08-25-2005, 11:23 PM
Blazers' Hackney is state's best quarterback
Easy Writer by SCOTT ADAMSON
BIRMINGHAM POST-HERALD
Will Brodie Croyle stay healthy and, if so, will he go down as one of the best quarterbacks in Alabama football history?
Can Brandon Cox pick up where Jason Campbell left off and guide the Auburn Tigers to another championship season?
Two good questions, but questions that won't be answered for several months.
Yet for all the hype surrounding Croyle and all the hope surrounding Cox, both quarterbacks will be playing second fiddle to Darrell Hackney. The UAB signal caller is head and shoulders the best triggerman in the state, and should shatter all Blazer passing records before the weather even turns cool.
Already Hackney has been named to the prestigious Maxwell Award, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm and Davey O'Brien Watch lists, and is a leading candidate to be the first team All-Conference USA quarterback. Put Hackney on a "big name" team and he would be getting Heisman buzz.
Just look at what he has accomplished over three seasons.
He is a mere 714 yards short of the school record for passing yards, which currently stands at 7,420. He is 11th all-time in C-USA passing yards, as well as 11th in most touchdown passes thrown, hurling a single-season best 26 last year.
Like Croyle, Hackney has battled injuries. As a sophomore he was on track to rewrite the school record books until his season was derailed by a thumb injury in October. Last year he was forced to play hurt much of the time, but still managed 3,070 passing yards to lead the league.
This year Hackney will have plenty of chances to prove his worth to a large audience.
UAB opens on national TV at Tennessee, and if the 6-1, 235-pound senior can somehow come up big against the Vols secondary, who knows? Perhaps Hackney will become a household name in college football circles, and maybe talking heads will actually stop referring to his team as Alabama-Birmingham.
In his career, Hackney has completed 452 of 860 passes for 6,706 yards and a staggering 49 touchdowns. Keep in mind these numbers were rolled up on one mediocre team (last year's 7-5 club) and two teams that finished with losing records (5-7 in both 2003 and 2002).
This year — finally — Hackney could have the complete package to complement his skills.
Although Roddy White is gone, UAB has plenty of quality receivers. And this year the Blazers should have one of its best rushing attacks, meaning Hackney won't be forced to spend the bulk of each game running for his life.
And if the defense can actually stop opposing offenses — something it forgot how to do midway through 2004 — that'll give Hackney more time on the field and more time to put up points.
For Croyle, it's a case of having one year to display all the promise that has been overshadowed by injury. Had he stayed healthy, he might've been a record-setting QB at the Capstone, but the young man has never had that luxury.
For Cox, the burden is stepping into a role held by a quarterback who guided his team to its best season in school history.
But there are not nearly as many "what ifs" in the case of Darrell Hackney. Even with a less than stellar supporting cast, he has proven to be the best signal caller in UAB history and one of the best to ever play for a school with an Alabama address.
Croyle and Cox might lead their teams to terrific seasons. I hope they do.
But throw them into the mix with Hackney and make me choose who I want leading the offense, and the number comes up "4" every time.
Easy Writer appears Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday in the Birmingham Post-Herald.
Easy Writer by SCOTT ADAMSON
BIRMINGHAM POST-HERALD
Will Brodie Croyle stay healthy and, if so, will he go down as one of the best quarterbacks in Alabama football history?
Can Brandon Cox pick up where Jason Campbell left off and guide the Auburn Tigers to another championship season?
Two good questions, but questions that won't be answered for several months.
Yet for all the hype surrounding Croyle and all the hope surrounding Cox, both quarterbacks will be playing second fiddle to Darrell Hackney. The UAB signal caller is head and shoulders the best triggerman in the state, and should shatter all Blazer passing records before the weather even turns cool.
Already Hackney has been named to the prestigious Maxwell Award, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm and Davey O'Brien Watch lists, and is a leading candidate to be the first team All-Conference USA quarterback. Put Hackney on a "big name" team and he would be getting Heisman buzz.
Just look at what he has accomplished over three seasons.
He is a mere 714 yards short of the school record for passing yards, which currently stands at 7,420. He is 11th all-time in C-USA passing yards, as well as 11th in most touchdown passes thrown, hurling a single-season best 26 last year.
Like Croyle, Hackney has battled injuries. As a sophomore he was on track to rewrite the school record books until his season was derailed by a thumb injury in October. Last year he was forced to play hurt much of the time, but still managed 3,070 passing yards to lead the league.
This year Hackney will have plenty of chances to prove his worth to a large audience.
UAB opens on national TV at Tennessee, and if the 6-1, 235-pound senior can somehow come up big against the Vols secondary, who knows? Perhaps Hackney will become a household name in college football circles, and maybe talking heads will actually stop referring to his team as Alabama-Birmingham.
In his career, Hackney has completed 452 of 860 passes for 6,706 yards and a staggering 49 touchdowns. Keep in mind these numbers were rolled up on one mediocre team (last year's 7-5 club) and two teams that finished with losing records (5-7 in both 2003 and 2002).
This year — finally — Hackney could have the complete package to complement his skills.
Although Roddy White is gone, UAB has plenty of quality receivers. And this year the Blazers should have one of its best rushing attacks, meaning Hackney won't be forced to spend the bulk of each game running for his life.
And if the defense can actually stop opposing offenses — something it forgot how to do midway through 2004 — that'll give Hackney more time on the field and more time to put up points.
For Croyle, it's a case of having one year to display all the promise that has been overshadowed by injury. Had he stayed healthy, he might've been a record-setting QB at the Capstone, but the young man has never had that luxury.
For Cox, the burden is stepping into a role held by a quarterback who guided his team to its best season in school history.
But there are not nearly as many "what ifs" in the case of Darrell Hackney. Even with a less than stellar supporting cast, he has proven to be the best signal caller in UAB history and one of the best to ever play for a school with an Alabama address.
Croyle and Cox might lead their teams to terrific seasons. I hope they do.
But throw them into the mix with Hackney and make me choose who I want leading the offense, and the number comes up "4" every time.
Easy Writer appears Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday in the Birmingham Post-Herald.
Man, I love the coverage our team is getting this year. We've probably had more articles written this year than we have since the program started combined. At least more positive articles, anyways.