UAB Ranger Report: Game 1, 2023
UAB Ranger Report: Game 1, 2023
North Carolina A&T
OVERALL SUMMARY: Offense was remarkably efficient, diverse, and exciting in Trent Dilfer’s first game as a college head coach, and many of the staff’s first game as a position coach at the college level. The very positive results must be somewhat tempered with respect to the FCS level of competition. Defense was effective, but the consistency of run defense against an FCS opponent provided legitimate reason for concern. Special teams were poor in multiple phases, so poor they would likely have cost UAB the game against a more talented team. It remains to be seen which issues are typical first game or first-game-in-a-new-systems glitches, that can and will be corrected by game 2, and which issues will be season-long challenges.
A. OFFENSE: B+ (adjusted for opponent)
SCHEME. The offense was outstanding. Pick your adjectives. Fresh. Modern. Diverse. Multiple. Rapid. Fun. Appealing enough to attract future talent to all positions, and to put more people in the stands. Delivered 31 first downs and 80% (8/10) on 3rd down. 458 total yards, 167 rushing, 291 passing. 5 team penalties for 45 yards. 5 penalties for 45 yards. 5 penalties for 45 yards.... Is this still UAB? Could have easily scored 42, 49 or more without the Palmer fumble, the goal-line play calling foolishness from the first-time coaches, or the virtual turnover from the punt receiving team penalty that gave NC A&T the ball back and negated a great punt return. The last drive to score seemed not great sportsmanship at first thought– but it was exactly the right move for this team at this stage. They needed the confidence of a live-action, drive-the-field-and-score experience as a first game in a new offense, and the green staff needed it also. Did I to mention there were only 5 penalties? No personal fouls. No unnecessary time-outs. Discipline. What novel concepts for a UAB team. Professional is an appropriate adjective.
QB: Zeno was superb. Set single game UAB records for number of completions (38 of 41) and completion % (92.7%) in the first game in a brand-new offense. 3 touchdown passes. Two poor throws all night (one would have been a pick six in most games) against an FCS defense. His poise stood out. Saw the field very well, found the open man, and distributed the ball effectively. Tucked and ran effectively when needed. Exhibited the arm and head talent level of the 4-star QB recruit that he was. Will be interesting to see how well he responds to increased pressure in future games. One potential area of improvement is occasionally telegraphing throws to the flats. opponents will scheme for that.
O-LINE: Five new starters. No sacks! Pass protection was outstanding. Run blocking will need to improve against FBS teams. Other than one poor shotgun snap, a solid game against a very small FCS defensive line. The jury is out until they play the next two games- but a very good first step. Few pre-snap penalties (none?). Has Moran locked down left guard or is Luke Jones injured? The season will hinge on what we see from this group in the next 2- 3 weeks. Putting 5 new O-linemen on the field simultaneously is a tall order for any program. Doing it with a brand new offensive system is even more challenging. But the first chapter of the season for this critical position group was encouraging. If the current lineup struggles against better competition, Cort Bradley, a late transfer from Auburn, and a former UAB recruit before walking on at AU, could also make a push for a role at left guard by mid-season. Also, a possible additional recent addition (from within the roster) to the O-line could compete for a place in the rotation (see below).
BACKS: Very good game, but less than dominant on the ground (although YPC were better than they looked during the game). Backs ran well and caught the ball well, but seemed generally unable to break tackles. Conversely, the NC A&T backs broke numerous tackles, regularly, sometimes multiple on the same run. It was a stark contrast on some series. Brown looked very good (2 TDs, 7.8 YPC) although also maybe not quite full speed yet and was used sparingly in the second half. Jacobs (4.2 YPC) looked solid and strong, but with less agility and cutting ability than McBride (which will also be true of 95% of backs). Beebe looked very good (8.3 YPC). He found holes, broke a few tackles, and had some extra zip in a very limited, late game role (perhaps against subs). All the backs looked promising as receivers, especially Brown, whose catch over the middle in traffic was remarkable.
WRs: They created separation and ran solid routes and showed good hands. They caught the ball very well, even in traffic. They blocked well. They made difficult catches. They played smart. The opponent was less talented, but this group did their job very well. TJ Jones ran a great post route on the TD and Zeno threw a perfect ball. It will be interesting to see who is still able to get separation against better defenses, when there is less time for the QB to find them. Most of our WR are young and inexperienced and will only get better as the season progresses. Farrier is going to be a go-to player, as is Palmer. Rudolph seemed to have some extra shake and bake. Buckhalter looked like he has some serious wheels on his one touch. Thomas and Hooks flashed in their touches.
TEs: This group quietly played extremely well. Damous was excellent blocking, receiving and running. Dallas Payne flashed on several plays, as both a blocker and in catch and run. Payne may prove to be the most talented and complete TE for 2023. Would like to get a glimpse of Sivley’s ability to catch and run. Has rare size, and heard he had a good camp.
LAUDIBLE: Zeno. The versatility and diversity of the new offense. Pass protection. Brown’s versatility. Palmer’s size, speed and hands combination. Jacobs is a solid #2, although doesn’t yet look like a game breaker. Will be difficult for defenses to know who to key on.
FORGETTABLE: Play calling on the goal line series. Palmer fumble. Zeno telegraphing the dropped pick six.
MOST NEEDED IMPROVEMENT: RBs breaking tackles. RBs breaking tackles. OL improving run blocking. Need more explosive plays (there was only one in this game, but it appeared they may have been saving the downfield offense for future weeks). RBs breaking tackles.
SURPRISES: The remarkable precision passing and consistently solid decision making of Zeno. No sacks. As a roster surprise, Florida State transfer Antavious Woody (R-FR) is now listed by the online roster as an O-lineman, a move I had hoped to see once his transfer to UAB was announced. Depth and talent are limited on the interior of th O-line and Woody is talented. Would not be surprised to see him in the rotation later in the year if healthy and if he really has moved over to offense.
NEED TO SEE MORE OF: TE Dallas Payne, WR Amare Thomas, WR Buckhaulter, RB Lee Beebe, Demetrius Battle on the goal line.
B. DEFENSE: grade = C+ (adjusted for opponent)
SCHEME. The defensive scheme was quite successful, holding the opponent to only 163 yards and 6 points, with 6 sacks and 9 tackles for loss. But the defensive style of play, and team energy, did not inspire confidence that it will be effective against a quality opponent. The UAB interior run defense was not impressive against a one-dimensional, very predictable FCS offense during three sustained drives, although it was fortunately all bend and no break. The NC A&T RBs (who were D1 talent level) broke countless tackles, often running through multiple UAB tackles on the same run. It appeared that the fundamentals of tackling were not well emphasized in camp. Pass defense looked solid but was not seriously tested. Overall, the defense did not seem to have the nasty edge of a Clark defense. Based on this first sample, and the opponent, there is reason to be concerned about UAB’s ability to consistently control the line of scrimmage and stop the run this season in this defensive scheme.
D-LINE: Inconsistent and less impactful than expected. 10 total tackles among interior line against an FCS team that ran the ball 41 times. Made some occasional excellent plays, but never established dominance against a team that was predictably run-blocking most of the game. The third quarter drive was particularly concerning, as NC A&T established a persistent strong push. Fish made a few plays, and influenced some others, but did not stand out. Penn, on the other hand, stood out (he had half of the d-line tackles, with 5), and probably had the best game of his UAB career. Howard played extremely well on some series but did not plug the hole effectively on others. Joker Gill made plays and showed promise in his first significant action as a Blazer. Did not see the expected freshmen D-linemen in the DT and NG rotation – so this game did not reach very deep into the bench.
D-ENDs, OLBs: Solid, but far from inspiring (11 total tackles) at the edges – less impactful than expected. The rotation was also smaller than expected, and although this group made some plays – they did not demonstrate ability to dominate an FCS opponent. Fairbanks was quiet but steady. Little was quiet. Eason had a sack and another standout tackle and probably needed to play more due to his energy. Michael Moore stood out as the most disruptive and active edge player (5 tackles, 1 for loss). Need to see a more aggressive, and much more energetic approach from this group next game.
MLBs: Jackson Bratton looked like a 4-star LB (11 tackles, 7 solo, 2 sacks), once he remembered how to wrap up a running back (despite a great game, he missed 3 – 4 sure tackles). He was the best defender in this game, and looked fast, but it was against an FCS team. So, the jury is still out, but a very good first effort. Roussaw flashed on the sack, showing his speed, but was relatively quiet the remainder of the game. Goode was not impactful, but it was his first start. Miller appeared to come up and play MLB at times. #33, Sorrells (likely a walk on) played effectively in the 3rd and 4th quarter as an undersized MLB (4 tackles, 1 for loss). Was surprised to see him in the rotation, particularly since he came in ahead of some of the other scholarship LBs like Collier and Brown (who both played on special teams, so are likely not limited by injury). Sorrels had an interception in the spring game but is quite small for a MLB (5-10, 205). Overall, after a first look, MLB depth appears to be a top 3 significant concern at this stage.
CBs: As good as expected. Looked very good in limited pass coverage against an FCS team that primarily ran the ball. Within this limited sample size and challenge level, the position looks deep and solid. They played at least one true freshman, and multiple players made key tackles in the open field (after the DL, linebackers and safeties missed tackles). The transfers both looked solid, particularly Mayes.
SAFETIES: Mixed, as expected. Two starters did not play (Miller and Swoopes). Two were injured during the game (Brown and Thornton). AJ Brown looked good prior to his injury. One first time starter (Rowell) missed multiple key tackles and did not recover a fumble with the ball at his feet but seemed to settle down as the game progressed. After the injuries, Bracy, a true freshman played a lot in the second half. Safety looks to not have significant depth or experience, which is a problem with 4 injured players in the 2-deep. This young group will have significant room to grow and improve. Didn’t see Carl Fauntroy play but could have missed him. Safety is also a top 3 early-season position of concern.
LAUDIBLE: Jackson Bratton was all over the field after the first defensive series. Faster than expected. Kevin Penn had his best game. Michael Moore was immediately impactful. CBs were solid.
FORGETTABLE: Missed tackles. Anemic pass rush. Inability to control the line of scrimmage consistently against a mid-level FCS team. Lack of push from interior. Injuries at safety piling up. Missed tackles. Missed tackles, sometimes three on the same play.
MOST NEEDED IMPROVEMENT: Run defense up front, tackling. A solid, second MLB needs to reveal himself.
SURPRISES: Michael Moore was a pleasant surprise, although we heard good things from camp. Will Sorrells (4 tackles at MLB) and Tsai McDaniel playing at safety were definite surprises. Brown and Collier seeing little, if any, playing time at LB was also a surprise. The very thin rotation at MLB explains Miller rotating in.
NEED TO SEE MORE OF: Joker Gill. Kevin Penn. Everett Roussaw. AJ Brown. Ray Thornton.
C. Special Teams: grade = D
KICKOFF COVERAGE: Poor. Twice UAB allowed a return to at least the 35-yard line. Poor angles and missed tackles. Did not look well prepared.
KICK RETURNS: Solid. Freshman Kameran Shanks looked promising returning kicks.
PUNT TEAM: Poor. Punted once from deep in our own territory, but shanked it for 30 yards, giving up excellent field position.
PUNT RETURN TEAM: Poor. Huge error on the return penalty, resulting in a turnover, and negating a very good punt return by McWilliams. It’s not complicated to avoid a flag by not jumping during a punt. Overall, special teams did not appear well prepared. This type error equates to a turnover and can cost a game.
FIELD GOAL: Poor. Missed a chip shot kick. Little more than an extra point. Seemed to match the trend for the night on special teams.
Overall, the special teams did not play effective, winning football and made almost a half dozen major mistakes. Might have led to disaster against a better team. This group, unlike the offense, did not look professional or prepared. Must dramatically improve by game 2.
COACHING: Grade = B-
Overall positive and encouraging for a first ever game. Offense was inspiring, defense was effective but concerning, special teams were dismal (but correctable). Poor decisions in goal line play-calling hopefully provided an opportunity for this new staff to learn quickly to not run a play parallel to the LOS on the 1-yard line against a much smaller defensive line. Defensive staff needs to work on the fundamentals (tackling, shedding blocks at LOS) and development of more depth on the D-line and at MLB. Special teams coaches have a week to correct numerous mental errors and to correct angles.
Game 2: at Georgia Southern (Saturday, Sept 9, 6 pm, espn+)
GaSo defeated the Citadel in their first game, 34 – 0 (Jalen White, 125 yards, 1 TD, on 19 carries). Solid team and the first college road game for Dilfer and staff. Logistics of an away game will be a steep learning curve.
GAME 2 EARLY THOUGHTS: Safeties? Need Swoopes and Miller back at safety for the first road game against a quality opponent. Will Thornton and Brown be able to play after game 1 injuries? Will Luke Jones be available at left guard or is this Moran’s job now? Will recent additions to the O-line (Bradley, Woody) make a push? Will an edge player on defense step up? Who will emerge as the most reliable second MLB? Will the interior D-line re-discover their nasty edge from previous years? Can the offense build on the game 1 efficiency and protect Zeno against a D1 pass rush?
This is going to be a fascinating season.
(This post was last modified: 09-04-2023 07:23 AM by Ranger1386c.)
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UAB Ranger Report: Game 1, 2023
