{"id":511,"date":"2023-04-05T09:05:29","date_gmt":"2023-04-05T14:05:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blazervictory.com\/?p=511"},"modified":"2024-02-23T11:24:24","modified_gmt":"2024-02-23T16:24:24","slug":"three-things-to-watch-for-in-uab-footballs-spring-game","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blazervictory.com\/index.php\/2023\/04\/05\/three-things-to-watch-for-in-uab-footballs-spring-game\/","title":{"rendered":"Three Things to Watch For In UAB Football’s Spring Game"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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(Photo by UAB Athletics)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This Thursday evening, UAB fans will be able to get their first look at the 2023 football team under new head coach Trent Dilfer. There will be plenty of new faces on the field as UAB replaces 21 seniors from last season and also brings in new coaches. Head coach Trent Dilfer spoke before practice Tuesday evening about what he is looking forward to seeing at the spring game: \u201cYou know, just continuing to get better. I think the operation, we scrimmaged on Saturday…we felt pretty good about some things. We just got to get cleaner and more detailed. I think the players with their investment and their work ethic we couldn\u2019t be more pleased but there\u2019s still a transition of learning to play faster. I guess the easiest word to use is cleaner. We just got to play clean football and use every opportunity to practice to get better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dilfer also spoke about the overall health of the team heading into the spring game: \u201cOutside of Zaire (Flournoy) we\u2019re pretty darn healthy. We\u2019ve got some guys banged up, some nicks which is typical. I thought the team has done a really nice job of playing with a great deal of physicality in practice but protecting each other. And really if you talk to a lot of veteran coaches and my football life has shown me this..that the quality of how you practice will carry over into games. That\u2019s just not always run-fast and high energy. That\u2019s are we fitting things right? Is it physical and are we using our hands? And then are we protecting each other? Because if we can get really good practicing at thud tempo I\u2019ll take the pads off for the season. I\u2019m actually kind of a softie in-season. I\u2019m a hard butt in the spring but in the season I want them to be fresh\u2026I want them to be prime for game day. Now you can\u2019t do that if you don\u2019t know how to practice in a thud environment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even though this is just a spring game there are three things that Blazer fans will need to pay attention to come Thursday evening:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Offensive\/Defensive Philosophies<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first thing that UAB fans will need to watch for this Thursday is what kind of offensive and defensive philosophies will Trent Dilfer bring here to UAB? Blazer fans have been accustomed to a style of offense under the previous coaching staff but things could look a little different this season under the direction of new offensive coordinator Alex Mortensen. Listen to the interview that I had with Alex Mortensen during spring practice discussing his offensive philosophy and more:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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