The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Football Previews UCF Game At Monday Press Conference
10/17/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 17, 2011
Press Conference Audio | Video Highlights
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The UAB football team faces a quick turnaround this week as the Blazers return to Legion Field to host UCF on Thursday at 7 p.m. CT in a game that will be televised by CSS.
On Monday, UAB head coach Neil Callaway held his weekly press conference, recapping Saturday's loss at Tulsa and looking ahead to the UCF contest. Quarterback Bryan Ellis, linebacker Lamanski Ware, punter Trey Ragland and receiver Jamarcus Nelson also met with members of the media.
Nelson, a redshirt freshman, hauled in touchdown passes of 66 and 45 yards from Ellis at Tulsa over the weekend, but the Blazers (0-6, 0-3 Conference USA) came up on the short end of a 37-20 decision.
UCF (3-3, 1-1 C-USA) will be playing its second straight road game in league play this week after falling at SMU on Saturday by a score of 38-17.
"Since I've been at UAB, they have been the best defensive football team in our league," Callaway said of UCF. "I think head coach George O'Leary has done a great job, and we'll have our hands full. We are excited about playing on Thursday night."
In addition to the CSS broadcast, Thursday's game will air locally on WUHT-FM 107.7 in Birmingham as David Crane and John Whitcomb call the action with Sam Miller roaming the sidelines. The pre-game show begins 90 minutes before kickoff.
Here are some highlights from Monday's press conference:
UAB Head Coach Neil Callaway
Opening statement
"I was really pleased with our kicking game against Tulsa. We did a nice job on coverage, punting and the field goal/extra point unit. There are still things we could have done better. We continue to be a good, solid unit there for the most part.
Offensively, we finally made the big plays I've been talking about. Bryan Ellis threw two long touchdown passes to Jamarcus Nelson. It was exciting and good to see. Nick Adams caught another long pass. We got off to a slow start offensively. I thought the penalties hurt us. We have to run the football better.
Defensively, we got the turnovers again. As far as up front, there were a lot of good things. Our tackling on the perimeter by our corners and safeties wasn't as good as last week against Mississippi State. We need to stop the run better."
On UCF
"They are similar to Tulsa in that they are very physical up front on both sides of the ball. I think their quarterback can run and throw well. I think they are a good, solid offensive football team that wants to run the ball and try to make the big plays on play-action passes.
"Since I've been at UAB, they have been the best defensive football team in our league. I think head coach George O'Leary has done a great job, and we'll have our hands full. We are excited about playing on Thursday night. We'll be on TV and get a chance to show our stripes again. Hopefully, we'll come out with a win."
On the long passes against Tulsa
"We got a good matchup out there two times. We've had some people open before and haven't hit them. If you have guys open, you have to throw and they have to catch it. We had some good matchups out there and we executed very well."
On running kickoffs out of the endzone instead of taking touchbacks
"That's one of the areas we didn't do a very good job in. We had five or six kickoff returns. A couple of them were good, and the rest of them weren't. It's good to be aggressive. You want to think aggressive. It's not just on the guy returning, but also on the guys up front who have to block for him. I was a little surprised that we weren't more successful in the kickoff return."
On the exposure created by playing on television on Thursday night
"It is good exposure. I'm not a big proponent of night ball games and midweek ball games, but I do think playing on Thursday night once or twice a year is very good. I think it's very good for our players who get excited about playing on TV. Hopefully, our student body and fans will feel the same way. I think it's good. It's hard on the front end to play Thursday night because you have such a quick turnaround, but on the back end we are able to give the guys a day or two off. Since we don't have an open week this year, it's going to come at a good time for us."
Senior QB Bryan Ellis
On connecting on several long passes at Tulsa
"It felt good just being back out there. Obviously, we wanted to take some shots and see if we could hit them. We have had some deep guys open this year, and I know in games I have played in we have just overthrown the ball and haven't given the guy a chance. I think we did a little better job of that on Saturday."
On Thursday's game quickly approaching
"Obviously, you don't have as much time to rest and recuperate, but we're all on an even playing field so we just have to come out and be ready."
On Jonathon Perry being able to play quarterback when needed
"He is very capable, and so is Joe Bento. They have both played some. We have plenty of quarterbacks on the team that are able to win games for us."
Senior LB Lamanski Ware
On the play of the UAB defense at Tulsa
"I think we played decent. We gave up a lot of big plays, but we also made plays. We had four turnovers, which played a big part on our defense on Saturday. In three games this year we have created (a total of) 14 turnovers. I think at times we can be a great defense, but we just have to make sure we are consistent.
"Right now we fall apart at times during the game; we gave up a touchdown with 50 seconds left in the half by just missing one tackle. We just have to go out there and have everyone on the same page and make the plays that come to us instead of trying to go out there and make someone else's play."
On UCF
"UCF is a team that plays hard; they get after it every play. The quarterback is pretty good throwing the ball on the run, so we have to make sure that we keep him contained, which is one of the problems we had with Tulsa. We just have to go out there and improve on those mistakes during the week."
Senior P Trey Ragland
On the special teams play against Tulsa
"I think special teams has done well this year. I cannot tell you how proud I am of freshman kicker Ty Long. I know he was really excited about hitting that long field goal before the half (at Tulsa), and I think he wanted to get a little redemption from last week when he slipped and fell on the 51-yard attempt against Mississippi State. He can hit one from 50 yards out, and I was glad that he was able to hit that clutch field goal right before halftime."
On playing on a Thursday night against UCF
"Like Coach Callaway said, it's good every now and then to play on Thursday night. Our team not having a bye week this year kind of hurts, so once we get done with the game, we will have a little time to go home and relax. Most guys will be able to get their body well for the next week against Marshall."
Redshirt Freshman WR Jamarcus Nelson
On his two long touchdown catches at Tulsa
"They were good plays at the right time. The safeties were coming down hard in the first half. Bryan (Ellis) delivered the ball at the right spot, and I had to make a play."
On the game against Tulsa being a coming-out party for him
"Coach Callaway and the other coaches were talking about the playmakers and some of the young receivers not stepping up and making plays. So it just got in my head that if I had a chance to make a big play, I would try to make the best of it."
On the upcoming game against UCF
"We will just try to work hard and try to get a victory. Playing on a Thursday night at Legion Field will be exciting."
