FLORENCE, Ala. (August 9, 2024) – Today was the end of an era.
The University of North Alabama football team completed its final practice at its long-time practice facility — the Bill Jones Athletic Complex — on Friday. While it was the final time on that turf, it will not be the final time in that space, as construction for the Bank Independent Stadium on campus has begun and will extend to the practice field in the near future.
For the month of August leading up to opening week, RoarLions.com will release breakdowns of every position. Today's spotlight is on the wide receivers.
There are 16 wide receivers in the room this season, and the majority are upperclassmen. This group is led by seventh-year senior
Takairee Kenebrew, who is the all-time record holder for career touchdown receptions at North Alabama with 26. He finished with 42 receptions for 669 yards and a single-season school record 10 touchdowns last season, tying Dre Hall and Ed Gant for that record. He has 98 career receptions for 1,838 yards and comes into the season as one of the top returning players in FCS football, according to multiple platforms.
Kenebrew is one of the few players who has witnessed the changes at the Bill Jones Athletic Complex over the years. While he is excited to take things over to the new facility, he is also reminiscent of all the moments at the long-time practice site.
"This field has my heart," said Kenebrew. "Back when I started (in 2018), it was just two half fields — not just one full one. It was two 50-yard fields side by side. I've seen the changes happen…I've been here before the turf and I'm going to be here after the turf. This field really means a lot to me."
Kenebrew is not the only veteran in the room, as UNA returns four of the top five receivers from last season — all redshirt seniors. This includes
Dakota Warfield,
JJ Evans and local product
Kobe Warden out of Brooks High School. The trio combined for 85 catches for 798 yards and 10 touchdowns — four by Warfield and three by Evans and Warden.
Other returners include redshirt junior
Justin Luke and sophomores
KJ Fields and
Kaden Cooper, who all played regularly last season.
The Lions also have a number of newcomers, including a pair of standouts in redshirt junior
Tanaka Scott, a Mobile, Ala. native who last played at Kansas and totaled 11 receptions for 140 yards. Another key addition is graduate transfer
Logan Collier, who was an NAIA All-American last season at Lindsey Wilson College and is expected to be a key factor on special teams.
Kenebrew also highlighted a couple of true freshmen that has caught his eye during fall camp, including
Myron Dunklin from Mobile by way of Saraland High School and local product
Noah Gregg, who followed Warden's footsteps at Brooks to join UNA.
This group is coached by
Samie Parker, who enters his second season on staff. Parker was a standout receiver and track runner at Oregon from 2000-03, earning All-American honors in track and becoming the all-time leader in receiving yards for the Ducks at the time with 2,716 career yards. Parker went on to a four year NFL career with the Kansas City Chiefs until 2007.
"I think we have a very experienced room with a lot of talent that can help us win ballgames," said Parker. "With guys like TK Kenebrew,
Kobe Warden,
Dakota Warfield, Takana (Scott) and the list goes on-and-on of guys that I think that can contribute for us to win ballgames. We're going to try and put those guys in a position to do so."
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
