The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Football Practice Gets Under Way
8/4/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 4, 2001
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -
PRACTICE BEGINS: A
group of 30 newcomers went through a pair of hour-long workouts Saturday as
fall practice officially began at UAB.?
The players worked out in helmets, shoulder pads and shorts during both
sesssions. The morning workout took place amid very warm temperatures and high
humidity, concluding shortly after 11:00 a.m.? The afternoon session, which began shortly after 4:00 p.m.,
was blessed wth cooler temperatures brought on by heavy cloud cover and a very
welcome breeze.
"This (the cooler weather) doesn't happen very
often," said UAB Head Coach Watson Brown following the afternoon
session.? "I hope they
enjoyed it."
BROWN PLEASED WITH TALENT LEVEL:? The
2001 UAB? newcomer group, which is
heavy on offensive talent with players such as running backs Kendal
Gibson (Aliceville, Ala.), Theron
Dudley (Stone Mountain, Ga.), and Justin
Colbert (Lithonia, Ga.), as well as quarterback
Darrell Hackney (Atlanta, Ga.)
and receivers such as Brandon Seabrook (Atlanta, Ga.) and Lynorse Garrett (Cottonwood, Ala.), is a gifted one.
"The talent level in this group gets better every
year, and this year is no exception," said Brown.? "I see a lot of athletic ability
in this group.? Today we saw a lot
of mistakes and a lot of nerves, which you always see on a first day.? The players seem to get tired quicker
when they're nervous like they are on the first day, but overall it was a
good day."
NO SERIOUS INJURIES:? The new Blazers emerged from two
practices remarkably unscathed.?
There were the usual bumps and bruises from opening day, as well as
cramps from the heat.? Freshman
linebacker Chris Mason (Cullman,
Ala.) was forced to sit out the second half of the afternoon session with a
hamstring injury, but he was able to leave the field under his own power.?
NO PRACTICE SUNDAY:? The UAB newcomers will not work out
Sunday afternoon as previously planned.?
TWO MORE MONDAY:? The newcomers will return to the
practice field Monday morning at 9:00 a.m., an hour earlier than originally
scheduled.? Brown made that change
after the sweltering temperatures in Saturday's morning practice that
began at 10:00 a..m.
"That was just too late in the morning," he
said.? Hopefully, going an hour
earlier will make a difference."
The final newcomer workout is scheduled for Monday at 4:00
p.m.
