Aug. 6, 2008

• Watch the CBS College Sports Preview of UAB's Season

Last season could be called a season of transition for the UAB Blazers. Head coach Neil Callaway and his staff were in their first year and they inherited a unit low on numbers and experience. The result was a disappointing 2-10 record.

But just as there's no denying the struggles of 2007, there is also no doubt that better days lie ahead for the program.

While the Blazers will still be thin and lacking the level of depth Callaway knows the team needs to reach, this season's 2008 edition should be an improved squad.

"We are making progress in all of the areas that are important," said Callaway, "but I still think we are a year or two away from being where we want to be. We'll be in the 72 range in terms of scholarship players this season. Hopefully next year we will be at the 82 or 83 level, depending on what happens between now and then."

In assessing last season and the progress made, it is easy to realize that the necessity of having to play so many young players last fall should now pay some dividends. They're now a year older and have a year of experience under their belt.

In fact, there were signs toward the latter part of the 2007 season that the young guys were growing up, especially on the offensive side of the ball.

The Blazers averaged better than 26 points over their last three games of the season, including a season-best 39 in the season finale at Marshall. The UAB receivers were perhaps the most noticeable in terms of where they started at in August and where they finished in November.

The trio of Frantrell Forrest (6-2, 195, So.), Mario Wright (6-5, 205, So.) and Mike Jones (5-11, 185, So.) -- all freshmen -- combined for 90 receptions for 1,051 yards and nine touchdowns last season. Of that number, 40 of those catches for 398 yards and four touchdowns came in the final three contests of the season.

Forrest finished the campaign with a UAB freshman record 49 receptions for 563 yards with five scores. His reception total is the fifth-best number for a UAB wide receiver.

Certainly one of the objectives for the Blazers heading into the new season is to demonstrate a more balanced offensive attack. UAB was not able to sustain a consistent ground game in 2007 as they averaged only 110.2 yards per game, last among Conference USA schools.

Part of that can be attributed to an offensive line that entered the season already short on experience, and one that was later hindered by injuries.

One of Callaway's stated goals when he assumed the helm of the program was that he wanted the Blazers to play a more physical, hard-nosed brand of football. That effort, while very much still at the forefront of objectives, has been hampered by the team's lack of depth and hard luck with injuries.

"I think we've made progress, but I think it's been handicapped a little bit because of the lack of depth and numbers," said Callaway. "You have to be careful because we want to work on being physical and hard-nosed, but at the same time we know that we have some problems number-wise and we have to be smart at how we approach it. I do think the guys have really bought into our plan and have developed a great work ethic and are doing things the right way."

There is no question Callaway and his staff have brought a welcomed increase in discipline to the program, on and off the field.

On the field, one can point to the fact that two seasons ago, UAB ranked last in Conference USA in penalty yards assessed against it. Last year, the Blazers rose all the way to No. 3 among league schools in fewest penalty yards.

Offense
In addition to posting its highest point total of the season in the final game of last season at Marshall, UAB also notched its best output from an offensive yardage standpoint, running up 496 yards for its highest total since the 2005 season.

Both Sam Hunt, who started all 12 games last season, and Joe Webb (6-4, 220, Jr.) saw action at quarterback against the Thundering Herd. Webb finished with 200 yards through the air and another 52 on the ground.

The multiple weapons that Webb showed in Huntington are what the Blazers hope will be a regular occurrence in 2008. Last season Webb and Hunt split quarterback duties with Hunt seeing a larger part of the action in the first two-thirds of the season. The coaches wanted to get the pair both on the field as often as possible because they were two of the Blazers' better athletes. The result was that Webb saw considerable action at wide receiver. And to no one's surprise, he had success in that role, catching 30 passes for 459 yards and a team-best 15.3 yards per reception.

But Hunt has departed after his senior season and the quarterback job falls squarely on Webb this fall.

"Without a doubt, Joe adds a different dimension to our football team," said Callaway. "We're doing a couple new things to take advantage of his athleticism."

While Webb has only seen limited action at quarterback in his first two seasons -- he's played in nine games at QB and started just once (at UCF in 2006 final game) -- his statistics have been impressive.

He has completed 98-of-168 passes for 1,105 yards with six touchdowns and only one interception. In addition, Webb has rushed for 326 yards, including 288 last season.

Behind Webb on the quarterback depth chart entering fall camp will be Rodney Bivens Jr. (6-0, 200, Sr.), who saw some special teams action last fall but has not played in a game at UAB at quarterback. Cameron Cowart (6-3, 205, Sr.) has also yet to see time behind center in a game with the Blazers.

There's no question that UAB's offense will be more productive than it was in 2007 if the Blazers can make some strides with their running game. Two years ago, UAB had four senior running backs, two of whom (Dan Burks and Corey White) rank among the top four in Blazer history in career rushing yards. Last year, Rashaud Slaughter (5-9, 185, Jr.) took over the No. 1 running back duties and led the team with 325 yards for the season on 100 carries.

Slaughter has shown he can be an effective receiver and has been moved back to receiver.

That leaves the running back duties up for grabs. The top candidates to take on the role as the Blazers' primary ball carriers out of the backfield are a pair of transfers, Justin Brooks (5-11, 210, So.) and Aaron Johns (5-10, 190, Sr.).

Brooks sat out last season and practiced with the team after transferring from Troy. As a freshman with the Trojans in 2006, Brooks saw action in nine games, rushing for 72 yards on 17 attempts with three touchdowns on the ground. His most productive game of the season came against Louisiana-Monroe when he ran for 64 yards on 11 carries with a pair of touchdowns.

Johns signed with the Blazers initially as part of UAB's 2007 recruiting class but did not enroll last fall after playing at Copiah-Lincoln Community College.

Johns was the Class 4A Back of the Year coming out of Thomasville (Ala.) High School when he ran for 2,050 yards and 33 touchdowns as a senior. He then signed with Alabama where he played with the Crimson Tide during the 2004 season. Johns rushed for 185 yards on 47 carries in '04. His best contest that season was an 86-yard performance against Western Carolina when he broke a run for 44 yards.

Jim Mitchell (5-10, 185, Jr.) saw limited action in the backfield for the Blazers last season, rushing 18 times for 83 yards. He also caught six passes for 55 yards.

Callaway has put a priority on the running game, both from an offensive and defensive side.

"Shoring up both parts of the running game were priorities going into the spring," he said. "That is offensively being able to run it and defensively being able to stop it. Some of our problems last year had to do with being young. I think we'll be much improved this year in both areas. It is a priority for us."

While there are still some questions as to who will step for the Blazers in the running game this season, one area that beams with optimism is at wide receiver.

A trio of returning sophomores and the arrival of a pair of standout junior college recruits should provide Webb and his fellow quarterbacks a multitude of targets in the passing game.

Forrest started six games for the Blazers last season and recorded seven receptions in three different contests. He tallied 122 receiving yards on seven grabs against Mississippi State. He nearly reached the century mark two games later against Houston when he registered five catches for 96 yards, including a season-long 68-yarder.

Forrest showed a knack for going up in traffic to snare passes away from would-be defenders.

One of the biggest matchup challenges for UAB opposing defenses is with Wright. Almost half (13-of-27) of his receptions last season came in the last three games. He caught five for 47 yards with two touchdowns in the last game of the season at Marshall.

Jones is the third of the sophomores who showed flashes of potential last season. Jones, who had an outstanding spring as well, finished with 15 catches, but he also came up big down the stretch last season with seven catches in the last two contests.

Also expected to enhance the receiving corps are two sizable junior college transfers in Rodell Carter (6-4, 220, So.) and Mark Ferrell (6-2, 220, Jr.). Carter sat out last season due to injury after catching 24 passes for 389 yards at Georgia Military College as a freshman in 2006. Ferrell caught 31 balls last season for 602 yards at Mississippi Delta Junior College.

Justin Johnson (6-3, 200, So.) saw limited action last season as a freshman with the Blazers and is expected to play a larger role in 2008.

In Slaughter, the Blazers have a versatile talent who has made contributions at both running and catching the ball his first two seasons. He has already recorded 38 receptions for 236 yards his first two seasons, including a contest two seasons ago at SMU when he had 10 catches.

Darryl Harris (5-10, 180) is another receiver who has worked hard to put himself in a position for playing time this fall. He had a catch for 28 yards in last season's first game at Michigan State before injuries slowed him for much of the remainder of the season.

The Blazers are optimistic about the tight end position with Jeffery Anderson (6-3, 255, So.) leading the way. He earned Conference USA All-Freshman Team honors in 2007 after registering 15 receptions for 216 yards and a touchdown. Zach Lankford (6-4, 250, Jr.) also will see action at tight end after a three-reception season last fall.

Certainly much of the Blazers' ability to run the football this fall will hinge on the success of the offensive line. Last year, UAB played a pair of true freshmen at its starting tackle positions for most of the season. Terence Edge (6-3, 295, So.) and Matt McCants (6-7, 295, So.) both started seven contests on the line last fall.

The anchor of the offensive line is junior Jake Seitz (6-2, 290) who has started 23 of the last 24 games at center for the Blazers. Seitz could be back at center in 2008 or he may be shifted to left guard where he saw a substantial amount of action during spring practice. If Seitz lines up at guard, look for redshirt freshman Caleb Thomas (6-3, 290) to take over the starting job at center. Thomas started the season opener last season at Michigan State but an early season injury cut his first year of collegiate action short.

Willie Thompson (6-6, 295, Jr.) saw reserve action last season with three starts. He is listed No. 2 at left tackle heading into fall practice. Joseph Waller (6-4, 290, So.) and Sean Dailey (6-3, 265, R-Fr.) will be in the mix for playing time on the offensive line this fall. Daniel Seahorn (6-5, 295, Jr.) was one of three JC signees to enroll at UAB last January and participate in spring practice. Seahorn is now listed as the preseason starter at right tackle.

Ryan Roget (6-3, 295, Jr.), like Seahorn, enrolled early after transferring from Tyler (Texas) Junior College. Jared Koechner (6-5, 285, Jr.) enters his first season at UAB after playing at Fort Scott (Kan.) the past two seasons. The Blazers hope Koechner can help at tackle this fall.

Defense
The Blazers know they have to improve on the defensive side this season after ranking eighth in Conference USA in scoring defense and total defense, and 12th in the league in rushing defense.

A defensive line that featured three freshman starters in 2007 -- now a year older -- and the return of two preseason first-team all-conference selections give reason to believe this year's defense will be better.

Will Dunbar (6-2, 195, Sr.) has established himself as one of the top defensive players in C-USA at his safety position. He led the conference in tackles per game last season at 12.2, a figure that also ranked No. 4 nationally. Dunbar also had a pair of interceptions last season, one that he returned 21 yards for a score against Florida State. He has been tabbed all-conference the past two seasons, earning first-team accolades following the 2007 season. Dunbar has already been tabbed a preseason first-team selection by the league's coaches this past summer.

Dunbar wasn't the only Blazer named to the C-USA preseason first team. Linebacker Joe Henderson (6-2, 220, Sr.) also was a coaches' choice for first-team honors in the summer after recording 109 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and five sacks in 2007. Henderson has also been an all-conference selection the past two seasons.

Up front, defensive end Bryant Turner (6-2, 260, So.) and tackles Tim Davis (6-0, 280, So.) and D.J. Reese (6-4, 280, So.) combined for 30 starting assignments as freshmen in 2007. Turner registered 31 tackles last season and ranked second among Blazers with eight tackles for loss.

Davis and Reese were thrust into early action as true freshmen. Davis finished with 25 total tackles while Reese recorded 33.

Joe Happe (6-4, 260, Jr.) made 11 starts at defensive end last season and finished with 30 tackles, including 7.5 tackles for loss. Happe, along with Richard Carter (6-6, 265, Sr.), will see plenty of action on the defensive front this fall.

The Blazer coaches will be looking to develop additional depth on the line. Adam Arthur (6-285, R-Fr.) is listed as the backup at the nose position coming out of spring practice. Anthony Barnes (6-3, 255, Jr.), a JUCO recruit from Copiah-Lincoln CC, is one of the newcomers who could make an early impact on the defensive front. Barnes is expected to see an early opportunity at nose as will JC transfer David Decordova (6-2, 280, Jr.) at defensive tackle. Decordova, a California native, spent the past two seasons at El Camino College in Torrance, Calif.

Linebacker was an area that was beset with injuries last season. By the last two games of the 2007 season, the Blazers were traveling to Memphis and Marshall hardly able to go two-deep at each of their linebacking positions.

Henderson is capable of being an outstanding performer with his athleticism but strives to be more consistent for the Blazers. He is listed No. 1 at sam linebacker entering fall camp. Newcomer Kyle Roget (6-1, 235, So.), Ryan's brother, had the benefit of enrolling in January at UAB and taking part in spring practice. His efforts impressed the coaches enough that Kyle is listed at the top of the depth chart at mike linebacker after spring drills.

Mike Tashman (6-0, 210, So.) battled injuries last season but finished with 64 stops and earned C-USA All-Freshman honors.

At the will linebacker spot, Keon Harris (5-11, 205, So.) saw increased action as the 2007 season went along, finishing with 26 tackles. He is listed No. 1 at the will position, ahead of B.J. Steed (6-1, 235, Jr.) who played in seven games, starting two, last season. Steed finished with 31 total tackles. Terry Thomas (6-1, 230, Sr.) stepped in late last season and did a solid job. Thomas is listed behind Roget at mike linebacker heading into fall practice.

Among the newcomers who could see a chance for early action will be Lamanski Ware (6-2, 205, Fr.), a product of Lanett (Ala.) High. Dunbar has received the most recognition of the Blazers in the defensive backfield, but the most experienced UAB player in the secondary is senior cornerback Kevin Sanders (5-11, 185), Sanders, generally regarded as the team's best cover corner, has started 29 games at corner for the Blazers in his career. He ranked sixth on the team in total tackles with 54 and also had a team-high three interceptions. Sanders has registered eight interceptions in his career to rank No. 6 on the all-time UAB charts.

Matt Taylor (5-11, 185, Sr.) started all 12 games at safety for the Blazers last season and finished the season ranked third on the team in tackles with 70. Brandon Carlisle (5-9, 185, Jr.) started five games at cornerback last season and though he missed spring drills coming back from injury, he is listed as a preseason starter. He finished with 40 tackles last season.

Brock Ferguson (6-2, 200, So.) played in six games last season with most of his action coming in the latter stages of the season. He will likely see more time this year at safety.

Ugonna Amarikwa (6-0, 180, R-Fr.) and Marquis Coleman (6-1, 185, R-Fr.) have yet to see their first action at the collegiate level after redshirt seasons last fall. Both of them are listed as backups entering fall camp and are expected to make contributions this season. A freshman, Chase Daniel (6-3, 190) from nearby Hoover High School, could also have a shot at some early playing time.

Special Teams
The Blazer special teams were much improved last season, both in the kicking and return games. Swayze Waters (6-2, 170, Sr.) was the best kicker in the country the first half of the 2007 season and went on to earn all-conference honors as he hit 22-of-28 field goals. Waters also handled punt duties and averaged 41.4 yards to rank No. 4 in C-USA.

Sanders (10.6 per punt return) and Forrest (22.0 per kick return) both had returns for touchdowns last season and are always threats in that role.

Jeff Hamby (6-2, 205, Sr.) will handle the snapping duties for the third season in a row.