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| | Monday, September 4 Trail Blazers: UAB looks for first winning season | |||||
| By Eric Crawford Special to ESPN.com UAB Blazers 1999 record: 5-6 (4-2 C-USA) Coach: Watson Brown Returning starters:16 (8 offense, 8 defense) Outlook UAB went 4-2 and finished in second place in its first season in Conference USA last year, but coach Watson Brown now is asking his team for its first overall winning record in Division I-A. Senior QB Daniel Dixon is back, along with the entire offensive line and the team's top three rushers -- Percy Coleman (689 yards last season), Carl Fair (405 yards) and Jegil Dugger (226 yards). CB Rodregis Brooks, who tied for the national lead with nine interceptions last season, must be replaced, but the Blazers do have some experience returning on the defensive line, though they lack size. There's plenty of athleticism, however, and ends Otis Leverette and Bryan Thomas along with Marlon Bush and Eddie Freeman inside figure to get plenty of pressure on opposing QBs. Because of a scheduling quirk that came about because of C-USA's unbalanced seven-game slate, UAB's game against Kansas on Sept. 16 will be designated a conference game. The Blazers have non-conference games at LSU and at home against Louisiana Lafayette and Middle Tennessee. After taking the conference by surprise last season, nobody in C-USA will overlook the Blazers this year. Though Brown is hungry for at least a 6-5 mark after coaching 13 straight losing seasons, it could be 5-6 again. Keep an eye on ... RB Percy Coleman. The No. 9 rusher in C-USA last season figures to move up with more carries this year. They'll need every yard he can produce with a passing game that may struggle at times. It's a good season if ... The Blazers can score an upset at home over Louisville or Memphis to give themselves a shot at a winning record. |
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