Position-by-position breakdown for UAB vs. No. 1 Georgia
The UAB football team is reeling from two straight losses and the Blazers are short on time to reflect as they face off against No. 1 Georgia, Saturday, Sept. 23, at Sanford Stadium in Athens.
Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN+.
So how do the teams match up? Here is AL.com’s position-by-position breakdown for UAB’s showdown with the Bulldogs:
Quarterback
Interestingly enough, Georgia and UAB are tied for 14th nationally in passing offense (318.7 ypg) but the Bulldogs are loaded with talent at the skill positions, which makes the job much easier for whoever is calling the shots.
Jacob Zeno has put on a show this season for a revamped UAB offense and currently ranks third in completion rate (80.4 percent) and is tied for second in completions per game (32.7). The redshirt junior has passed for 956 yards and six touchdowns, adding 94 yards and a pair of scores on the ground, but needs to improve decision-making after committing mistakes at critical times the last two games.
Carson Beck was not asked to do too much in Georgia’s first two games but led a double-digit comeback last week in the win over South Carolina. The junior is throwing at a 74 percent clip and has passed for 846 yards, three touchdowns and an interception, while rushing for 31 yards and a score. Brock Vandagriff and Gunner Stockton both saw action earlier in the season in blowout wins and could make an appearance if the Bulldogs take a healthy lead. Advantage: Georgia
Running back
Even though the Blazers have spread their wings offensively, they have not forgotten about the bruising running game that provided success for many years. It has not yet come to be but that’s not from a lack of trying. UAB ranks 103rd in rushing offense (121.7 ypg) through three games this season but the running back unit is as deep as it’s ever been.
Jermaine Brown Jr. took an early seat in the loss to Louisiana but is still the primary option out of the backfield with 30 touches for 140 total yards and three rushing touchdowns. Isaiah Jacobs has flashed his incredible talent to the tune of 158 total yards and a score, but limited opportunities have prevented the duo from wreaking havoc. Lee Beebe, Lee Witherspoon and Demetrius Battle have all played this season and Beebe leads the trio with 61 total yards and a score.
Georgia is suffering from the injury bug and the running back position was hit especially hard. Kendall Milton suffered an MCL injury last week and is likely to miss time — not officially ruled out for this week — and fellow senior Daijun Edwards returned from an MCL injury to produce 118 yards and a touchdown against South Carolina. True freshman Roderick Robinson II has 89 yards and a pair of scores but is dealing with a high-ankle sprain.
Cash Jones has provided versatile depth in the wake of injuries and split his 14 touches evenly in producing 29 rushing yards and 67 receiving yards, scoring a touchdown in each fashion. Sophomore receiver Dillon Bell, who has six catches for 64 yards, has also aided the cause by adding 51 yards and two scores on 10 rushing attempts. Advantage: Even
Receiver/tight end
UAB’s new high-volume passing attack was slowed a bit in the loss to Louisiana but the benefits are proven on the field in five receivers with 100 yards already this season. Seniors Samario Rudolph and Tejhuan Palmer lead the team with a combined 26 receptions for 275 yards and a touchdown each, followed by tight end Bryce Damous with 12 catches for 108 yards and a score. Iverson Hooks continues to impress in the slot position, adding 10 receptions for 106 yards and a pair of scores, and Fred Farrier II has six catches for 127 yards.
TJ Jones is not far from the century mark, grabbing six catches for 93 yards and a score, and Amare Thomas is starting to come on in his true freshman season. Transfers Malachi Holt-Bennett (Indiana) and Brandon Buckhaulter (Ole Miss) round out the receiver rotation, the latter showing potential on lateral players, and tight ends Terrell McDonald, Dallas Payne and J.C. Sivley are capable of producing and protecting in the passing game.
The Bulldogs have arguably the most dominant pass-catcher in college football in tight end Brock Bowers and UAB should remember him not-so-fondly after languishing at the hands of the then true freshman two seasons ago. Bowers has yet to find the end zone this season, hauling in 13 receptions for 135 yards, but is still an abject terror for any opposing defense. Sophomore Oscar Delp has contrived five catches for 81 yards and a score and true freshmen Lawson Luckie and Pearce Spurlin III have been ruled out for the game.
Standout wide receiver Ladd McConkey has yet to see the field this season and is still suffering from a back issue, but Georgia has plenty of talent at the position and two former SEC transfers playing at a high level. Dominic Lovett (Missouri) leads the Bulldogs with 14 receptions for 110 yards, followed by senior Marcus Rosemy-JAcksaint with eight catches for 88 yards and a touchdown, and Rara Thomas (Mississippi State) has five catches for 132 yards. Arian Smith, Mekhi Mews and C.J. Smith have a combined 13 receptions for 237 yards and the underclassman trio of Cole Speer, Zeed Haynes and Anthony Evans III have all made an appearance this season. Advantage: Even
Offensive line
UAB’s offensive line was dominated last week, giving up seven sacks to Louisiana, and have little time to reformulate chemistry in facing the much more physically talented defensive front of Georgia. Some of the faults could be attributed to gaining live reps in a new system but there has been little forward momentum imposed upon opposing defenses and pass protection has resulted in shaky pockets.
The Bulldogs are without a key piece of their offensive line, following the loss of right tackle Amarius Mims, but are still a large and athletic group that can sustain its bullish nature. Left tackle Earnest Greene III is the only new starter this season and center Sedrick Van Pran is the anchor of a unit that has blocked for consecutive national championships. Left guard Xavier Truss is a second-year starter, along with right guard Tate Ratledge, and Truss subbed for Mims last week when the latter went down with an ankle injury. Dylan Fairchild replaced Truss at left guard but the line could see some shuffling before gameday. Advantage: Georgia
Defensive line
It hasn’t been easing going for the UAB defensive front this season, allowing 190 ypg and ranking 116th in the nation in rushing defense, and the defensive line has underperformed for a unit that returned key members and a talented freshmen class. For the UAB defense to progress and thrive, the defensive front must reassert its will.
Kevin Penn leads the unit with 12 tackles (2 for loss) and two sacks, and Fish McWilliams has contributed four tackles (1/2 for loss) and a fumble recovery. Joker Gill and Tyrique Howard round out the interior and Michael Fairbanks II is playing at a high level with eight tackles (1.5 for loss), 1/2 sack and two forced fumbles. True freshmen Miquon Merriweather, Emmanuel Waller and Jonathan Allen saw their first action for the year in the loss to Louisiana.
The Bulldogs might not have a premier star along its defensive front but there is safety in numbers as Georgia ranks 22nd in rushing defense (87.3 ypg) and 15th in total defense (264.3 ypg). Mykel Williams line and seniors Zion Logue and Nazir Stackhouse have started all three games together and Williams and Stackhouse have collected three of the Bulldogs’ four sacks.
Freshmen Christen Miller and Jamaal Jarrett form a line behind Stackhouse in the middle of the trenches, and Jordan Hall and seniors Warren Brinson and Tramel Walthour provide more than adequate depth behind Williams and Logue. Even without additional blitzers from other positions, the Georgia defensive line is dominant and can provide more than enough pass rush on its own. Advantage: Georgia
Linebackers
Jackson Bratton has picked up where UAB’s third all-time leading tackler Noah Wilder left off and is tied for a team-high 19 tackles (2.5 for loss), along with collecting two sacks, a pass breakup and a fumble recovery. True freshman Everett Roussaw started the first two games alongside Bratton, producing seven tackles and a sack, and Will Sorrells, along with safety Damien Miller, has seen an uptick in action following the season-ending loss of Charlie Goode. Tamarious Brown, Reise Collier and James Smyre have also seen action.
Michael Moore has stepped up at SAM linebacker this season, collecting 17 tackles (2 for loss), and LSU transfer Desmond Little continues to lead the JACK position with eight tackles (2 for loss) and a sack. Nikia Eason and Tennessee State transfer Kendall Johnson have combined for 10 tackles (2 for loss) and a sack each to round the edge-rusher rotation.
The Georgia linebacker corps has an experienced trio of upperclassmen but is ultimately a young unit filled with untapped talent and potential. Junior inside linebackers Jamon Dumas-Johnson and Xavian Sorey direct the defense and have a combined 16 tackles on the season, the latter picking up the Bulldogs’ other sack, and Xavian Sorey is the flex between the two middle spots. True freshmen Troy Bowles and C.J. Allen round out the rotation and are already making plays for Georgia
Chaz Chambliss takes a majority of the snaps at outside linebacker and Marvin Jones, C.J. Madden and Darris Smith are the first to relive on the depth chart. However, the Bulldogs also have a talented trio of true freshmen in Gabe Harris, Sam M’Pemba and Damon Wilson II. Advantage: Georgia
Secondary
The Blazers are currently ranked 36 in passing yards allowed (189.3 ypg) but only because they allowed 16 yards to a run-heavy offense in the season opener. Keondre Swoopes missed the first game of the season but returned to the Star position at Georgia Southern and collected a team-high 19 tackles in two games. Ike Rowell and Ray Thornton III have held down the backend of the secondary and yet to allow a touchdown over the top, and AJ Brown and Chris Bracy have produced in their contributing roles. Damon Miller made his season debut last week after missing the first two games of the year.
At cornerback, Mac McWilliams leads a unit that primarily operates within a three-man rotation and is tied for third on the team with 17 tackles. BJ Mayes and Colby Dempsey share the other side of the field, combing for 15 tackles and six pass breakups and the former grabbing a pick. True freshman Ricky Lee III and Auburn transfer AD Diamond provide additional depth.
A lot of Georgia’s production is coming from its secondary, which ranks 28th in passing yards allowed (177 ypg) and has five of the Bulldogs’ six interceptions. Senior Tykee Smith has a team-high 14 tackles (2.5 for loss) and two interceptions at the Star position, aided by the true freshman duo of Joend Aguero and Kyron Jones, and safety Malaki Starks is second on the team with 11 tackles, four pass breakups and an interception.
Junior safety Javon Bullard has been dealing with injury issues himself — his status is currently uncertain — and David Daniel-Sisavanh is more than capable of handling duties in the backend if needed, along with senior Dan Jackson. Kamari Lassiter and Daylen Everette seal the edges at corner, combining for 13 tackles (4.5 for loss) and two pass breakups each, and talent abounds with sophomore Nyland Green and freshmen AJ Harris and Julian Humphrey. Advantage: Georgia
Special Teams
Matt Quinn rebounded last week with his first made field goal of the year but also missed a chip shot attempt that saw the snap mishandled. The senior kicker was fortunate to get the kick away, despite the miss, and avoided a possible defensive return on the play. Patrick Foley has settled in nicely, averaging 45.3 yards per punt, and the return game has scoring potential with Mac McWilliams on punt return and Jermaine Brown Jr. and true freshman Kameran Shanks taking kickoffs. On the other side, UAB showed drastic improvement in kickoff defense.
Georgia turned to a true freshman for placekicking duties and Peyton Woodring has delivered on 4-of-7 attempts this season. Brett Thorson is averaging 42.7 yards per punt, landing seven inside the 20-yard line, and the return game is led by receiver Dominic Lovett, Mekhi Mews and Dillon Bell. Advantage: Even
Coaching
Trent Dilfer is only three games into his first season as a college head coach and the faults and weaknesses of UAB can be addressed and corrected as both the team and coaching staff continue to develop trust in each other. Georgia head coach Kirby Smart coordinated some of the finest defenses in the land while at Alabama and built his own empire with the top-ranked and two-time defending national champion Bulldogs. Advantage: Georgia
Overall
Obviously, anything is possible, but a win against the mighty Georgia Bulldogs is highly unlikely for a UAB team in need of answers after dropping its last two games in blowout fashion. The Blazers would need to play an almost perfect game to secure an upset but any sign of development across the board would be considered a victory going forward. Advantage: Georgia