2008 UAB Blazers football team

2008 UAB Blazers football
Conference Conference USA
Division East Division
2008 record 4–8 (3–5 C-USA)
Head coach Neil Callaway (2nd year)
Offensive coordinator Kim Helton (2nd year)
Offensive scheme Multiple
Defensive coordinator Eric Schumann (2nd year)
Base defense 4–3
Home stadium Legion Field
(Capacity:71,594)
2008 Conference USA football standings
Conf     Overall
Team   W   L         W   L  
East Division
East Carolina x$   6 2         9 5  
Memphis   4 4         6 7  
Southern Miss   4 4         7 6  
UAB   3 5         4 8  
UCF   3 5         4 8  
Marshall   3 5         4 8  
West Division
Tulsa xy   7 1         11 3  
Rice x   7 1         10 3  
Houston   6 2         8 5  
UTEP   4 4         5 7  
Tulane   1 7         2 10  
SMU   0 8         1 11  
Championship: East Carolina 27, Tulsa 24
  • $ Conference champion
  • x Division champion/co-champions
  • y Championship game participant
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2008 UAB Blazers football team represented the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Blazers' head coach was Neil Callaway, who entered his second year at UAB. They played their home games at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama and competed in the East Division of Conference USA (C-USA). They improved upon a 2–10 record from the 2007 season and finished the 2008 campaign with an overall record of 4–8 (3–5 C-USA).

All games were broadcast live on the UAB-ISP Sports radio network. The flagship was WWMM 100.5 FM in Birmingham, and this marked the first season for it serving as the flagship. The games were called by David Crane (play-by-play) and Jake Arians (color commentary), with Pat Green and Dan Burks as field reporters. Other UAB radio programming was carried on WJOX 94.5 FM.[1] The team did not have a local TV contract, but their games appeared nationally on cable television five times—one on Raycom Sports, two on CSS, and two on CBS College Sports (formerly CSTV).

Preseason

Recruiting

In what was the second recruiting class for head coach Neil Callaway, UAB signed 25 recruits.[2]

Schedule

Date Time Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result Attendance
August 30 3:00 PM Tulsa Legion FieldBirmingham, AL L 45–22   19,672
September 6 4:00 PM at Florida Atlantic* Lockhart StadiumFort Lauderdale, FL L 34–49   15,143
September 13 12:30 PM at Tennessee* Neyland StadiumKnoxville, TN Raycom L 3–35   98,205
September 20 3:00 PM Alabama State* Legion Field • Birmingham, AL W 45–10   26,414
September 27 7:00 PM at South Carolina* Williams-Brice StadiumColumbia, SC PPV L 13–26   78,286
October 2 7:00 PM Memphis Legion Field • Birmingham, AL (Battle for the Bones) CBSCS L 30–33   19,901
October 9 7:00 PM at Houston Robertson StadiumHouston, TX CBSCS L 20–45   18,526
October 18 3:00 PM Marshalldagger Legion Field • Birmingham, AL W 23–21   17,868
November 1 7:00 PM at Southern Miss M. M. Roberts StadiumHattiesburg, MS CSS L 14–70   29,281
November 15 2:00 PM at Tulane Louisiana SuperdomeNew Orleans, LA W 41–24   18,614
November 22 6:00 PM East Carolina Legion Field • Birmingham, AL CSS L 13–17   11,453
November 29 1:00 PM at UCF Bright House Networks StadiumOrlando, FL W 15–0   23,644
*Non-conference game. daggerHomecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll. All times are in Central Time.
Schedule Source: 2008 UAB Blazers football schedule

Personnel

Roster

2008 UAB Blazers roster
UAB Official Athletic Site: 2008 Roster

Quarterbacks

  • 5 Joe Webb - Junior
  • 10 Bryan Ellis - Freshman
  • 12 Cameron Cowart - Senior
  • 14 Rodney Bivens Jr. - Senior
  • 17 David Isabelle - Freshman

Running Backs

  • 2 Jae Fitzgerald - Freshman
  • 20 Jimmie Blair - Freshman
  • 28 Aaron Johns - Senior
  • 30 Justin Brooks - Sophomore
  • 38 Dexter Barnett - Sophomore
  • 40 Jim Mitchell - Junior
  • 44 Caleb Dyck - Sophomore

Wide Receivers

  • 1 Rashaud Slaughter - Junior
  • 7 Frantrell Forrest - Sophomore
  • 11 Mario Wright - Sophomore
  • 15 Sylvester Mencer - Senior
  • 22 Mike Jones - Sophomore
  • 24 Cameron Thompson - Sophomore
  • 36 Paul Schoolar - Junior
  • 80 Mark Ferrell - Junior
  • 82 Justin Johnson - Sophomore
  • 83 Brandon Heath - Senior
  • 85 Rodell Carter - Sophomore
  • 89 Darryl Harris - Junior
 

Tight Ends

  • 81 Joseph Waller - Sophomore
  • 84 Zach Lankford - Junior
  • 86 Jeffery Anderson - Sophomore

Offensive Line

  • 53 Jake Seitz - Junior
  • 55 Terence Edge - Sophomore
  • 59 Sean Dailey - Freshman
  • 63 Willie Thompson - Junior
  • 64 Greg Calhoun - Freshman
  • 68 Adam Hollifield - Sophomore
  • 71 Matt McCants - Sophomore
  • 72 Logan Creel - Sophomore
  • 73 Caleb Thomas - Freshman
  • 75 Daniel Seahorn - Junior
  • 77 Jared Koechner - Junior

Defensive Line

  • 50 David Decordova - Junior
  • 76 Todd Howanitz - Junior
  • 87 Bryant Turner - Sophomore
  • 90 Joe Happe - Junior
  • 91 Tim Davis - Sophomore
  • 92 Anthony Barnes - Junior
  • 93 Nick Davison - Freshman
  • 95 Richard Carter - Senior
  • 96 Elliott Henigan - Freshman
  • 97 D.J. Reese - Sophomore
  • 98 Adam Arthur - Freshman
 

Linebackers

  • 13 Keon Harris - Sophomore
  • 33 Mike Tashman - Sophomore
  • 35 Lamanski Ware - Freshman
  • 38 Garrett Armstrong - Freshman
  • 44 Kyle Roget - Junior
  • 45 B.J. Steed - Junior
  • 46 Terry Thomas - Senior
  • 48 Drew Luker - Freshman
  • 49 Brad Dukes - Junior
  • 51 Joe Henderson - Senior
  • 57 Jarrell Watters - Freshman
  • 58 Katrell Watters - Freshman

Defensive Backs

  • 3 Andre Hicks - Freshman
  • 4 Brandon Carlisle - Junior
  • 8 Marquis Coleman - Freshman
  • 17 Jeff Witt - Sophomore
  • 18 Will Dunbar - Senior
  • 19 Ugonna Amarikwa - Freshman
  • 21 Kevin Sanders - Senior
  • 23 Antoine Powers - Senior
  • 25 Brock Ferguson - Sophomore
  • 26 Justin Smartt - Junior
  • 27 Michael McRae - Sophomore
  • 29 Terrell Springs - Freshman
  • 31 Chase Daniel - Freshman
  • 36 Daniel Clements - Freshman
  • 42 Ferson Stafford - Freshman
  • 43 Matt Taylor - Senior
 

Punters

  • 94 Swayze Waters - Senior

Kickers

  • 24 Trey Ragland - Freshman
  • 94 Swayze Waters - Senior

Long Snappers

  • 60 Nick Haddad - Senior
  • 62 Jeff Hamby - Senior

Coaching staff

Game Summaries

Tulsa

1 2 3 4 Total
Tulsa 7 14 14 10 45
UAB 13 9 0 0 22

The Blazers began their season at home against Golden Hurricane of Tulsa, but after taking a 13-7 lead after the first would fall by a final score of 45-22. UAB would score first on a 32 yard touchdown pass from Joe Webb to Frantell Forrest. Tulsa would respond with a 10-yard David Johnson pass to Jacob Collums, only to have UAB take a 13-7 lead on a 9-yard Jeffery Anderson touchdown reception. Tulsa would respond with a pair of consecutive touchdowns in the second to take a 21-13 lead before Forrest returned a kickoff 90-yards for a touchdown to bring the score to 21-19. A late 32-yard Swayze Waters field goal would give the Blazers a 22-21 halftime lead. However, UAB would not score again for the afternoon and lose by a final score of 45-22.[3]

Florida Atlantic

1 2 3 4 Total
UAB 3 14 9 8 34
Florida Atlantic 14 14 7 14 49

The Blazers first road game of the 2008 season took UAB to Ft. Lauderdale, where they would lose too the FAU Owls in a 49-34 shootout. After going down 14-0 on a pair of FAU touchdown passes, UAB would score its first points on a 27-yard Swayze Waters field goal. The Owls would answer with a touchdown run early in the second in taking a 21-3 lead only to see the blazers respond with a pair of Joe Webb touchdown passes, 20-yards to Zach Lankford and 19-yards to Frantell Forrest, in closing the gap to 21-17. However, FAU would score once more before the half in taking a 28-17 halftime lead.[4]

The Blazers would open the third by scoring on a 2-yard Aaron Johns run only to see the Owls once again respond with another touchdown. After a late 43-yard Waters field goal in the third, UAB's final points would come in the fourth on a 10-yard Justin Brooks touchdown run.[4]

Tennessee

1 2 3 4 Total
UAB 0 0 3 0 3
Tennessee 14 0 14 7 35

Traveling to Knoxville to face the Volunteers, all the Blazers could manage was a single 47-yard Swayze Waters field goal in the third to avoid the shutout in this 35-3 defeat. For the game, UAB was outgained on offense 275 to 548 total yards.[5]

Alabama State

1 2 3 4 Total
Alabama State 7 0 0 3 10
UAB 14 14 14 3 45

The Blazers would amass 486 yards of total offense in winning their first game of the 2008 season with a 44-10 victory over the Hornets of Alabama State. UAB would strike first on a 41-yard Joe Web run with the Hornets responding in kind on a 39-yard Rei Herchenbach touchdown pass to Darius Mathis in tying the game at 7-7 midway through the first quarter. The Blazers would regain the lead late in the first quarter, and never relinquish it again on a 24-yard Webb touchdown pass to Jeffery Anderson. In the second, the Blazers would add another pair of touchdowns on an 11-yard Rashaud Slaughter run and a 36-yard Webb pass to Anderson in taking a 28-7 halftime lead.[6]

UAB would continue to amass points in the third on another pair of touchdowns coming on a 6-yard Slaughter run and 15-yard Justin Brooks run in extending their lead to 42-7 entering the fourth. In the fourth, each team would exchange a pair of field goals in bringing the final score to 45-10. For the game, Joe Webb would rush for 121 yards and a touchdown and pass for 238 yards and a pair of touchdowns.[6]

South Carolina

1 2 3 4 Total
UAB 3 3 0 7 13
South Carolina 10 10 3 3 26

Traveling to face their second SEC opponent on the 2008 season, the Blazers were defeated 26-13 by the home Gamecocks in Columbia. After only connecting on a pair of Swayze Waters field goals in the first half, the Blazers lone touchdown came late in the fourth on a 1-yard Joe Webb run.[7]

Memphis

1 2 3 4 Total
Memphis 0 20 7 6 33
UAB 10 6 7 7 30

In the annual Battle for the Bones, Memphis defeated UAB 30-33 on a Thursday night in Birmingham. The Blazers would get on the board in the first after Joe Webb connected with Mike Jones for a 16-yard touchdown reception, followed with an 18-yard Swayze Waters field goal to give the Blazers a 10-0 lead entering the second quarter. After Memphis scored early in the second, UAB would respond with a 9-yard Webb run to take a 16-7 lead. However this would be UAB's final lead of the evening as Memphis would score another pair of touchdowns in taking a 20-16 lead at the half. In the second half, Webb would score on runs of 12 and 10-yards in the third and fourth quarters respectively, but were unable to take the lead in falling by a final score of 30-33. For the game, Webb rushed for 93 yards and three touchdowns in addition to passing for 235 yards and another touchdown for the evening.[8]

Houston

1 2 3 4 Total
UAB 3 17 0 0 20
Houston 0 3 21 21 45

In the first conference road game of the 2008 season, the Blazers would fall 20-45 at Houston. UAB would dominate the first half in taking a 20-3 lead going into the half. The Blazer would score on a pair of Swayze Waters field goals (50 and 23 yards respectively) and on a 3-yard Joe Webb touchdown run and a 21-yard, Zach Lankford touchdown reception. However, 42 unanswered Cougar points in the second half would provide Houston the 45-20 victory.[9]

Marshall

1 2 3 4 Total
Marshall 7 7 0 7 21
UAB 2 15 0 6 23

Southern Miss

1 2 3 4 Total
UAB 0 7 7 0 14
Southern Miss 28 21 21 0 70

The Blazers were out-rushed 96 to 463 total yards in this 70-14 blowout loss on the road to the Golden Eagles. After going down 28-0 after the first, UAB would score their first points on a 14-yard Joe Webb touchdown pass to Rashaud Slaughter early in the second. The Blazers only other points would come in the third on a 12-yard Mario Wright touchdown reception. For the game, the Golden Eagles out-gained the Blazers in total offense by a final margin of 610 to 223 yards, with both USM's Tory Harrison and V.J. Floyd each gaining over 100 yards on the ground.[10]

Tulane

1 2 3 4 Total
UAB 7 10 14 10 41
Tulane 7 7 7 3 24

Following a bye week, the Blazers would make the trip to the Superdome and emerge with a 41-24 victory over the home Green Wave.[11]

East Carolina

1 2 3 4 Total
East Carolina 7 0 3 7 17
UAB 7 0 3 3 13

This 17-13 Pirates victory marked the first all-time win for East Carolina in Legion Field against the Blazers.[12]

UCF

1 2 3 4 Total
UAB 3 6 3 3 15
UCF 0 0 0 0 0

Statistics

Team

Statistics[13] UAB Opponents
Scoring 273 375
Points per game 22.8 31.2
First downs 222 240
Rushing 101 95
Passing 104 125
Penalties 17 20
Total offensive yards 4,394 5,159
Rushing 2,027 2,004
Passing 2,367 3,155
Fumbles–Lost 17-9 15-8
Penalties–Yards 83-783 61-567
Average per game 65.2 47.2
Statistics UAB Opponents
Punts–Yards 59-2,555 42-1,799
Average per punt 43.3 42.8
Average ToP/game 31:16 28:44
3rd down conversions 64/165 68/151
3rd down percentage 39 45
4th down conversions 5/11 6/15
4th down percentage 45 40
Touchdowns scored 31 49
Field goals–Att 19-24 11-18
PAT–Att 24-27 48-48
Attendance 190,616 563,398
Average 19,062 40,243

Scores by quarter

1 2 3 4 Total
UAB 65 101 60 47 273
Opponents 101 96 97 81 375

Offense

Rushing

Name GP Att Yds Avg Long TD Avg/G
Joe Webb 12 198 1,021 5.2 41 11 85.1
Rashaud Slaughter 12 113 514 4.5 38 4 42.8
Justin Brooks 11 53 218 4.1 19 3 19.8
Aaron Johns 8 23 115 5.0 37 1 14.4
Jim Mitchell 12 19 78 4.1 14 0 6.5
Frantrell Forrest 10 8 43 5.4 12 0 4.3
Rodney Bivens 4 6 20 3.3 17 0 5.0
Caleb Dyck 12 4 14 3.5 9 0 1.2
Terence Edge 12 0 12 0 0 0 1.0
Mark Ferrell 12 2 11 5.5 11 0 0.9
Justin Johnson 11 2 4 2.0 7 0 0.4
Darryl Harris 12 1 -4 -4.0 0 0 -0.3
Swayze Waters 12 2 -12 -6.0 7 0 -1.0
Total 12 435 2,027 4.7 41 19 168.9
Opponents 12 420 2,004 4.8 78 25 167.0

Passing

Name GP Effic Cmp-Att Pct Yds TD Int Lng Avg/G
Joe Webb 12 115.53 208-353 58.9 2,367 10 16 43 197.2
Rodney Bivens 4 0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 12 115.53 208-353 58.9 2,367 10 16 43 197.2
Opponents 12 147.67 226-360 62.8 3,155 22 16 73 262.9

Receiving

Name GP No. Yards Avg TD Long Avg/G
Frantrell Forrest 10 44 536 12.8 2 38 53.6
Rashaud Slaughter 12 29 176 6.1 1 21 14.7
Jeffery Anderson 12 23 368 16.0 3 43 30.7
Mario Wright 12 20 243 12.1 1 38 20.2
Rodell Carter 12 16 206 12.9 0 38 17.2
Zach Lankford 12 16 190 11.9 2 33 15.8
Mark Ferrell 12 13 177 13.6 0 35 14.8
Mike Jones 12 11 109 9.9 1 28 9.1
Justin Brooks 11 11 101 9.2 0 23 9.2
Darryl Harris 12 9 136 15.1 0 28 11.3
Jim Mitchell 12 8 38 4.8 0 11 3.2
Justin Johnson 11 7 82 11.7 0 43 7.5
Aaron Johns 8 3 5 1.7 0 9 0.6
Total 12 208 2,367 11.4 10 43 197.2
Opponents 12 226 3,155 14.0 22 73 262.9

Defense

Name GP Tackles Sacks Pass Defense Fumbles Blkd Safety
Solo Ast Total Loss–Yds No.–Yds Int–Yds BU PD Qbh Rcv–Yds FF Kick
Joe Henderson 12 55 32 87 12.5-29 1.5-6 1 1
Will Dunbar 11 33 35 68 2.5-12 1.0-6 2-34 5 1
Matt Taylor 12 29 18 47 1.5-5 1-36 3 1-0
Keon Harris 11 22 25 47 3.0-4 1 1-0 1
Chase Daniel 12 34 13 47 3.5-18 1.0-12 2-28 5 1
Brandon Carlisle 10 35 11 46 2.0-5 2-16 3 1
Kevin Sanders 12 23 15 38 7-55 3
Terrel Springs 10 20 12 32 0-18 4
D.J. Reese 12 17 14 31 2.5-18 1-0 1
Anthony Barnes 12 20 7 27 6.5-23 1.0-10 2 2 1
Elliott Henigan 10 14 12 26 0.5-2 0.5-2 1
Drew Luker 12 9 15 24 1.5-5
Lamanski Ware 11 14 9 23 1.0-1 1-27 1
Richard Carter 12 13 8 21 2.0-8 0.5-0 1-0
Bryant Turner 12 15 5 20 7.0-31 4.0-25 1 2
Nick Davison 12 7 10 17 3.5-23 2.0-18 1 1-0
Joe Happe 12 11 4 15 4.0-17 1.0-9 1
Katrell Watters 5 7 8 15 0.5-1 0.5-1
B.J. Steed 10 8 7 15 1
Marquis Coleman 12 9 5 14 1-0 1
Tony Leggett 5 6 8 14 2.0-4
Andre Hicks 8 10 2 12 1.0-13 1.0-13 1
Antoine Powers 12 7 4 11
Tim Davis 9 7 2 9 1.0-3
Justin Smartt 11 7 2 9
Terry Thomas 7 6 3 9 2.0-3
Ugonna Amarikwa 12 4 4 8 3-12
Swayze Waters 12 6 2 8
Jarrell Watters 3 7 1 8 1.0-1 1
Jim Mitchell 12 3 2 5
David Decordova 3 3 1 4 1
Caleb Dyck 12 3 1 4
Michael McRae 9 2 2 4
Zach Lankford 12 1 2 3
Daniel Clements 10 2 1 3
Mario Wright 12 2 2
Jeffery Anderson 12 2 2
Brock Ferguson 5 2 2 1.0-14 1.0-14
Frantrell Forrest 10 2 2
Ada Hollifield 8 1 1
Greg Bulls 11 1 1
Rashaud Slaughter 12 1 1
Brandon Heath 11 1 1
Adam Arthur 6 1 1
Jeff Hamby 11 1 1
Mark Ferrell 12 1 1
Total 12 480 306 786 62-240 15-116 16-214 33 9 8-12 6 0 1
Opponents 12 482 368 850 58-282 23-172 16-154 47 14 9-62 10 2 0

Special teams

Kicking

Name PATs Field Goals
Made Att % Made Att Long %
Swayze Waters 24 27 88.9 19 24 50 79.2
Total 24 27 88.9 19 24 50 79.2

Punting

Name No. Yds Avg Long TB FC In20
Swayze Waters 55 2,396 43.6 67 6 12 13
Joe Webb 2 89 44.5 52 1 0 0
Trey Ragland 1 48 48.0 48 0 0 1
Total 58 2,533 43.7 67 7 12 14

References

  1. "Blazers ISP Sports Network Gearing Up For 2008-09 Season". University of Alabama at Birmingham Sports Information. Retrieved September 20, 2008.
  2. "2008 UAB Football Signees". University of Alabama at Birmingham Sports Information. Archived from the original on September 17, 2008. Retrieved September 20, 2008.
  3. "Tulsa vs UAB (August 30, 2008)". University of Alabama at Birmingham Sports Information. Retrieved September 18, 2008.
  4. 1 2 "UAB vs FAU (September 6, 2008)". University of Alabama at Birmingham Sports Information. Retrieved September 18, 2008.
  5. "UAB vs Tennessee (September 13, 2008)". University of Alabama at Birmingham Sports Information. Retrieved September 18, 2008.
  6. 1 2 "Alabama State vs UAB (September 20, 2008)". University of Alabama at Birmingham Sports Information. Archived from the original on October 9, 2008. Retrieved September 20, 2008.
  7. "UAB vs South Carolina (September 27, 2008)". University of Alabama at Birmingham Sports Information. Retrieved September 27, 2008.
  8. "Memphis vs UAB (October 2, 2008)". University of Alabama at Birmingham Sports Information. Retrieved October 4, 2008.
  9. "Houston vs UAB (October 7, 2008)". University of Alabama at Birmingham Sports Information. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
  10. "UAB vs Southern Miss (November 1, 2008)". University of Alabama at Birmingham Sports Information. Retrieved November 1, 2008.
  11. "UAB vs Tulane (November 15, 2008)". University of Alabama at Birmingham Sports Information. Retrieved November 17, 2008.
  12. "ECU vs UAB (November 22, 2008)". University of Alabama at Birmingham Sports Information. Retrieved November 23, 2008.
  13. "UAB Cumulative Season Statistics". University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics. November 29, 2008. Archived from the original on December 19, 2008. Retrieved December 5, 2008.
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