The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Brown and Marino Named to Preseason All-Conference USA Team
7/15/2019 12:35:00 PM | Football
BIRMINGHAM – Junior running back Spencer Brown and senior defensive lineman Garrett Marino represent UAB on the Coaches Preseason All-Conference USA Team, the league office announced on Monday.
Brown is a reigning First Team All-Conference USA selection from 2018 and was named the C-USA Championship Game MVP, along with earning 2017 Conference USA Freshman of the Year accolades. Marino is a two-time All-Conference USA Honorable Mention selection and enters his final year at UAB as one of the top defensive players in the league.
Coming off a season in which he compiled 1,227 rushing yards and a school record 17 total touchdowns, Brown is poised to establish all of UAB's major career rushing records this season. He is 261 rushing yards shy of becoming the all-time leader in that category, and he also needs 10 rushing touchdowns to become the career leader in that category as well.
With 2,556 career rushing yards, Brown is the nation's sixth active career leading rusher entering 2019. In 27 career games, he has scored 27 touchdowns and has averaged 94.7 rushing yards per game.
Marino is the lone returner on the defensive line that established a new school record for sacks (48) and tackles for loss (111) in 2018. Those numbers ranked UAB fifth and seventh in the country, respectively.
The Mission Viejo, Calif. native added eight points last year which proved to be critical in the success of UAB's season. Marino's 48-yard fumble return for a touchdown gave UAB a 31-24 victory over Tulane, while his safety against North Texas jumpstarted a 19-0 second half outburst as the Blazers rallied to defeat the Mean Green 29-21.
Both Brown and Marino were named to Bruce Feldman's annual Freaks List with Brown checking in at No. 44 and Marino at No. 28.
The reigning Conference USA Champions are 45 days away from taking the field. UAB opens the season on Thursday, Aug. 29 at Legion Field versus Alabama State. Kickoff on ESPN+ is slated for 7 p.m. CST.
Season tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by clicking here or by calling the UAB Athletics Ticket Office at 205-975-UAB1. Fans can also request more information on ticket options for the upcoming season here. Discounted group tickets and fan experiences are available for a minimum purchase of 20 tickets to any home football game. To purchase group tickets for the 2019 season, please contact Chris Curtis at (205) 934-3172 or ccurtis2@uab.edu.
2019 C-USA FOOTBALL COACHES PRESEASON AWARDS
Offensive Player of the Year
Mason Fine, Sr., QB, North Texas
Defensive Player of the Year
Sage Lewis, Sr., LB, FIU
Special Teams Player of the Year
Jonathan Cruz, So., K, Charlotte
Offense
QB - Mason Fine, Sr., North Texas
RB - Spencer Brown, Jr., UAB
RB - Benny LeMay, Sr., Charlotte
OL - Levi Brown, Sr., Marshall
OL - Josh Dunlop, Sr., UTSA
OL - Derron Gatewood, Sr., UTEP
OL - Sosaia Mose, Sr., North Texas
OL - Miles Pate, Sr., WKU
TE - Harrison Bryant, Sr., Florida Atlantic
WR - Rico Bussey, Jr., Sr., North Texas
WR - Adrian Hardy, Jr., Louisiana Tech
WR - Quez Watkins, Jr., Southern Miss
Defensive
DL - Channing Hames, Sr., Marshall
DL - LaDarius Hamilton, Sr., North Texas
DL - Alex Highsmith, Sr., Charlotte
DL - Garrett Marino, Sr., UAB
DL - DeMarrio Smith, Sr., Southern Miss
DL - Jacques Turner, Jr., Southern Miss
LB - Khalil Brooks, Sr., Middle Tennessee
LB - Sage Lewis, Sr., FIU
LB - Racheem Boothe, Jr., Southern Miss
DB - Reed Blankenship, Jr., Middle Tennessee
DB - Ky'el Hemby, Jr., Southern Miss
DB - Amik Robertson, Jr., Louisiana Tech
DB - Chris Jackson, Sr., Marshall
Special Teams
K - Jonathan Cruz, So., Charlotte
P - Alvin Kenworthy, Sr., North Texas
KR - Brett Winnegan, Sr., UTSA
PR - Maurice Alexander, Sr., FIU
LS - Matt Beardall, Sr., Marshall
Brown is a reigning First Team All-Conference USA selection from 2018 and was named the C-USA Championship Game MVP, along with earning 2017 Conference USA Freshman of the Year accolades. Marino is a two-time All-Conference USA Honorable Mention selection and enters his final year at UAB as one of the top defensive players in the league.
Coming off a season in which he compiled 1,227 rushing yards and a school record 17 total touchdowns, Brown is poised to establish all of UAB's major career rushing records this season. He is 261 rushing yards shy of becoming the all-time leader in that category, and he also needs 10 rushing touchdowns to become the career leader in that category as well.
With 2,556 career rushing yards, Brown is the nation's sixth active career leading rusher entering 2019. In 27 career games, he has scored 27 touchdowns and has averaged 94.7 rushing yards per game.
Marino is the lone returner on the defensive line that established a new school record for sacks (48) and tackles for loss (111) in 2018. Those numbers ranked UAB fifth and seventh in the country, respectively.
The Mission Viejo, Calif. native added eight points last year which proved to be critical in the success of UAB's season. Marino's 48-yard fumble return for a touchdown gave UAB a 31-24 victory over Tulane, while his safety against North Texas jumpstarted a 19-0 second half outburst as the Blazers rallied to defeat the Mean Green 29-21.
Both Brown and Marino were named to Bruce Feldman's annual Freaks List with Brown checking in at No. 44 and Marino at No. 28.
The reigning Conference USA Champions are 45 days away from taking the field. UAB opens the season on Thursday, Aug. 29 at Legion Field versus Alabama State. Kickoff on ESPN+ is slated for 7 p.m. CST.
Season tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by clicking here or by calling the UAB Athletics Ticket Office at 205-975-UAB1. Fans can also request more information on ticket options for the upcoming season here. Discounted group tickets and fan experiences are available for a minimum purchase of 20 tickets to any home football game. To purchase group tickets for the 2019 season, please contact Chris Curtis at (205) 934-3172 or ccurtis2@uab.edu.
2019 C-USA FOOTBALL COACHES PRESEASON AWARDS
Offensive Player of the Year
Mason Fine, Sr., QB, North Texas
Defensive Player of the Year
Sage Lewis, Sr., LB, FIU
Special Teams Player of the Year
Jonathan Cruz, So., K, Charlotte
Offense
QB - Mason Fine, Sr., North Texas
RB - Spencer Brown, Jr., UAB
RB - Benny LeMay, Sr., Charlotte
OL - Levi Brown, Sr., Marshall
OL - Josh Dunlop, Sr., UTSA
OL - Derron Gatewood, Sr., UTEP
OL - Sosaia Mose, Sr., North Texas
OL - Miles Pate, Sr., WKU
TE - Harrison Bryant, Sr., Florida Atlantic
WR - Rico Bussey, Jr., Sr., North Texas
WR - Adrian Hardy, Jr., Louisiana Tech
WR - Quez Watkins, Jr., Southern Miss
Defensive
DL - Channing Hames, Sr., Marshall
DL - LaDarius Hamilton, Sr., North Texas
DL - Alex Highsmith, Sr., Charlotte
DL - Garrett Marino, Sr., UAB
DL - DeMarrio Smith, Sr., Southern Miss
DL - Jacques Turner, Jr., Southern Miss
LB - Khalil Brooks, Sr., Middle Tennessee
LB - Sage Lewis, Sr., FIU
LB - Racheem Boothe, Jr., Southern Miss
DB - Reed Blankenship, Jr., Middle Tennessee
DB - Ky'el Hemby, Jr., Southern Miss
DB - Amik Robertson, Jr., Louisiana Tech
DB - Chris Jackson, Sr., Marshall
Special Teams
K - Jonathan Cruz, So., Charlotte
P - Alvin Kenworthy, Sr., North Texas
KR - Brett Winnegan, Sr., UTSA
PR - Maurice Alexander, Sr., FIU
LS - Matt Beardall, Sr., Marshall
Players Mentioned
RB
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DL
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