The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Blazers Excited for Conference Opener At Tulsa This Saturday
9/24/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 24, 2007
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The UAB football team enjoyed its bye week this past weekend and is now back to its regular schedule, including Monday's media luncheon, in preparation for its Conference USA opener at Tulsa on Saturday.
"I think the off day came at a good time because if you count two-a-days back in the summer, we are at about the halfway mark through the season," said UAB head coach Neil Callaway. "I think the break was good for the players and coaches, both physically and mentally. It was good to get refreshed and rejuvenated and ready to go."
The Blazers are gearing up for their first conference game of the season on Saturday. UAB will head to Tulsa, Okla. to take on the Tulsa Golden Hurricane, who is 2-1 and coming off of a 62-21 loss to No. 4 Oklahoma last Friday.
"They had a very physical football game with Oklahoma last week," said Callaway. I think Oklahoma is definitely one of the top four teams in the country, but credit Tulsa, I thought they competed hard and they were matching Oklahoma for awhile there, so I was very impressed with how hard Tulsa played and with their attitude going into the game."
Tulsa will present a new look for UAB on both offense and defense. Callaway and the rest of the UAB coaching staff have spent a good amount of time studying the Golden Hurricane's style and schemes.
"I also think the open date gave us a chance to get a jump-start on Tulsa," said Callaway. "I've said this before; Tulsa is kind of an unconventional type of football team, both offensively and defensively.
"Offensively, they do a lot of different formations and reverses off of almost all the plays they have. They do an outstanding job and are leading the league in almost every offensive statistical category.
"Defensively, it will be the first team we play a team that plays a 3-5-3 defense. From an offensive standpoint, it was good to get an extra week to work on it. I think it was good for both sides to have that open week right before Tulsa because they are different in things they do."
UAB and Tulsa will meet on the gridiron on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. at H.A. Chapman Stadium in Tulsa, Okla.
Head Coach Neil Callaway
Opening remarks:
"We had an open week last week. We kind of went through our normal routine Sunday and Monday, which means we went over the Alcorn State game and had our meetings. We worked out in the weight room Sunday and had Monday off and then practiced Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Tuesday and Thursday were what we call in shells, where we do competition with each other but nothing is really live. Wednesday, we tried to make it as physical and hard as we could. I think we got some good things out of it. I think it was also good that we gave the guys Friday and Saturday off. I think the off day came at a good time because if you count two-a-days back in the summer, we are at about the halfway mark through the season. I think the break was good for the players and coaches, both physically and mentally. It was good to get refreshed and rejuvenated and ready to go.
"I also think the open date gave us a chance to get a jump-start on Tulsa. I've said this before; Tulsa is kind of an unconventional type of football team, both offensively and defensively. Offensively, they do a lot of different formations and reverses off of almost all the plays they have. They do a real good job of doing the play-action pass and the bootlegs off their running game, which creates problems. Even though Oklahoma won the game last week by a large margin, you have to be impressed with Tulsa offensively. They do an outstanding job and are leading the league in almost every offensive statistical category. Their quarterback does an outstanding job and they are a wide-open offense that's going to spread you out and do all sorts of things to create advantages for themselves.
"Defensively, it will be the first team we play a team that plays a 3-5-3 defense. From an offensive standpoint, it was good to get an extra week to work on it. It's just a little different. If you're playing against a 3-4 front and practicing against it for eight or nine weeks and then you have to go play a 3-5, some things change for you. I think it was good for both sides to have that open week right before Tulsa because they are different in things they do. They are a high-scoring offense and I told our team yesterday that we have two different challenges, our defense has to slow them down and curtail their points and how many they score and offensively, we have to score more than they do which will be a challenge because they are a very good offensive football team and they do a nice job defensively as well."
On playing first Conference USA game:
"You like to win them all but we talked about it yesterday that this has a little different meaning to it. Like I said, you always want to win every game, but especially when you're in conference play. It's very important that we get focused and step it up a notch and make sure we're the best we can possibly be.
"Playing in Conference USA, we'd like to win Conference USA, and to do that we have to control our own destiny in the conference by winning every conference game. I certainly don't think there will be any type of letdown at all."
On whether the open week stopped UAB's momentum following the win over Alcorn State:
"I really don't think so. We'll know Saturday when we play, but I thought the open week came at a good time and because of the grind of camp and the first three weeks, our guys haven't really had the chance to be home. We have 15-20 percent of the guys that are from around here and have gotten to go home but most the guys haven't been home since we reported to camp. I think it was a good thing but time will tell if it hurt our momentum, but I hope not.
On playing on the road again:
"I don't think it's that big of a problem. Obviously we'd like to play home games, it's easier in some ways, particularly after the game you get to be with your friends and family after the game and not have to travel home. Before the game, I think going on the road is better because you get off to yourselves and don't have the distractions and you're in your hotel room. After the game, I think it's a good bit easier being at home, but as far as before and during the game, you'd love to have all your fans but in terms of preparations, I think it's easier to be on the road."
On possibly catching Tulsa at a good time after the Golden Hurricane lost to Oklahoma last week:
"I hope so, but you can't count on that. They had a very physical football game with Oklahoma last week. I think Oklahoma is definitely one of the top four teams in the country, but credit Tulsa, I thought they competed hard and they were matching Oklahoma for awhile there, so I was very impressed with how hard Tulsa played and with their attitude going into the game."
On UAB's defense having to shut down Tulsa's offense:
"I think we should get excited about it. I know coach (Eric) Schumann has spent a lot of time studying their schemes and trying to find tendencies in how they do things and when they do things. I think we're excited and looking forward to the challenge. I think the challenge will be as much mental as it will be physical. The mental preparation is tremendously important because of all the things they do."
On addressing having to kick five field goals against Alcorn State:
"Yes, we addressed it. Obviously we were happy for Swayze (Waters) but we were really disappointed offensively that we couldn't execute and put more touchdowns in the end zone. If we get to the red zone, then have to have touchdowns if we're going to keep up with Tulsa's scoring."
On injuries at running back:
"They are all back. We are in the process of getting that pecking order. I think if we had to go right now, and this isn't etched in stone, we would have Rashaud Slaughter, Brandon Thornton, Dexter Barnett, Jim Mitchell, Tony Shepherd and then a guy that hasn't been there the past couple weeks is Darell Norman who is supposed to be ready when we go tomorrow. Obviously we can't play all of those guys, my feelings are that when you go into a game you're going to play two of them, maybe three. So they'll all have to work and compete and redefine that pecking order."
Defensive Back Zach Britten
On Tulsa's offense:
"It's not necessarily frightening, it's just going to be a challenge for us this week. It's all about the schemes and being disciplined."
On getting excited to play this week:
"I got a rush because this is the first offense we have played that actually runs this type of offense. It's going to be a great challenge."
On having the past weekend off:
"The bye week was good. It was a good win over Alcorn State, but the bye week was good. It gave us time to slow down and think about what we have ahead and to come together as a team."
On conference play:
"Anytime you get into conference play, the competition level steps up. Everybody has to be on their `A' game."
Offensive Lineman Adam Hollifield
On starting conference play against Tulsa:
"I'm very excited. We break the huddle every time with `conference champs'. It's a big game that we need to get under our belt."
On UAB's offensive difficulties in the red zone:
"We'll [the offensive line] take it. We'll put it on us. If we blocked everybody 10 yards past the ball, we would have scored every time."
On the team coming together:
"We really had to bond after the Michigan State game. We came back the next week against Florida State and the offensive line bonded real well because we had to."
Linebacker Jacob Tauanuu
On playing the first conference game on the road:
"I look forward to it, playing in a big stadium with a lot of people there. It excites me and gets my blood flowing."
"I prefer to be the underdog. People don't give us enough credit, but they are going to see it when we step on the field and put our game out there."
On Tulsa's offense:
"They have a lot of talented guys on their team. I'm looking forward to it."
Wide Receiver Mario Wright
On having a week off after the win over Alcorn State:
"We were looking forward to playing. I was watching all the college games over the weekend, saying `Dang, I'm ready to play'."
On the potential of having a high scoring game against Tulsa:
"It puts pressure on me. As a player and as a competitor, I love that. I love pressure."
On UAB's 6-2 record in conference openers:
"We are just going to try to continue that and do what we can to keep it going."
On Tulsa's defense:
"We are going to try and attack it the best we can. There are a lot of holes on every defense. We are going to try to pick them apart."
On UAB being picked at the bottom of the conference during preseason:
"We think about it everyday. It's motivation for us to get better. We can only get better. That's what we are trying to do."
On having to step up and perform in a game:
"Coach Callaway put me out there. I'm trying to make plays for him. It's my job. If he feels I'm not ready, he's not going to put me out there, but he feels I'm ready so I'm going to try and prove him right."
