2009 UAB Blazers football team

The 2009 UAB Blazers football team represented the University of Alabama at Birmingham in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They played their home games at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama and competed in the East Division of Conference USA (C-USA). The Blazers finished the season 5–7 and 4–4 in C-USA play.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent#	Rank#	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 5	3:00 PM	Rice		Legion Field • Birmingham, AL	CSS	W 44–24	14,316[1]
September 12	3:00 PM	SMU		Legion Field • Birmingham, AL		L 33–35	18,082[2]
September 19	2:30 PM	at Troy*		Movie Gallery Stadium • Troy, AL	CSS/WABM	L 14–27	21,182[3]
September 26	6:00 PM	at Texas A&M*		Kyle Field • College Station, TX		L 19–56	74,656[4]
October 1	7:00 PM	Southern Miss		Legion Field • Birmingham, AL (Rivalry)	CBS C	W 30–17	26,871[5]
October 17	6:00 PM	at Ole Miss*		Vaught-Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, MS	FSN	L 13–48	47,612[6]
October 24	11:00 AM	at Marshall		Joan C. Edwards Stadium • Huntington, WV	CSS	L 7–27	18,878[7]
October 31	3:00 PM	at UTEP		Sun Bowl Stadium • El Paso, TX		W 38–33	23,063[8]
November 7	1:00 PM	Florida Atlantic*		Legion Field • Birmingham, AL		W 56–29	17,283[9]
November 14	12:00 PM	at Memphis		Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium • Memphis, TN (Battle for the Bones)	CSS	W 31–21	18,031[10]
November 21	2:30 PM	at East Carolina		Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium • Greenville, NC	MASN	L 21–37	43,056[11]
November 28	12:30 PM	UCF		Legion Field • Birmingham, AL	CBS C	L 27–34	13,381[12]
*Non-conference game. Homecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll. All times are in Central Time.

Schedule Source: "2009-2010 Schedule". University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics Media Relations - UABSports.com. Archived from the original on August 16, 2009. Retrieved April 19, 2009. 

Game notes

Rice

To open the 2009 season, UAB quarterback Joe Webb would have a record setting day in leading the Blazers to this 44-24 victory over the Owls. For the game, Webb would set both a school and Conference USA record for rushing yards by a quarterback in a single game with 194.^[13] For the game, Webb would also complete 12 of 15 passes for another 221 yards and a pair of touchdowns in gaining 415 yards of total offense on the afternoon.^[13] For his efforts, Webb was named Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week.^[14]

SMU

Following an opening week win, the Blazers would fall by a final score of 33-35 to the Mustangs of SMU. After falling behind by a score of 28-7 at the half, the Blazers would rally to within a point of SMU by the end of the third quarter.^[15] The Blazers would fall late in the fourth following a failed two-point conversion that would have tied the game at 35 with 00:13 remaining in the game. For the game Webb would rush for 97 yards and a single touchdown in addition to throwing for 226 yards and a pair of touchdowns.^[15]

Troy

For the second week in a row, the Blazers would fall, and this time it was by a final score of 14-27 on the road to the Trojans of Troy. For the game, UAB only scored on a pair of Josh Zahn field goals and a single, 17-yard Joe Webb touchdown pass in the fourth.^[16]

Texas A&M

Traveling to College Station to face the Aggies in the evening, the Blazers would fall by a final score of 56-19. For the game, UAB scored on a pair of Josh Zahn field goals, a 10-yard Joe Webb touchdown run in the third and on a 60-yard David Isabelle run in the fourth.^[17]

Southern Miss

Following three consecutive losses in addition to coming off a short week, the Blazers would defeat Southern Miss for the first time in school history on a Thursday night by a final score of 30-17. UAB would open the scoring with a 27 yard Josh Zahn field goal and a 31-yard Joe Webb touchdown run in the first, only to have the Golden Eagles score 10 in the second to tie the game at the half.^[18] In the third, Webb would hit Anderson for a 21-yard touchdown in the third to take a 17-10 lead into the fourth.^[18] Zahn would hit a pair of field goals (51 & 32 yards) and Hiram Atwater would seal the game late following a 40-yard interception return for a touchdown.^[18]

Personnel

Coaching staff

• Neil Callaway – Head Coach
• Kim Helton – Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends
• Eric Schumann – Defensive Coordinator/Safeties
• Corey Barlow – Cornerbacks
• Tim Bowens – Receivers
• Lorenzo Costantini – Defensive Line
• Steve Davenport – Running Backs
• Will Friend – Offensive Line
• Tyson Helton – Quarterbacks/Recruiting Coordinator
• Tyson Summers – Linebackers
• Steve Martin – Strength and Conditioning/Football & Baseball
• Josh Lee – Director of Football Operations

References