The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
#UABcamp16 Kicks off with Media Day
8/7/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – With practice set to begin on Monday, the UAB football team hosted Media Day on Sunday at Bartow Arena featuring head coach Bill Clark and selected student-athletes.
Head Coach Bill Clark:
Opening Statement:
“This is different than what we have been talking about recently. This is different than even June this time last year and even from spring training where we had a limited number of guys. This is a long time coming.
“Into June we made the decision, with the guys that we had here, to have as normal of a summer as we possibly could. June and July looked like every other team in the country. The question, ‘what is the thought process’ was asked of me by so many people. We wanted to make our summer look like what it is going to look like next year. We emphasized getting stronger and faster. We really wanted them to be prepared for this camp.
“This camp we will be at 105 players, once again like everyone else in the country. We are going to treat it like we are playing on the same day that all of them open up. For us we are getting ready for the kickoff on August 29, which there is a lot of excitement around. I’ve heard nothing but good things about that game. We will then have another scrimmage around October 20, the week of homecoming. During the time in between we are going to be practicing a limited number of days during the week.
“But right now, we are here for camp. I am very excited to get these guys here and in our meetings this afternoon and then kicking off practice tomorrow morning. I’m ready to get started with camp and I think that our guys are in great shape and ready to get started as well.”
On developing a depth chart this fall:
“We really will. We want to have a lot of competition this fall and my goal is to have 22 guys, both on offense and defense, that consider themselves starters. We are going to work with different combinations. We haven’t really done a lot of X and O talk, but we will try to develop a depth chart and create a lot of competition.”
On A.J. Erdley competing at quarterback:
“Coming out of spring we thought he was our number one. Tyler Johnston getting here this summer has really made A.J. compete more. They both look terrific and we should have good competitions between both of those guys as well as the other guys in the mix.”
On not having an opponent to work on this camp and getting to work on the team:
“We are going to be working on ourselves and creating more competition. Creating what we call ‘good on good.’ Most summers you start working on the opponent about two weeks before the game, and so it will be different for us because we don’t have that. This fall should just be good competition and the offense and defense working on themselves and getting better.”
On what Saturday’s are going to look like this fall:
“They are going to be totally different than last year where we had guys coming on unofficial visits and we were watching everybody. Now we are going to practice on Saturday, other than two open dates. The guys are going to have a plan that every Saturday we are going to have some kind of practice, whether it is a scrimmage or just a regular practice. I want Saturday’s to mean something, and I want them to get used to playing on Saturday’s. We will have a morning practice and then the afternoon will be like everyone else’s where we will try to watch as many games as possible.”
On the construction of the new facility changing the practice plan:
“That is going to be an exciting day when shovels get in the ground, and it will also be an advantage recruiting. But for practice it will change things a little bit. Once the shovels go in the ground we will fence off the construction zone. We will flip our field the opposite way. I don’t know exactly how things will go but we will almost be able to get a full field running the opposite way.”
On what the team should look like after camp:
“Number one, I want to be as safe as we can. I want us to compete and get stronger and be safe. We want to come out with no injuries but also have competed as hard as we could have. But my goal at the end of this is to have a real two deep roster. I’d like to have two guys deep at every position and on special teams. And then we want those guys to really compete in September, October, and November. We will have to do a good job in spacing our practices out during those three months. August 29 is going to be a big deal to me and I have in my mind what it should look like. It is not going to be normal spring game, but it could look like that. We will try to make that game look and feel as game as possible. We want to compete as much as possible and look like everyone else’s camp.”
Linebacker Tevin Crews
On the return:
“Wherever I look I see something about “The Return 17”. I daydream about it – the first time stepping on the field, seeing all the fans again. I haven’t played in front of a big crowd in a while. I think about it every day. It is something you can’t go without thinking about. This is why we do it – for those Saturdays – the big day, walking down for Blazer Walk.”
Defensive End Shaq Jones
On the excitement of the return:
“I’m happy. I’m just blessed to be here. I’m excited we still have the same coaches and stuff like that. We can do a lot of things and we will. I’m confident in what Coach has been implementing throughout the team. I have a lot of confidence in my teammates and the things we have been doing. We have been working hard. When August 29 comes I’m just excited to see all the new guys and old guys show off their talent to the rest of Birmingham.”
Cornerback Darious Williams
On keeping focused for 2017:
“I think it’s going to take a lot, but I think we will be prepared for it because that’s what we expected – to be here but not have a season. I think we will be ready, but at the same time it will be hard.”
On the players that didn’t leave:
“We’re a family. We are here. We believe in coach Clark and we believe in our teammates. The guys that stayed – it’s a family atmosphere and we didn’t want to leave.”
On August 29:
“I’m looking forward to it. I’m looking forward to having the fans out there – everybody who has supported us coming out to see us. Finally seeing our team gel together and see what we can do – seeing how we’ll be for 2017. New talent, new coaches, whole new offense and defense – I think everyone will be pretty excited.”
Offensive Lineman Lee Dufour:
On camp:
“I’ve been through one fall camp my freshman year. As a freshman, you don’t know what to expect, but now I have that experience. It’s the same situation, but now I’m not fighting for a spot I’m fighting to keep a spot. It’s the same as every other camp – that is how you have to have your mindset. You can’t look at it like, well we aren’t playing for anything.”
Placekicker Nick Vogel
On his decision to come back to UAB:
“I was in love with this school when I first came here in 2014. We were a really close knit family-type family feel. I really loved everyone on this team. I can genuinely say I could hang out with any of them and have a good time. When I went to my other school, it just wasn’t the same. I found myself thinking about UAB all the time. Every weekend I would go visit Lee (Dufour) – drive all the way to South Alabama just to see him. It was an obvious decision when football came back what I was going to do – I was going to come back.”
