It won’t take long for UWF’s football team to learn about itself.
The Argos season-opening matchup Friday night at Pen Air Field against Lenoir Rhyne — a pairing of two nationally ranked NCAA Division II teams — figures to provide a revealing gauge.
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In the nation’s only D-2 college football game being played on Friday, the No. 8-ranked Argos (American Football Coaches Association poll), face the No. 17 Bears in a center-stage scenario. Kickoff is 6 p.m.
It is the highest-ranked, season-opening opponent in UWF’s nine seasons. The Argos opened the 2018 season at home against then-No. 22 ranked Carson-Newman.
“We’ll find out Friday night where we are,” said UWF coach Kaleb Nobles, who enters his third season as UWF’s head coach. “I think it is a great challenge for our guys. Let’s them know they have to be ready from the first play.
“And it really doesn’t matter who the opponent it is… it (being ready) comes from us and we have to be our best every single game. I think the guys are excited to play against somebody else on Friday night.”
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UWF enters a new year following a 7-3 season, narrowly missing out on a fifth consecutive NCAA playoff appearance. The team has gone through hot, humid month of practices, which is an element Nobles believes will help in early-season games.
A final scrimmage last Friday (Aug. 22), which was to be Fan Day, was cancelled due to inclement weather.
“I think our guys have practiced well,” he said. “They’ve done a really good job of embracing the adversity of practicing in the heat. We know it’s going to be hot during our games and we know that’s an advantage for us.
“We pulled the reigns back in the last 10 days just to make sure they’re ready to go.”
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Lenoir Rhyne, located in Hickory, North Carolina, is a well-regarded football program, which played as an NAIA member from 1954-1992. The Bears reached the NCAA Division II national title game in 2013 and the national semifinals in 2023.
In his first season a year ago, new coach Doug Socha led the Bears to a 10-3 record, a playoff appearance and No. 17 national ranking following the season. In 2023, Socha led Keiser University from Fort Lauderdale to the NAIA national title.
The Bears have 22 former Florida prep players on their roster, including senior running back LJ Turner (Palm Bay) and senior defensive back Desmond Greene (Wakulla) named to the D2Football Elite 100 Watch List.
“They’ve been a great program for a long, long time.” Nobles said. Coach Socha has won a national championship at the NAIA level, so they have done a lot of good things, They have athletes everywhere. We’ll have our hands full, but our guys are excited for the challenge.”
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Part of the optimism and lofty ranking with the Argos is how many star players return on this year’s team. Unlike the past couple years, the starting quarterback is not in debate.
Marcus Stokes returns after starting eight games last season, passing for 1,540 yards and 14 touchdowns. Now in his third season, all under Nobles’ tutelage, the former Florida Gators commit, has shown steady progression.
“He’s looked really good,” Nobles said. “I’m excited about him and he’s excited to go out and show the country what kind of work he’s been putting in.
“He’s not been satisfied with anything he’s done here and he knows he has to play well. And our guys really go as he goes. We’ve tried to surround him with as many weapons as we can and that includes offensive line. He’s done a great job in this camp.
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“He has started to use his voice a lot and he has matured a lot. He is somebody we can lean on.”
In addition, the Argos top two running backs TJ Lane and Jay Sharp, along with the top two receivers, Corey Scott and Javon Swinton, are all key elements of this year’s team. They were all part of 15 UWF players named to the Gulf South Conference All-Preseason Team.
This season, the Gulf South Conference will play as a four-team league. UWF remains with Valdosta State, Delta State and West Alabama. The first conference matchup won’t occur until the eighth week of the season.
The GSC had two members, Florida Tech and Mississippi College, drop football and two other members, West Georgia and North Alabama, move up to Division I in the last four years.
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“This is a tough conference, no matter what. We just know we have play well,” Nobles said.
In preparing for Friday’s opening night, Nobles said he still has the same emotions racing as he did when making his head coaching debut in 2023 as one of the youngest NCAA level head coaches.
“For me, I get anxiety about this time,” he said. “I’m just ready to play. I’m ready to get on the field and let our guys loose to play somebody else.
“Our staff has put in a lot of work getting ready for (Lenoir Rhyne) and preparing. Really, since about February, we have been preparing for this game, so I’m excited about how our guys have practiced and prepared.”
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WANT TO GO?
WHAT: UWF 2025 Football Season-Opener
WHO: Lenoir Rhyne vs. UWF
WHEN: Friday, 6 p.m.
WHERE: Pen Air Field
TICKETS: Non-student prices are $21, $26 and $31
INFO: www.goargos.com/tickets
Bill Vilona is a retired Pensacola News Journal sports columnist and now senior writer for Pensacola Blue Wahoos. He can be reached atbvilona@bluewahoos.com
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: University of West Florida opens football season with nationally rank
