The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Begins Preparations For First Game
8/21/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 21, 2003
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ----- The UAB football team began to prepare for its season opener here Thursday against Baylor, under sunny skies for over two hours. The Blazers returned to the practice field in shorts and helmets after taking a day off on Wednesday.
"We started on Baylor today and it looked like it," said UAB head coach Watson Brown. "We've got a few days to get it down and I think we will. This was the first day that we really started making gameplans for the year. It's just the first of 12 games."
The backup quarterback situation has been one that Brown has been watching closely. Redshirt freshmen Curtis Falany and Chris Williams have been battling it out for the second spot behind starting quarterback Darrell Hackney.
"I think they both have done well," Brown said. "If you look at their stats from the first two scrimmages, they haven't thrown an interception. We've been pleased with them. We're going to go into it (Baylor game) with both of them ready to go. If Darrell goes down, I think they'll both have to play. If one runs in, it'll be off what we're doing. We know that they have strengths and weaknesses. I think they are both ready to go out and play. We're working them both the same amount of time and we're going to keep doing that."
Running back Dan Burks and offensive lineman Barker White both returned to practice after taking some time off due to injury.
Wide receiver Chico Cleveland and safety Thurman Pearson did not participate in practice today. Cleveland sat out due to a muscle strain in his back. He is expected to return to the field on Saturday or Monday, at the latest.
Pearson also missed practice due to a knee injury. Brown indicated that Pearson, who had 99 tackles in 2002, will continue to rehab his knee, but may be redshirted this season.
UAB starts the season on Saturday, Aug. 30 (6:00 p.m. CT) when it travels to Waco, Texas to meet Big XII Conference foe Baylor.
