The UAB football team opened spring practice Monday in Birmingham and a new era for the program begins under a brand new coaching staff.

“It’s the first day, a lot of anticipation going into this,” UAB head coach Trent Dilfer said. “Our guys have worked really hard, coaches and players, getting prepared to handle a new type of practice. Not saying it’s better or worse, but different. They handled the ebbs and flows of practice well. They maintained their energy and their focus. Overall, really pleased with how the first day went. “

The Blazers were 56-32 overall and 36-16 in Conference USA during the Bill Clark era, including the 2022 season under the direction of former interim head coach Bryant Vincent, and start anew — albeit with one of strongest foundations among peer programs – under Dilfer while transitioning into the American Athletic Conference.

The Blazers return nine total starters from the final Clark/Vincent team, four on offense and five on defense, and signed more than 30 players to recoup losses from graduation and the transfer portal.

Here are seven things to keep in mind as UAB hits the field for spring practice:

New Staff

The most obvious is a new staff with new ideas and new ways to go about creating a routine in practice. Dilfer already has a clear vision in mind that is certainly different from what UAB teams have been used to over the past few years.

For example, a new drill observed was a variation of “Simon Says” at the end of a grueling practice where a player’s mental capability is tested for potential fourth-quarter battles.

“Controlled chaos, we want to replicate a game as much as possible,” Dilfer said. “We want them to understand the ebbs and flows of the game and replicate that in practice. We want the extreme highs, highly active, highly physical, and then those down periods, where you’re on the sideline and when you’re gathering your thoughts and you’re making corrections. We want them to handle a ton of stimulus at one time.”

“We’re going to Athens in week four and you’re probably not going to hear yourself think, so we want to replicate those chaotic situations in practice,” he added. “That’s really hard, it’s probably not fair, but they have to figure it out on their own. We’re looking for a player-driven team, when things are crazy, players have to fix it themselves, coaches can’t always fix it.”

Along with new routines and philosophy, the pure excitement of a rookie coaching staff is unparalleled and infectious among the team already. By-example leaders have become more vocal, players buried in the depth chart are taking charge in drills and a sense of positive competition abounds throughout the program.

While the idea of a young coaching staff with little to no experience on the college level could be seen as a disadvantage, it also provides no tendencies the opposition can use to game plan at a high level.

Ted Lasso used this very same unorthodox method to compete against top Premier League club Manchester City. All it takes is a little belief.

Position Battles

A new coaching staff and a bevy of offseason turnover is a recipe for competition at almost every position but Dilfer is not so concerned with creating a depth chart this spring as he is finding out what makes his team tick.

“We want to find the soul of this team more importantly than the position battles or how they handle the installs,” he said. “We want to know how they’re going to respond when things are bad and how they’re going to pick each other up. Do they encourage each other? Can they communicate at a high level when it’s hard to communicate? What’s the work capacity? Can they reset and refocus? Those are the types of things that make up great teams. The football takes care of itself, the position battles take care of itself. For me, it’s more of identifying what the true essence of what this team is.”

There are 21 players gone from the final two-deep of the season and all bets are off as far as secured roles are concerned. Quarterback, offensive line and linebacker are arguably the most crucial areas of concern — discussed separately — but there is room for new leaders and playmakers to step up at the skill positions, defensive line, secondary and special teams.

The nation’s leading rusher from last season, DeWayne McBride, opted to forgo his senior season and enter the NFL Draft but there is plenty of bodies for which Handley Brigham has to develop as the only returning on-field coaching holdover from the previous staff. Jermain Brown Jr. steps into the spotlight this season, after racking up 2,275 rushing yards behind McBride and UAB all-time leading rusher Spencer Brown, and Lee Witherspoon and A.J. Gates showcased their potential last year while not dealing with injuries. West Alabama transfer Demetrius Battle adds experience and depth to the position and a trio of redshirt freshmen rounds out the group.

Trea Shropshire departed after leading the receiving effort the last two seasons but there will be more opportunities for returners and a load of newcomers as the offensive philosophy veers from a boom-or-bust mentality in the passing game. Tejhaun Palmer, Samario Rudolph, T.J. Jones, Fred Farrier II and Iverson Hooks all have game experience during their time on the Southside but will see competition from portal additions Malachi Holt-Bennett (Indiana) and Dazalin Worsham (Auburn), along with JUCO transfer B.J. Hawkins Jr. and early prep enrollee Amare Thomas.

UAB added only two defensive linemen to the spring roster but there are eight more arrivals expected for fall camp — bringing the total to more than 20 players and creating an immense amount of depth at a position that requires constant substitutions in a spread-offense world. Fish McWilliams and Drew Tuazama are without a doubt the most valuable players returning to the defensive line and Kevin Penn, Tyrique Howard and Joker Gill are among the only other upperclassmen.

The secondary lost a great deal of experience to graduation but is not exactly barren considering the talent returning and gained during the offseason. While three-year cornerback starter Starling Thomas V is gone, along with CD Daniels and Devodric Bynum, Mac McWilliams is ready to take on a full season after missing time the last two years with injuries. Xavier Lanier and Colby Dempsey are the only two corners with extensive playing time under their belts but the portal transfers AD Diamond (Auburn) and BJ Mayes (Incarnate Word) add instant depth to the position.

Safeties Will Boler and Grayson Cash are a huge loss for the backend of the secondary but the rise of Jaylen Key last season should put some feats to rest, along with the return of Keondre Swoopes. The Miller twins, Damien and Damon, are primed for feature roles in their final year and redshirt freshmen AJ Brown and Carl Fauntroy Jr. have an opportunity to prove their early potential.

Matt Quinn and Reese Burkhardt return to their roles in the kicking game but the Blazers will need to settle on new starters at punter and long-snapper. Caden Long is a UAB legacy and faces Arkansas transfer Patrick Foley for control of the field position manager and Xander Echols will compete with Northeast Mississippi transfer Kortlen Wilfawn for snapping duties.

Selecting Signal-Caller

Dylan Hopkins left to join former offensive coordinator and interim head coach Bryant Vincent at New Mexico and Jacob Zeno is the favorite considering he is the most experienced of any quarterback on roster while showing obvious progression during his time on the field.

Redshirt juniors Damon Stewart and Harrison Barker are the only other returning quarterbacks and Dilfer and his staff signed portal transfers Landry Lyddy (LA Tech) and Trace Campbell (Ole Miss) and Northeast Mississippi CC transfer Carter Putt to bulk up depth and create wide-open competition behind Zeno.

Lyddy played in seven games for the Bulldogs during his true freshman season, throwing for 767 yards with three touchdowns and four picks, and Campbell worked as a tight end under Lane Kiffin in Oxford. Both of them, along with Steward, should push Zeno with the job being his to lose.

Retooling Offensive Line

Despite the depth of the backfield, there is not much the quarterbacks and running backs can do if no one is there to protect them or open running lanes.

The Blazers were originally set to only lose its left guard and starting tackles but lost the entire line with right guard Quincy McGee transferring to Ole Miss and center Will Rykard calling it a career due to medical reasons. The one silver lining is redshirt junior center Brady Wilson, who started seven games last year and is the most experienced lineman on the roster.

Trey Bedosky has two starts under his belt at left tackle and Zaire Flournoy, Tater Reid, Eli Richey and Quez Yates all have game experience during their time at UAB. Tennessee transfer Will Parker has the size and ability to make an immediate impact at one of the tackle spots and JUCO transfers Jalen Nettles and Christian Jackson are also in play to make a case this spring.

Patrolling Sideline to Sideline

There are plenty of gaps to fill on defense but middle linebacker is a high priority following the departure of the program’s third all-time leading tackler Noah Wilder, along with Tyler Thomas and Reynard Ellis.

Jackson Bratton is set to take over for Wilder as the on-field defensive play caller and Reise Collier, Deshaun Oliver Jr. and Tamarious Brown are the only other upperclassmen at the position. Marshall transfer James Smyre was the first player to exit the portal to UAB and should be able to carve out a piece of the pie and West Alabama transfer Jay Tinker and early enrollee Everett Roussaw Jr. could be wildcards coming out of spring.

Kyle Harrell was the only listed edge-rusher to graduate from last year’s team but the position was still a bit shallow beforehand. Michael Fairbanks II had a breakout season working out of the SAM end position, while Nikia Eason Jr. battled early injuries for a solid performance down the stretch. Jalen Mayala is the only other player with on-field experience for the Blazers but the portal additions of Desmond Little (LSU) and Kendall Johnson (Tennessee State), along with JUCO transfer Jamarcus Jones (Mississippi Gulf Coast), immediately adds depth to a vital pass rush position.

Portal Tech

Only two players entered the transfer portal before UAB’s season-ending win over Miami (OH) in the Bahamas Bowl, tight end Maleak Bryant and receiver Iverson Hooks, but more joined the fray during the offseason as the roster went about an overhaul.

Hooks eventually removed his name from the portal but the Blazers did part with quarterbacks Dylan Hopkins (New Mexico) and Dylan Mehrotra (Southern), running backs Zeus Perryman and Tye Smith-Lindsey, tight end Brody Dalton (Troy), receiver Ryan Davis (New Mexico) and offensive linemen Therion Cannon (Western Carolina) and Quincy McGee (Ole Miss).

Additionally, starting center Will Rykard chose to medically retire despite having one season of eligibility remaining.

Regardless of the losses, Dilfer made good on one of his first statements as head coach in figuring out how to recruit at a high level. Of the more than 30 official signees, 11 of them came via the portal and should contend for either prominent or contributing roles this season.

Landry Lyddy (LA Tech) and Trace Campbell (Ole Miss) reinforce a quarterback room led by returners Jacob Zeno and Damon Stewart, and former Birmingham area prep standouts Malachi Holt-Bennett (Indiana) and Dazalin Worsham (Auburn) bolster a receiving corps set to expand in the fall. Tennessee transfer Will Parker is expected to compete for a starting position on the offensive line and West Alabama’s Demetrius Battle brings experience to a running back brigade with plenty of opportunity behind Jermaine Brown.

Cornerbacks Armani “AD” Diamond (Auburn) and Brian “BJ” Mayes (Incarnate Word) and linebackers Kendall Johnson (Tennessee State), Desmond Little (LSU) and James Smyre (Marshall) fill critical voids left by the departures of a vast array of experience in the second and third levels.

Early Enrollees

Along with JUCO and portal transfers, UAB welcomes three prep signees to positions in need ahead of a large influx in the fall.

Local standout Amare Thomas joins a crowded receiver room but was a talented 3-star prospect out of Pinson Valley, spurning a few Power 5 offers in the process. Considering the depth of the receiver position, Thomas is likely to utilize the four-game redshirt rule but could carve out a role with all positions up for grabs.

Cedar Grove (Ga.) teammates Everett Roussaw Jr. and Ricky Lee III arrive together on the defense side of the ball at positions of need. Roussaw already fills the frame of a seasoned middle linebacker, standing 6-foot-2 and carrying 225 pounds, and could make a name for himself with a strong spring performance. Lee slides in at cornerback and has as good an opportunity as anyone joining a position with only three upperclassmen on roster.