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QB named for 2010 season; Isabelle named quarterback, will lead 2010 offense

Posted on Aug 30, 2010 in Sports

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The race to fill the shoes of one of the most explosive players in UAB football history has been an ongoing process for nine months. Dynamic playmaking quarterback Joe Webb’s graduation left a gaping hole in the Blazers’ offense and led to an open competition that lasted through the spring and into fall camp.

Last week Sophomore David Isabelle emerged from a pack of five signal callers that included the injury-plagued yet strong-armed junior, Bryan Ellis. UAB head coach Neil Callaway named Isabelle the starter, just two weeks before the Blazers will host Florida Atlantic at Legion Field Thursday at 7 p.m.

“[Isabelle] clearly won it on the field,” said Callaway. “He’s throwing the ball well. He’s a good athlete and manages the game well.”

Isabelle, who plays a similar running style as the departed Webb, saw action in all 12 games last year as a viable backup. The Huntsville native was second on the team with 288 rushing yards on 32 carries a year ago, but connected on just 6-of-14 passes for 39 yards.

“The biggest thing as the quarterback is you have to be able to manage the game,” said Callaway. “[Isabelle] brings a little more athleticism to the position and that ought to help him.”

Ellis, who will still see the field as Isabelle’s backup, missed the entire 2008 season and eight games last year due to injuries. The setbacks gave Isabelle, who has seen significantly more live action, the upper hand.

“I’ve always prepared like I was going to be the starter,” said Isabelle. “So I’ve had the same motivation and the same drive ever since spring practice.

“With me or [Ellis] the offense would run smoothly. Last year we ran a spread where the quarterback had to be mobile. Coach [Callaway] knew that when he recruited me. He knew what kind of player [Webb] was and that I could fill in behind him quite comfortably.” Florida Atlantic will bring a pro-style attack into Birmingham and is led by junior running back Alfred Morris. Aside from leading the Sun Belt Conference in rushing a year ago with 1,392 yards, Morris is already the school’s all-time leading rusher and is on the Doak Walker Award watch list.

In addition to Morris, the Owls bring back senior quarterback Jeff Van Camp, who started the last five games of 2009 when starter Rusty Smith went down with an injury. Van Camp’s first start last year was against UAB, when he threw for 254 yards and three touchdowns in the Owls’ 56-29 loss to the Blazers.

“Florida Atlantic is a very explosive, offensive football team,” said Callaway. “Even though we won the ball game last year, they put up [29] points and over 500 yards of offense.”

Van Camp threw his only two interceptions of the year against the Blazers, and Morris was held to just 60 rushing yards, his lowest output of the season. Although Florida Atlantic’s offense averaged 422 yards last year, 15th among all FBS schools, it brings back just three starters and must replace the entire offensive line.

“They’ve got everybody coming back on defense,” retorted Callaway. “They have a lot of team speed. They have an outstanding kicker and punter. They’ll be a very well-coached, well-rounded football team.”

Though Florida Atlantic returns nine starters, its defense was the weak link a year ago, giving up 33.8 points per game, 106th out of 120 FBS teams. Isabelle will look to take advantage of the Owls’ defense, which gave up touchdowns on the Blazers’ first eight drives a year ago.

As for trying to replace Webb’s enormous shoes, Isabelle has spent the past two years under the tutelage of a quarterback who accounted for 65 touchdowns the past two seasons. It is finally his turn to lead this team.

“[Webb] always talked to me and showed me how to carry the offense,” said Isabelle. “He passed the torch on to me, and I feel like I have to own up to it and respect the position and just go out there every day and work hard.”
 

Email: btrippe@uab.edu




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