Football on the Fringe Season Previews were ranked, then delivered in random order.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Blazers came up a little short of some expectations last year, after climbing to 5-5 but failing to reach bowl eligibility with late season losses to division powers. A tough non-conference schedule ultimately did them in, taking losses from the Big 12, SEC, and Sun Belt Champs Troy.
The Blazers come back loaded in 2010, with one key exception- the #6 player in total offense in the country from last year, quarterback Joe Webb (now with the Minnesota Vikings, behind some other quarterback). But if the new quarterbacks can get the job done, they have eight returning offense starters alongside, and nine others on the defense.
Schedule
Coaching
The Blazers have improved steadily, if not meteorically, in Neil Callaway’s first three years as coach, from two wins in his first season, to four and then last year’s five. Before that, he was offensive coordinator at Georgia and Alabama. Callaway’s performance has not been spectacular, but UAB doesn’t have the history of success that a Marshall or Southern Miss does (only two 7 win seasons since joining 1-A in 1996), so he may get more time to build things his way, even if this year isn’t an improvement.
Rankings
Conference USA does not issue a preseason ranking, and UAB does not factor in the national scene.
Outlook
I am now quite convinced that, at the very least, I got UAB and Memphis backwards in my pre-pre-season ranking- that will be amended next week. With a nice little schedule and some rebuilding programs in the division, I think this is the year UAB finally gets to 6 wins- and will be much better than the 46th team in the non-BCS universe.
UAB Connections
BlazerTalk.com – NCAAbbs message board
Things on the front of the sports web page of the Birmingham newspaper: a Bama story, a University of South Alabama story (???), an Auburn story, a Gators story (????), an Alabama basketball story, three high school football bits, another story about Saban, and some more high school football. Finally, after some hunting and CTRL+F, I found the UAB Section. I feel your pain, my UAB brothers and sisters.