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https://www.kevinscarbinsky.com/post/is-...019-season

(08-25-2019 03:05 PM)WesternBlazer Wrote:  https://www.kevinscarbinsky.com/post/is-...019-season

Has anyone really looked at the schedule?

It's got a good mix of Seniors, Juniors, and Sophomores. Granted alot are red shirted, but it's not like they are totally green high schoolers.

If I'm missing something fill me in

Maybe it is just me, but that article did not fill me with tons of confidence!

Rebuilding. A good year in store but next year will be great.

We've known for years now that year 3 after the return would be tougher because of the way the team was built. For the sake of short term success, the staff relied on JUCOs and transfers, and I think we'd all agree that has paid off in spades, considering we're defending a title this year. Year 3 is when we lose so much of that experience, which means we're in a rebuild year. I think everyone has had, and still has, realistic expectations about our 2019 outlook, but I also think that 2020 looks to be a special year. And I think it was our early success, on the backs of those 2-year players, that created the momentum that will take us there. So, even if we take a step back this year, the long-term strategy was correct.

No two teams in collegiate sports are identical in talent or experience, even in consecutive seasons. Even top P5 teams have to refill gaps left year to year by changed personnel. This season's team chemistry has been established in the spring and fall camps of this year with minimal carryover from 2018, and the process will be repeated next season. FBHC Clark seems to have a firm handle on the situation UAB faces so I expect few bad surprises and several good ones.

In my opinion, what shows our program growth is that a rebuilding year is still looking like 8 wins.

The key this year is the schedule. It's a brilliant piece of work. The schedule is back loaded so that the toughest games (at least based on past records) are at the end giving everyone a chance to get quality playing time. In our case knowing that this year was coming this took a lot of planning and forethought

Its not yet clear to anyone that the offensive line and pass rush are going to be strong this year. Hopefully they will but anlot of new faces and interesting personnel arrangements in the depth chart.

(08-25-2019 03:37 PM)rook360 Wrote:  

(08-25-2019 03:05 PM)WesternBlazer Wrote:  https://www.kevinscarbinsky.com/post/is-...019-season

Has anyone really looked at the schedule?

It's got a good mix of Seniors, Juniors, and Sophomores. Granted alot are red shirted, but it's not like they are totally green high schoolers.

If I'm missing something fill me in

We have more older, experienced players than you would think for a school that lost 35 seniors, even though there's not that much experience at UAB. We talk about having loaded up heavily on junior college players the first year and then moving toward high schoolers this year, but we still are fairly heavy juco and transfers.

Eight of the eleven offensive linemen on the depth chart are juco products, including four starters. All three starting WR's are from juco. If you count Thair Blakes (listed as a co-starter at TE), EIGHT of our offensive starters are from jucos. Add Grossman, Haden, Wooden, Prince and RaJae and much of our depth at the skill positions are also transfers.

On defense, all four starting defensive linemen played junior college. Two of our starting linebackers are transfers from four-year schools as is our starter at the star.

The defensive backfield is largely high school products but several backups (Dawkins, Brooks, Marshall) are transfers, two from four-year schools.

The in bound talent level in all CUSA is fairly even. Coaching, conditioning, nutrition and coaching make most of the difference. Obviously recruiting better potential talent makes a difference. Developing that potential makes the most difference.
Can UAB make the winning plays again this year?
I am going to enjoy how this season unfolds.
Go Blazers. Get W #1 this week.