FLORENCE, Ala. (August 19, 2024) – The University of North Alabama football team is less than a week away from opening the 2024 season in Montgomery, Ala. as the Lions take on Southeast Missouri at the FCS Kickoff on Saturday, August 24 at 6 p.m. on ESPN.
For the month of August leading up to opening week, RoarLions.com released breakdowns of every position. The final edition focuses on the quarterbacks.
There are seven quarterbacks currently listed on the roster, including returning players
TJ Smith and
Ben Harris. The pair served as backup quarterbacks last season, combining to go 16-for-30 passing for 168 yards with two touchdowns from Smith. Smith, a transfer from FAU last season, also scored the first rushing touchdown of 2023 at the FCS Kickoff. Harris transferred to UNA from Oklahoma.
The quarterback room also includes some exciting new transfers, including graduate student
Ari Patu who comes to UNA by way of Stanford. Patu appeared in eight games for the Cardinal, including a start against Oregon State and extensive playing time against Notre Dame. He was one of the first two early enrollees in Stanford Football history and earned multi-time Pac-12 Honor Roll honors.
"It's been fun," said Patu about fall camp. "We've been flying around. I know it's been hot out here, but we've been adapting and overcoming that adversity. It's been fun getting involved with the offense as we're starting to get the grasp of it and feel comfortable in it. We've seen our o-line develop, running backs, tight ends, receivers just all develop and gel together as a unit. The closer we can get to playing as one, I think we're going to have a good season after that."
Two other transfers in the mix are redshirt junior
DC Tabscott, who transferred in from New Mexico and also has experience at Appalachian State, and redshirt freshman
Ty Watkins from Austin Peay. There are also a pair of true freshmen at the position —
Dawson Simmons and
Kesean Pryor.
The quarterbacks are getting direct instruction from the head coach this season, as
Brent Dearmon has assumed the duties of quarterback coach. Dearmon was a successful quarterback in his own right, setting single-season passing yards and touchdown records at Bethel University in Tennessee.
"I don't get to yell at the quarterback coach anymore, I know that," joked Dearmon. "I'm back in my element. I feel like I'm back at home. I can put my hand and my thumb on the quarterbacks a little bit more and it's really helped me more than it has anybody, probably."
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
