The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Blazers Hold Annual Football Media Luncheon
8/6/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Player Quotes
Senior Cornerback Carlos Hendricks
"I'm ready to get back out on the field; we had a good summer, a good turn out in the weight room and with seven on seven. We're a veteran team, we've been around each other a long time.
"Everybody's just eager to see what's going to happen this season; we've got a lot talent and a lot of depth.
"This is a deep conference and every game is going to be close.
"I like the fact that people overlook us; we're kind of the dark horse, but I like that a little bit, because in the end we can come back and say we're number one.
"We've got a tough schedule, but I like playing the Florida State's and the Baylor's because it gives us a bit more experience.
"This defense can be right up there with the defenses of the past; we've got nine starters back. I'm falling in love with this defense; I like it more and more every day."
Junior Quarterback Darrell Hackney
"I'm looking forward to everything; I'm back, I'm as healthy as I've ever been and I'm just ready to get started. I missed five games last year and things got frustrating for me last season. I felt like I needed to be in the game and I couldn't; I wanted to help my team out and I couldn't. I had a good spring and I'm ready to get started.
"Last year I played a little timidly, I tried not to get hurt, and I got hurt; this year I'm just going to play ball.
"I feel like I don't have to make the big play all the time. I think we have the best receiving core in the conference, and we're just trying to put everything together.
"If we don't make it to a bowl game, we're selling ourselves short. Anything less than the conference championship is short for me."
Senior Linebacker Zac Woodfin
"I'm extremely excited about the season. We have all the potential in the world, we have the potential to win the conference championship and to go to a bowl. Everybody on the team is excited to get thing's started. We've got a big game against Baylor and we're going to work hard and get ready for that.
"I think we have the talent and the experience to be one of the top five defenses in the country. All three of our linebackers are seniors and have been playing together for three years, so we've got a very experienced team. We're excited about playing good defense this year and I think we've got a chance to do some big things.
"We've had our ups and downs, you know as sophomores we had our growing pains, and last year we got a little better but we had some tough breaks. This year, I think is our break-out year, it's our senior year, we're all healthy and we're all ready to win a conference championship.
"When you have experience in big games as far as the Florida's and the Georgia's, when you get in a big game with Florida State, you're not going to be nervous, therefore you can just play naturally. Experience helps because you know what it takes to win those big games.
"It's been a goal of mine since I came to UAB to play on the first team to make it to a bowl game and the first team to win a conference championship.
"With it being my senior year, I definitely want to achieve those goals, and I think everyone else wants to achieve that too. We have a chance and we're going to work as hard as we can to make that happen.
"I just encourage the people of Birmingham to get behind us and anyone that sees us play is going to get excited; it's very exciting to watch UAB Football. I know good things are going to happen this season and I know thatour school is going to get behind us."
Senior Wide Receiver Roddy White
"Everybody's coming back this year and everybody is healthy, so hopefully we should do really well.
"I think defenses will start keying in on me a little more because this will be my fourth year playing, but we have other good players that have stepped up and will take some of the pressure off of me.
"Being picked sixth in the conference isn't really a knock because we haven't really done much in the last two years, but we have a really good conference record, and I kind of like to be the underdog so we can just sneak up on everybody."
Sophomore Running Back Dan Burks
"I was pumped up going into the season last year, and I pulled my hamstring. As soon as I came back from that, I hurt my shoulder. So I'm just really wanting to get out there and play.
"When I was sitting out I saw things more from a coach's perspective. I looked at things differently.
"I want to have a 1,000-yard season. I just want to do better than I did my first year.
"I think the competition we have this year is going to step up our game more, and all of us are going to be challenging each other and just making ourselves better.
"Like coach (Brown) said, 'it's a dog fight every game'. No game is an easy game for us. We've got to go out there and battle, and that's what makes it exciting.
"I just have to go all out and not think about getting hurt again. I'm just ready to get out there and play."
Head Coach Watson Brown
"We're really excited. I think this is our best football team in my 10 years here. What's on paper doesn't mean a whole lot, but this team is experienced, it's deep. It's a mature team and it's an older team.
"The tough part for us is schedule. We play an ACC opponent, an SEC opponent and a Big 12 opponent, plus eight conference opponents that are all tough. In our conference we were picked sixth, and I think that in that top six, any team could win the championship.
"This is the best this league has ever been. There is no doubt that we're good enough to win the league. It just depends on how we play. We have to stay healthy and we have to win the close games.
"The biggest jump on this team should be our defensive statistics. I think we've got a chance to be a top two or three team in our league this year, instead of middle of the pack. I'm putting pressure on them to come through for us.
"We play all the big ones except Southern Miss at home, and we've got a pretty good home team. It's a great schedule. It's got the makings of a fantastic year, but we've got to come through.
"If everybody stays healthy, I think we can win the league. I think we're good enough to win this league. I think you're looking at a deep league."
