FLORENCE, Ala. (August 15, 2023) – One day before classes begin, the University of North Alabama football team took the practice field on a partly cloudy Tuesday afternoon at the Bill Jones Athletic Complex.
Today’s featured position group is the all-important offensive line, which includes 18 players.
The o-line includes six newcomers and 12 returning players — seven of which lettered in 2022. Two of the seven garnered at least one all-conference postseason award, including junior Fau Tai’Vai and senior Stevie Young.
Of the group, 11 comes from within the state of Alabama. For one of those offensive linemen, senior Will Derico, the FCS Kickoff season opener against Mercer will be a homecoming as Derico prepped at Lee High School in Montgomery, Ala.
This position group is coached by Coach Richard Hutchings, who joined the staff in the spring of 2023 from Hendrix College (Ark.) where he spent two seasons. Prior to that, Hutchings worked under Coach Brent Dearmon at Bethel (Tenn.) as the offensive line coach and run game coordinator.
“This is a great group of young men — not just on the field, but off the field, as well,” said Hutchings. “These are the same guys that will be nasty on the field, but also the same guys that will help you put your groceries in the car when you’re at the grocery store. That’s the type of young men they are, and that’s what I’m proud of them for.”
Today’s interviews include Coach Hutchings, returning junior and former Hatton High School standout Gage Saint, as well as redshirt sophomore Witt Mitchum — a Kansas State transfer.
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