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

Wanted to collect a ton of data and compile it here for Year 1 in the AAC and the Dilfer Era.

Preseason Predictions

Most people had us 3-4.5 wins and they were spot on; 4 wins.
AAC Preseason Media Poll had us predicted at 8th and we ended up 9th.





Record of Schedule
This is the regular season record of the teams we played this year.
NC A&T (FCS): 1-10
Georgia Southern: 6-6
Louisiana: 6-6
Georgia: 12-0
Tulane: 11-1
USF: 6-6
UTSA: 8-4
Memphis: 9-3
FAU: 4-8
Navy: 5-6
Temple: 3-9
UNT: 5-7

As you can see USF is our best win.
All of our wins are against teams with losing records, but we also lost to teams with losing records. While yes, UGA, UTSA, Tulane, and Memphis were tough games, the rest of our schedule's records were 6-6 or worse.
We also didn't win a single game on the road. Last year we won 1 game on the road against a terrible La Tech team.

First Year Coaches Records AAC
USF: 6-6
Navy: 5-6
UNT: 5-7
UAB: 4-8
FAU: 4-8
Tulsa: 4-8
Charlotte: 3-9

USF is the only team with a first year head coach to go bowling - and they are our best win. They got the luck of the draw for their OOC and barely beat UCONN on the road earlier in the season.


Defensive and Second Half Woes

Before I get into defensive woes, I've been seeing people claim that with Dilfer's style of playing, he is fine if the other team scores 35 points if you score 42 points - the ole Big 12 style; however, looking at his last Lipscomb team, he was shutting out teams left and right.

https://www.coacht.com/tennessee/inside/...asonid=393

2022 Lipscomb had 5 shutouts, and the non-shutouts were an average of 12 points allowed. The most they allowed was 21 points.


Now back to UAB's defensive and second half woes.
Credit to AuburnBlazer on Twitter for these graphs.

https://twitter.com/AuburnBlazer/status/...9808117197


https://twitter.com/AuburnBlazer/status/...8948305314

Quote:UAB’s final quarter by quarter breakdown:

How many quarters did UAB “win” this season?

1st qtr: 5-6-1
2nd qtr: 9-3
3rd qtr: 3-7-2
4th qtr: 3-8-1

How many halves did UAB “win” this season?

1st half: 5-6-1
2nd half: 3-8-1

https://twitter.com/AuburnBlazer/status/...4283592098



https://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/team/28

The only AAC team worse than us in defense this year was UNT.
Not all first year AAC coaches had a terrible defenses: Navy (45), FAU (60), Charlotte (90).
If our defense was in the Top 90, I believe we would have gone bowling.

In my opinion we did exactly what everyone thought we would. As for our defensive struggles I don’t attribute that exclusively to DC and staff. They are new and need time but we also had clear position holes that went unaddressed and had a very young room. I’ve gotten crap for this opinion a Ross many threads and platforms but when your defense is out there all of the second half because the offense is going 3 and out in a minute or 2 of game time, I’m not shocked we give up points. The Navy game and UNT both at half seemed like solid defensive games that got blown up by a complete collapse on offense. The DC and defense are not blameless but we have to figure out how to adjust away from a game plan because it appears that each game the opposing coach makes an adjustment at half that just cuts our legs off. Can’t wait to see who we bring in this offseason, let’s Portal some beasts.

I'm on record as being a Dilfer defender, or at least agnostic, as you cant really judge him with the depleted roster he inherited. That said, the judging starts with this recruiting cycle. Because he prides himself on the culture he builds and the family atmosphere he creates for his players, It was a red flag to me that he wasnt able to recruit any of the talented players he coached in high school to come here. On the other hand, his staff did bring in some talented freshman on a shortened recruiting cycle. Can they keep them on campus or do we have a bunch of guys jump ship? Can he recruit an AAC caliber class now that he's had a year to work on it? If we have a bunch of guys jump ship and sign a bottom of the AAC recruiting class, then the alarm bells will start ringing for sure.

I am actually concerned about losing our freshmen in 2-3 years, not this year.(outside of a few) They aren't going to be offered a boat load of cash to be 3rd string or a project, they'll let us handle that part. But I do agree, this recruiting class will basically define the Dilfer era. We either are 100% certain we have in house fixes for some of our holes, or we recruit those positions with guys ready to go tomorrow all off season. A poor recruiting class here will end the Dilfer era before it ever really started.

Yep. If he don’t think coaching will be the issue going forward, he needs a hit on damn near every player he signs in this class. Don’t pretend you have your needs figured out. Bring in immediate help or someone to battle for the starting spots. Don’t just promote from within. If you’ve got spots left after fall camp, then you can promote a walk on or two. Don’t want to see that now.

I know we have Adrian Posse coming in, but I wonder if we try and sign a transfer QB just to push Zeno and also have a clear successor. I wasn’t overly impressed by anyone after Zeno and all it takes is one bad hit or a concussion and we need that second guy. I wouldn’t be shocker if the 4 star QB from lipscomb that went to Auburn transfers. No way Freeze doesn’t go get 3 more QB with how poor that position performed

We’re in a bad spot if we wanted to go get another QB besides Posse.

Zeno
Lyddy
Campbell

Then Dilfer burned a scholarship on barker. I do think the 2 drives Barker led to open the Memphis game was the best our offense looked all season. 5 QBs is the number I’m comfortable with. If you can get down to 4, that’s a really valuable scholarship that needs be used elsewhere. Was disappointed with the 2 additions Dilfer made in the ‘23 class considering his Elite 11 connections and Mortenson coming from Bama.

(11-27-2023 09:35 AM)UABFAN23 Wrote:  We’re in a bad spot if we wanted to go get another QB besides Posse.

Zeno
Lyddy
Campbell

Then Dilfer burned a scholarship on barker. I do think the 2 drives Barker led to open the Memphis game was the best our offense looked all season. 5 QBs is the number I’m comfortable with. If you can get down to 4, that’s a really valuable scholarship that needs be used elsewhere. Was disappointed with the 2 additions Dilfer made in the ‘23 class considering his Elite 11 connections and Mortenson coming from Bama.

I don’t really see the appeal of adding Campbell but I also trust Dilfer. Positions off the top of my head that we need to attack are clearly linemen of all types and linebackers. I thought our secondary was pretty solid but the middle of our defense was soft

(11-27-2023 09:27 AM)Golden-Ticket Wrote:  I know we have Adrian Posse coming in, but I wonder if we try and sign a transfer QB just to push Zeno and also have a clear successor. I wasn’t overly impressed by anyone after Zeno and all it takes is one bad hit or a concussion and we need that second guy. I wouldn’t be shocker if the 4 star QB from lipscomb that went to Auburn transfers. No way Freeze doesn’t go get 3 more QB with how poor that position performed

I'd doubt it..

Slowly build the room behind him, fully expect Posse to be number 2 behind Zeno.

Could send Campbell to Erdely or make him a TE here. Lyddy got his RS, this Barker last run

Hope we land Jamar Graham the 6'7 250 QB from Georgia still with Posse

(11-27-2023 09:44 AM)Golden-Ticket Wrote:  

(11-27-2023 09:35 AM)UABFAN23 Wrote:  We’re in a bad spot if we wanted to go get another QB besides Posse.

Zeno
Lyddy
Campbell

Then Dilfer burned a scholarship on barker. I do think the 2 drives Barker led to open the Memphis game was the best our offense looked all season. 5 QBs is the number I’m comfortable with. If you can get down to 4, that’s a really valuable scholarship that needs be used elsewhere. Was disappointed with the 2 additions Dilfer made in the ‘23 class considering his Elite 11 connections and Mortenson coming from Bama.

I don’t really see the appeal of adding Campbell but I also trust Dilfer. Positions off the top of my head that we need to attack are clearly linemen of all types and linebackers. I thought our secondary was pretty solid but the middle of our defense was soft

My priority list in order would be:
-DT__ these two spots need to be upgraded badly. FBS or Juco phenom
-NG /

-Interior OL, there’s plenty of solid guys to be had.

-LB, this spot is so bad. I don’t care that Wilder was all-conference. When we made him starter, I knew that room was cooked. Proved to be the case again when Goode made his rise up the chart. I don’t know if it’s grades or the LBs just suck, but my god that room is the worst it’s EVER been. Roussaw can’t grow up fast enough, I like him.

- Safety, Swoopes is gone. Rowell was serviceable in outside Run D, offers nothing else. You can understand why Thornton is at his 3rd school as a bust former 5 star player. This is the quality we get from the millers in what, year 4? Man, I Hope Kelvin Hill is that dude, if he don’t flip. Need a 2nd safety in this class.

- nobody agrees with me on the RB situation. We’ve got one FBS back left in that room. Jacobs, the other guys don’t translate. Beebe is what an FBS walkon should look like, not an FBS starter. Would see if Spoon could grad transfer, get curry to use his one time transfer, then go find a couple of 3 star backs we can flip with PT to offer. Not pleased with the recruiting from Brigham. When we have guys like Darrin Reaves, Jordan Howard, Spencer Brown in our history. I expect you to recruit guys like Dewayne McBride, he’s probably the highest rated RB we ever signed. My expectations for that room are sky high. Not to be adding D2 guys like Battle.

- Tight End. We’ve gotta get this spot more involved in run blocking down field and the passing game. We don’t have anybody capable of being consistent there, not out of 4 guys. Sivley can’t get healthy, to be given a shot.

Kicker- Lots of solid guys out there, believe it or not. Watch an HBCU game. They even have them.

Kickoff man- if you can’t put it in the endzone 90% of the time, we don’t have a spot for you.

Bonus:
QB- sign a guy that is going to turn some eyeballs in college football. Zeno needs competition. JT Daniels just got Rice bowl eligible.

Edge Rusher- need a solid veteran. We put Jordan Smith and Alex Wright in the NFL draft in back to back years. You telling me that we can’t sell that in recruiting? I’d like to be put on hold on some of these recruiting phone calls just to hear what pitches are being made.

I'm willing to give HCTD a pass for year 1, however it's very alarming to see the him continue to get outcoached in the 2nd half week in and week out. additionally his comments about his unwillingness to change DCs doesn't look good. UAB continued to lose the same way over and over again. getting smoked by sunbelt bottom feeders also doesn't look good.

We are directly responsible for the Sun Belt receiving 12 bowl bids, the most in FBS. Had we won those two games, we'd be bowl eligible, they would not, and Miss St would be in a bowl. Dilfer needs to send a gift basket to Starkville.

(11-27-2023 10:12 AM)UABFAN23 Wrote:  

(11-27-2023 09:44 AM)Golden-Ticket Wrote:  

(11-27-2023 09:35 AM)UABFAN23 Wrote:  We’re in a bad spot if we wanted to go get another QB besides Posse.

Zeno
Lyddy
Campbell

Then Dilfer burned a scholarship on barker. I do think the 2 drives Barker led to open the Memphis game was the best our offense looked all season. 5 QBs is the number I’m comfortable with. If you can get down to 4, that’s a really valuable scholarship that needs be used elsewhere. Was disappointed with the 2 additions Dilfer made in the ‘23 class considering his Elite 11 connections and Mortenson coming from Bama.

I don’t really see the appeal of adding Campbell but I also trust Dilfer. Positions off the top of my head that we need to attack are clearly linemen of all types and linebackers. I thought our secondary was pretty solid but the middle of our defense was soft

My priority list in order would be:
-DT__ these two spots need to be upgraded badly. FBS or Juco phenom
-NG /

-Interior OL, there’s plenty of solid guys to be had.

-LB, this spot is so bad. I don’t care that Wilder was all-conference. When we made him starter, I knew that room was cooked. Proved to be the case again when Goode made his rise up the chart. I don’t know if it’s grades or the LBs just suck, but my god that room is the worst it’s EVER been. Roussaw can’t grow up fast enough, I like him.

- Safety, Swoopes is gone. Rowell was serviceable in outside Run D, offers nothing else. You can understand why Thornton is at his 3rd school as a bust former 5 star player. This is the quality we get from the millers in what, year 4? Man, I Hope Kelvin Hill is that dude, if he don’t flip. Need a 2nd safety in this class.

- nobody agrees with me on the RB situation. We’ve got one FBS back left in that room. Jacobs, the other guys don’t translate. Beebe is what an FBS walkon should look like, not an FBS starter. Would see if Spoon could grad transfer, get curry to use his one time transfer, then go find a couple of 3 star backs we can flip with PT to offer. Not pleased with the recruiting from Brigham. When we have guys like Darrin Reaves, Jordan Howard, Spencer Brown in our history. I expect you to recruit guys like Dewayne McBride, he’s probably the highest rated RB we ever signed. My expectations for that room are sky high. Not to be adding D2 guys like Battle.

- Tight End. We’ve gotta get this spot more involved in run blocking down field and the passing game. We don’t have anybody capable of being consistent there, not out of 4 guys. Sivley can’t get healthy, to be given a shot.

Kicker- Lots of solid guys out there, believe it or not. Watch an HBCU game. They even have them.

Kickoff man- if you can’t put it in the endzone 90% of the time, we don’t have a spot for you.

Bonus:
QB- sign a guy that is going to turn some eyeballs in college football. Zeno needs competition. JT Daniels just got Rice bowl eligible.

Edge Rusher- need a solid veteran. We put Jordan Smith and Alex Wright in the NFL draft in back to back years. You telling me that we can’t sell that in recruiting? I’d like to be put on hold on some of these recruiting phone calls just to hear what pitches are being made.

You are wrong about Lee Beebe.

+1. Beebe is going to be a good one. Keeping Coach Brigham was one of the best moves Dilfer made.

Keeps dads checks coming in. Go ahead. Put him on scholarship. Notice I didn’t say to part with him. If that’s who you all want, fine, but you’re basing it off success vs poor competition.

Temple- 124 in run D
UNT- 130 in run D

We do need to upgrade the RB spot, would only bring back the two P5 guys and Beebe

Exactly. You promote Beebe. Cross your fingers that jacobs heals the right way. Then recruit like you are looking for a starter and a 1-B guy. If Beebe continues to trend up, we benefit from an overhauled room and I eat some crow. Otherwise, that room was a charity organization for scholarships with 3 guys they didn’t want to put on the field ahead of the walkon.

(11-27-2023 11:27 AM)UABFAN23 Wrote:  Exactly. You promote Beebe. Cross your fingers that jacobs heals the right way. Then recruit like you are looking for a starter and a 1-B guy. If Beebe continues to trend up, we benefit from an overhauled room and I eat some crow. Otherwise, that room was a charity organization for scholarships with 3 guys they didn’t want to put on the field ahead of the walkon.

I would think Jacobs is out for spring, so that could help Spoon get a spoonful of reps (sorry), and I like Spoons special teams work. Would let Spoon move to defense before he ever leave. He could breakthrough at RB this spring with him and Beebe splitting reps and abundance of walkons after.

Hope we bring in 3 RBs Portal guy,JuCo (spring ready), and a freshman

Portal guy not yet offered
JuCo Trent Davis former Etowah HS/Duke (no UAB offer)
Freshman Kolten Nero


Hope we re reach out to JuCo TE Trinity Bell for football and basketball

If I had to guess who is at the top of the board, it’s probably Dorian Page and Kolton Nero. Gamble plays at Mountain Brook, where Brigham is from. I’m sure there’s a relationship there. I don’t know if he’s missing something they want out of a back, don’t respect his competition, think a lot of his OLine or don’t think they can sway him from walking on in Tuscaloosa.

Will probably be some new names emerge. The top 15 RBs/Aths, in the state are P5 bound or locked up by USA/Troy. Not one to UAB.

Jamauri McClure did back off from USA

With playing time can we flip any of those backs from USA or Troy?