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| | Monday, September 6 | |||||
| 1998 Record: 4-7 (competed as independent in 1998) | 1998 statistics | 1999 schedule Head coach: Watson Brown Returning starters: 15 (offense 7, defense 6) Outlook The first steps into Conference USA don't promise to be very easy for UAB. Seven starters are back on offense and six on defense, giving the team some continuity as it moves out of the ranks of the independents. A switch from the option to pro-set offense means some players will need to learn new skills, but new coordinator Pat Sullivan -- the 1971 Heisman Trophy winner and the former TCU head coach -- likes what he sees so far. Head coach Watson Brown has been with the Blazers since they resuscitated the program in 1995 and seeing the team make it to a major I-A conference is a nice achievement. Now the team needs to go out and win some games. Offense Sullivan's new offense will demand that quarterback Daniel Dixon pass the ball much more than he did last season. Dixon, a junior, was 69 for 139 for 870 yards last season. He'll also have to do better than his one TD, six INT performance. Brown noted that Dixon had a strong spring, helped by the fact that Lee Jolly missed spring practice because he was playing baseball. Jolly had seen some time at QB last season but Dixon looks solid at starter. Leading rusher Lucious Foster was kicked off the team but the rest of the backfield is deep -- nearly everyone else who touched the ball last year are back. Junior college transfer Carl Fair could come in and steal the job. Although the Blazers didn't pass much last season, they do return leading receiver Darrius Malone. The senior caught 24 passes for 530 yards, the only receiver to gain more than 227 yards through the air. Quarterback Earnest Ross moved to receiver and should help that unit. Three of five starters are back on the offensive line but that's the group that will have to adjust the most from the switch away from the option. The line won't be set until well into fall practice because of the influx of junior college transfers. It's a good sign if: Dixon's spring was a sign that he was grasping the nuances of the new offense.It's a bad sign if: No running game emerges and Dixon has to do everything himself. Defense UAB's secondary features the defense's only star, safety Kris Neal. The senior earned preseason all-conference honors after recording a team-high 92 tackles last season. Also returning in the defensive backfield are cornerbacks Dwight Platt and James Williams and safety Wes Foss. Although the team needs to replace both run-stoppers from last season's defensive line, this year's unit will be much quicker. Sophomore Eddie Freeman has moved inside to shore up that weakness. End Bryan Thomas is the other holdover from last season. Linebacker has very little experience coming back. Darnell Stiell is the only returning starter, and the 6-1, 195-pound senior will be asked to lead a group of unknowns. It's a good sign if: Neal continues to shine as the defense's star (he should get plenty of chances).It's a bad sign if: The defense can't ramp up to stop CUSA-caliber players. Special Teams Jake Arians has the stronger leg, but Rhett Gallego has more accuracy. Last season, Gallego set a school record by hitting seven straight field goals. Lee Carter returns at punter after the team finally settled on him last season. Maurice Gallery will handle the return game. -- Greg Collins |
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