1970 Florence State Lions football team
American college football season
The 1970 Florence State Lions football team represented Florence State University—now known as the University of North Alabama —as a member of the Mid-South Athletic Conference (MSAC) during the 1970 NAIA Division I football season . Led by first-year head coach Durell Mock , the Lions compiled an overall record of 5–5 with a mark of 1–4 in conference play, placing fifth in the MSAC. Florence State played home game at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama .
Schedule
Offseason
After the 1969 season, head coach Hal Self resigned from the position to take over the school's athletic director position full-time. Self had served as both head coach and athletic director in 1969 after the resignation of H.A. Flowers. Durell Mock, who had played under Self at Florence State from 1949 to 1952, was selected to become the second-ever head coach of the Lions.
In the summer before the 1970 season, Florence State would leave the Alabama Collegiate Conference with Jacksonville State, Troy State, and Livingston to become charter members of the new Mid-South Athletic Conference.[ 15] This football-only conference would become the Gulf South Conference.[ 16]
Personnel
Roster
1970 Florence State Lions Football
Quarterbacks
Steve Coates - Freshman (5'11, 185)
Allen Elkins - Sophomore (6'1, 195)
David Elmore - Freshman (6'2, 175)
Randy Elmore - Sophomore (6'1, 185)
Halfbacks
Lee Long - Freshman (6'2, 190)
Marvin Parks - Freshman (5'9, 190)
Leonard Thomas - Junior (5'9, 195)
Mike Wilburn - Freshman (5'8, 180)
Fullbacks
Cary Alexander - Freshman (5'9, 175)
Larry Brom - Freshman (5'11, 205)
Stanley Graham - Freshman (6'1, 190)
Carl McCulley - Senior (5'8, 185)
Flanker backs
Danny Kimble - Freshman (5'10, 170)
Bobby Joe Pride - Junior (5'9, 170)
Jim Trimble - Sophomore (6'1, 165)
Split ends
Bobby Burcham - Freshman (6'0, 168)
Jody Gamble - Senior (6'0, 185)
Tight ends
Jimmy Isbell - Junior (5'11, 185)
Roger Mathis - Senior (6'2, 215)
Dale Hancock - Senior (6'1, 225)
Defensive ends
Dale Burleson - Freshman (6'2, 190)
Doyle Steele - Freshman (5'11, 190)
Tommy Warhurst - Sophomore (6'0, 215)
Centers
Bob Griffith - Freshman (6'1, 215)
Gary Stapler - Junior (5'10, 205)
Offensive guards
Gary Counts - Senior (6'1, 230)
Bill Morton - Freshman (5'10, 215)
Frankie Patterson - Sophomore (5'11, 210)
Bill Strain - Freshman (6'2, 195)
Defensive guards
Steve Borden - Freshman (5'10, 185)
Wendell Hawthorne - Freshman (5'11, 215)
Richard Jaggers - Freshman (6'2, 250)
Ronnie McKinney - Junior (6'1, 195)
Wayne Owens - Sophomore (6'0, 200)
Offensive tackles
Howard Byars - Senior (6'1, 230)
Mike Naves - Freshman (6'2, 210)
Bobby Thomas - Junior (6'0, 205)
Defensive tackles
Bob Duvall - Freshman (6'5, 230)
Ed Franks - Senior (5'9, 235)
David Harbin - Freshman (5'11, 230)
Dennis Buffaloe - Freshman (6'0, 190)
Al Carter - Freshman (6'0, 220)
Linebackers
William McCormack - Junior (6'2, 210)
Hezzie Morgan - Freshman (6'1, 190)
Leroy Baker - Sophomore (6'1, 210)
Defensive halfbacks
Palmer Byrd - Junior (6'1, 180)
Selma Hill - Freshman (5'9, 185)
David Hines - Freshman (6'0, 165)
Wayne Oldham - Freshman (5'10, 185)
Ganum Smith - Senior (5'9, 175)
Ronnie Williamson - Senior (5'11, 190)
Stanley Steadman - Freshman (5'10, 165)
Coaching staff
Florence State Lions coaches
Head coach
Assistant coaches
David Kirk - Defensive Secondary Coach
Billy Hill - Quarterback Coach
Henry Platter - End and Flanker Coach
Larry Marshall - Interior Line Coach
William Hamilton - Backfield Coach
Statistics
Team
Florence State
Opp
Scoring
223
273
First Downs
153
193
Rushing
86
130
Passing
49
59
Penalty
18
4
Rushing yards
1825
2689
Avg per game
182.5
268.9
Rushing touchdowns
22
28
Passing yards
1337
1193
Att-Comp-Int
212-95-21
201-91-21
Avg per game
133.7
119.3
Passing touchdowns
23
24
Total Offense
3162
3882
Avg per game
316.2
388.2
Fumbles-Lost
28-15
20-11
Penalties-Yards
40-390
45-504
Florence State
Opp
Punt-Yards
51-2045
37-1450
Avg per punt
40.0
39.2
Punt Return-Yards
11-157
32-352
Avg per punt return
14.7
11.0
Kickoff Return-Yards
42-986
34-745
Avg per kickoff return
23.5
21.9
Interceptions-Yards
21-189
21-147
Avg per play
9.0
7.0
Touchdowns Scored
31
37
Field Goals-Attempts
2-5
5-10
PAT-Attempts
29-31
28-32
Individual leaders
Offense
Passing statistics
NAME
POS
CMP
ATT
YDS
CMP%
TD
INT
Randy Elmore
QB
91
205
1318
44.3
8
21
David Elmore
QB
4
6
19
66.6
0
0
Allen Elkins
QB
0
1
0
0
0
0
TOTALS
95
212
1337
44.8%
8
21
Rushing statistics
NAME
POS
ATT
GAIN
AVG
TD
Carl McCulley
FB
140
591 yrds
4.2
7 TDs
Leonard Thomas
HB
87
499 yrds
5.7
6 TDs
Randy Elmore
QB
128
438 yrds
3.4
6 TDs
Bobby Joe Pride
FL
38
177 yrds
4.6
3 TDs
Larry Brom
FB
23
70 yrds
3.4
1 TD
Mike Wilburn
HB
13
38 yrds
2.9
0 TDs
Allen Elkins
QB
1
1 yrd
1.0
0 TDs
David Elmore
QB
2
7 yrds
3.5
0 TDs
TOTALS
432
1821 yrds
4.2
23 TDs
Receiving statistics
NAME
POS
CTH
YDS
TD
Danny Kimble
FL
25
470 yrds
3 TDs
Leonard Thomas
HB
23
267 yrds
4 TDs
Bobby Joe Pride
FL
16
254 yrds
0 TDs
Jim Trimble
FL
9
102 yrds
1 TD
Jody Gamble
SE
7
84 yrds
0 TDs
Dale Hancock
TE
5
62 yrds
0 TDs
Carl McCulley
FB
4
60 yrds
0 TDs
Mike Wilburn
HB
1
19 yrds
0 TDs
Larry Brom
FB
4
11 yrds
0 TDs
Jimmy Isbell
TE
1
8 yrds
0 TDs
TOTALS
95
1337 yrds
8 TDs
Defense
Defense statistics
NAME
POS
INT
Palmer Byrd
DHB
6
Ronnie Williamson
DHB
5
William McCormack
LB
3
Ganum Smith
DHB
2
Leroy Baker
LB
2
Tommy Warhurst
DE
1
Others
2
TOTAL
21
Special teams
Punting statistics
NAME
POS
PUNTS
YDS
AVG
Jody Gamble
SE
51
2045 yrds
40.0
TOTALS
51
2045 yrds
40.0
Kick return statistics
NAME
POS
RTNS
YDS
AVG
TD
Bobby Joe Pride
FL
18
623
34.5
1
Leonard Thomas
HB
11
214
19.4
0
Jimmy Isbell
TE
3
34
11.3
0
Larry Brom
FB
3
34
11.3
0
Ganum Smith
DHB
1
21
21.0
0
Allen Elkins
QB
2
22
10.4
0
Bobby Burcham
SE
2
19
9.5
0
Ronnie Williamson
DHB
1
16
16.0
0
Danny Kimble
FL
1
5
5.0
0
TOTALS
42
988 yrds
23.5
1 TD
Punt return statistics
NAME
POS
RTNS
YDS
AVG
TD
Leonard Thomas
HB
6
105
17.5
0
Bobby Joe Pride
FL
5
52
10.4
0
TOTALS
11
157 yrds
14.3
0 TD's
References
^ "Demon Football History vs North Alabama" . nsudemons.com . Northwestern State Athletics. Retrieved June 17, 2024 .
^ Patterson, Greg (September 13, 1970). "Lions Lose To Northwestern" . Times Daily . Florence. Retrieved June 17, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
^ Kelley, Pete (September 20, 1970). "Florence State Wins 28-17" . Times Daily . Florence. Retrieved June 17, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
^ "1970 Football Schedule" . gostatesmen.com . Delta State University Athletics. Retrieved June 17, 2024 .
^ Harris, Jack (September 29, 1970). "Mistakes Kill Lion Chances" . Times Daily . Florence. Retrieved June 17, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
^ "Livingston Loses, 21-14" . The Tuscaloosa News . Tuscaloosa News. October 4, 1970. Retrieved June 17, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
^ "1970 Football Schedule" . arkansastechsports.com . Arkansas Tech University Athletics. Retrieved June 17, 2024 .
^ Bannecke, Craig (October 11, 1970). "Lions Squeeze By Ark. Tech 28-26" . Times Daily . Florence. Retrieved June 17, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
^ Thomas, Ronnie (October 18, 1970). "Lions Come Alive In Last Half To Down Reddies" . Times Daily . Florence. Retrieved June 17, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
^ Kelley, Pete (October 25, 1970). "Troy Edges Battling Lions 28-23" . Times Daily . Florence. Retrieved June 17, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
^ Harris, Jack (October 25, 1970). "UTM Spanks Florence St. 35-7" . Times Daily . Florence. Retrieved June 17, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
^ Thomas, Ronnie (October 25, 1970). "Jacksonville Mauls Florence State 55-28" . Times Daily . Florence. Retrieved June 17, 2024 – via Google News Archive.
^ "Conference Now Reality" . The Tuscaloosa News . Tuscaloosa. August 8, 1970. Retrieved June 17, 2024 – via Google News Achieve.
^ "Gulf South Conference History" . gscsports.org . Gulf South Conference. September 1, 2022. Retrieved June 17, 2024 .
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