The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Blazer Football Team Closes 2007 Season At Marshall
11/24/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 24, 2007
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ----- The UAB football team will look to finish the 2007 season in positive fashion Saturday afternoon when the Blazers play their final game of the campaign against Conference USA foe Marshall at Huntington, W.Va.
The Blazers (2-9, 1-6 C-USA) have played with a short deck the entire season with fewer scholarship players than all of their opponents and a roster that left them thin at most of the positions on the field. Lack of numbers and depth have never been used as a excuse this season, however.
Instead, Neil Callaway's first season at the helm of the program has left many positive signs toward a bright future. Callaway and the Blazers would like nothing better than to cap off the disappointing season with a victory at Huntington, W. Va. against the Thundering Herd.
"It'll be a big challenge for us," Callaway said of Saturday's matchup against Marshall (2-9, 2-5 C-USA). "It's the last game of the year and we all want to win this game for a lot of reasons. One reason would be for the seniors, to let them leave this program with a good taste in their mouth. Another reason is to try to build some momentum going into next year. It's a game that we are going to try very hard to win. We are going to give it our best shot and see what we've got."
Kickoff is set for 4:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. CT at Joan C. Edwards Stadium.
UAB has 17 seniors playing their final game of their Blazer careers on Saturday. Callaway said winning the final game for the seniors provided plenty of motivation.
"It's a good group (of seniors)," said Callaway. " I think they all care about UAB. They have bought into what we've wanted to do here. Anytime there is change, I think it's always hard on the seniors. As a new staff, coming in and implementing what we want to do and how we want to do it, the guys have really bought into it. I'm thrilled with what they have done."
Pulling off a win against the Herd won't come easy. Despite its record, Marshall has averaged 406 yards of offense per game. The Thundering Herd pulled off a huge win two weeks ago, defeating East Carolina (26-7) in a game that knocked the Pirates from the driver's seat in the Conference USA Eastern Division standings.
The Thundering Herd's quarterback, Bernard Morris, has had an outstanding season and has been a point of concern for Callaway and his staff during this week's game preparations.
"There are two guys that stand out offensively for Marshall," said Callaway. "One is their quarterback (Morris). He is an outstanding football player who can run and throw very well. The other guy that stands out is their tight end (Cody Slate. I think he is the leading receiver. He's kind of like David Sigler (UAB H-Back). He's not overly big or overly fast, but he's just a good athlete that makes a lot of plays for them."
Morris has thrown for 2,840 yards this season, and with 160 yards Saturday, would become only the eighth quarterback in Marshall history to throw for 3,000 yards in one year. He's also tossed 16 touchdown passes this season.
Slate is one of the most productive tight ends in the country. He enters Saturday's game with 60 receptions for 746 yards and five touchdowns.
The Blazers are expected to utilize their two-quarterback system they've employed the past few weeks, taking advantage of the passing and running tools of senior Sam Hunt and sophomore Joseph Webb.
Radio coverage of the game can be heard on the Blazers' ISP Sports Network flagship station WUHT 107.7 FM. The broadcast can also be heard on affiliates WIQR 1410 AM in Montgomery, WTRB 98.3 FM in Talladega and WACT 1420 AM in Tuscaloosa.
