30-45 yards throughout the last two seasons.

With Guyton slotted in as the Placekicker, West Alabama brought in transfer kickers David Vaughn, Landon Doggette, Eion Walsh and Long Snappers Talon Stokes and Russell Wilson. 

Sturdivant is the only return specialist that recorded stats from 2025. The fifth year returned 10 kickoffs for 210 yards with a long of 64 yards coming against Delta State.

Sturdivant would seem to be a return specialist for West Alabama but the kickoff and punt return jobs could be wide open for UWA.

Part two of this series, highlighting the Tigers' defense that will be released on Wednesday. West Alabama continues to gear up for their season opener against Tuskegee at the Red Tails Classic on Sunday at 7:00 p.m.