FLORENCE, Ala. -- University of North Alabama Head Football Coach Chris Willis will welcome just over 100 players to campus on Tuesday as the Lions report to begin their 2019 pre-season practice.

UNA will take to the practice field for the first time at 3:15 pm on Wednesday (July 31) for a two-hour session in helmets. Willis said it will be an unusual feeling for him, even though he has more than 20 years of collegiate footbal coaching experience.

"This will be the first time that I have ever been part of a team that opened camp in July," Willis said. With UNA's season-opener against Western Illinois set for Thursday, August 29, the Lions first practice date fell on the last day of July.

"We're excited about getting going and getting outside," Willis added.  "I've been watching everyone's media days and NFL training camps starting and I'm ready to get back on the field. We'll go 21 periods on Wednesday with the offense on one end of the field and the defense on the other and start pulling everything together."

After posting a 7-3 record in 2018 in the school's first season as a member of the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), the Lions return 32 lettermen, including eight offensive starters.

Senior quarterback Christian Lopez and a talented and deep group of receivers will lead the way for the UNA offense. Lopez threw for 2,184 yards and 14 touchdowns and rushed for 220 yards and five TDs a year ago. He also only threw two interceptions all season and set a school record with 258 consecutive passes without being picked off. The Lions four returning redshirt sophomore receivers - Jakobi Byrd, Dexter Boykin, Cortez Hall and Andre Little - combined for 145 catches for 1,861 yards and 14 touchdowns a year ago.

On the defensive side, linebackers Chrison Taylor and Will Evans and safety K.J. Smith are the only returning full-time starters, but the Lions have numerous other players returning who picked up significant game experience in 2018.

The Lions face a challenging schedule in 2019 with seven Big South Conference opponents and non-conference games against Western Illinois, Montana, Alabama A&M  and Jacksonville State. Four of UNA opponents, Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State, Monmouth and Montana, are ranked in the various FCS pre-season polls and the Lions will be playing seven of their 2019 opponents for the first time.

UNA's opener against Western Illinois will mark the first time that the Lions have hosted an FCS opponent at Braly Stadium since playing Troy in Florence in 1992. The Lions have played their last 11 straight games against FCS opponents on the road.

North Alabama will host Alabama A&M at Braly Stadium for the first time since 1996. The last four trips that the Bulldogs have made to Braly Stadium rank as four of the top seven home attendances in UNA history, including a crowd of 14,683 in 1996.