UAB Blazers 2022 College Football Preview

UAB Blazers 2022 College Football Preview

June 22, 2022

Update Aug 1 <HC Bill Clark stepped down; OC Bryant Vincent takes over>

2021 Recap

Record – 9-4

ATS – 10-3

Do not adjust your sets. UAB did INDEED fail to make the Conference USA title game, but to be fair, it took a quasi-miracle for eventual conference champ UTSA to take them down (L 34-31). The Blazers upset BYU in a very entertaining Independence Bowl (W 31-28) and ended up with 9+ wins for the 3rd time in four years.

Let’s see what’s cookin’ heading into 2022.

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UAB Blazers 2022 Outlook

OFFENSE

The Blazers have been very balanced on offense over the last number of years and LY was no exception. They weren’t deadly by any means, but they booked 180 YPG rushing and 206 YPG thru the air. UAB was much better with Dylan Hopkins under center (66%, 18-7 TD to INT) and he’ll be the starting QB in 2022. #1 WR Trea Shropshire averaged an impossible 26 YPC on 27 catches LY and is an elite deep threat. Their #2 and #3 pass catchers depart including star TE Gerrit Prince and it remains to be seen what kind of depth they have in the unit. UAB boasts a DEVASTATING 1-2 combo at RB in DeWayne McBride (who hasn’t met a tackle he can’t break) and Jermaine Brown who combined for 2,002 yards and 20 (!) rushing TDs in 2021. Three starters are back up front and they’ve got talent and some good size. They allowed an unseemly 35 sacks in 13G LY and they’ll need to clean that up. Overall, we LIKEY LIKEY what we see on paper.

DEFENSE

UAB is known for their strong defense and they’ve allowed just 23.2, 21.4, 21.6, and 17.0 PPG the last four seasons. The Blazers were particularly stout vs the run LY (#11 FBS run D) whilst booking a decent helping of sacks (34, T5 C-USA). Eight starters return on this side of the football including three of their top-four tacklers but they lose #1 sack man Alex Wright (7) who also tallied an impressive 12 QBH in 2021. #1 tackler Noah Wilder is a force at LB and the secondary might be the best in C-USA. They need to find a new batch of starters on the DL but HC Bill Clark always seems to find the right pieces to make things work. This stop unit looks solid, but keep an eye on the pass rushing situation.

SPECIAL TEAMS

The Blazers were pretty much average across the board on special teams LY but note that everyone is back for duty in 2022. We expect better this season.

Schedule Analysis

Overall – They have a tricky road contest at Liberty in week two and a potential BLOODBATH game at LSU late in the year. UTSA looks to be the 2nd best team in the conference on paper and the Blazers get them in Birmingham on November 5th.

Potential ATS Trouble Spot – Nothing overly-heinous noted.

Season Win Total

per BetOnline June 22

Over 8.5 +100

Under 8.5 -130

MEGALOCKS says:

Lean: Over

They look stacked and have 11 winnable games.

Update Aug 1 <HC Bill Clark stepped down; OC Bryant Vincent takes over>….Pass on win total

MEGAmazing Tidbit

Whomever noted that “Bill Clark is a degenerate’s best friend” wasn’t lying. Clark is a phenomenal 46-27-2 ATS with UAB (61%).  Update Aug 1 <HC Bill Clark stepped down; OC Bryant Vincent takes over>….Pass on win total

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MEGALOCKS Outlook:

CHOO CHOO. Time to get on the UAB train, yo. They have the best roster in the conference and should be nice and hungry after losing to UTSA in heartbreaking fashion in 2021. It’s not a SPICY TAKE, but we’ll call for another trip to the conference title game.

Let’s go, Blazers!

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Want more UAB Football ?

WEBSITE

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NEWS

http://www.al.com/uabfootball/

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