The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Blazer Football Players Report Thursday
8/2/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 2, 2006
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ----- The UAB football team will officially report for 2006 preseason practice drills Thursday.. The Blazers' first function will be a team dinner late in the afternoon.
UAB will hold its media day luncheon on Friday before the team hits the practice field for the first time Friday afternoon.
The Blazers have a large nucleus of players returning for the 2006 campaign but will have to replace several key performers from last year. At the top of the list is the quarterback position where Darrell Hackney was entrenched for most of the past four seasons, re-writing the UAB passing record book in the process.
The Blazers also will look for some help at wide receiver after losing their top two from last season in Reggie Lindsey and Jhun Cook. Both were seniors in 2005. Matt Batusic was a three-year starter at center and earned first-team All-Conference USA honors last fall. His departure will be felt.
Head coach Watson Brown is optimistic that his team has the players to step into these voids, albeit there will be some inexperience there.
But the picture is bright in most areas for the Blazers as the offensive line, minus Batusic, returns intact. They will have the luxury of blocking for a quartet of senior running backs, led by Corey White and Dan Burks.
Defensively, UAB has virtually everyone back and a majority of first and second-teamers heading into fall camp who have seen starting experience at some point in their UAB careers. Senior defensive end Larry McSwain has been a first-team all-league selection the past two seasons and was chosen as the C-USA preseason defensive player of the year by the league's coaches this summer.
