The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
As Marshall Game Nears, Blazers Fine-Tune Game Plan
10/21/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 21, 2009
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The UAB football team practiced for approximately two hours at the UAB practice facility on Wednesday morning in helmets and shoulder pads. The Blazers (2-4, 2-1 C-USA) continue to prepare for their fourth Conference USA contest this season, when they travel to take on the Marshall Thundering Herd on Saturday, Oct. 24.
The weather remained on the cool side during Wednesday's workout, as temperatures hovered in the low-50s when practice began. Players came out to the field in sweatpants and long-sleeved undershirts, but by the time practice ended, most players were in shorts.
UAB head coach Neil Callaway was pleased with the morning session, but concedes his team still has work left to do.
"It was a good day," Callaway said. "I thought we had a lot of energy throughout the practice. We're still working to hone everything in for Marshall but overall it was a good day."
The Thundering Herd come into the contest with a 4-2 overall mark and a 2-1 record in league play. Both UAB and Marshall enter Saturday's matchup in a tie for second place in the C-USA East Division. The two teams trail division-leading East Carolina (4-3, 3-1 C-USA) by a half game entering the weekend's action.
The Blazers will be making their first road trip in league play this season when they travel to Huntington, W. Va. this weekend. Marshall boasts a 2-1 record at home, with the lone loss coming against the Pirates on Oct. 3. Saturday's contest, slated to kickoff at Noon ET (11 a.m. CT), will mark the Herd's first home game since the matchup against ECU, and only the second home game since Sept. 19.
"We are looking forward to going up there," Callaway said. "Marshall has a nice atmosphere to play in. The previous time we went up there two years ago, Marshall won in a close, hard-fought ball game. Last year, we won in a close, hard-fought ball game. I would anticipate this season being a close, hard-fought football game."
Saturday's game will be televised by CSS. The game will also be carried on the Blazers ISP Sports Network and can be heard in the Birmingham area on flagship station WUHT-FM 107.7 with David Crane (play-by-play) and Jake Arians (color) on the call. The pregame show will begin 90 minutes prior to kickoff.
