The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Hosts League Leader UTSA on Saturday at Protective Stadium
10/31/2022 3:57:00 PM | Football
BIRMINGHAM – The UAB football team returns to Protective Stadium this Saturday where they are 4-0 this season to host league-leader UTSA with kickoff scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
THREE THINGS TO KNOW:
Opening Statement:
"Good morning. Obviously, coming off another frustrating, tough loss on the road. I felt like we started slow on offense. First three possessions, didn't get a lot going. A lot of self-inflicted wounds that really stalled drives. I felt like we responded in the second quarter. We had two really long drives to really get back and retake the lead. Really didn't start fast in the second half offensively. We fought to the very end and had a lot of positives. I felt like our team had great leadership. We fought to the end; we did not turn the ball over on the road. We gave ourselves a chance to win there at the end. We fought all the way until the very end. Defense got a big stop, gave us the ball back. We were able to drive the length of the field and had a shot to tie the game up. We're frustrated. This team is frustrated, but we're together. There's no division, there's no negativity. We fight. We prepared extremely hard, we fought to the very end, we just have to pull out a win there at the end. We've got to find a way to finish. Talked to the team yesterday and the biggest message is, we're together. Our goal and our focus is to get this senior class and to get this football team to a bowl game. This class has done a lot for this program; they've done a lot for this city. There's no quit and there's no negativity. Our goal and our mission is to fight until the very end and get this senior class and get this football team to a bowl game. We set the standard high at UAB. We embrace those standards. We do not back down from those standards. Our goal and our mission is to play for a championship year in and year out at UAB. That's something that were proud of, it's something that we fight for. Right now, we've got to kind of adjust our goals for the rest of this season. This senior class and this football team has done a lot for this program. Our goal is, like I said, to get these guys to a bowl game. In my opinion, we've got the best football team [we've faced] up to this date coming to Birmingham, to Protective Stadium this Saturday in UTSA. They're defending league champion, they've got a lot of guys back, they've won five football games in a row. We know it's going to be a tremendous challenge, but it's a challenge this team is going to prepare for and is going to be ready for Saturday."
On looking ahead rather than reflecting on the past games:
"It's tough. When you look back, we're 4-4 right now. We've lost four road games by a combined 21 points. We had the opportunity to win three of them at the end, and we just didn't finish. That falls on me as the head coach. I'm proud of our players, proud of their effort, proud of their attitude, proud of their fight, and proud of their togetherness. We'll fight to the very end together and we've proven that over and over. We've just got to find a way to finish. We've got to find a way to finish. We didn't turn the ball over on the road this week and that was a positive, that was improvement, but we've just got to find a way to finish. You can't look back; you've just got to put one foot in front of the other and you've got to keep going and that's what this team has done. We've got a big game coming and we've got a lot of football left. We've got a big conference game coming to Birmingham. We've played well at home. We're 4-0 at home, we've played well. We've got a big challenge Saturday that we're looking forward to."
On UTSA Quarterback Frank Harris:
"This year, they're averaging over 35 points a game, they're throwing for over 330 yards a game. He's an experienced quarterback, he's won a lot of big games. He won a conference championship last year. You see him this year, they find a way to finish a lot of games. Like you go back to the North Texas game and they're down. There's about a minute and 13 seconds left in the game and they drive down and they score with 15 seconds left. He's a guy that's been in those moments. It doesn't faze him, and he's found a way to win games. He does a great job extending plays, he's very accurate, and he's got three receivers that are 6'3" plus that have put up a lot of big numbers this year. I think traditionally, the last two years, you've seen more of a run first offense when [Sincere McCormick] was in there with him. Now I think they're more of a pass first, RPO offense with him making a lot of really good decisions."
On last year's game against UTSA and UTSA Coach Jeff Traylor:
"You go back to last year's football game; they were undefeated. We knew we had to come in and beat those guys to win the west and play for the conference championship. Our team went in and really played a great game. We played lights out from the beginning to the end. They drive down and score I think with two seconds to go to take the lead. It's one our guys remember, without a doubt. It was a tough loss. To have those guys come back to Birmingham this year, it's a great opportunity for us to go out there and play the defending league champions at home when they're playing their best football of the season right now. You know, Jeff Traylor, I've got a lot of respect for Jeff Traylor. I've gotten to know him well the past couple of years. He's a great football coach. He grew up as a high school football coach in the state of Texas. Gilmore high school, the stadium is named after him. We played them three years ago in 2019 and you could see the toughness that he brought to the team and the mentality that he brought. I think they've recruited extremely well. They're tough, they play together. I've got a lot of respect for coach Traylor and what he does, and really, what he stands for."
OUTSIDE LINEBACKER MICHAEL FAIRBANKS II
On getting more pressure on the quarterback:
"It always starts up front. It starts with me. We're not looking for stats necessarily, we're looking to defend and keep them from scoring. That's the main focus."
On defending UTSA Quarterback Frank Harris:
"We've got a lot of respect for him. He's able to move around and extend plays. That's been a big emphasis this season for a lot of quarterbacks. A lot of quarterbacks are able to move around and extend plays. It's just the next game up."
On staying disciplined against UTSA's offense:
"It's a big emphasis this week. Stay disciplined and staying in our rush lanes. We have to make sure to try and contain him and keep him in the box so he's not able to extend plays as much. It's a big emphasis this week."
WIDE RECEIVER TJ JONES
On last year's game against UTSA:
"We've moved on from it. We know they're a good team, we respect them. We're just going to prepare the best that we can and leave it all on the field."
On catching his first touchdown and his performance this season:
"It's been great. Every week competing with my brothers and getting my first touchdown, it just feels great, especially since it was back home in Florida. It couldn't have been written better than that."
On playing in the slot and creating plays:
"It's been great just to help the team. Whatever the team needs, [I enjoy] just being able to fill that role."
THREE THINGS TO KNOW:
- The Blazers have won six games in a row at Protective Stadium and own a 7-2 mark overall in their new home. This season, UAB is averaging 42.3 points per game and have outscored their four opponents by a combined score of 169-55.
- DeWayne McBride is coming off his eighth straight 100-yard rushing game after going for 168 yards and a touchdown at Florida Atlantic. McBride continues to lead the nation in rushing yards per game (163.7) and in seven games this season he has rushed for 1,146 yards and 12 touchdowns while averaging 7.0 yards per carry. Not only does he lead the nation in rushing, but he is the NCAA active career leader in rushing yards per game (113.7) and yards per carry (7.1). He enters the UTSA game just 46 yards away from becoming the second player in program history to surpass 3,000 career rushing yards.
- UAB's defense must contend with the reigning Conference USA Player of the Year in UTSA quarterback Frank Harris. Harris has thrown for 2,538 yards and 17 touchdowns this season but faces a Blazer defense that ranks fourth nationally in pass defense efficiency and ninth nationally in passing yards allowed (171.3).
- Bonus: This Saturday features a Family Four Pack which offers four tickets for $40. Click here to purchase the Family Four Pack.
Opening Statement:
"Good morning. Obviously, coming off another frustrating, tough loss on the road. I felt like we started slow on offense. First three possessions, didn't get a lot going. A lot of self-inflicted wounds that really stalled drives. I felt like we responded in the second quarter. We had two really long drives to really get back and retake the lead. Really didn't start fast in the second half offensively. We fought to the very end and had a lot of positives. I felt like our team had great leadership. We fought to the end; we did not turn the ball over on the road. We gave ourselves a chance to win there at the end. We fought all the way until the very end. Defense got a big stop, gave us the ball back. We were able to drive the length of the field and had a shot to tie the game up. We're frustrated. This team is frustrated, but we're together. There's no division, there's no negativity. We fight. We prepared extremely hard, we fought to the very end, we just have to pull out a win there at the end. We've got to find a way to finish. Talked to the team yesterday and the biggest message is, we're together. Our goal and our focus is to get this senior class and to get this football team to a bowl game. This class has done a lot for this program; they've done a lot for this city. There's no quit and there's no negativity. Our goal and our mission is to fight until the very end and get this senior class and get this football team to a bowl game. We set the standard high at UAB. We embrace those standards. We do not back down from those standards. Our goal and our mission is to play for a championship year in and year out at UAB. That's something that were proud of, it's something that we fight for. Right now, we've got to kind of adjust our goals for the rest of this season. This senior class and this football team has done a lot for this program. Our goal is, like I said, to get these guys to a bowl game. In my opinion, we've got the best football team [we've faced] up to this date coming to Birmingham, to Protective Stadium this Saturday in UTSA. They're defending league champion, they've got a lot of guys back, they've won five football games in a row. We know it's going to be a tremendous challenge, but it's a challenge this team is going to prepare for and is going to be ready for Saturday."
On looking ahead rather than reflecting on the past games:
"It's tough. When you look back, we're 4-4 right now. We've lost four road games by a combined 21 points. We had the opportunity to win three of them at the end, and we just didn't finish. That falls on me as the head coach. I'm proud of our players, proud of their effort, proud of their attitude, proud of their fight, and proud of their togetherness. We'll fight to the very end together and we've proven that over and over. We've just got to find a way to finish. We've got to find a way to finish. We didn't turn the ball over on the road this week and that was a positive, that was improvement, but we've just got to find a way to finish. You can't look back; you've just got to put one foot in front of the other and you've got to keep going and that's what this team has done. We've got a big game coming and we've got a lot of football left. We've got a big conference game coming to Birmingham. We've played well at home. We're 4-0 at home, we've played well. We've got a big challenge Saturday that we're looking forward to."
On UTSA Quarterback Frank Harris:
"This year, they're averaging over 35 points a game, they're throwing for over 330 yards a game. He's an experienced quarterback, he's won a lot of big games. He won a conference championship last year. You see him this year, they find a way to finish a lot of games. Like you go back to the North Texas game and they're down. There's about a minute and 13 seconds left in the game and they drive down and they score with 15 seconds left. He's a guy that's been in those moments. It doesn't faze him, and he's found a way to win games. He does a great job extending plays, he's very accurate, and he's got three receivers that are 6'3" plus that have put up a lot of big numbers this year. I think traditionally, the last two years, you've seen more of a run first offense when [Sincere McCormick] was in there with him. Now I think they're more of a pass first, RPO offense with him making a lot of really good decisions."
On last year's game against UTSA and UTSA Coach Jeff Traylor:
"You go back to last year's football game; they were undefeated. We knew we had to come in and beat those guys to win the west and play for the conference championship. Our team went in and really played a great game. We played lights out from the beginning to the end. They drive down and score I think with two seconds to go to take the lead. It's one our guys remember, without a doubt. It was a tough loss. To have those guys come back to Birmingham this year, it's a great opportunity for us to go out there and play the defending league champions at home when they're playing their best football of the season right now. You know, Jeff Traylor, I've got a lot of respect for Jeff Traylor. I've gotten to know him well the past couple of years. He's a great football coach. He grew up as a high school football coach in the state of Texas. Gilmore high school, the stadium is named after him. We played them three years ago in 2019 and you could see the toughness that he brought to the team and the mentality that he brought. I think they've recruited extremely well. They're tough, they play together. I've got a lot of respect for coach Traylor and what he does, and really, what he stands for."
OUTSIDE LINEBACKER MICHAEL FAIRBANKS II
On getting more pressure on the quarterback:
"It always starts up front. It starts with me. We're not looking for stats necessarily, we're looking to defend and keep them from scoring. That's the main focus."
On defending UTSA Quarterback Frank Harris:
"We've got a lot of respect for him. He's able to move around and extend plays. That's been a big emphasis this season for a lot of quarterbacks. A lot of quarterbacks are able to move around and extend plays. It's just the next game up."
On staying disciplined against UTSA's offense:
"It's a big emphasis this week. Stay disciplined and staying in our rush lanes. We have to make sure to try and contain him and keep him in the box so he's not able to extend plays as much. It's a big emphasis this week."
WIDE RECEIVER TJ JONES
On last year's game against UTSA:
"We've moved on from it. We know they're a good team, we respect them. We're just going to prepare the best that we can and leave it all on the field."
On catching his first touchdown and his performance this season:
"It's been great. Every week competing with my brothers and getting my first touchdown, it just feels great, especially since it was back home in Florida. It couldn't have been written better than that."
On playing in the slot and creating plays:
"It's been great just to help the team. Whatever the team needs, [I enjoy] just being able to fill that role."
Players Mentioned
RB
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