The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Conference USA Holds 2008 Football Media Blitz
7/20/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
• Watch the Entire CBS College Sports C-USA Preview Show
MEMPHIS, Tenn. ----- It doesn't take much for one to realize the start of the college football season is getting closer and closer.
On Sunday, the 12 head coaches from Conference USA gathered here at the Peabody Hotel for the league's 2008 Football Media Blitz. Each school also brought a couple of players to Memphis for the event. Joining UAB head coach Neil Callaway were quarterback Joe Webb and senior cornerback Kevin Sanders.
Callaway, Webb and Sanders spent a good part of the day fielding questions from the C-USA media.
Head Coach Neil Callaway
(General thoughts on practice beginning in two weeks)
"I think we are ready to get going. We've had a very good offseason. From talking to (strength and conditioning) coach (Steve) Martin, we have had a tremendous amount of turnout and effort with our summer workout program.
"We (coaches) came back in the office last week so we have been working at it about a week now as far as getting ready for the season. I know we're excited, coaches and players and everybody. We're looking forward to it."
(Advantages to newcomers enrolling early and participating in summer workouts)
"I think it's a big advantage. I think it does two things. From an academic standpoint, it lets them get their feet on the ground. They will know what the routine will be. From a football standpoint, coming in and working out with coach Martin and the other players, it helps them get acclimated and understand the work that it's going to take."
(Priorities of first few days after practice begins in two weeks)
"I think when you get back, you always are trying to implement what you're putting in. You're trying to get the offensive and defensive schemes installed and you're tweaking some things. You're also trying to come up with a depth chart. I think that will be a work in progress until 10 days before the first ballgame. There's a lot of work to be done and a lot of things we have to get accomplished."
(Opportunities for newcomers to take on significant roles)
"Anytime you sign a player from junior college, you have the feeling or anticipation that he can come in and, if not start, compete to be a starter. That's certainly what we expect out of those (JUCO) guys we signed. We'll also have some freshmen who come in who can contribute to this football team early. We've still got a relatively young team that's lacking in depth. So, there are opportunities for guys to play. "
(Areas heading into practice that concern you and areas that you feel good about)
"I think the places offensively that we have made a tremendous amount of progress are on the offensive line and at wide receiver. I think we've got a good group of guys at both spots. Obviously, I feel very good about Joe Webb at quarterback although if something were to happen to Joe, I'm not really sure who would be the backup. We still have a lot work to do at the running back spot. I am not sure how that's going to play out.
"At tight end, I think we've got two good players in Jeffery Anderson and Zach Lankford. Offensively, I feel like we've made a lot of progress.
"Defensively, I feel good about the corner position. I think we've got a good situation at safety with Will Dunbar back. I'm still concerned about our defensive front. I want to see how our linebackers shake out. We'll still play a lot of young guys there. "
(Addressing the running game and the emphasis to try to improve that area from last season)
"We're always going to be a balanced offense. We're never going to be a team that tries to line up and run it down your throat every play. But we do want to run the football and be more effective than we were last year. Hopefully, we will be better up front this year. We will have a couple new tailbacks that will be in the program and hopefully will help us. But we do need to be a better football team running the football."
(Thoughts on playing a conference game in the first game of the season)
"It's probably not good and not something you normally like to do. You'd rather not start with a conference game because of the effect it has on the conference standings. I am excited about the fact that we're able to open up at home. I think that's a tremendous advantage for us. Traditionally, we've opened on the road playing a `money' game. Tulsa is a very good football team and will be hard to handle."
Senior Cornerback Kevin Sanders
(Attitude of team with start of practice just two weeks away)
"I think we are coming in with a whole new attitude. We have put last year behind us, but there is still that little piece there that leaves us hungry and ready to start the season. I think the seniors are taking the lead for this season and trying to make sure everybody is doing what they're supposed to to get ready for the season, on and off the field, in the classroom and especially, in workouts.
(Thoughts on the secondary being one of the most experienced groups on the team)
"We've got three seniors, me, Will (Dunbar) and Matt (Taylor) who started last year. We all stay after workouts every day. We get together and we talk about what we need to do. We talk about how we think the team is coming along, what the mindset is. I think we've taken more of a leadership role with the whole team."
(Comments on defense overall)
"Aside from the secondary and a couple linebackers who have experience, we're still young. Most of the people have a year under their belt as far as experience, but it's not a lot of experience. We all feel like with a year under our belt with Coach Callaway and the coaching staff, we feel like we will be more comfortable with the schemes. We won't let us being thin be an excuse."
(Thoughts on opening the season with a conference game)
"We're excited about it. We look at it as a great opportunity. We want to get a headstart on the season and having a good year in the conference.
(On summer workouts and 7-on-7 drills)
"The seniors try to make sure it's organized. When we first started it wasn't as organized. Now, I think we've got it down and we tell everybody, it's going to be like this and like this. It's hot; we take roll to make sure everybody's there who is supposed to be there. We tell everybody if 2 and 10 doesn't make you want to get better, then it's the wrong sport for you. I think everybody's buying into it and competing. It's important that everybody competes with each other and is not just going through the motions. We're trying to be a step ahead going to fall camp from where we would be if we weren't going through the drills.
(Observations on Blazers' group of receivers)
"I think we have a great receiving corps. I think it's one of the strongest groups on our team. I think it's important that we (defensive backs) compete everyday and try to make each other better."
Junior Quarterback Joe Webb
(On start of practice being two weeks away)
"I think the attitude has been great. Everybody is giving 100 percent workout-wise. We've had a good turnout in 7-on-7. I think everybody is tired of losing games and we're ready to turn this program around. We're trying to go to a bowl game. It's no fun when we go home, sit down and watch the bowl games. I think everyone is ready to win this year."
(On summer 7-on-7 drills)
"Everybody comes to work. Sometimes, guys have a conflict, have a class or have to go see a tutor, but we get most everybody out there and they're ready to work. The past couple years, a lot of guys didn't come out or we had a lot of guys coming off injuries so we couldn't get a lot of guys out. But this year's been a lot different."
(On disappointment of last year being a source of motivation)
"I definitely think it's a motivation. People aren't expecting us to have a good year. We've been picked low in the conference. We just want to show everybody and prove to everybody we are a good football team and can win ballgames."
(Opportunity to assume role as team's starting quarterback)
"This is really the first time I've been a full-time quarterback. I try to do my best no matter whether it's at quarterback or receiver. I want to everybody I can be a leader and help this team win games and make a difference for Birmingham. We want to go to a bowl game and make a run at a Conference USA championship and show everybody that's it's a different team this year."
(On the group of receivers he will be throwing to this season)
"Our receivers are most definitely one of our strengths. We had some good freshmen last year like Jeffery Anderson, Frantrell Forrest, Mike Jones and Mario Wright). They made some good plays and all four of them are back. And we have some JUCO players coming in with a lot of experience."
(Playing a conference game as the first game)
"Tulsa has had a very good team the last few years. They played in the conference championship last year and I feel like this is a great opportunity for us to set the tone. We want to show everybody that we're ready to play."
