2011 UAB Blazers Football Preview

Neil Callaway enters his fifth season as head coach in Birmingham with his job on the line – there’s no other way to say it. The time for results in Birmingham was actually last year, and the Blazers fell short of their goals. Having been given one more season to get things right in the Deep South, Callaway – a former offensive coordinator under Mark Richt at Georgia – is left with no more margin for error. It’s bowl-game-or-bust for this steadfastly subpar program.

Callaway has been unable to score a winning season thus far as the UAB boss, and he is trying to get the Blazers to bowl eligibility, a destination met just one time in the program’s 15-year history in the Football Bowl Subdivision. With 16 returning starters, the 2011 UAB squad may be ready to take the next step; it needs to be. Quarterback Bryan Ellis, who started the final eight games for the Blazers in 2010, threw for nearly 3,000 yards and 25 touchdowns. Ellis and running back Pat Shed were the key cogs in a Blazer offense which amassed over 5,000 yards of total offense. Linebacker Marvin Burdette and defensive tackle Elliott Henigan will anchor a Blazer defense that was actually decent for most of last season, but must improve even more if bowl eligibility is to be gained this year.

In 2010, the Blazers certainly showed some signs of progress on a few specific gamedays. UAB lost at Tennessee  by only three points - 32-29 - in overtime and at Mississippi State by only five, 29-24. Yet, the Blazers have to be able to close the sale when they get the chance; as well as they competed against SEC foes last season, they should have been able to win at least one of those two tilts against America’s best college football conference. Not two or three, but five – yes, five - missed field goals by kicker Josh Zaun prevented the Blazers from winning in Knoxville against Tennessee. Had that game fallen into the win column, UAB’s demeanor and performance could have taken turns for the better, but of course, “coulda-shoulda-woulda” is the classic refrain for a team that fails to reach the next level. The Blazers also gacked against a mediocre Florida Atlantic team and lost two games they had no business dropping, against Marshall (at home) and Rice (on the road). UAB owned more talent than either Marshall or Rice, so that pair of face-plants is what ultimately prevented the Blazers from reaching the 6-6 mark. Throw in the Tennessee kicking debacle, and this team really should have been 7-5 last year. In 2011, this team has to get it right.

Time will tell whether this year’s version of the Blazers will rise to the challenge. An opening weekend trip to Florida may be too much to bear. Mississippi State comes to town during the second week of October. Difficult road contest against Tulsa and East Carolina will be challenging. The Blazers do get UCF and Southern Miss at home.

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