The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Meet the Press: Clark Previews the Southern Miss Game
11/5/2018 5:08:00 PM | Football
BIRMINGHAM – With an opportunity to clinch its first-ever Conference USA divisional title, the UAB football team hosts Southern Miss this Saturday at Legion Field. Kickoff on beIN Sports is set for 6:30 p.m.
THREE THINGS TO KNOW:
Opening Statement:
"As I said going in, it was the next game, it was a home game and we've been saying all week it was a conference championship game for us and that's how we wanted to treat it. For us, I know offensively we felt that we had some things to prove after the UTEP game, once again give those guys credit because they played us really well.
"Early in the week A.J. (Erdely) had been banged up from the North Texas game which allowed Tyler (Johnston III) to go in. We practiced with A.J. all week and he never could feel good about his shoulder and throwing. So we decided midway through the week, and A.J. was a part of that process, that Coach (Bryant) Vincent and I were going to go with Tyler and made the announcement to the team on Friday. It goes without saying what kind of great game he had, the offensive line, the receivers and tight ends, the running by Spencer (Brown), the great protection and the throws was really just a terrific night for Tyler. Just like I have been so proud of A.J., I could not be more proud of Tyler and really how he's handled himself the whole time he's been here. He's really a class act, comes to prepare everyday, treats everyday like he is the starter and I think that showed in his performance. The entire offense should be commended for how well they played against what I thought was a good defense coming in.
"Defensively another great effort. The one thing we look at is points allowed and they are doing great. Of course it's all week-to-week, it's all about what we do this upcoming week. But looking back to last week I am very proud of them and thought that they played really well. It was good team defense. They had a big stop down on the goal line with a forced turnover.
"And then another big night on special teams. (Nick) Vogel is kicking the ball really well, had a big field goal and then all of the touchbacks he's creating makes it so much easier for our coverage team. And then of course the big blocked punt, Gerrit Prince, who is a guy that is getting to take advantage of the redshirt rule. We got to play him and he got the blocked punt which set up a score.
"It was great team win as we move into the Southern Miss game. We say it's the next game, the next home game, Senior Night, but it's also really big in that we can secure the West Division and get ourselves in the conference championship game which has been our goal all along. I told our team that if you look at us and look at Southern Miss they are right behind us defensively. Coach (Jay) Hopson, being a defensive guy, basically runs that defense himself. They are very talented and have lost some close games. They played really well last week against Marshall. Offensively, they do multiple things, are playing with two quarterbacks right now and both can throw it. They have tons of motions, screens and deep throws, tons of offensive talent and are really good in special teams. It will definitely be a great game and we are going to have to play really well to win it."
On how you will handle the quarterback situation this week:
"For us it is back to where we were before, we'll see how A.J. feels. Tyler immediately after the game told us he'll do whatever we need him to do, but that he was happy to be out there. A.J. was saying the same thing this morning that he wanted to see how he was, but if it's Tyler it's Tyler. We have to see how A.J. feels this week because we don't really know. I know that he was better last week, but we didn't want to stress him on Saturday. We just wanted to see how he felt and didn't make him throw real hard. But he was there. As a guy who has kind of lived through being hurt and your backup is out there, then one play he gets hurt and you're right back in there. That was the mindset he had, he was a great leader on the sideline coaching Tyler. A.J. wants to be a coach one day he says, so that was his chance to get into that role. We are going to play it out and see. There is no doubt that A.J. will play again before the end of the year. He was a lot better at the end of the week, but we have to see who gives us the best chance to win."
On when you made the call to go with Tyler:
"Literally it was at the end of the week last week. It could be a gameday decision. They split reps last week. We really do give each guy 50 percent of the reps. I know some guys give one guy 80 and the other guy 20, but that to me is not very smart. How many reps you get and how you handle practice by tempo you can pretty much get each guy equal reps. Sometimes it may be 60-40, but we try to give our backup every rep that the starter gets, because he literally he a play away from playing. Then it goes back to who is number three because I have lived in that world where the number three guy had to win a game for us. It could be a game time decision."
On this being a good problem to have:
"It's a good problem to have a great backup. For us if both guys have great attitudes and handle it the right way and are team players, which both of them are, then I don't think it's a problem. I am always talking to the guys about adversity and how you handle it, what a team player looks like, and that what we talk about daily. I told them that the only way that I am upset is if you don't handle these situations after I have talked about it multiple, multiple times. And you have to have the right people. But there is a balancing act. When you are an ultimate competitor you don't enjoy this. I know A.J. and I know how he is and with us having Senior Night coming up he's going to want to play. We are going to have to see. Both of them have the right attitude and they want to do what is best for us to win and get to a championship game. I like where we are with them and we will see how the week goes."
THREE THINGS TO KNOW:
- UAB is the nation's No. 1 scoring defense at 12.1 points per game. In six Conference USA games, the Blazers have allowed 38 total points and have held their opponents to seven points or less in five of six contests. In 24 quarters played during league action, the UAB defense has held its opponents scoreless in 19 of them.
- Sophomore running back Spencer Brown is on a tear of late, having notched three straight 100-yard rushing performances. He ranks fifth nationally with 13 rushing touchdowns and has scored a TD in seven straight games, with four of those being multi-touchdown games. Brown is average 93.1 yards per game and last time he played Southern Miss he recorded a career-best 209 yards.
- The Blazers set school records for total yards (668) and rushing yards (419) last week in a 52-3 victory over UTSA. It was just the fifth time in program history UAB has had 600 yards of total offense and the first time ever it has rushef for more than 400. UAB is ninth nationally in rushing yards per game (253.7).
Opening Statement:
"As I said going in, it was the next game, it was a home game and we've been saying all week it was a conference championship game for us and that's how we wanted to treat it. For us, I know offensively we felt that we had some things to prove after the UTEP game, once again give those guys credit because they played us really well.
"Early in the week A.J. (Erdely) had been banged up from the North Texas game which allowed Tyler (Johnston III) to go in. We practiced with A.J. all week and he never could feel good about his shoulder and throwing. So we decided midway through the week, and A.J. was a part of that process, that Coach (Bryant) Vincent and I were going to go with Tyler and made the announcement to the team on Friday. It goes without saying what kind of great game he had, the offensive line, the receivers and tight ends, the running by Spencer (Brown), the great protection and the throws was really just a terrific night for Tyler. Just like I have been so proud of A.J., I could not be more proud of Tyler and really how he's handled himself the whole time he's been here. He's really a class act, comes to prepare everyday, treats everyday like he is the starter and I think that showed in his performance. The entire offense should be commended for how well they played against what I thought was a good defense coming in.
"Defensively another great effort. The one thing we look at is points allowed and they are doing great. Of course it's all week-to-week, it's all about what we do this upcoming week. But looking back to last week I am very proud of them and thought that they played really well. It was good team defense. They had a big stop down on the goal line with a forced turnover.
"And then another big night on special teams. (Nick) Vogel is kicking the ball really well, had a big field goal and then all of the touchbacks he's creating makes it so much easier for our coverage team. And then of course the big blocked punt, Gerrit Prince, who is a guy that is getting to take advantage of the redshirt rule. We got to play him and he got the blocked punt which set up a score.
"It was great team win as we move into the Southern Miss game. We say it's the next game, the next home game, Senior Night, but it's also really big in that we can secure the West Division and get ourselves in the conference championship game which has been our goal all along. I told our team that if you look at us and look at Southern Miss they are right behind us defensively. Coach (Jay) Hopson, being a defensive guy, basically runs that defense himself. They are very talented and have lost some close games. They played really well last week against Marshall. Offensively, they do multiple things, are playing with two quarterbacks right now and both can throw it. They have tons of motions, screens and deep throws, tons of offensive talent and are really good in special teams. It will definitely be a great game and we are going to have to play really well to win it."
On how you will handle the quarterback situation this week:
"For us it is back to where we were before, we'll see how A.J. feels. Tyler immediately after the game told us he'll do whatever we need him to do, but that he was happy to be out there. A.J. was saying the same thing this morning that he wanted to see how he was, but if it's Tyler it's Tyler. We have to see how A.J. feels this week because we don't really know. I know that he was better last week, but we didn't want to stress him on Saturday. We just wanted to see how he felt and didn't make him throw real hard. But he was there. As a guy who has kind of lived through being hurt and your backup is out there, then one play he gets hurt and you're right back in there. That was the mindset he had, he was a great leader on the sideline coaching Tyler. A.J. wants to be a coach one day he says, so that was his chance to get into that role. We are going to play it out and see. There is no doubt that A.J. will play again before the end of the year. He was a lot better at the end of the week, but we have to see who gives us the best chance to win."
On when you made the call to go with Tyler:
"Literally it was at the end of the week last week. It could be a gameday decision. They split reps last week. We really do give each guy 50 percent of the reps. I know some guys give one guy 80 and the other guy 20, but that to me is not very smart. How many reps you get and how you handle practice by tempo you can pretty much get each guy equal reps. Sometimes it may be 60-40, but we try to give our backup every rep that the starter gets, because he literally he a play away from playing. Then it goes back to who is number three because I have lived in that world where the number three guy had to win a game for us. It could be a game time decision."
On this being a good problem to have:
"It's a good problem to have a great backup. For us if both guys have great attitudes and handle it the right way and are team players, which both of them are, then I don't think it's a problem. I am always talking to the guys about adversity and how you handle it, what a team player looks like, and that what we talk about daily. I told them that the only way that I am upset is if you don't handle these situations after I have talked about it multiple, multiple times. And you have to have the right people. But there is a balancing act. When you are an ultimate competitor you don't enjoy this. I know A.J. and I know how he is and with us having Senior Night coming up he's going to want to play. We are going to have to see. Both of them have the right attitude and they want to do what is best for us to win and get to a championship game. I like where we are with them and we will see how the week goes."
Players Mentioned
RB
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