Position-by-position breakdown for UAB at Tulane

UAB’s long strange trip is almost at its end.

The Blazers finished off their four-game season-opening road excursion against Tulane, Saturday, Sept. 25, at Yulman Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. CST on ESPN+.

So how do the teams match up? Here is AL.com’s position-by-position breakdown for UAB’s showdown with the Green Wave:

Quarterback

The good news for UAB is there are two capable quarterbacks -- three if you count Bryson Lucero and his 3-2 record as a starter in 2020 -- at its disposal who have multiple levels of success during their respective careers.

Tyler Johnston III got off to a fantastic start in the opener against Jacksonville State, but has been less effective the last two games, completing 35 percent of his passes for 71 yards while throwing three picks. Meanwhile, Dylan Hopkins came off the bench at North Texas to set career-bests in passing yards (202) and passing touchdowns (3), and is passing at an 83 percent clip this season while throwing for 261 yards and four scores.

The Blazers are going to continue alternating between Johnston and Hopkins, assigning starter status based on practice effectiveness and adjusting in-game depending on the flow of the offense with each signal-caller.

Michael Pratt returns to lead the Green Wave offense and has done so with precision. The redshirt freshman has thrown for 586 yards and seven touchdowns, with no interceptions, and has two rushing scores as well. The backup, Justin Ibieta, has two passing scores and two picks but can make plays on the ground rushing for 57 yards and a touchdown on four attempts. Advantage: Tulane

Running back

Through three games, DeWayne McBride (171 yards) and Jermaine Brown Jr. (165 yards) have developed into a formidable one-two punch out of the UAB backfield and complement one another with differing styles that even found success against a Georgia defense that’s held its other two opponents to less than 100 yards on the ground.

Lucious Stanley has been a positive spark in both the running and passing game, gaining 95 totals yards on 14 touches, and runs with reckless abandon as the most experienced running back on the roster. Larry Wooden has also found success in his limited opportunities, rushing for 57 yards and scoring his first career touchdown last week at North Texas.

Tulane is fairly balanced, offensively speaking, and spreads the wealth in the running game. Cameron Carroll has double the rushing attempts of any other running back, gaining 106 yards with a score on 28 carries, and is productive in the passing game with five catches for 25 yards and two scores.

Devi Brumfield and Iver Celestine have 14 carries each on the season, combining for 177 yards, and Tyjae Spears is the spark with 91 total yards and a score on 17 touches. Advantage: Even

Receiver/tight end

Despite losing more than 50 percent of its receiving production the last two seasons, UAB has a group of pass-catchers that are emerging as legitimate threats in the passing game.

Gerrit Prince leads the team in receptions (7), receiving yards (204) and receiving touchdowns (3), displaying his impeccable speed at the tight end position, and has developed into the primary target of the aerial attack. Fellow senior Hayden Pittman is the hype-man for the offensive unit and extended his streak of consecutive games with a reception (28 games) last week at North Texas.

Trea Shropshire is a deep threat on the outside for UAB and uses his innate ability to highpoint passes and create last-minute separation downfield. He has six catches on the season and leads the receiving corps with 165 yards and two touchdowns. Ryan Davis (76 yards) has found success downfield within the seams and RaJae’ Johnson-Sanders (94 yards) continues to be utilized in a variety of ways, specifically on jet sweeps that include a 46-yard catch-and-run and a 3-yard touchdown on the same drive in the season opener.

The Green Wave inflict most of their damage through the air and tends to spread it around with seven players hauling in at least one touchdown this season. Tyrick James leads an eclectic group of receivers from the tight end position, pulling down 11 receptions for 189 yards and two touchdowns, and Will Wallace has display similar ability in limited action with three catches for 27 yards and a score.

Jaetavian Toles is a determined playmaker on the outside and can be used in the rushing game, posting 116 total yards and two touchdowns, and Shae Wyatt is second on third on the team with seven catches for 98 yards and a score. Phat and Duece Watts and Ygenio Booker have a combined 199 yards on 14 receptions and Jha’Quan Jackson is utilized in the return game in addition to his receiving duties. Advantage: Tulane

Offensive line

UAB has seen the most consistency at any one single position this season as all five starters have not missed a meaningful snap this season. The unit is powering a rushing offense that gains 149 ypg but has given up six sacks in three games, compared to four total sacks last year.

Along with the starting five, backup right tackle Jakoby Jones has played in every game and been used in six-man sets. Jones can plugin on the interior in the case of an emergency and is as experienced as any lineman of the team. Trey Bedosky has seen action behind Telfort in all three games and backup center Will Rykard and junior college transfer Quincy McGee have played in two games.

The Green Wave return a bulk of their offensive line but do have a weakness on the right side with first-year starters Caleb Thomas at guard and Rashad Green at tackle. Sincere Haynesworth is sturdy at center and Joey Claybrook and Corey Dublin have the left side locked down with a combined 81 starts. Advantage: UAB

Defensive line

The Blazers operate out of many defensive fronts and the interior line is progressing into a solid group that can control opposing running games (118 ypg) and provide an additional pass-rush to a destructive herd of edge-rushers.

UAB has arguably the deepest defensive line of the Clark era, starting with the duo of Tyree Turner and Justin Thomas and rounding out with a strong rotation that includes Isaiah Forte, Mi’Cario Stanley, Fish McWilliams and Kevin Penn.

Turner and Thomas have logged all starts on the defensive line, combining for five tackles, and Stanley has been a force in the middle, notching an 11-yard sack at North Texas. Forte has appeared in all three games, along with Stanley, and McWilliams returned to the lineup after missing the first game of the season.

Similar to UAB, the Green Wave run a lot of multiple formations and show a lot of looks to opposing quarterbacks. Unfortunately, it has not worked all too well this season as Tulane is one of the worst defenses in the nation, ranking 116th in total defense (455 ypg) and 124th in scoring defense (40.3 ppg).

As far as the defensive line is concerned, there is experience but the unit is partly to blame for allowing 177.3 ypg on the ground. Darius Hodges and Angelo Anderson assume the Joker role in Tulane’s scheme, Hodges posting 13 tackles (2 for loss) and a sack and Anderson adding five stops. Keith Cooper has been productive with six tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble, and Jeffery Johnson is a load in the middle. JoJo Darceus and Erick Hicks work the opposite side of the line, combining for12 tackles. Advantage: UAB

Linebackers

Paired with its interior line, UAB’s outside linebackers are a force to be reckoned with as Alex Wright and Antonio Moultrie lead the pack with malicious intent. Both are tied for fifth on the team with 10 tackles each and Wright has an additional sack, two hurries and pass breakup.

Kyle Harrell has been a pleasant surprise this season, collecting six tackles (2 for loss) and a sack, and Nikia Eason Jr. has three tackles (1 for loss) and a sack. Kelle Sanders and Michael Fairbanks II have four tackles each and have been highly active behind the line of the scrimmage.

Noah Wilder is racking up the tackles once more with 13 stops on the season and Deshaun Oliver Jr. has parlayed a strong spring and fall camp into productive performances in the first three starts of his career, amassing 13 tackles (1 for loss), a sack and a pass breakup. Jalen Rayam has seen a rise in opportunity early this season, and Charlie Benton and Will Conner appeared in the first two games.

In allowing opposing ball carriers into the second level, the inside linebackers for Tulane have been quite busy this season. The position has four of the top seven tacklers on the team, led by Kevin Henry with 18 tackles, a sack and an interception. Marvin Moody and Dorian Williams have a combined 23 tackles and Nick Anderson has 16 tackles for third-best on the team. Advantage: UAB

Secondary

Looing being the Georgia debacle, the Blazers have been shutting down opposing passing attacks with regularity and allowed only five quarterbacks to throw for more than 200 yards in the last 27 games.

The backend of the secondary, along with the offensive line, is the deepest unit on the team, and features strong safeties Will Boler and Kris Moll. The move from linebacker has not been negative for Moll, who is second on the team with 14 tackles, and Boler leads the team with 16 tackles, both have pass breakups.

Damon Miller has started every game at free safety, collecting eight tackles (1 for loss), but Dy’jonn Turner has not been relegated to a contributing role, posting nine tackles and two pass breakups. Turner had a minor injury at North Texas and Clark indicated he would miss no more than a game if any at all.

The breakout player through three games has no doubt been ‘star’ safety Keondre Swoopes. The junior has nine tackles on the season and consecutive games with an interception, including a 61-yard pick-6 at Georgia.

Starling Thomas V and Mac McWilliams have started all three games at cornerback this season for the Blazers and the latter has made an immediate impact in his redshirt freshman season with three pass breakups and seven tackles. TD Marshall missed the win at North Texas but is expected back either this week or next for the home opener. CD Daniels made his season debut against the Mean Green.

Facing Oklahoma and Ole Miss has a certain effect on a team’s defensive ranking and Tulane is a victim of facing both programs on the road. The Green Wave are ranked 114th in passing yards allowed (277.7 ypg) but were been able to force a few key turnovers in the secondary in the season opener against the Sooners.

Jaylon Monroe, Lance Robinson and Ajani Kerr have taken the brunt of Lincoln Riley and Lane Kiffin’s wrath, but Monroe is an experienced cornerback with 30 starts under his belt. Jadon Candy contributes as much as anyone in the backend with 14 takedowns and an interception. Free safety Macon Clark is second on the team with 17 tackles, including a pick, and strong safety Larry Brooks has nine stops and two pass breakups. Advantage: UAB

Special Teams

The Blazers are as solid as anyone on special teams, having the ability to control the field-position battle and consistently score through the kicking game. Although UAB has not returned a kickoff yet this year, Starling Thomas V is averaging 11.6 yards per punt return.

Kyle Greenwell has one of the stronger legs in C-USA, averaging 44.1 yards on 17 punts and knocking back a 73-yard kick at North Texas, but is also precise with seven air catches, four touchbacks and three kicks inside the 20-yard line. Matt Quinn is 3-for-4 on field-goal attempts this season.

Tulane is 2-for-5 on field-goal attempts as a team but veteran Merek Glover is only 1-of-2 while making all 12 PATs this season. Ryan Wright allows the Green Wave to play the field position battle, averaging 48.6 yards on 12 punts. Advantage: UAB

Coaching

Bill Clark’s credentials are known throughout the land and the sixth-year (8 years total) head coach will not waste an opportunity to gain a boost of confidence before heading home next week for the opening of Protective Stadium. Willie Fritz has seen success at all three major stops along his coaching trail, leading Sam Houston State to two FCS national title appearances and Georgia Southern to a 17-7 record and its first bowl appearance, but has faltered some in rebuilding the Green Wave program. Fritz has a 30-35 overall record at Tulane but has led the program to a 20-18 overall record and a 2-1 record in bowl games the last three seasons. Advantage: UAB

Overall

Tulane welcomes the Blazers for their official home opener, following Hurricane Ida, and there is certainly going to be excitement in the air for a program that has been through a lot during the past month. However, UAB needs a little redemption with a non-conference victory over a possible future conference opponent. Advantage: Even