The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Football Team Begins Spring Practice Monday
3/16/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
March 16, 2003
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ----- UAB will open its spring football drills here Monday, March 17 and one of the first priorities will be implementing a new 4-3-4 defensive scheme.
The Blazers, who finished 5-7 overall in 2002 and 4-4 in Conference USA play, return 16 of 22 starters on offense and defense. Sophomore Darrell Hackney, who was named C-USA's Freshman of the Year by The Sporting News after his outstanding redshirt freshman season, leads a UAB offense that returns nine starters.
Hackney threw for 1,977 yards and 14 touchdowns last fall despite not becoming the starter until the fifth game of the season. He played the second half of the year hampered by a variety of injuries. After undergoing offseason knee surgery, Hackney's practice time this spring will be limited in contact work.
Perhaps the greatest objective for for head coach Watson Brown and his staff will be putting in a new defense. Brown hired Wayne Bolt, a long-time successful defensive coach most recently at Troy State, as his defensive coordinator in January. Bolt will oversee a 4-3-4 defense, a change from the Blazers' 4-2-5 used in previous years.
"I don't know that there will be an aggressive difference (on defense) that you'll see," said Brown. "Both of them are attack-oriented defenses. We might play a little more zone coverage than we've played here. We've been man first, zone second; and now, I think we'll be zone first, man second. There will be a difference in that we will have three linebackers on the field instead of two, and that's a little bit of a concern at this point because we are not loaded with an abundance of numbers at that position."
Bolt will have seven starters back on defense, including All-Conference USA linebacker Zac Woodin (6-2, 235, Jr., 120 tackles, 18 tackles for loss in 2002), but he will have to replace the loss of several key players on the defensive front.
"I feel fine about our defensive line because the guys we have stepping in have all played," said Brown. "The question is are they ready to become bonifide defensive linemen yet. I think the defensive line in many ways is the epitome of our whole team. This is a young and experienced team. Are we ready to physically step up and take this league on?
"You might look at this year's team and say, 'well, they're a year away,'" said Brown. "But this team can't be a year away with the schedule (C-USA schedule, plus non-conference games vs. Georgia, South Carolina, Baylor and Troy State) we have. I think we are talented enough to be good this year. Now, we have to see how the experience helps us, how the confidence grows and how the strength and conditioning this spring and summer factors in."
Unlike the 2002 season when UAB had 24 seniors, the Blazers will have only eight in 2003. There's no doubt this will be a squad heavy with juniors.
UAB will hold its spring game on Saturday, April 12 when the Blazers stage "Blazer Day" before winding up spring drills the following week with four final workouts.
The Blazers open the 2003 season on Aug. 30 against Big 12 Conference foe Baylor at Waco, Texas.
