The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Blazers Discuss UCF Game With Media
11/7/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 7, 2005
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- UAB head football coach Watson Brown and several members of the Blazers met with the media on Monday afternoon in Bartow Arena's Green and Gold Room as the team looks ahead to its final home game of the season against UCF on Saturday, Nov. 12. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. CT at Legion Field. The game will be televised by CSTV.
UAB (4-4, 2-3 C-USA) picked up a huge, 37-20 victory over Memphis on Nov. 1 at the Liberty Bowl. After dropping three straight conference games, Darrell Hackney helped the Blazers halt their losing streak, throwing for 334 yards and four touchdowns. Corey White also ran for a career-high 200 yards in UAB's sixth-straight win over the Tigers.
UCF (6-3, 5-1 C-USA) became bowl eligible last Saturday with a 31-29 victory over Houston at the Florida Citrus Bowl. With their five conference victories, the Golden Knights sit atop the C-USA East Division standings.
Head coach Watson Brown
On Saturday's game:
"This is a big week for us. We're playing UCF who is a very good team. This is also the last home game for a great senior class who have had great careers here. A win would keep us in the race for getting to a bowl game which was the second goal we set for ourselves before the season."
On UCF:
"UCF is a very good team. We didn't get to study them as much in the summer because this game is so late in the season. They have probably the best tandem of receivers in the league. Their quarterback is playing well, they have big tight ends and a very solid defense who leads Conference USA in turnover margin. They've also got one of the best punters in the league. We have to play well to win."
On the talent of the Blazers and Golden Knights:
"This is a toss-up game as far as the talent level of the players. The last three or four weeks have been the same way."
On the win at Memphis:
"We played well at Memphis. We did a lot of the little things that we hadn't been doing and that helped us come away with the victory."
Defensive Lineman Ernest Respress
On getting a win at Memphis:
"Its been a great week for us. It feels better to get a win after three tough weeks."
On his approach to the game:
"I play as hard as I can every time I set foot on the field because you never know when it could be your last time."
On UCF:
"They're a very athletic team. We'll break them down this week looking at film and hopefully find their weaknesses."
Cornerback Carlos Hendricks
On Senior Day:
"I've had a lot of great memories at UAB. It will be nice to go out one more time and give it everything I have. I'm definitely looking forward to making plays."
On the UCF game:
"I'm looking forward to playing UCF because they are a good team. It should be a tight game because they have a lot of guys that can make plays. We have to go out and play our game to win. Football is a very mental game and I feel like after the Memphis game we have our confidence back. People were talking about us at the beginning of the year and now the talk has shifted to UCF, so it will be good to see who the better team is."
On the importance of the remaining games:
"We are a team with our backs to the wall. The fact is we have to win out to get to a bowl game. Every game is so important because we can't afford to lose. We have to play every play like it's our last. We don't prefer this situation but we have to respond under pressure."
On the confidence of the team:
"I have a lot of confidence in the team and I feel we are very capable of winning out. We still have a chance to go 8-4 and have the best record all-time in UAB history. The talk in the locker room is UAB is back and we know how important the next games are."
Tight End Cedric Hampton
On his final home game at UAB:
"This will be a very emotional game for me being that it is my final game at Legion Field. It's all about being around the UAB atmosphere and I'm going to miss that when I'm gone. It's those little things like being in the locker room and joking around with your teammates. It will be a very emotional day for me."
On the season to this point:
"Obviously we wanted to win every game, but we can still get back to another bowl game. We have to at least match what we did last year and hopefully win the bowl game this year. You always want to move forward."
On the UCF game:
"We have a lot of respect for UCF. They have a strong defense but when you have a guy like Darrell Hackney as your quarterback, anything is possible."
On the win over Memphis:
"We had a really bad taste in our mouth heading into Memphis, so it was nice to get a win. We have to continue to win and I look forward to doing my part on offense."
