Preview Week 3: West Alabama

University of West Alabama Tigers, Gulf South Conference (D2)

Broadcast: FloSports 6 PM CST

When We Last Saw West Alabama

Record: 3-0 (0-0 GSC)

Last Week: UWA beat Limestone 33 - 14 at home

Coach Brett Gilliland and his West Alabama Tigers may be the story of the year so far in the GSC. They’ve run out to a 3-0 start for the first time since 2021, outscoring their three opponents 94-38. They’ve done it by playing some opportunistic, bend but dont break defense allowing 15 points to Miles College, 6 points to Tusculum, and 14 points to Limestone. The Tigers have allowed 310 yards per game, which is solid but not exceptional, but they have forced five interceptions and recovered three fumbles so far (t-3rd nationally in turnovers gained), including two defensive scores. On top of turnovers, they have been good in situational defense: 27.3% 3rd down defense (30th nationally) despite being top 10 in defensive 3rd down opportunities, 50% redzone defense (t-10 nationally) and 20% redzone TD defense (t-12 nationally) even though they’ve allowed 10 defensive red zone attempts (t-29th nationally). There are some of the same faces back from last year, DLs Devonta Jackson and Trevon Lambert, LB Trevon Stanford, DBs Devonte Harris, Uriah Ratliff, and Lamar Gray. They’ve also got some new playmakers emerging like leading tackler Ishmael Naylor (23 tackles, 10 solo), and defensive lineman Cody Sigler (3.5 TFL 3rd on the team) but it has been a major group effort so far with 15 players contributing to 27 TFL and 8 players tallying 11 sacks in the first three games of the season. Offensively, they’ve also got some key pieces returning, running back Bry Webb has over 2000 yards from scrimmage and 15 TD in his 32 game West Al career, 2nd leading receiver Tyler Walker had 385 yards and 2 TDs as a Junior in 2023, and TE Caeleb Bass who only played 3 games in 2023 (4 receptions 89 yards 1 TD), but was an All-Conference performer in 2022 pulling in 28 receptions 375 yards and a score. If new starting QB Spencer Arceneaux (34-59 413 yards 2 TD 1 INT 12 rush 79 yards 1 TD) can play clean ball, the Tigers offense could be formidable. Last week against Limestone, the Tigers built up a 30-6 lead on the back of three Elijah Guyton FGs and two defensive TDs, before allowing a TD and two point conversion in the 4th. Defensively they dominated up front piling up an impressive 11 TFL and 5 sacks, but did give up 300 yards passing and over 100 yards rushing (excluding sack yardage).

Three Players to Know

Grad. Trevon Lambert, Defensive End 6’3” 205

Stats: 9 tackles (6 solo) 5 TFL 4.5 sacks 3 hurries 2 forced fumbles

UWA always has a strong defense and Trevon Lambert is a key carryover from last year’s squad, and he has started the 2024 season on a hot streak for the Tigers. Lambert emerged as a top pass rusher in the GSC, appearing in 9 games and finishing 2nd in the conference with 6.5 sacks in 2023. He really came on strong down the stretch for West Al, tallying 6 sacks in GSC play and 5 sacks in the final four games, including a sack against UWF. This year he has added to his streak and now has seven straight games with at least one sack and 9.5 sacks in total during the stretch.

The Argonauts offensive line is going to have to bring their A game against Lambert, who leads the Tigers and the conference in sacks and TFL so far in 2024. They allowed a couple of sacks two weeks ago when we saw them against a pretty good McKendree front seven, and this is going to be a significant step up in physical talent from the Bearcats. Lambert may be the top dog thus far in the season, but he is far from the only playmaker in the Tigers’ front.

Junior Devontae Causey, Running Back 5’7” 170

Stats: 19 carries 103 yards 5.4 YPC

Causey doesn’t lead UWA in rushing, he’s actually third on the team through three games and he doesn’t have any of their 4 rushing TDs on the year, but he broke out last week with a 17 carry 102 yard performance. Prior to that Limestone game, the JUCO transfer had only carried the ball twice for 1 yard and caught the ball once for -2 yard against Tusculum. He comes to Livingston after after a really good season at East Central CC in 2023, where he finished with 771 yards and 9 TD and was especially good down the stretch with games of 18 carries-94 yards-0 TD, 17-89-2, 22-149-2, and 16-122-2 to end the season.

He now leads the team in YPC by one whole yard, which probably will earn him another good share of the touches this week. I’m looking to see if the Argos can continue their high level run defense against UWA, as it will be a step up in competition, and Causey is likely to be an increasing part of that run game. In addition, Causey could be a factor in the passing game, he caught 47 passes for 471 yards and 2 TD in two years in the JUCO ranks.

Grad Uriah Ratliff 5’10” 160 and Senior Devonte Harris 6’ 170, Defensive Backs

Stats: Ratliff 9 tackles (4 solo) 1 TFL 2 INT 2 PBU 1 fumble recovery Harris 10 tackles (9 solo) 2 INT 2 PBU

The backend of UWA’s defense is deep, but among that talented group Ratliff and Harris have been the playmakers of the early season for the Tigers, and I couldn’t bring myself to separate the two. Both of these guys were returning contributors from a talented crop of 2023 defenders, and have continued thats strong play early in the 2024 season. They both have an interception and a PBU in each of the last two games, and with two interceptions they co-lead the GSC after week 2. Last year Harris, primarily an outside corner, had 2 INT (2nd on team) and 7 PBU (4th in GSC) and Ratliff, a nickel/corner, was 3rd in the GSC for PBU (10) and also had 4 TFL 1 sack and 4 QB hurries.

The Argonauts are still breaking in a whole new group of pass catchers to go with a new starting QB and these guys are a big test of whats developing in Pensacola. These guys have a knack for getting their hands on the ball, combined 7 INT 21 PBU since the start of 2023, and UWF had a couple of lapses last week that led to two interceptions in plus territory. Marcus Stokes is going to have to know where Ratliff and Harris are at all times if the offense is going to open itself up this weekend.

Matchup of the Week

UWF Offense Vs UWA Defense

I’m going big picture this week for several reasons. Most predominantly is that last year, UWA was really the only D2 team that figured out how to slow down a very dynamic Argonauts offense in 2023. They held the Argos to season lows in scoring (6) and rushing yards (56), and kept the Argonauts 26 points below their season scoring average (32) and 223 yards below their yards per game average (437), really befuddling what was otherwise a well oiled machine. The Tigers’ defensive front stifled UWF, piling up 12 TFL and 3 sacks, really setting the tone for the game. Another reason for major intrigue in this matchup is the continued rebuild of the UWF offense. They had a good game against a solid opening opponent in McKendree, but benefited greatly from two huge special teams plays, with Virgil Lemons setting them up on the goal line twice in the first half, as well as a pick six by Ralph Ortiz Jr. How will the offense perform when they dont start four drives in plus territory? The offense also occasionally struggled to finish scoring opportunities, having four drives stall out inside the McKendree 35 yard line and yield no points and two INTs, while West Alabama has only allowed 2 TDs against 3 INT in 10 defensive red zone attempts. The third major storyline is the difference in snaps so far in 2024, the Argonauts having played one team and 69 plays on the whole for ‘24, while the UWA defense has seen three completely different offenses, run 198 plays, and allowed a large number of players to get valuable playing time and mesh together. UWF is going to still be finding their feet against a defense who is literally already in mid-season form, and while there is tons of talent to draw on, that chemistry still has to come along. Stokes, Woods, Scott, and Company have a strong conference test on deck this weekend against an always tough UWA defense. West Florida has to be more successful running the ball than they were Week 1 if they want to be able to throw it downfield.

Prediction

There are no free lunches in the GSC, but West Alabama in particular seems like a pretty tough conference opener for UWF. They’ve had time to gel over the first three games of the season, UWF has played just one time so far this fall. West Alabama has got a tough defensive front, the Argos are breaking in a new group on the OL. The Tigers have been some of the biggest ballhawks in the nation so far this year, the Argos dealt with some turnover issues week 1. A very experienced West Al defense, facing a rebuilding West Florida offense with new starters all over the field. Not to mention the bitter taste of a 10-6 loss on the road in Livingston last fall that altered the complexion of the GSC championship race. Offensively the Argos weren’t required to do a lot last time out, with two huge punt returns by Virgil Lemons and a pick six from Ralph Ortiz, but they also seemed to be pretty vanilla overall. There was one deep shot, which connected, but almost everything else was within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. I dont know for certain, but I dont believe that game is representative of the offensive identity of the 2024 Argonauts. I dont think vanilla on offense is going to cut it this week, so expect that side to start opening it up a little more tomorrow. On the other side of the ball, defensive coordinator Kavell Conner’s group is going to be far and away the best that the Tigers have seen this fall, and the Tigers offense hasn’t been very consistent so far. They opened with a 15 point, 317 yard (4.3 YPP) outing against Miles before toasting Tusculum (6-4 in 2023) 45-9 and posting 456 yards (7.9 YPP), then last week they scored 33 but struggled to move the ball offensively, 70 plays 272 yards (3.9 YPP), and scored only once offensively (4 FG, INT and Fumble return) while punting six times in 11 drives. I kind of see this going one of two ways, either the UWF offense is a lot more dynamic than we saw against McKendree and the Argos open it up on UWA, who just doesn’t have to firepower to counter, or its going to be another low scoring, four quarter slug fest like last fall and the game gets decided on one or two bounces of the ball in critical moments. Ever the optimists, I’ll say the offense comes out swinging, UWF takes it at home 37-13. Go Argos.