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Press Conference.

Looks like we start as 5.5 pt underdogs

(11-15-2021 11:56 AM)The Answer UAB Wrote: [ -> ]Looks like we start as 5.5 pt underdogs

Good.You generally get 3 to 5 pts just for being the home team.

Meaningless Stat Rankings

Run D
UTSA 6th
UAB 16th

Run O
UTSA 41
UAB 64

Pass O
UTSA 41
UAB 86

Pass D
UTSA 70
UAB 37

Time of possession
UTSA 44
UAB 22

Scoring O
UTSA 12
UAB 68

Points allowed
UTSA 16
UAB 34

3rd down O
UTSA 20
UAB 79

3rd down D
UTSA 27
UAB 26

Few Penalties
UTSA 9
UAB 128

RZ O
UTSA 45
UAB 79

RZ D
UTSA 7
UAB 79

Sacks
UTSA 40
UAB 39

Turnover margin
UTSA 9
UAB 56

SOS is a slight lean to us, due to UGA

Still not sure how I feel. We may very well be the best team UTSA has played all year, with Memphis and Illinois being hot garbage. And with our SOS, UTSA could have very well ended up with a similar record. However, they just know how to win. Find ways to pull it out. That’s something we haven’t been able to do this year against Rice and Liberty. I think this will be a great game, especially with the UAB “championship culture” they emphasize within the program. When the west is on the line, UAB always seems to play their best. But UTSA will want revenge. I expect a tossup. Traylor himself said he expects this game to be decided on the final play.

I expect it to go much like the App State game, but my buddies have been trying to convince me we’ve played the much tougher opponents.

we have to hit them in the mouth early. Can’t play from behind by too much of a deficit.

(11-15-2021 02:11 PM)Engblazr Wrote: [ -> ]Still not sure how I feel. We may very well be the best team UTSA has played all year, with Memphis and Illinois being hot garbage. And with our SOS, UTSA could have very well ended up with a similar record. However, they just know how to win. Find ways to pull it out. That’s something we haven’t been able to do this year against Rice and Liberty. I think this will be a great game, especially with the UAB “championship culture” they emphasize within the program. When the west is on the line, UAB always seems to play their best. But UTSA will want revenge. I expect a tossup. Traylor himself said he expects this game to be decided on the final play.

If it's truly that close of a matchup...then the end result will probably be dependent on turnovers and penalties. Neither of which bode well for us.

Going to be a really tough road game. Let's see what we have in the tank!

I had this one pegged as a likely loss at the beginning of the season. I think they are much improved over last year when we barely got the W at home. We will probably need to play a clean game and turn them over a couple of times to get the W.

if southern can run the ball on them ,,,,we can run the ball ,,,run the clock ,,,score and defense will press the qb a lot ,,,,,
I was more worry about the wv GAME

(11-16-2021 08:40 AM)UABFRENCHY Wrote: [ -> ]if southern can run the ball on them ,,,,we can run the ball ,,,run the clock ,,,score and defense will press the qb a lot ,,,,,
I was more worry about the wv GAME

It’s my understanding Southern Miss utilized the Wildcat Formation against UTSA last Saturday. UTSA likely didn’t prep for that twist. As indicated in the stats below, their run defense is typically outstanding. In fact UTSA’s run defense is fantastic.

Rushing yards given up UTSA:

Illinois - 150
Lamar - 89
MTSU - 8 (yes, 8!)
Memphis - 78
UNLV - 35
WKU - 147
Rice - 66
LT - 62
UTEP - 127
USM - 137

UTSA is having the kind of season I hoped UAB would have. The difference in stats rankings largely reflects two things: A slightly softer and more favorably cadenced schedule for UTSA (this really makes a difference, not just who you play but WHEN you play them), and a much lower level of self-defeating plays. They haven't beaten themselves, and that's a big improvement from the past two years. Lot of that is the QB making much better decisions and gaining the experience he needed, staying healthy.

These programs mirror each other in many ways. Definitely similar team culture and philosophies around physical play, big linemen, aggressive D, run-first mentality. These two head coaches seem to be extremely similar. Strategies are a little different, but UTSA likes to do what UAB does: Run the ball, hit you with big-chunk passing plays, take the run away from you and then chase that QB in bad down-distance situations. Big on "culture" and "family." Lots of respect there.

I'd like to think UAB would have similar results against the UTSA schedule, but I don't think we would have played clean enough ball to avoid dropping at least one. UTSA has won its two biggest games that easily could have been Ls (Illinois / Memphis). I'd rate those two as lesser teams than UGA, obviously, and lesser than Liberty (largely because of Willis the QB). They held off bad UNLV at home the way UAB held off bad Tulane on the road. I think Tulane is better than UNLV. They got their ugly one out of the way last week. UAB dropped its ugly one to Rice. They took care of business against Rice and La Tech, whereas UAB could have easily posted similar results but penalties, etc., prevented that.

Bottom line, UTSA has played cleaner than UAB all season. Otherwise, very similar talent. They haven't had a lot of adversity, haven't been rotating players in all over the place due to injuries. They also haven't yet really faced a team that could smack them in the mouth quite like UAB will try to do. I think it helps UAB to come in with the underdog label. I think we play better when back against wall.

Gonna be a war. Most physical team, with the fewest turnovers and penalties, will win this game. Glad it is going to continue in the AAC because I think these two programs are going to push each other bigtime over the years and become big rivals regardless of division. To go next level, I think it really matters to have someone you're competing against who pushes you to raise the bar.

My biggest concern is not being up for the challenge of playing in front of fans who are there to play a part in the game and that particular fanbase puts a bigger crowd in the Alamo dome the further this season progresses. Hope we aren’t overwhelmed like we are when we go to SEC stadiums.

This week's Blazer All Access

Biggest difference I see between the two teams: UTSA 38.6 ppg, UAB 27.8 ppg. The Runners execute on offense. As DD pointed out, they don't beat themselves.

San Antonio is undefeated, at home. They should win. Doesn't mean they will. I like UAB going in as an underdog.

(11-16-2021 12:50 PM)BlazerGreen Wrote: [ -> ]Biggest difference I see between the two teams: UTSA 38.6 ppg, UAB 27.8 ppg. The Runners execute on offense. As DD pointed out, they don't beat themselves.

San Antonio is undefeated, at home. They should win. Doesn't mean they will. I like UAB going in as an underdog.

They also haven't played the best defense in the country out of conference. They played two bad defenses in Memphis and Illinois, who combined couldn't be an all-star team on the level of Georgia's defense. LOL

(11-16-2021 12:53 PM)DuelingDragon Wrote: [ -> ]

(11-16-2021 12:50 PM)BlazerGreen Wrote: [ -> ]Biggest difference I see between the two teams: UTSA 38.6 ppg, UAB 27.8 ppg. The Runners execute on offense. As DD pointed out, they don't beat themselves.

San Antonio is undefeated, at home. They should win. Doesn't mean they will. I like UAB going in as an underdog.

They also haven't played the best defense in the country out of conference. They played two bad defenses in Memphis and Illinois, who combined couldn't be an all-star team on the level of Georgia's defense. LOL

True. Liberty's D isn't awful either. I think the difference really is in how cleanly each team plays. UAB doesn't have to be mistake free, that's not realistic. But if we keep it around the 6 penalties we had in WV, I won't be surprised if UAB wins. We have a good bit of experience in these games over the last few seasons.

This is the type of game Clark has made a living winning. Like it or not, these are the games he has indicated he cares about the most. I expect we will have the game plan in place to be competitive. Can we execute at the level we need to? Hopefully we can take care of the ball, and not destroy ourselves with penalties.

UTSA hasn't ever played a game with this much hype, attention and stakes. Maybe they're ready for that. Maybe not. UAB has been through the fire before. Does that experience matter Saturday?

Despite being one of the Debbie Downers, I have a pretty good feeling about this game. Controlling mistakes and the clock will be the keys. We've been in these games before with the conference on the line, and done well for the most part. We've never done it against a ranked team, but maybe, just maybe, we're the best team UTSA has played and we're coming in on a bit of a hot streak.

Turnovers, penalties, execution. We don't have to be perfect, just not terrible.