LIVINGSTON, Ala. – The University of West Alabama football team held its annual Football Media Day on Wednesday afternoon on the Livingston campus. Various members of the media met with UWA Head Coach Bobby Wallace, his staff and several football players.

The event was held in conjunction with the Tigers reporting for fall practices. UWA was selected seventh in the Gulf South Conference Pre-Season Coaches’ Poll announced on Tuesday afternoon.

“We are excited about the start of the new season. Unique for our program this season, we are unknown as a team. We are going to have several projected starters that weren’t playing last year,” Wallace said. “We also have four new coaches in Will Hall, Sam Gregg and Desmond Lindsey, who came over from the University of Arkansas at Monticello. We also added Andy Greening, who was the Head Coach at Northeast (Mississippi) Community College. We are picked seventh in the conference poll yesterday, ahead of four teams, without winning a conference game last season.”

UWA opens the season on Saturday, August 30, as it hosts Belhaven College. Kickoff against the Blazers is set for 7:00 p.m. at Tiger Stadium. The season opener is one of five home games this year. The 2008 slate also sees the Tigers in action in eight GSC games.

“We have a tough situation with our schedule. We play at Harding the second week of the season on a Saturday night and then return to Arkansas Tech the following Thursday for a television game. Outside of that, it’s a typical GSC schedule.”

Dameon Baylor, Deon Williams, Cole Mason, Terry Allen and Garry Pack represented the Tiger players at the event.

“I am very excited and feel like God led me here. I feel like the coaches are great to work with and we have great guys to play with too. It’s not going to be the same UWA,” said Baylor a native of Meridian, Miss.

Williams, a Tuscaloosa, Ala.-product, echoed Baylor’s thoughts. “The chemistry is great. We have the same attitude and goals for this season.”

Returning All-GSC performers Mason and Allen are eager to begin the season. “The whole team has the same goal and that is to win,” Mason, a Parrish, Ala.-native said. Allen, a native of Huntsville, Ala., added to Mason’s comments. “We all have the same goal in mind for this season. This won’t be the same UWA team.”

Pack, a Hattiesburg, Miss.-product, enters his first season with the Red and White. “I was fortunate to play at the Division I level. Playing here, I’ve seen the same talented players here that I saw at that level. I’m excited to play with these guys and play for Coach (Andy) Greening.”

West Alabama begins practice on Thursday, August 7 at 3:00 p.m.