The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
The 2019 UAB Football Senior Class and Its Legacy
11/21/2019 10:56:00 AM | Football
BIRMINGHAM - They heard it all summer long. How do you replace 35 seniors from last year's championship team?
They are going to hear it this entire summer. UAB returns the majority of its starter for the 2020 season.
But what about this senior class of 14 players? What is its legacy?
It starts with the only two remaining players from the 2014 team, center Lee Dufour and placekicker Nick Vogel. From experiencing the lowest of the lows, to the euphoria of last year's conference championship, their journeys are among the most unique in college football history.
Following the shutdown, Dufour transferred to South Alabama and Vogel to Southern Miss for the second semester of their freshman year. In constant contact with each other throughout the spring semester, the two best friends made a pact that they would return to UAB if the program was reinstated.
Now, standing on the other side of a championship season and currently boasting a 26-11 record since returning to action, these two have been on the front lines of the greatest comeback in college football history.
Then there are players like Garrett Marino, Fitzgerald Mofor, Will Dawkins, A.J. Brooks, Chris Tucker and Michael Wright who took a chance on UAB in 2016, knowing they would have to practice for an entire year before playing a different team.
Heck, Marino was the first player to sign at UAB when the program was reinstated in 2015. Mofor transferred from Division II Glenville State and came to Birmingham as a walk-on hoping to earn a spot. Dawkins transferred in from Indiana. All of their stories are completely different, but they have all been instrumental in helping UAB become a top 10 national defense for consecutive seasons.
And the streak. The Blazers have won 17-straight at home. Since bringing the program back, this group has not lost inside Historic Legion Field and own the nation's fourth longest active home winning streak.
It doesn't get much bigger than putting that streak on the line against the Conference USA's league-leader, and with a chance to move into a tie for first place.
The Blazers (7-3, 4-2 C-USA) host Louisiana Tech (8-2, 5-1 C-USA) with so much on the line this Saturday. Kick is set for 2:30 p.m.
Tickets to the game can be purchased by clicking here. Along with Senior Day, it is Kids Takeover Day at Legion Field. Youth sports teams and leagues are invited to participate in Team Day where groups of 10 or more will be recognized on field during the game. Click here to purchase your discounted group tickets.
2019 Senior Class:
Thair Blakes, A.J. Brooks, Will Dawkins, Lee Dufour, David Galten, Jonathan Haden, Jaunta'vius Johnson, Garrett Marino, Fitzgerald Mofor, Kendall Parham, Adrienne Talan, Chris Tucker, Nick Vogel, Michael Wright
They are going to hear it this entire summer. UAB returns the majority of its starter for the 2020 season.
But what about this senior class of 14 players? What is its legacy?
It starts with the only two remaining players from the 2014 team, center Lee Dufour and placekicker Nick Vogel. From experiencing the lowest of the lows, to the euphoria of last year's conference championship, their journeys are among the most unique in college football history.
Following the shutdown, Dufour transferred to South Alabama and Vogel to Southern Miss for the second semester of their freshman year. In constant contact with each other throughout the spring semester, the two best friends made a pact that they would return to UAB if the program was reinstated.
Now, standing on the other side of a championship season and currently boasting a 26-11 record since returning to action, these two have been on the front lines of the greatest comeback in college football history.
Then there are players like Garrett Marino, Fitzgerald Mofor, Will Dawkins, A.J. Brooks, Chris Tucker and Michael Wright who took a chance on UAB in 2016, knowing they would have to practice for an entire year before playing a different team.
Heck, Marino was the first player to sign at UAB when the program was reinstated in 2015. Mofor transferred from Division II Glenville State and came to Birmingham as a walk-on hoping to earn a spot. Dawkins transferred in from Indiana. All of their stories are completely different, but they have all been instrumental in helping UAB become a top 10 national defense for consecutive seasons.
And the streak. The Blazers have won 17-straight at home. Since bringing the program back, this group has not lost inside Historic Legion Field and own the nation's fourth longest active home winning streak.
It doesn't get much bigger than putting that streak on the line against the Conference USA's league-leader, and with a chance to move into a tie for first place.
The Blazers (7-3, 4-2 C-USA) host Louisiana Tech (8-2, 5-1 C-USA) with so much on the line this Saturday. Kick is set for 2:30 p.m.
Tickets to the game can be purchased by clicking here. Along with Senior Day, it is Kids Takeover Day at Legion Field. Youth sports teams and leagues are invited to participate in Team Day where groups of 10 or more will be recognized on field during the game. Click here to purchase your discounted group tickets.
2019 Senior Class:
Thair Blakes, A.J. Brooks, Will Dawkins, Lee Dufour, David Galten, Jonathan Haden, Jaunta'vius Johnson, Garrett Marino, Fitzgerald Mofor, Kendall Parham, Adrienne Talan, Chris Tucker, Nick Vogel, Michael Wright
Players Mentioned
TE
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CB
/ Football
S
/ Football
OL
/ Football
OL
/ Football
RB
/ Football
DL
/ Football
DL
/ Football
LB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
OLB
/ Football
OL
/ Football
PK
/ Football
OLB
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