Who should be Coach of the Year? If you said either Alabama Birmingham’s Bill Clark or Alabama’s Nick Saban, you would be on the mark.
We tend to take Saban for granted. Sure, Alabama has #1 recruiting classes each year, but you still have to coach ’em up (Latest example of that: Uber-talented Ohio State got boatraced by Iowa, 55-24), Down 4 linebackers, Saban negotiated the Crimson Tide to a come-from-behind 31-24 victory over Cowbell U.
We are absolutely astonished that UAB could have a 7-3 mark. How is this possible when your program has been shuttered for the previous two years? When the UAB program shut down after the 2014 season, most of their remaining ball players scattered to the winds. Remember how great Jordan Howard was as an Indiana running back in 2015? Fresh from UAB.
After UAB’s latest road win at UTSA on Saturday, we continue to be shocked at how well this motley collection of holdovers and JC transfers can play. Their mark could easily be 8-2 as they inexplicably blew a 17-0 lead at inept Charlotte after a fumbled punt early in the 3rd quarter totally reversed the game’s momentum. If you told us 3 months ago that the Blazers would only be a 10.5 point underdog at Florida this Saturday, we would have questioned your sanity.
Liliane
Interesting. We like underdogs. Something to watch , I wish them well.