Gators Not Taking UAB Lightly
Monday, November 13, 2017 | Football, Scott Carter
Florida returns home Saturday for the first time in a month to host the Blazers.
The Blazers did not play a game last year or the year before. Following the 2014 season, UAB's president shut down the program for financial reasons at the suggestion of a consulting firm. The university and Birmingham community protested passionately, and in June 2015, the school announced the program would return for the 2017 season.
The Blazers have returned with a boom and a bang.
"They're explosive,'' Gators interim head coach Randy Shannon said Monday. "You know, everybody may look at UAB and say, 'Well, it's UAB.' Well, they're 7-3, so that should wake everybody's eyes open."
Florida (3-6) hosts UAB (7-3) on Saturday afternoon at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. The Gators have lost five consecutive games and normally UAB might be an easy fix. In two previous meetings against UAB – 2002 and 2011 – the Gators outscored the Blazers 90-3.
That was then. This is now.
The Blazers can set a single-season school record with their eighth win as an FBS program with a victory on Saturday. UAB has won five of its last six games, including victories over Louisiana Tech, Southern Miss and Rice.
Blazers head coach Bill Clark, who had just completed his first season when the school announced the program's demise three years ago, had opportunities to leave over the last two years. Instead, he remained to reboot the program thanks to an outpouring of financial support from the community.
Clark is a potential candidate for national coach of the year because of the Blazers' unexpected success. A win at Florida would only bolster his cause.
"We're going on the road again to an SEC team, which is one of those things our players look forward to playing this kind of quality opponent,'' Clark said. "They are going to be excited to play and as the season winds down, we want to be playing our best football at this time and I think we are. I think there is a belief in what we do and how we do it."
The tone around the Gators is night-and-day different.
Florida is in the midst of a coaching transition and the program's longest losing streak since 2013. The Gators have not won since a 38-24 victory over Vanderbilt on Sept. 30.
They are favored at home over the Blazers but not taking them lightly.
"They have momentum going their way,'' Gators linebacker David Reese said.
The Blazers are averaging 386.2 yards per game, with 210.5 per game on the ground, which ranks 27th national. The defense surrenders 367.7 yards per game, which ranks 41st nationally.
Freshman tailback Spencer Brown (1,177 yards) and quarterback A.J. Erdely (12 rushing touchdowns) make the offense move. Brown has three consecutive 100-yard rushing games.
"We've just got to give them our best shot,'' Reese said. "We can't underestimate anybody. They have a great team. They have a better record than ours right now. They're already bowl eligible. I know it's their first year back, but they are doing great things."
The Gators enter the game with more players sidelined because of injuries. Shannon said starting center T.J. McCoy is likely out for the rest of the season due to a leg injury suffered in Saturday's 28-20 loss at South Carolina.
Meanwhile, quarterback Malik Zaire is listed day-to-day. Zaire suffered an apparent knee injury that forced him to exit the South Carolina game in the first half. Shannon said Monday that redshirt freshman Feleipe Franks would return as the starting quarterback. Franks replaced Zaire at South Carolina and finished 10 of 25 for 174 yards and an interception.
The Gators have just two regular-season games remaining, against UAB and on Nov. 25 at home against Florida State. The UAB game would represent nothing more than appetizer most seasons.
Not this season.
"I feel like they're going to come in playing a lot more aggressive than usual and they're going to be excited to play the University of Florida," offensive lineman Jawaan Taylor said. "I feel like they're going to play a lot harder because they're going to want to upset us. We have to come out and execute.
"I'm just hoping to see some support from the fans even though things haven't been going right. Hopefully we can pack the house as usual."
