Sept. 22, 2008
• Listen to the Press Conference
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- After a home victory Saturday over Alabama State, the UAB football team heads back on the road to face South Carolina this week. UAB head coach Neil Callaway and several Blazer players met with the media Monday to look ahead to the Gamecocks and recap Saturday's win.
The Blazers handed Alabama State a 45-10 loss Saturday at Legion Field to earn their first victory of the season. Quarterback Joe Webb passed for 238 yards and rushed for 121 more as UAB rolled up 486 yards of total offense.
"It was very good for us to win the football game against Alabama State," Callaway said. "Our players and coaches have worked awfully hard, so I think it gives them the reward of being able to win a football game."
The Blazers will look to carry that momentum into Saturday's contest at South Carolina. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET at the Gamecocks' Williams-Brice Stadium.
South Carolina enters the game at 2-2 on the season following a 23-13 win Saturday over Wofford. The contest will match strength against strength as the UAB offense, which averages 26 points per game, faces the Gamecock defense, which surrenders only 12.75 points per contest.
"Getting ready for South Carolina, they're by far the most physical defensive football team we'll play all year, not only up front, but the secondary will come get you, too," Callaway said. "They are a big, strong, physical football team.
"Offensively, we're going to have a tremendous challenge to be able to move the ball and score some points. But I do think we're a good enough unit offensively that if we execute and do what we're capable of doing, we ought to be able to get some points."
Saturday's game wraps up a stretch of four straight non-conference contests for UAB. It also marks the second SEC opponent in three weeks for the Blazers, which also played at Tennessee Sept. 13.
The game will be carried on the Blazers ISP Sports Network. It can be heard locally on WWMM 100.5 FM radio in Birmingham. The contest will also be televised as part of ESPN GamePlan.
Head Coach Neil Callaway
On Saturday's win over Alabama State
"It was very good for us to win the football game against Alabama State. Our players and coaches have worked awfully hard, so I think it gives them the reward of being able to win a football game. Along with our fans and our administration and everyone involved, I think it's always good to win a football game. We're certainly excited about it. Obviously, that one is behind us now, and we have to get ready for the next one."
On the defense's performance versus Alabama State
"I think defensively, we're still doing some good things against the run. Obviously, we shut down Alabama State's running game pretty well, but we're still struggling defending the pass. I think it's kind of a two-fold deal. We have to do better in the back end, but, at the same time, we have to get more pressure on the quarterback."
On young players making an impact
"Some guys played Saturday who have not played before but who we have committed to playing on a regular basis. We're playing some freshmen already, but three guys who stepped up and played well for us Saturday were Andre Hicks at cornerback and Jarrell and Katrell Watters at the linebacker spot. All three of those guys played for the first time, and we're committed to playing them. You'll see them on a regular basis now, and I think they did some good things while they were in there."
On the offensive and special teams performance against Alabama State
"Offensively, we scored a lot of points, which was good. I still think we're not executing, and we're playing kind of sloppy to be honest. I think offensively we're still a talented group that can do some things better than what we're doing, and we need to play better offensively. The kicking game I thought overall was good. Obviously, we're disappointed with Swayze missing the two field goals, but like I said in the paper after the game, it's not like he shanked them or hit them bad, they just didn't go through the uprights."
On South Carolina
"Getting ready for South Carolina, they're by far the most physical defensive football team we'll play all year, not only up front, but the secondary will come get you, too. They are a big, strong, physical football team. They have two inside linebackers that weigh 260 and 270. That's bigger than some of our offensive linemen. They're a physical defensive football team. Offensively, we're going to have a tremendous challenge to be able to move the ball and score some points. But I do think we're a good enough unit offensively that if we'll execute and do what we're capable of doing, we ought to be able to get some points.
"South Carolina's offense, I guess they're still trying to decide who their quarterback is going to be. They do an excellent job of throwing the football. I think scheme-wise, they do an excellent job. In the kicking game, I think they do an excellent job. They have a good kicker. He does an excellent job kicking off for them and a good job with field goals, so any time they get in there close, he'll have an opportunity.
"Again, it will be a tremendous challenge. We're excited about the opportunity to go play. If you play the game, you want to play against the best, and we're certainly getting to do that again Saturday, so we're looking forward to it."
On the Blazers' defensive improvement
"Defensively, I've seen improvement every week. It's still frustrating at times when we allow people to convert the long throws on third downs, but overall defensively, I can see us improving. Offensively, even though we scored a lot of points Saturday, I know we're not executing like we're capable of executing. It would be big for us to go out and score early, and it will be big for us to keep them off the board. Anytime you can make it go longer and stay close, I think it puts a lot of fear and a little doubt in your opponent's mind, and I think that would be good for us if we could do that."
On the importance of pressuring the opposing quarterback
"Any time you can put pressure on a quarterback, you're going to present problems. That's one thing we have to do a better job of with our defensive line. We sacked the quarterback three times Saturday against Alabama State, but two of those were on safety blitzes, so we had one legitimate sack from our defensive line. Any time you can put pressure on the quarterback, that's to the defense's advantage. It certainly helps the secondary in their timeframe of coverage, so we want to make sure we get pressure on the quarterback."
On playing another SEC opponent
"We don't worry about the SEC, the ACC or whoever it is. We want to play and compete against everybody we play and try to win the football game. We don't want to play people close. We want to win football games. There's an old saying that to be a good football team, you've got to win the games you're supposed to and win some you're not supposed to. We one one Saturday we were supposed to. Now we need to win some we're not supposed to.
On Rashaud Slaughter's improvement as a running back
"Rashaud, I think, has definitely gotten better this year. He was our running back last year. We moved him to receiver, and I expressed some concerns about his running ability inside the box. I really think the best thing to happen to Rashaud is competition. I think the fact that we have Aaron Johns, Justin Brooks and Jim Mitchell made Rashaud have to earn his spot. Last year, he didn't have to earn his spot. We didn't have anybody else. I think the competition has helped Rashaud."
TE Jeffery Anderson
On the momentum the team has entering the South Carolina game
"The momentum is going to be good since we are coming off a win this past week. I think this week of practice is going to be better. People are going to want to work harder and continue to better themselves so that we keep on winning."
On South Carolina's defense not allowing any first-quarter points this season
"We are definitely going to use that as motivation because we know that our offense is pretty good. If we do everything right, we have a good chance of scoring in the first quarter."
CB Marquis Coleman
On going back to his home state of South Carolina to play
"I grew up watching South Carolina. I never thought I would be playing against them. It's definitely exciting. I know the atmosphere, so that won't effect me."
On the defense playing better after Alabama State's first two possessions
"We figured out what they were trying to do. They worked the short game and the crossing routes, so we just adjusted. People made plays and made things happen on defense for us."
On the defense finishing the game against Alabama State
"It feels good. I figure that once we get used to doing that, it will come a lot easier to us. We just have to play 60 minutes."
OL Adam Hollifield
On going on the road to play South Carolina
"It's going to be tough. But if we go up there, play our game and execute, I think we have a good chance of coming away with a victory."
On the atmosphere at South Carolina
"I'm sure they will have a really good crowd there. We just have to communicate well on the O-Line and make sure we have our plays."
On how much better practice will be now that they have that first win
"I think the guys will be a lot more motivated now that we know that we can win and we will win. Winning is contagious. It helps a lot of people practice better and feel better about themselves."
