2008 UAB Blazers football team

The 2008 UAB Blazers football team represented the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Blazers' head coach was Neil Callaway, who entered his second year at UAB. They played their home games at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama and competed in the East Division of Conference USA (C-USA). They improved upon a 2–10 record from the 2007 season and finished the 2008 campaign with an overall record of 4–8 (3–5 C-USA).

2008 UAB Blazers football
ConferenceConference USA
DivisionEast Division
2008 record4–8 (3–5 C-USA)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorKim Helton (2nd season)
Offensive schemeMultiple
Defensive coordinatorEric Schumann (2nd season)
Base defense4–3
Home stadiumLegion Field
(Capacity:71,594)
2008 Conference USA football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
East Division
East Carolina x$  6 –2     9 –5  
Memphis  4 –4     6 –7  
Southern Miss  4 –4     7 –6  
UAB  3 –5     4 –8  
UCF  3 –5     4 –8  
Marshall  3 –5     4 –8  
West Division
Tulsa xy  7 –1     11 –3  
Rice x  7 –1     10 –3  
Houston  6 –2     8 –5  
UTEP  4 –4     5 –7  
Tulane  1 –7     2 –10  
SMU  0 –8     1 –11  
Championship: East Carolina 27, Tulsa 24
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
Rankings from AP Poll

All games were broadcast live on the UAB-ISP Sports radio network. The flagship was WWMM 100.5 FM in Birmingham, and this marked the first season for it serving as the flagship. The games were called by David Crane (play-by-play) and Jake Arians (color commentary), with Pat Green and Dan Burks as field reporters. Other UAB radio programming was carried on WJOX 94.5 FM.[1] The team did not have a local TV contract, but their games appeared nationally on cable television five times—one on Raycom Sports, two on CSS, and two on CBS College Sports (formerly CSTV).

Preseason

Recruiting

In what was the second recruiting class for head coach Neil Callaway, UAB signed 25 recruits.[2]

Schedule
DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
August 303:00 p.m.Tulsa
L 22–4519,672
September 64:00 p.m.at Florida Atlantic*
L 34–4915,143
September 1312:30 p.m.at Tennessee*
RaycomL 3–3598,205
September 203:00 p.m.Alabama State*
  • Legion Field
  • Birmingham, AL
W 45–1026,414
September 277:00 p.m.at South Carolina*
PPVL 13–2678,286
October 27:00 p.m.Memphis
  • Legion Field
  • Birmingham, AL (Battle for the Bones)
CBSCSL 30–3319,901
October 97:00 p.m.at Houston
CBSCSL 20–4518,526
October 183:00 p.m.Marshall
  • Legion Field
  • Birmingham, AL
W 23–2117,868
November 17:00 p.m.at Southern Miss
CSSL 14–7029,281
November 152:00 p.m.at Tulane
W 41–2418,614
November 226:00 p.m.East Carolina
  • Legion Field
  • Birmingham, AL
CSSL 13–1711,453
November 291:00 p.m.at UCF
W 15–023,644

[3]

Personnel

Roster
2008 UAB Blazers roster
UAB Official Athletic Site: 2008 Roster

Quarterbacks

  • 5 Joe Webb – Junior
  • 10 Bryan Ellis – Freshman
  • 12 Cameron Cowart – Senior
  • 14 Rodney Bivens Jr. – Senior
  • 17 David Isabelle – Freshman

Running Backs

  • 2 Jae Fitzgerald – Freshman
  • 20 Jimmie Blair – Freshman
  • 28 Aaron Johns – Senior
  • 30 Justin Brooks – Sophomore
  • 38 Dexter Barnett – Sophomore
  • 40 Jim Mitchell – Junior
  • 44 Caleb Dyck – Sophomore

Wide Receivers

  • 1 Rashaud Slaughter – Junior
  • 7 Frantrell Forrest – Sophomore
  • 11 Mario Wright – Sophomore
  • 15 Sylvester Mencer – Senior
  • 22 Mike Jones – Sophomore
  • 24 Cameron Thompson – Sophomore
  • 36 Paul Schoolar – Junior
  • 80 Mark Ferrell – Junior
  • 82 Justin Johnson – Sophomore
  • 83 Brandon Heath – Senior
  • 85 Rodell Carter – Sophomore
  • 89 Darryl Harris – Junior
  

Tight Ends

  • 81 Joseph Waller – Sophomore
  • 84 Zach Lankford – Junior
  • 86 Jeffery Anderson – Sophomore

Offensive Line

  • 53 Jake Seitz – Junior
  • 55 Terence Edge – Sophomore
  • 59 Sean Dailey – Freshman
  • 63 Willie Thompson – Junior
  • 64 Greg Calhoun – Freshman
  • 68 Adam Hollifield – Sophomore
  • 71 Matt McCants – Sophomore
  • 72 Logan Creel – Sophomore
  • 73 Caleb Thomas – Freshman
  • 75 Daniel Seahorn – Junior
  • 77 Jared Koechner – Junior

Defensive Line

  • 50 David Decordova – Junior
  • 76 Todd Howanitz – Junior
  • 87 Bryant Turner – Sophomore
  • 90 Joe Happe – Junior
  • 91 Tim Davis – Sophomore
  • 92 Anthony Barnes – Junior
  • 93 Nick Davison – Freshman
  • 95 Richard Carter – Senior
  • 96 Elliott Henigan – Freshman
  • 97 D.J. Reese – Sophomore
  • 98 Adam Arthur – Freshman
  

Linebackers

  • 13 Keon Harris – Sophomore
  • 33 Mike Tashman – Sophomore
  • 35 Lamanski Ware – Freshman
  • 38 Garrett Armstrong – Freshman
  • 44 Kyle Roget – Junior
  • 45 B.J. Steed – Junior
  • 46 Terry Thomas – Senior
  • 48 Drew Luker – Freshman
  • 49 Brad Dukes – Junior
  • 51 Joe Henderson – Senior
  • 57 Jarrell Watters – Freshman
  • 58 Katrell Watters – Freshman

Defensive Backs

  • 3 Andre Hicks – Freshman
  • 4 Brandon Carlisle – Junior
  • 8 Marquis Coleman – Freshman
  • 17 Jeff Witt – Sophomore
  • 18 Will Dunbar – Senior
  • 19 Ugonna Amarikwa – Freshman
  • 21 Kevin Sanders – Senior
  • 23 Antoine Powers – Senior
  • 25 Brock Ferguson – Sophomore
  • 26 Justin Smartt – Junior
  • 27 Michael McRae – Sophomore
  • 29 Terrell Springs – Freshman
  • 31 Chase Daniel – Freshman
  • 36 Daniel Clements – Freshman
  • 42 Ferson Stafford – Freshman
  • 43 Matt Taylor – Senior
  

Punters

Kickers

  • 24 Trey Ragland – Freshman
  • 94 Swayze Waters – Senior

Long Snappers

  • 60 Nick Haddad – Senior
  • 62 Jeff Hamby – Senior

Coaching staff

Game Summaries

Tulsa
See also: Tulsa Golden Hurricane football
1 2 3 4 Total
Tulsa 7 14 14 10 45
UAB 13 9 0 0 22

The Blazers began their season at home against Golden Hurricane of Tulsa, but after taking a 13–7 lead after the first would fall by a final score of 45–22. UAB would score first on a 32-yard touchdown pass from Joe Webb to Frantell Forrest. Tulsa would respond with a 10-yard David Johnson pass to Jacob Collums, only to have UAB take a 13–7 lead on a 9-yard Jeffery Anderson touchdown reception. Tulsa would respond with a pair of consecutive touchdowns in the second to take a 21–13 lead before Forrest returned a kickoff 90-yards for a touchdown to bring the score to 21–19. A late 32-yard Swayze Waters field goal would give the Blazers a 22–21 halftime lead. However, UAB would not score again for the afternoon and lose by a final score of 45–22.[4]

Florida Atlantic
See also: 2008 Florida Atlantic Owls football team
1 2 3 4 Total
UAB 3 14 9 8 34
Florida Atlantic 14 14 7 14 49

The Blazers first road game of the 2008 season took UAB to Ft. Lauderdale, where they would lose too the FAU Owls in a 49–34 shootout. After going down 14–0 on a pair of FAU touchdown passes, UAB would score its first points on a 27-yard Swayze Waters field goal. The Owls would answer with a touchdown run early in the second in taking a 21–3 lead only to see the blazers respond with a pair of Joe Webb touchdown passes, 20-yards to Zach Lankford and 19-yards to Frantell Forrest, in closing the gap to 21–17. However, FAU would score once more before the half in taking a 28–17 halftime lead.[5]

The Blazers would open the third by scoring on a 2-yard Aaron Johns run only to see the Owls once again respond with another touchdown. After a late 43-yard Waters field goal in the third, UAB's final points would come in the fourth on a 10-yard Justin Brooks touchdown run.[5]

Tennessee
See also: 2008 Tennessee Volunteers football team
1 2 3 4 Total
UAB 0 0 3 0 3
Tennessee 14 0 14 7 35

Traveling to Knoxville to face the Volunteers, all the Blazers could manage was a single 47-yard Swayze Waters field goal in the third to avoid the shutout in this 35–3 defeat. For the game, UAB was outgained on offense 275 to 548 total yards.[6]

Alabama State
1 2 3 4 Total
Alabama State 7 0 0 3 10
UAB 14 14 14 3 45

The Blazers would amass 486 yards of total offense in winning their first game of the 2008 season with a 44–10 victory over the Hornets of Alabama State. UAB would strike first on a 41-yard Joe Web run with the Hornets responding in kind on a 39-yard Rei Herchenbach touchdown pass to Darius Mathis in tying the game at 7–7 midway through the first quarter. The Blazers would regain the lead late in the first quarter, and never relinquish it again on a 24-yard Webb touchdown pass to Jeffery Anderson. In the second, the Blazers would add another pair of touchdowns on an 11-yard Rashaud Slaughter run and a 36-yard Webb pass to Anderson in taking a 28–7 halftime lead.[7]

UAB would continue to amass points in the third on another pair of touchdowns coming on a 6-yard Slaughter run and 15-yard Justin Brooks run in extending their lead to 42–7 entering the fourth. In the fourth, each team would exchange a pair of field goals in bringing the final score to 45–10. For the game, Joe Webb would rush for 121 yards and a touchdown and pass for 238 yards and a pair of touchdowns.[7]

South Carolina
See also: 2008 South Carolina Gamecocks football team
1 2 3 4 Total
UAB 3 3 0 7 13
South Carolina 10 10 3 3 26

Traveling to face their second SEC opponent on the 2008 season, the Blazers were defeated 26–13 by the home Gamecocks in Columbia. After only connecting on a pair of Swayze Waters field goals in the first half, the Blazers lone touchdown came late in the fourth on a 1-yard Joe Webb run.[8]

Memphis
See also: Memphis Tigers football
1 2 3 4 Total
Memphis 0 20 7 6 33
UAB 10 6 7 7 30

In the annual Battle for the Bones, Memphis defeated UAB 30–33 on a Thursday night in Birmingham. The Blazers would get on the board in the first after Joe Webb connected with Mike Jones for a 16-yard touchdown reception, followed with an 18-yard Swayze Waters field goal to give the Blazers a 10–0 lead entering the second quarter. After Memphis scored early in the second, UAB would respond with a 9-yard Webb run to take a 16–7 lead. However this would be UAB's final lead of the evening as Memphis would score another pair of touchdowns in taking a 20–16 lead at the half. In the second half, Webb would score on runs of 12 and 10-yards in the third and fourth quarters respectively, but were unable to take the lead in falling by a final score of 30–33. For the game, Webb rushed for 93 yards and three touchdowns in addition to passing for 235 yards and another touchdown for the evening.[9]

Houston
See also: 2008 Houston Cougars football team
1 2 3 4 Total
UAB 3 17 0 0 20
Houston 0 3 21 21 45

In the first conference road game of the 2008 season, the Blazers would fall 20–45 at Houston. UAB would dominate the first half in taking a 20–3 lead going into the half. The Blazer would score on a pair of Swayze Waters field goals (50 and 23 yards respectively) and on a 3-yard Joe Webb touchdown run and a 21-yard, Zach Lankford touchdown reception. However, 42 unanswered Cougar points in the second half would provide Houston the 45–20 victory.[10]

Marshall
See also: Marshall Thundering Herd football
1 2 3 4 Total
Marshall 7 7 0 7 21
UAB 2 15 0 6 23

Southern Miss
See also: Southern Miss Golden Eagles football
1 2 3 4 Total
UAB 0 7 7 0 14
Southern Miss 28 21 21 0 70

The Blazers were out-rushed 96 to 463 total yards in this 70–14 blowout loss on the road to the Golden Eagles. After going down 28–0 after the first, UAB would score their first points on a 14-yard Joe Webb touchdown pass to Rashaud Slaughter early in the second. The Blazers only other points would come in the third on a 12-yard Mario Wright touchdown reception. For the game, the Golden Eagles out-gained the Blazers in total offense by a final margin of 610 to 223 yards, with both USM's Tory Harrison and V.J. Floyd each gaining over 100 yards on the ground.[11]

Tulane
See also: Tulane Green Wave football
1 2 3 4 Total
UAB 7 10 14 10 41
Tulane 7 7 7 3 24

Following a bye week, the Blazers would make the trip to the Superdome and emerge with a 41–24 victory over the home Green Wave.[12]

East Carolina
See also: 2008 East Carolina Pirates football team
1 2 3 4 Total
East Carolina 7 0 3 7 17
UAB 7 0 3 3 13

This 17–13 Pirates victory marked the first all-time win for East Carolina in Legion Field against the Blazers.[13]

UCF
See also: 2008 UCF Knights football team
1 2 3 4 Total
UAB 3 6 3 3 15
UCF 0 0 0 0 0

Statistics

Team
Statistics[14]UABOpponents
Scoring273375
Points per game 22.831.2
First downs222240
Rushing10195
Passing104125
Penalties1720
Total offensive yards4,3945,159
Rushing2,0272,004
Passing2,3673,155
Fumbles–Lost17–915–8
Penalties–Yards83–78361–567
Average per game65.247.2
StatisticsUABOpponents
Punts–Yards59–2,55542–1,799
Average per punt43.342.8
Average ToP/game31:1628:44
3rd down conversions64/16568/151
3rd down percentage3945
4th down conversions5/116/15
4th down percentage4540
Touchdowns scored3149
Field goals–Att19–2411–18
PAT–Att24–2748–48
Attendance190,616563,398
Average19,06240,243

Scores by quarter
1 2 3 4 Total
UAB 65 101 60 47 273
Opponents 101 96 97 81 375

Rushing
NameGPAttYdsAvgLongTDAvg/G
Joe Webb 121981,0215.2411185.1
Rashaud Slaughter 121135144.538442.8
Justin Brooks 11532184.119319.8
Aaron Johns 8231155.037114.4
Jim Mitchell 1219784.11406.5
Frantrell Forrest 108435.41204.3
Rodney Bivens 46203.31705.0
Caleb Dyck 124143.5901.2
Terence Edge 120120001.0
Mark Ferrell 122115.51100.9
Justin Johnson 11242.0700.4
Darryl Harris 121−4−4.000−0.3
Swayze Waters 122−12−6.070−1.0
Total 124352,0274.74119168.9
Opponents 124202,0044.87825167.0

Passing
NameGPEfficCmp-AttPctYdsTDIntLngAvg/G
Joe Webb 12115.53208–35358.92,367101643197.2
Rodney Bivens 400–0000000
Total 12115.53208–35358.92,367101643197.2
Opponents 12147.67226–36062.83,155221673262.9

Receiving
NameGPNo.YardsAvgTDLongAvg/G
Frantrell Forrest 104453612.823853.6
Rashaud Slaughter 12291766.112114.7
Jeffery Anderson 122336816.034330.7
Mario Wright 122024312.113820.2
Rodell Carter 121620612.903817.2
Zach Lankford 121619011.923315.8
Mark Ferrell 121317713.603514.8
Mike Jones 12111099.91289.1
Justin Brooks 11111019.20239.2
Darryl Harris 12913615.102811.3
Jim Mitchell 128384.80113.2
Justin Johnson 1178211.70437.5
Aaron Johns 8351.7090.6
Total 122082,36711.41043197.2
Opponents 122263,15514.02273262.9

Defense
NameGPTacklesSacksPass Defense FumblesBlkdSafety
SoloAstTotalLoss–YdsNo.–YdsInt–YdsBUPDQbhRcv–YdsFFKick
Joe Henderson 1255328712.5–291.5–611
Will Dunbar 113335682.5–121.0–62–3451
Matt Taylor 122918471.5–51–3631–0
Keon Harris 112225473.0–411–01
Chase Daniel 123413473.5–181.0–122–2851
Brandon Carlisle 103511462.0–52–1631
Kevin Sanders 122315387–553
Terrel Springs 102012320–184
D.J. Reese 121714312.5–181–01
Anthony Barnes 12207276.5–231.0–10221
Elliott Henigan 101412260.5–20.5–21
Drew Luker 12915241.5–5
Lamanski Ware 11149231.0–11–271
Richard Carter 12138212.0–80.5–01–0
Bryant Turner 12155207.0–314.0–2512
Nick Davison 12710173.5–232.0–1811–0
Joe Happe 12114154.0–171.0–91
Katrell Watters 578150.5–10.5–1
B.J. Steed 1087151
Marquis Coleman 1295141–01
Tony Leggett 568142.0–4
Andre Hicks 8102121.0–131.0–131
Antoine Powers 127411
Tim Davis 97291.0–3
Justin Smartt 11729
Terry Thomas 76392.0–3
Ugonna Amarikwa 124483–12
Swayze Waters 12628
Jarrell Watters 37181.0–11
Jim Mitchell 12325
David Decordova 33141
Caleb Dyck 12314
Michael McRae 9224
Zach Lankford 12123
Daniel Clements 10213
Mario Wright 1222
Jeffery Anderson 1222
Brock Ferguson 5221.0–141.0–14
Frantrell Forrest 1022
Ada Hollifield 811
Greg Bulls 1111
Rashaud Slaughter 1211
Brandon Heath 1111
Adam Arthur 611
Jeff Hamby 1111
Mark Ferrell 1211
Total 1248030678662–24015–11616–2143398–12601
Opponents 1248236885058–28223–17216–15447149–621020

Special teams

Kicking

NamePATsField Goals
MadeAtt%MadeAttLong%
Swayze Waters 242788.919245079.2
Total242788.919245079.2

Punting

NameNo.YdsAvgLongTBFCIn20
Swayze Waters 552,39643.66761213
Joe Webb 28944.552100
Trey Ragland 14848.048001
Total 582,53343.76771214

References

  1. "Blazers ISP Sports Network Gearing Up For 2008–09 Season". University of Alabama at Birmingham Sports Information. Retrieved September 20, 2008.
  2. "2008 UAB Football Signees". University of Alabama at Birmingham Sports Information. Archived from the original on September 17, 2008. Retrieved September 20, 2008.
  3. "2008 UAB Football Media Guide: Records & History I". University of Alabama at Birmingham Sports Information. Archived from the original on September 28, 2008. Retrieved September 21, 2008.
  4. "Tulsa vs UAB (August 30, 2008)". University of Alabama at Birmingham Sports Information. Retrieved September 18, 2008.
  5. "UAB vs FAU (September 6, 2008)". University of Alabama at Birmingham Sports Information. Retrieved September 18, 2008.
  6. "UAB vs Tennessee (September 13, 2008)". University of Alabama at Birmingham Sports Information. Retrieved September 18, 2008.
  7. "Alabama State vs UAB (September 20, 2008)". University of Alabama at Birmingham Sports Information. Archived from the original on October 9, 2008. Retrieved September 20, 2008.
  8. "UAB vs South Carolina (September 27, 2008)". University of Alabama at Birmingham Sports Information. Retrieved September 27, 2008.
  9. "Memphis vs UAB (October 2, 2008)". University of Alabama at Birmingham Sports Information. Retrieved October 4, 2008.
  10. "Houston vs UAB (October 7, 2008)". University of Alabama at Birmingham Sports Information. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
  11. "UAB vs Southern Miss (November 1, 2008)". University of Alabama at Birmingham Sports Information. Retrieved November 1, 2008.
  12. "UAB vs Tulane (November 15, 2008)". University of Alabama at Birmingham Sports Information. Retrieved November 17, 2008.
  13. "ECU vs UAB (November 22, 2008)". University of Alabama at Birmingham Sports Information. Archived from the original on August 7, 2011. Retrieved November 23, 2008.
  14. "UAB Cumulative Season Statistics". University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics. November 29, 2008. Archived from the original on December 19, 2008. Retrieved December 5, 2008.
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