RE: FIU vs. UAB Official Game Thread
Prior to the season, most everybody with ties and knowledge of FIU would say that the strongest part of our defense was unquestionably our secondary. We return our leading tacklers and interceptions from last year in our safeties, plus we got back our best player...Richard Leonard.....to be our starting cornerback while having the top 2 cornerbacks from 2013 return. Leonard is a great CB, but his main problem is he's too short. Our weakest point prior to the season was thought to be our inexperienced and young linebacker corps, while questions abounded in the DL's inside players.
But so far, the Defensive Ends have been playing spectacularly, with the inside DL's holding their own. I believe our team is ranking fairly high nationally in sacks (tied for 6th, and 2nd in conference). Our freshmen and sophomore linebackers have been a very, very pleasant surprise, as they have surpassed some of the juniors manning that position earlier. The depth has improved there significantly. However, we've been burned several times in the backfield, which was a supposed strong point of the defense. FIU has talented corners for sure. Our safeties have not played up to their capabilities at times, which has caused big plays for the opposition. Still, at this point statistically, the FIU secondary ranks #1 in C-USA in terms of yards allowed per game, but only 6th (just below UAB) in pass defense efficiency.
It sure looks like a bad matchup for FIU, as UAB has been solid in pretty much every facet of the game (except perhaps punting). They don't allow sacks (a strenght of ours), they defense against the run is good, they run the ball very well, they pass very well, they make their FG's, they score a lot, and also rank high in points allowed for their defense. Not liking this whatsoever.
Here's hoping for an upset, but unfortunately it would be too difficult, and I don't see it. Good luck the rest of the way.
Go Panthers!
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