UAB Football: The Blazers are on the right track entering 2018
Defense
The UAB defense finished the 2017 season ranked 50th overall in the S&P+. 50th is a crazy number to think about considering the team had to completely rebuild. Coach Clark is a defensive minded coach and his defensive coordinator chose to return in 2016 to get the ball rolling a year before playing a game. Reeves uses a 3-4 defensive scheme and the Blazers return most of their defensive line and defensive backfield from 2017.
The biggest issue for UAB are the losses of Tevin Crews and Shaq Jones. Linebackers Crews and Jones combined for 159 tackles, 25 tackles for loss, and six sacks a year ago. Both players made All-Conference USA honorable mention after the season. The Blazers also lost Darious Williams, a first-team All-Conference defensive back. Williams logged 50 tackles, five interceptions, and 15 pass breakups in 2017. Williams is now a member of the Baltimore Ravens.
Returning Blazers
UAB does have starters returning for the 2018 season. The Blazers return defensive linemen Garrett Marino and Anthony Rush who combined for 17 tackles for loss, a sack, and 67 tackles. 3-4 defensive linemen rarely make this many plays as their real job is to plug gaps and occupy blockers. Stacy Kelly returns at defensive end and he had five tackles for loss and four sacks.
At linebacker, UAB returns Fitzgerald Mofor who logged 71 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss last season. In the defensive backfield, the Blazers return safety Broderick Thomas and his 95 tackles and two interceptions. Other safeties return, too, in Will Dawkins who made 35 tackles and intercepted a pass in 2017.
Newcomers
Clark did sign a few freshmen that could make an immediate impact in 2018. Cornerbacks CD Daniels and Starling Thomas V are three-star prospects from Birmingham, AL. Add them to Jalen Rayam a three-star outside linebacker with a college-ready build at six-foot-two, 230 pounds. Three-star defensive end Michael Fairbanks could also make an immediate impact, he’s already 250 pounds as a freshman.