(Photo Credit: UAB Athletics)
Key Players Returning:
QB Jalen Kitna, OC Adam Leplowski, OG Zaire Flournoy, OT JonDarius Morgan, DE Ezra Odinjor, DE James Smyre, NB AJ Brown, SS Sirad Bryant, PK Jonah Delange, and PT Patrick Foley.
Key Players Departing:
QB Jacob Zeno, RB/KR Lee Beebe Jr., WR/PR Kam Shanks, WR Amare Thomas, TE Bryce Damous, TE Dallas Payne, OC Brady Wilson, OG Quez Yates, OT DJ Jones, DE LD Cox, DE Kendall Johnson, NT Derrick Shepard Jr., LB OC Brothers, LB Desmond Little, LB Michael Moore, LB Everrett Roussaw Jr., CB Colby Dempsey, CB Kelvin Hill, NB Adrian Maddox, FS Tyjon Jones, and FS Donald Lee, and KR Armoni Goodwin.
Top 10 Recruits:
3 Star Recruits: CB Perry Fisher (Maryland transfer), TE Aaron Mattingly (Mt. Juliet, Tennessee), WR Jaylen Elder (Madison, Georgia), WR AJ Johnson (East Tennessee State transfer), LB Eli Ennis (Nicholls transfer), DE James Steel (Bear, Delaware), WR Evan McCrary (Wingate transfer), DT Nigel Tate (Boston College transfer), QB Ryder Burton (West Virginia transfer), and WR Kaleb Brown (Iowa transfer).
2024 Results:
G01 ALCORN STATE W 41-3
G02 @ UL-Monroe L 6-32
G03 @ Arkansas L 27-37
G04 NAVY L 18-41
G05 TULANE L 20-71
G06 @ Army L 10-44
G07 @ South Florida L 25-35
G08 TULSA W 59-21
G09 UCONN L 23-31
G10 @ Memphis L 18-51
G11 RICE W 40-14
G12 @ Charlotte L 27-29
Team Info:
2024 Record: 3-9 (12th in CUSA)
Home: 3-3
Away: 0-6
Neutral: 0-0
AAC: 2-6
Non-CUSA: 1-3
Head Coach: Trent Dilfer
UAB: 3-9
Bowls: 0-0
Career: 3-9
(Photo Credit: The Banner)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Jalen Kitna (196-316, 2209 yards, 62.0%, 7.0 avg., 17 TD, 11 INT)
Rushing: Armoni Goodwin (14 car., 88 yards, 6.3 avg., 0 TD)
Receiving: Iverson Hooks (14 rec., 179 yards, 12.8 avg., 1 TD)
TDs Scored: 4 Tied (1)
Sacks: James Smyre (2)
Tackles: Sirad Bryant (60)
Interceptions: AJ Brown/Sirad Bryant (1)
Pass Deflections: Donald Lee (3)
Tackles For Loss: AJ Brown/James Smyre (2)
Forced Fumbles: Ezra Odinjor (1)
Kick Returns: Soloman Beebe (11 ret., 316 yards, 28.7 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: None
Kicking: Jonah Delange (21-24 fg/fga, 88%., 31-31 xp/xpa, 94 pts.)
Punting: Patrick Foley (41 punts, 1790 yards, 43.7 avg., 11 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 17 Jalen Kitna (RS SR/TR)
RB: 00 Jevon Jackson (RS SR/TR)
WR: 0 Iverson Hooks (RS JR)
WR: 6 Corri Milliner (RS SO)
WR: 00 Kaleb Brown (RS JR/TR)
TE: 00 Antonio Ferguson (RS SO/TR)
LT: 70 JonDarius Morgan (RS SR/TR)
LG: 75 Calib Perez (RS JR/TR)
OC: 68 Adam Lepkowski (RS JR)
RG: 54 Zaire Flournoy (RS SR)
RT: 66 Jordan Hall (RS SO)
KR: 28 Soloman Beebe (SO)
PK: 39 Jonah Delange (JR)
Projected Starting Defense
DE: 00 Amorie Morrison (RS SR/TR)
NT: 00 Denver Warren (RS SR/TR)
DT: 00 Jelani Davis (RS SR/TR)
DE: 2 Ezra Odinjor (RS SO/TR)
LB: 00 Eli Ennis (SR/TR)
LB: 00 Devin Hightower (RS SR/TR)
NB: 00 Jalen Cheek (RS SR/TR)
CB: 00 Perry Fisher (RS JR/TR)
CB: 00 Tamarion Crumpley (RS SR/TR)
FS: 00 Josh Baka (SR/TR)
SS: 12 Sirad Bryant (RS SR/TR)
PR: 00 Kaleb Brown (RS JR/TR)
PT: 27 Patrick Foley (RS SR/TR)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Jalen Kitna (196-316, 2209 yards, 62.0%, 7.0 avg., 17 TD, 11 INT)
Rushing: Armoni Goodwin (14 car., 88 yards, 6.3 avg., 0 TD)
Receiving: Iverson Hooks (14 rec., 179 yards, 12.8 avg., 1 TD)
TDs Scored: 4 Tied (1)
Sacks: James Smyre (2)
Tackles: Sirad Bryant (60)
Interceptions: AJ Brown/Sirad Bryant (1)
Pass Deflections: Donald Lee (3)
Tackles For Loss: AJ Brown/James Smyre (2)
Forced Fumbles: Ezra Odinjor (1)
Kick Returns: Soloman Beebe (11 ret., 316 yards, 28.7 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: None
Kicking: Jonah Delange (21-24 fg/fga, 88%., 31-31 xp/xpa, 94 pts.)
Punting: Patrick Foley (41 punts, 1790 yards, 43.7 avg., 11 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 17 Jalen Kitna (RS SR/TR)
RB: 00 Jevon Jackson (RS SR/TR)
WR: 0 Iverson Hooks (RS JR)
WR: 6 Corri Milliner (RS SO)
WR: 00 Kaleb Brown (RS JR/TR)
TE: 00 Antonio Ferguson (RS SO/TR)
LT: 70 JonDarius Morgan (RS SR/TR)
LG: 75 Calib Perez (RS JR/TR)
OC: 68 Adam Lepkowski (RS JR)
RG: 54 Zaire Flournoy (RS SR)
RT: 66 Jordan Hall (RS SO)
KR: 28 Soloman Beebe (SO)
PK: 39 Jonah Delange (JR)
Projected Starting Defense
DE: 00 Amorie Morrison (RS SR/TR)
NT: 00 Denver Warren (RS SR/TR)
DT: 00 Jelani Davis (RS SR/TR)
DE: 2 Ezra Odinjor (RS SO/TR)
LB: 00 Eli Ennis (SR/TR)
LB: 00 Devin Hightower (RS SR/TR)
NB: 00 Jalen Cheek (RS SR/TR)
CB: 00 Perry Fisher (RS JR/TR)
CB: 00 Tamarion Crumpley (RS SR/TR)
FS: 00 Josh Baka (SR/TR)
SS: 12 Sirad Bryant (RS SR/TR)
PR: 00 Kaleb Brown (RS JR/TR)
PT: 27 Patrick Foley (RS SR/TR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: B
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: B
Secondary: C
Kick Returners: A
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: A
Punters: B
Schedule:
08/28 ALABAMA STATE HORNETS | UAB leads the series 2-1. The Blazers won (24-19) the last meeting in 2019, and their only series win (31-10) was in 2010.
09/06 @ Navy Midshipmen | UAB trails the series 0-2. The Blazers lost (18-41) last season’s meeting, and they lost (6-31) the inaugural meeting in 2023.
09/13 AKRON ZIPS | UAB won (31-20) the only prior meeting in 2019.
09/20 @ Tennessee Volunteers | UAB trails the series 0-5. The Blazers lost (7-30) the last meeting in 2019, and they lost (29-32) the prior meeting in 2010.
10/04 ARMY BLACK KNIGHTS | UAB leads the series 5-1. The Blazers lost (10-44) last season’s meeting, and they won (20-14) the prior meeting in 2004.
10/11 @ FAU Owls | UAB Trails the series 4-6. UAB won (45-42) the last meeting in 2023, and they lost (17-24) the prior meeting in 2022.
10/18 MEMPHIS TIGERS | UAB leads the series 10-7. The Blazers lost (18-53) last season’s meeting, and they lost (21-45) the prior meeting in 2023.
11/01 @ UCONN Huskies | Last season’s 23-31 loss was the first meeting between schools.
11/08 @ Rice Owls | UAB leads the series 7-5. The Blazers are 5-2 since restarting the series in 2017, and their last series loss (24-28) was in 2022.
11/15 NORTH TEXAS MEAN GREEN | UAB lead the series 6-2. The Blazers are 4-2 since 2017, and they lost (42-45) the last meeting in 2023.
11/22 USF BULLS | The series is tied 2-2. The Blazers lost (25-35) last season’s meeting, and they won (56-35) the prior meeting in 2023.
11/29 @ Tulsa Golden Hurricane | UAB trails the series 1-4. The Blazers won (59-21) last season’s meeting, and they lost (42-49) the prior meeting in 2012.
Predictions:
Home: 6-0
Away: 5-1
Neutral: 1-0
AAC: 8-0
Non-AAC: 3-1
Overall: 12-1 (1st in AAC – Bowl Eligible)
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