The unofficial online home for fans of the UAB Blazers. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

I've been awake roughly an hour. Rolled up to the Lonely Mountain at exactly 4:11 am. Holy catfish, what a day.

Rode down with Attalla, DM, and another member of TVF, and had a hell of a good time. Birmingham. Tuscaloosa. Meridian. Hattiesburg. A whole lot of nothing in between. My apologies if I've besmirched some quaint little village of which you are fond.

We didn't just win a game. We beat them down. I can't remember the last time I'd seen a more thorough second half dismantling of another team like that. A pretty good team. An eleven point favorite team.

Anywho, on to the observations:

The Good

1. Spencer. Freakin'. Brown. 33 carries. 209 yards. Including 157 second half soul-crushing yards. Remember, this man child was a Mortimer Jordan Blue Devil exactly one year ago. Imagine when he's had a year at a D1 weight room and training table. I don't think the Jordan Howard comparisons are premature. Speaking of...

2. Something about Hattiesburg.

• Jordan Howard, 256 yards. 2014
• Darrin Reaves, 223 yards. 2012
• Spencer Brown, 209 yards. 2017
  

3.D. Fense. Completely smothered them. Completely. It started right after the first play from scrimmage. And I mean RIGHT after. We set the tone on the damn extra point.

USM's possessions, after their second field goal at 8:10 in the second quarter (where they started on our 36):

6 plays, punt.
3 plays, punt.
3 plays, punt.
4 plays, punt.
3 plays, punt.
3 plays, punt.
6 plays, turnover on downs.
8 plays, interception.
4 plays, ball game.

Destruction. Total. Complete. Particularly...

4. Tevin Crews. Dude has very quietly been a damn tackling machine this year. Leading the team, with another NINE last night.

5. Offensive efficiency. "OJ Nerdly" was a solid 16/29 for 208 yards and one TD, on a hell of a catch by Hayden Pittman. Goldilocks went up over the defender and ripped it down. It's nice when we remember the tight end is an eligible receiver. Oh, and a word on Erdely. I like this kid. Nice guy. Quiet, soft-spoken, but there's definitely a low key vibe that he'd kick your ass if you pissed him off. Clean, efficient game. Took care of the ball. Hit a couple of really nice throws. 10 of 19 on third down. We can win like this.

5. Andre Wilson. What he lacks in JJ Nelson speed, he makes up for in Thomas Cox daring. I've always said you have to be a little bit crazy to return punts. AW is a little bit crazy.

6. The home crowd. And by "home" I mean us. When we went up 8, it was OUR Rock. The band (and grudging kudos to Punkinhead for making that happen), the fans, and the Viking clap.

7. Waffle House is clearly the place to be at 11 o'clock on a Saturday night in Laurel, MS. Between a bunch of kids fresh off a homecoming dance, the sexy cop and her inmate date, some really nice USM fans, and us, the joint was jumpin'.

8. Southern Miss fans. Invariably the nicest fans I've encountered on the road.

The Bad

1. First play from scrimmage. I've watched a lot of football, and I don't think I've ever seen anyone not from Midfield and named JJ that wide open. We completely lost him.

2. Some kid sitting behind us screaming, "HOLDING" on every single offensive play we had. You know that nerve-grinding, screechy sound we only make when we're whining during the throes of puberty? That sound that, when translated, means, "Punch me. Hard"? That sound. The bright side was he was part of the exodus when we went up 8. Speaking of which...

3.Southern Miss fans. I am loathe to call out other fan bases on attendance, but an important conference game the week after a miracle win the previous week? Guy at Waffle House said it. "Two weeks ago they said it was too hot. Tonight they'll say it was too cold." Not one more word from them about our attendance. They claimed 19K, and the kindest word I can use to describe that number is "hallucinatory". Even worse, those that DID come bailed on their team when they were still very much in it. I was very surprised.

The Ugly

1. I mentioned the exodus, right?

Best Wish-fulfillment of the night

Attalla: "I don't want to be greedy, but a pick six to ice it would be so great right now."
Me: "A little icing on the cake?"
Then, BAM!

Best trolling of your own fanbase

After the pick-6, the PA started playing Sam Hunt. The fireworks were a nice touch.

Worst Smack

USM fan, when told UAB had won 6 of the last 7 in the series, "Yeah? Well, when you lose Clark, you'll go back to being the old UAB". Dude, Neil Callaway and Garrick friggin' McGee own 4 of those 6 victories.

So, what does this mean, Barbara?

Bowl talk is back on the table. Seriously. Start thinking about your holiday schedule. Show up. Bring a friend or 3. Beat Rice.

That's all I got. For now. I think.

Quote:[*]Jordan Howard, 256 yards. 2014
[*]Darrin Reaves, 223 yards. 2012
[*]Spencer Brown, 209 yards. 2017

When you get to Hattiesburg, you feel like running.

(10-29-2017 02:29 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  

Quote:[*]Jordan Howard, 256 yards. 2014
[*]Darrin Reaves, 223 yards. 2012
[*]Spencer Brown, 209 yards. 2017

When you get to Hattiesburg, you feel like running.

That's three different USM head coaches.

How about the late-4th-quarter "strategy" by Southern Miss? That was pretty ugly. I'm glad they couldn't get it together, but they were only down by 11 for a long time. Maybe our defense is just that great?

The odds diminished when we showed up . ! .

Brown needs to either trim down or just work on his stamina in the off-season so he can finish long runs. It looks like he starts to run out of gas after about 50 yards.

I think the 2014 offense was better than this offense. And this defense is better than 2014. Defense wins championships. Let's see if we can stop Rice and out score them to continue our run at the chip this year.

(10-29-2017 04:02 PM)cb4029 Wrote:  Brown needs to either trim down or just work on his stamina in the off-season so he can finish long runs. It looks like he starts to run out of gas after about 50 yards.

Having less than 33 carries and 209 yards would leave a little more in the tank.

I agree he seemed to run out of gas at the end of that run, but again, he was playing high school ball last year.

Sent from my XT1565 using CSNbbs mobile app

he is over 200 pounds , he will be short of breath every time he run over 40 yards

If he runs for 200+ I won't complain. Btw he is a Freshman and will be in better shape next season after a full college offseason. I am fine with his production.

33 carries, 209 yards.

Yea. I refuse to complain about anything. I'll enjoy the win.

Same recipe against Rice. End every drive in a kick and get off the field on D more times than not on third down

I listened to part of the USM post-game show. Their player of the game...their punter.

LOL! That’s better than me hanging out with the Mean Green punter in the club level seats.

(10-29-2017 03:26 PM)thebernreuter Wrote:  How about the late-4th-quarter "strategy" by Southern Miss? That was pretty ugly. I'm glad they couldn't get it together, but they were only down by 11 for a long time. Maybe our defense is just that great?

The biggest head scratcher on their end was calling a QB draw down by 2 scores with only 1:50 left with no timeouts.

(10-29-2017 06:53 PM)hooverblazer Wrote:  

(10-29-2017 03:26 PM)thebernreuter Wrote:  How about the late-4th-quarter "strategy" by Southern Miss? That was pretty ugly. I'm glad they couldn't get it together, but they were only down by 11 for a long time. Maybe our defense is just that great?

The biggest head scratcher on their end was calling a QB draw down by 2 scores with only 1:50 left with no timeouts.

I'd probably call a QB draw too if my QB had just thrown a TD pass to the other team.

(10-30-2017 08:35 AM)Pavy78 Wrote:  

(10-29-2017 06:53 PM)hooverblazer Wrote:  

(10-29-2017 03:26 PM)thebernreuter Wrote:  How about the late-4th-quarter "strategy" by Southern Miss? That was pretty ugly. I'm glad they couldn't get it together, but they were only down by 11 for a long time. Maybe our defense is just that great?

The biggest head scratcher on their end was calling a QB draw down by 2 scores with only 1:50 left with no timeouts.

I'd probably call a QB draw too if my QB had just thrown a TD pass to the other team.

The draw was before the pick 6

(10-30-2017 08:44 AM)blazerball25 Wrote:  

(10-30-2017 08:35 AM)Pavy78 Wrote:  

(10-29-2017 06:53 PM)hooverblazer Wrote:  

(10-29-2017 03:26 PM)thebernreuter Wrote:  How about the late-4th-quarter "strategy" by Southern Miss? That was pretty ugly. I'm glad they couldn't get it together, but they were only down by 11 for a long time. Maybe our defense is just that great?

The biggest head scratcher on their end was calling a QB draw down by 2 scores with only 1:50 left with no timeouts.

I'd probably call a QB draw too if my QB had just thrown a TD pass to the other team.

The draw was before the pick 6

You are correct, it occurred after the draw.

(10-29-2017 05:07 PM)thebernreuter Wrote:  

(10-29-2017 04:02 PM)cb4029 Wrote:  Brown needs to either trim down or just work on his stamina in the off-season so he can finish long runs. It looks like he starts to run out of gas after about 50 yards.

Having less than 33 carries and 209 yards would leave a little more in the tank.

I dont think he was running out of gas, he just wasnt faster than the d backs who were catching up with him.

(10-30-2017 10:48 AM)BlazrDawg Wrote:  

(10-29-2017 05:07 PM)thebernreuter Wrote:  

(10-29-2017 04:02 PM)cb4029 Wrote:  Brown needs to either trim down or just work on his stamina in the off-season so he can finish long runs. It looks like he starts to run out of gas after about 50 yards.

Having less than 33 carries and 209 yards would leave a little more in the tank.

I dont think he was running out of gas, he just wasnt faster than the d backs who were catching up with him.

Yep, not his playing style.