“We’re not expecting you to win three national championships in your first three seasons,” Cale said, “but we don’t mind if you do.”

Wallace, who agreed to return as UNA’s head coach Monday evening, was officially introduced at a news conference in front of a big crowd at the UNA Performance Center. The crowd included many of Wallace’s former players and assistant coaches as well as longtime friends from his first tenure as coach of the Lions from 1988-97.

As he entered the room with Cale and athletic director Mark Linder, Wallace received a standing ovation. As he addressed reporters and UNA supporters, Wallace it was his love of UNA and the Shoals that drove him to get back into coaching after retiring as coach at West Alabama after the 2010 season.

“It’s great to be home,” Wallace said. “This is a very special place to me. I spent 10 great years here, and that’s the longest I’ve lived anywhere in my adult life. It’s just so great to come home to where I have so many friends, supporters and great memories.

“I felt like there wasn’t much that was going to get me off the beach. It had to be the right place and the right time. I have a lot invested in the university, and I love the university and the Shoals.”

Linder, who led the search for the man to replace Terry Bowden as head coach, said the outpouring of support proved that Wallace was the perfect choice to lead the football team.

“One of the trustees yesterday said that very few times does the moment and the man come together at the right time,” Linder said. “This is just one of those special times. It’s a special day for UNA, and I’m just happy to be a part of it.”

Linder said Wallace’s contract will be a three-year deal with the same base salary of $103,000 that Bowden was making. Wallace will make additional money from his television show and football camps.

Wallace posted an 82-36-1 record in his first tenure at UNA, including six NCAA Division II playoff appearances, three Gulf South Conference championships and three consecutive NCAA Division II National Championships (1993-95).

His 1993-95 teams had a combined 41-1 record, making Wallace the first coach in collegiate football history to win 40 games in just three seasons. The three straight national titles also made UNA the first school in the history of NCAA scholarship football to win three straight national titles.

Wallace said that many people wondered why he would take a chance on tarnishing his legacy at UNA by returning as coach of the Lions.

“The national championships are the history of the University of North Alabama — not Bobby Wallace,” he said. “I was fortunate to be a part of it, and there were some great moments, but that’s going to always be there.

“That’s the great thing about winning championships — they don’t go away. This is not about those days, but about building for the future. We’re not going to live in the past.”

Wallace said he is “thrilled and excited” about UNA’s ongoing transition to Division I. He pointed out that his experience from coaching eight seasons at Temple will be beneficial as he guides the football program through the transition.

He also promised to get UNA back to recruiting high school players instead of relying on Division I transfers as a quick fix.

“We have to get back to recruiting high school football players,” Wallace said as the crowd erupted in applause. “We want players in here that are fourth- and fifth-year seniors.

“When we went to the White House (in 1995) we took 19 seniors. Of those 19 seniors, 17 were high school guys. Every one of them graduated and seven of them are now high school coaches. That’s the kind of makeup we want to have as a football team.”

Linder said UNA had about 20 applicants for the job. While Wallace was obviously a leading candidate from the beginning, Linder said he was impressed with how aggressive Wallace was in pursuing the job.

“It certainly dispelled any thoughts that Bobby didn’t have the energy for the job,” Linder said. “He pursued the job, put the phone calls in and was very impressive. It would have been very easy for him to rest on his laurels and his legacy, but he didn’t do that. He approached it like he was a brand new head coach and I really appreciated that.”

Wallace, 57, said he is planning on another long run as coach at UNA.

“This is not a short-term deal,” Wallace said. “I’m here hopefully for eight to 10 years, and even then I might turn into a Bobby Bowden and stick around. They may have to run me out of here.”

Jeff McIntyre can be reached at 256-740-5737 or jeff.mcintyre@TimesDaily.com.