Alabama-Birmingham Statistical Preview

Let's take a look at the University of Alabama-Birmingham Blazers:

 The first player you need to know about is senior QB Joe Webb.

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Webb is both the team leader in passing and rushing; he is basically their whole offense. The bad news is that he is an effective dual threat QB, averaging 309 yds per game total offense, rushing and passing. The good news is that he hurts his own team as much as he helps it, with his 5 TD passes being offset by his 5 interceptions.

Webb's favorite targets are WR Frantrell Forrest

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 and TE Jeffrey Anderson

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 Together, they are responsible for 53% of his passing yardage, and all of his TD passes.

When Webb isn't carrying the ball, Dexter Barnett is the one he hands off to.

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 Controlling Webb and Barnett will be the key to shutting down the Blazers running game.

Defensively, the Blazers are pedestrian to poor, giving up an average of 459.7 yds per game total offense (126 rushing, 333.7 passing), and allowing opponents to score 28.7 points per game on them. Defensively, the Blazers are led by CB Terell Springs and S Chase Daniel (apparently Missouri's former QB has been located after he disappeared off the Washington Redskins roster).  I've always said when your top two tacklers on defense are members of your secondary, you have some real issues on defense, and UAB has some real issues on their defense.

Offensively, our no-huddle spread attack should be able to move the ball and score on UAB's defense. We should be able to run the ball, and we should be able to go to the air early and often. With Jeff Fuller injured, I expect us to go to Uzoma Nwachukwu, Jamie McCoy, Howard Morrow, and Kenric McNeal often as we work on building depth and try to replace his production.

Defensively, we need to focus on containing Webb, so he isn't able to run wild and move the chains. We need to force the Give read in their option game, so we can target stopping Dexter Barnett. If we can cover Forrest and Anderson in the passing game, we should be able to slow their passing game, and force Webb to go to his other receivers.

Ultimately, I think we'll win this game somewhere along the lines of 42-20.