Week 10 Preview: West Alabama
University of West Alabama, GSC (D2)
Broadcast: FLOSPORTS 2 PM EST/1 PM CST
When We Last Saw West Alabama
2021 Record: 7-2 (4-2)
West Alabama has been one of the top teams in the conference so far this season, along with West Georgia, West Florida, and Valdosta State. Last weekend they were on the road against North Greenville, and the Tigers got out of Tigerville with a 31-14 win. It was a return to early season from for West Al, who had fallen in their previous two contests after starting the season 6-0. The Crusaders were held to just 186 yards of total offense, and didn’t score on the Tigers until 8:13 in the 3rd quarter. QB Jack McDaniels went 19-33 (57.6%) for 214 yards 3 TD 1 INT and was sacked once, while the UWA running game had a really solid night gaining with six ball carriers combining 203 yards on the ground (excluding sacks and knees) and averaging just over 5 yards per carry on those runs. The team was lead by Bry Webb’s 11 for 79 yards and star RB Demetrius Battle’s 15 for 72. Oddly, despite being nearly 50-50 passing-rushing yards (214-203) the Tigers did not run for a TD on the night, instead throwing for three and returning a fumble for a TD. Jeremiah Boyd was the big playmaker of the night for the Tigers, racking up 2 sacks and a fumble returned for a TD. UWA held NGU star runner Dre’ Williams to 88 yards of total offense and no scores, and sacked Kealen Riley twice. This season the Tigers have been one of the best and most balanced offenses in the conference, placing as the 3rd best running (191.5 yards per game) and 3rd best passing (261 yards per game). They are also the second best defense in terms of yards per game (292.0) and 3rd in points allowed (20.0). The team has been lead by McDaniels (172-307 20 TD 4 INT) one of the top QBs in the GSC, and his plethora of offensive weapons including conference leading WR Tyriq Martin and GSC second leading rusher RB Demetrius Battle (more on these two below), as well as 2019 All-GSC WR Bayley Blanchard (34 receptions 554 yards 5 TD) and Grad RB James Smith III (83 touches 551 yards of offense 6 total TD). Defensively the Tigers have racked up 22 sacks this season lead by Defensive Ends Chris Terrell (12.0 TFL 6.0 sacks) and Undraez Lilly (9.5 TFL 4.5 sacks), while the team is lead in tackles by LB Josh Hatcher (48 tackles 36 solo 4.0 TFL 1 INT 3 PBU). The secondary has picked of 9 balls in 9 games, including 3 from Safety Shamar Lewis and 2 from Safety Jeremiah Boyd, their 9 INTs are behind just Delta State (12) in conference.
Series History
West Alabama has gotten the best of the Argonauts in their brief history winning 3 out of their 5 contests. The Tigers hold a 3-1 regular season record against the Argonauts, with West Florida scoring their first regular season win in 2019. The Argonauts only other win against UWA came during the 2017 playoff run, where the Argos avenged a 38-15 regular season loss in Livingston by beating the Tigers 28-21 just over a month later in a return to their house for a playoff game. These games have tended to not be very close, with West Alabama averaging a +12 scoring margin over the five games with wins of 38, 17, and 24 against losses of 11 and 7.
The last time the Argonauts faced off against the Tigers the Argonauts won a hard fought 48-37 victory in Pensacola. The teams traded scores in a game that featured 22 drives and only one punt, with the Argos scoring two TD in the 4th quarter. Austin Reed had a career best 443 yards passing and 5 TD, throwing no INT and giving up no sacks. Offensive Lineman Samuel Antoine recovered a fumble in the end zone for a TD in the 1st quarter and the game ended with Henry Montgomery’s 2nd interception of the night.
Three Players to Know
Grad Chris Terrell, Defensive End 6-3 270
2021 Stats: 41 tackles (35 solo) 6.0 sacks 12.0 TFL 7 hurries 1 PBU 1 blocked kick
When you look at West Al, I’d say it is safe to call them an offensive team. They have a star QB, three really good pass catchers, and two really good running backs. All these guys have experience too, but arguably their best player plays along the DL in Chris Terrell. The former Central Arkansas star transferred to UWA before the 2020 season, which was subsequently canceled, but he has been dominant for the Tigers this season. He is third in the conference in sacks (6) and second in TFL (12), and it shows up on tape. In the North Greenville game he was really disruptive, and they will call stunts for him to get him moving around and take advantage of his athleticism. He is a big guy a 270, but he plays well on the edge, and with another reliable pass rusher on the other side of the line in Lilly, it is hard to avoid 1-on-1 looks with him.
UWF has faced a bunch of really good individual Defensive Linemen this season, as well as some really good DL units. Terrell and linemate Lilly will challenge the Argos on the edge with their size and quickness. Terrell can really move for his size, and is a mismatch for most D2 DL as he was a standout FCS Lineman for multiple years. Jacob Bruce and Kenny Roman have really protected well this season, and it doesn’t get any easier this weekend.
Senior Demetrius Battle, Running Back 6-2 240
2021 Stats: 126 carries 757 yards 10 TD 6.0/carry 10 receptions 46 yards
Battle is a unique Back compared to most of the runners UWF has faced this season because he is absolutely massive. At 6-2 240 he is both the tallest and the heaviest starting back the Argos have had to tangle with, and he can get it done on the field. His 6.0 yards per carry average is top 10 in the conference and he leads the conference in rushing TD (10) while currently second in yards (757), so he isn’t just some big bruiser to get a yard here or there. Battle has five games this season with at least 100 yards and had a season high 170 against North American back in week 2. He also had a 69 yard gain that weekend. In 2019, Battle had 8 carries against the Argos totaling 24 yards and 2 TD.
Not much of a pass catching threat, the Argos will be tasked with bottling up the Senior at the LOS and trying to minimize yards after contact against a physical runner. The DL has been pretty great this season at slowing down the run game, and Backers Shea Campbell, Steph Williams, and Will Breland have been doing well mopping up behind them. The Argos still have one of the best run defenses in the conference, 2nd in yards per game and yards per rush allowed after facing run-heavy MC last weekend, so they’re going to be up to the task.
Senior Tyriq Martin, Wide Receiver 6-3 183
2021 Stats: 53 reception 889 yards 9 TD 16.8/reception
The GSC’s leading receiver, Martin has six games this season with at least 90 yards receiving and has caught at least 4 passes in every game except Tuskegee. He is a consistent playmaker for Jack McDaniels, and came into the season with 9o catches for 1156 yards and 13 TD in his 25 game UWA career. The Senior is almost on pace to double that 25 game total in his final campaign. Not only is he the most targeted WR, with 19 more receptions than Blanchard, but he also has the highest per catch average of any UWA player except Dalton McKenzie who only has two receptions. Martin is a familiar face for the Argonauts, he torched the would-be National Champions for 11 catches and 126 yards and 1 TD in 2019.
UWF has had some issues with taller WR this year, giving up 33 catches for 565 yards (17.1 per catch) and 5 TD against the six 6-2 or taller primary targets they have faced this year. Matthews of McNeese, Childers and Cooper of Commerce, Emmonds of Delta, and Plummer and Anderson of Shorter averaged 5.5 catches 94.2 yards and 0.8 TD per game and all but one caught a TD against the Argonauts. Not only is Martin tall (6-3) but he is also mega productive, with three games over 100 yards receiving and a TD in every game except for Tuskegee. The best cover guy this year has been Freshman Anthony Johnson Jr., but Sharod Oliver has been getting more reps lately and he provides a bigger body to put on Martin.
Matchup of the Week
UWF Defense vs the 1st Half
We know what UWF has done well this season, score points (45.6 per game, 4th nationally) and second half defensive adjustments. What they’ve done poorly is start slow, especially on defense. This week, UWF plays the kind of offense that can match them blow for blow and can hurt you in a bunch of different ways, so that slow start defense is going to have to find a way to keep the Tigers out of the end zone. West Alabama was up 24-0 at half against NGU, and has lead at the half in seven of their nine contests this season, outscoring opponents in the first half 220-66, including 110-66 in conference. The Argos, conversely, are allowing 1/3 of their points scored in the first quarter alone, and have relied on second half defensive adjustments to overcome two halftime deficits and a halftime tie. The Argos are dominating the 3rd quarter this season, but they’ll need more than that against a UWA offense that can run and throw at a high level, and are deep with playmakers.
One of the big things over the last three games for the Argonauts’ defense has been a lack of chaos plays. Going into the UWG game three weeks ago, UWF lead the nation in sacks per game (4.6), and the conference in total sacks (23). While they still lead the GSC in sacks (26), they have had a paltry 3 over the last three contests. Playing MC, you’re not going to get a lot of opportunities and the Argos did get 1 sack against the Chocs, but Shorter threw the ball 38 times and UWF was only able to come away with 2 sacks that night, while UWG mostly kept the pocket clean and shut out the UWF pass rush. The Argos have also forced just 3 turnovers (1 INT 2 fumbles) over those three contests as well, after forcing 8 in the three games previous (TAMUC, DSU, NGU).
The good news for the Argos? I came away after watching the NGU game thinking that McDaniels was both very sackable and prone to turnovers. He was officially hurried 3 times and sacked once, but NGU was in the backfield a lot during the game, particularly taking advantage of the left side of the UWA OL. For the season, UWA has allowed 15 sacks, including three multi-sack games and Jack McDaniels has been turnover prone as of late. He had 1 INTs through the first five games of the season but has thrown a pick in each of his last three contests. Against North Greenville, he had a handful of turnover-worthy throws on top of his 1 INT. Against Delta State he opened the second half with a pick six. This seems like as good of a chance as any for the Argonauts to get back on the wagon of turning over teams on defense and getting quick strikes on offense.
Prediction
This is a tough game, UWF is on the road again after two games at home, and there is a huge game looming next weekend against Valdosta. They’re going to have to keep their eyes on the prize because UWA is going to give UWF everything they have this weekend, and frankly they have a lot. This is a defense that can turn you over, get after the QB, and doesn’t allow a lot of points or yards, either on the ground or through the air. They also beat the only team to beat West Florida this year, when an upset minded tigers team took down a then undefeated Wolves squad 38-20 back in early October. UWF has been ultra consistent on offense, so this game most likely comes down to who can get enough stops against the other team’s high powered offense. I like Austin Reed and Co to be able to get points, so it is all about the defense showing up and giving the offense some breathing room. Another game within the game to watch will be can the Argos establish a credible running presence. West Alabama is the best in the conference in yards per game and yards per rush allowed, averaging less than 100 per game and 3 per carry. I believe the Tigers will give the Argos a scare, but West Florida comes out on top 38-30 and head into a season ending showdown with the Blazers for all the GSC marbles and SR2 control.
