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Blazers try to bounce back before SMU

Posted on Sep 06, 2010 in Sports

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UAB’s football team will have a decided advantage Saturday when it squares off against Conference USA foe SMU.
The Blazers, who last played on Sept. 2, will enjoy three extra days of rest and preparation than its opponent, which played Sunday. UAB will likely use the additional time to work on its downfield passing game and to figure out how to eliminate big plays.

In its season-opening 32-31 loss to Florida Atlantic, Blazers quarterback David Isabelle threw for 79 yards, but completed just four passes to wide receivers for 31 yards. Isabelle, who ran for 233 yards and accounted for four touchdowns, said the passing game was ineffective “due to the way FAU played us.” The Owls soft defense allowed the Blazers to run for 345 yards, averaging 7.3 yards per carry as a team.

While Isabelle may have a point, finding an excuse for a defense that gave up four big plays against the Owls’ offense might be more difficult. Junior cornerback Terrell Springs was in one-on-one coverage against Florida Atlantic’s Lester Jean on touchdown catches of 25 and 77 yards in the second quarter. In fairness to Springs, however, he had tight coverage on both passes and Jean made a spectacular one-handed grab on the second score.

The Blazers gave up another long touchdown when a busted assignment allowed Owls tailback Willie Floyd to float out of the backfield uncovered on a wheel route that covered 43 yards.

The game-winning score for FAU came when Alfred Morris took the ball down the right sideline past the defensive line, then broke four tackles and covered 38 yards to the endzone.

“For the most part, we stopped the run. We just missed tackles,” said junior defensive tackle Elliott Henigan. “That’s the thing that hurt us the most—and deep passes.”

The miscues in UAB’s secondary—which gave up 254 yards passing and missed critical tackles against FAU—will have to be corrected before Saturday’s matchup with SMU’s run-‘n‘-shoot offense that relies on short throws and long runs after the catch.

“They’ll be in four-wide sets a lot of the time,” said UAB coach Neil Callaway. “Every time they spread you out four-wide it puts stress on your defense, so we have to make sure we’re ready for that.”

Last year the Mustangs picked apart the UAB secondary for 353 yards en route to a 35-33 win at Legion Field. However, turnovers contributed to last season’s loss when the Blazers gave up the ball five times.

“Last year we didn’t have such a great game against them,” said Isabelle, who saw limited action in the loss. “We had turnover issues, so it will definitely be important to cut down on those.”

By losing its opener in such dramatic fashion—especially after enjoying a 16-point second-half lead—the Blazers do not want to fall into a 0-2 hole to start the season.

“That game [against SMU] is extremely important,” senior defensive end Bryant Turner said of the SMU game. “We need a win bad, and it needs to be the next game.”

UAB will kickoff at 7 p.m. Saturday from Dallas, Texas, to face a Mustangs team it has never beaten.
 

Email: btrippe@uab.edu




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