08-03-2005, 08:28 AM
C-USA notebook
Third-place pick isn't to UAB's liking
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
UAB received the third most votes when the Conference USA football coaches voted Monday on the predicted order of finish for the 2005 season. UAB cornerback Carlos Hendricks remembers a day when that would have been great news.
"Two years ago, if we were picked third, we would be like `Man, that's great,'" said Hendricks, a fifth-year senior who missed last season with a knee injury. "Now we see it like a slap in the face almost. Everybody on our team, we feel like the C-USA title has to come through Birmingham. We feel like we're top dogs. Not being cocky or anything, we're just real confident."
Hendricks found a positive note to being picked behind UTEP and Southern Miss.
"If we would have been No. 1 we might have gotten a big head or something," Hendricks said. "We were picked No. 3, so we feel like it's added motivation."
Holtz finds he has work ahead at ECU:
Not that it was a mystery before he took over at East Carolina, but first-year head coach Skip Holtz quickly learned just how much work lies ahead.
"This isn't a turn-key operation, that's for sure," said Holtz, who took over a program that won three games the past three seasons. "You don't come in, turn the key, and press the gas. There's more to it than that. This is going to be a long haul."
Holtz said the nature of recruiting dictates it will take some time.
"Recruiting is the most over-analyzed, over-publicized thing for success in the short run," Holtz said. "I've got to preface this - recruiting is the most important thing we do. I'm not saying it's not. But people think a great recruiting class results in wins that next fall. People aren't lining up and winning with freshmen."
It's all in the name - one name:
Part of Memphis head coach Tommy West's message when he recruiting star running back DeAngelo Williams was "everybody will know you by one name."
"I went through my whole little spiel of Deion and Tiger and Madonna and all the people when you say one name they know you," West said. "If you say DeAngelo in this town, they know who you are talking about. There's not a DeAngelo Smith around that's got attention. They know who he is. He's made it."
Compiled by News staff writer Steve Irvine. Write him at sirvine@bhamnews.com
Third-place pick isn't to UAB's liking
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
UAB received the third most votes when the Conference USA football coaches voted Monday on the predicted order of finish for the 2005 season. UAB cornerback Carlos Hendricks remembers a day when that would have been great news.
"Two years ago, if we were picked third, we would be like `Man, that's great,'" said Hendricks, a fifth-year senior who missed last season with a knee injury. "Now we see it like a slap in the face almost. Everybody on our team, we feel like the C-USA title has to come through Birmingham. We feel like we're top dogs. Not being cocky or anything, we're just real confident."
Hendricks found a positive note to being picked behind UTEP and Southern Miss.
"If we would have been No. 1 we might have gotten a big head or something," Hendricks said. "We were picked No. 3, so we feel like it's added motivation."
Holtz finds he has work ahead at ECU:
Not that it was a mystery before he took over at East Carolina, but first-year head coach Skip Holtz quickly learned just how much work lies ahead.
"This isn't a turn-key operation, that's for sure," said Holtz, who took over a program that won three games the past three seasons. "You don't come in, turn the key, and press the gas. There's more to it than that. This is going to be a long haul."
Holtz said the nature of recruiting dictates it will take some time.
"Recruiting is the most over-analyzed, over-publicized thing for success in the short run," Holtz said. "I've got to preface this - recruiting is the most important thing we do. I'm not saying it's not. But people think a great recruiting class results in wins that next fall. People aren't lining up and winning with freshmen."
It's all in the name - one name:
Part of Memphis head coach Tommy West's message when he recruiting star running back DeAngelo Williams was "everybody will know you by one name."
"I went through my whole little spiel of Deion and Tiger and Madonna and all the people when you say one name they know you," West said. "If you say DeAngelo in this town, they know who you are talking about. There's not a DeAngelo Smith around that's got attention. They know who he is. He's made it."
Compiled by News staff writer Steve Irvine. Write him at sirvine@bhamnews.com