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Scouting report: What to know about Rice before their matchup with UAB

The UAB Blazers sit at a 2-8 record after 10 games but have a chance to end their home slate on a high note with a matchup against another struggling program, the 3-7 Rice Owls.

Both teams are coming off losses to the Memphis Tigers, with UAB getting dominated 53-18 last weekend in the Battle for the Bones rivalry game, and Rice is fresh off their bye week following a 27-20 loss to the Tigers a week prior.

The Blazers hold the edge over Rice all-time between the two programs with a 6-5 record but lost 28-24 the last time the two played in 2022.

Here’s the report on Rice:

The team

Despite their negative record, the Owls’ defense has been a bright spot this season.

They sit at No. 30 nationally in total defense, allowing opposing offenses to gain only 322 yards per contest.

Their secondary ranks fourth in passing yards allowed, with 159.2 yards per game. Only Texas, Notre Dame, and Iowa State have better statistical passing defenses.

It helps distract from their rushing defense, which hasn’t been quite as much of a burden as the Blazers’ but still ranks 92nd in the country.

Strongly contrasting their top 30 defense is their offense ranks as one of the worst in the country.

Their passing attack has been mediocre at best this season, with 221 yards per game, but quarterback EJ Warner’s turnover tendencies have held the offense back. He’s thrown 10 of them this year, contributing over half of their 17 total turnovers which have the Owls tied for ninth-most in the country.

The Coach

After a 24-52 record over his six years, Rice fired coach Mike Bloomgren in late October and named special teams coordinator Pete Alamar their interim head coach.

They’ve seen noticeable improvement since he’s taken the reigns, with an impressive win over Navy in his first game in charge and keeping things close with Memphis in his next.

In his fourth season calling the plays on offense is Marquees Tuiasospopo, who has continued to improve their offense each season up to this point.

Their offense is familiar territory for UAB fans, as it mirrors the style of last year’s Blazers. It’s a quarterback-friendly playbook that gets the ball out of Warner’s hands as fast as possible, utilizing short and high-percentage throws.

Brian Smith has been the Owls’ defensive coordinator since 2018 but is having one of the best seasons of his career coaching their defense this season.

He doubles as the team’s safeties coach, helped by his background as a college safety at UMass, experience coaching with Don Brown at his alma mater and working with secondary coaches with the New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles.

Players to watch

Running back Dean Connors leads the team with 678 yards on 126 carries, and is second on the team in receiving, with 351 yards on a team-leading 55 receptions.

He’s a balanced and shifty runner whose speed isn’t game-breaking but makes up for it with an array of one-on-one moves. His six-foot, 210-pound frame often gives him the power to simply lower his shoulder into defenders if they do end up in front of him, too.

Ty Morris, a sophomore linebacker who predominantly plays in the SAM role as a stand-up edge, leads Rice in tackling and interceptions this season in only his sophomore season.

He’s undersized for the edge role at only 6-2, but his wingspan and speed more than make up for it. He’s also shown the ability to line up on-ball and cover the slot, giving the Owls some extra versatility on the line.

The game kicks off at 1:00 p.m. at Protective Stadium and will be broadcast on ESPN+.

General

Frost advisory issued for Alabama for Friday

The National Weather Service issued a frost advisory at 12:32 p.m. on Thursday valid for Friday between 3 a.m. and 8 a.m. for Sumter, Marengo, Bullock, Russell, Pike and Barbour counties.

The weather service comments, “Temperatures as low as 33 degrees will result in frost formation.”

“Frost could harm sensitive outdoor vegetation. Sensitive outdoor plants may be killed if left uncovered,” adds the weather service. “Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold.”

What to do if there is a frost advisory

Frost advisories are issued from May to October (but can be extended if necessary) when temperatures, winds, and sky cover are favorable for frost development. This is most likely to happen when the temperature is 36 degrees or less. In some cases, the frost is severe enough to end the growing season and is then referred to as a ‘killing frost’.

According to the weather service, if a frost advisory is issued for your area, cover up sensitive plants before the sun sets so that it can help retain heat near the plants, or move the plants indoors for the night, if possible.

Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.

General

Freeze warning affecting Alabama Friday

The National Weather Service issued a freeze warning at 12:32 p.m. on Thursday valid for Friday between 3 a.m. and 8 a.m. for Marion, Lamar, Fayette, Winston, Walker, Blount, Etowah, Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne, St. Clair, Talladega, Clay and Randolph counties.

The weather service comments, “Sub-freezing temperatures as low as 30 degrees expected.”

“Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Trees could be blown down and a few power outages may result. Frost and freeze conditions could kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing,” states the weather service. “Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold. To prevent freezing and possible bursting of pipes they should be wrapped, drained, or allowed to drip slowly. Those that have in ground sprinkler systems should drain them and cover above ground pipes to protect them from freezing. Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high profile vehicles. Use extra caution. Secure outdoor objects.”

Freeze watch or warning – this is what it means

Freeze warnings are issued from May to October (but can be extended if necessary), when low temperatures are expected to be 29-32 degrees. If there is a potential for temperatures to fall into these thresholds, a freeze watch may be issued a few days ahead of time.

According to the weather service, if a freeze warning or watch is issued for your area, there is little you can do to protect plants. If you can move your sensitive plants inside, do so because the freeze will likely kill them, depending on the severity of conditions.

Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.

General

Central Alabama under a frost advisory Friday

A frost advisory was issued by the National Weather Service on Thursday at 12:32 p.m. valid for Friday between 3 a.m. and 8 a.m. for Pickens, Tuscaloosa, Jefferson, Shelby, Greene, Hale, Perry, Bibb, Chilton, Coosa, Tallapoosa, Chambers, Dallas, Autauga, Lowndes, Elmore, Montgomery, Macon and Lee counties.

The weather service says, “Temperatures as low as 33 degrees will result in frost formation.”

“Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Trees could be blown down and a few power outages may result. Frost could harm sensitive outdoor vegetation. Sensitive outdoor plants may be killed if left uncovered,” states the weather service. “Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold. Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high profile vehicles. Use extra caution. Secure outdoor objects.”

What to do if there is a frost advisory

Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.

General

Southern League returning to Rickwood Field for the 2025 season

While Rickwood Field isn’t on the Major League Baseball schedule for the 2025 season, the Southern League will be back for a game at the nation’s oldest professional ballpark next year.

The Birmingham Barons and Rocket City Trash Pandas will square off on June 4 at Rickwood Field, the Southern League teams announced on Thursday.

In the 2024 season, the Barons played the Montgomery Biscuits at the Birmingham ballpark on June 18, two days before the San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals squared off at Rickwood in a National League game.

The MLB contest was the crowning event of a week of activities under the banner “MLB at Rickwood: A Tribute to the Negro Leagues” that highlighted the significance of the black-baseball organizations in baseball’s history

After the Cardinals defeated the Giants 6-5 behind three hits (including a home run and a double) and three runs by former Enterprise High School and South Alabama standout Brendan Donovan, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said the big leagues would return to Rickwood, but he didn’t know when.

“We’re going to be back in Birmingham at some point,” Manfred said. “The timing is still up in the air. We haven’t really made a decision on that. …

“It’s a question of getting 162 games into 186 days. It’s a scheduling thing. But we managed to do it in London, and the player reaction to what’s going on here will make us take a good hard look at that going forward.”

For last year’s minor-league meeting at Rickwood, the Barons and Biscuits wore throwback uniforms in the styles of the Birmingham Black Barons and the Montgomery Grey Sox, former rivals in the Negro Southern League. The big-league teams had a similar theme, with the Cardinals wearing the uniforms of the St. Louis and the Giants attired as the San Francisco Sea Lions.

The minor-league game at Rickwood Field in 2025 again will feature specialty jerseys that salute the Negro Leagues.

The Birmingham Barons defeated the Montgomery Climbers 3-2 in a Southern Association game in the first contest at Rickwood Field on Aug. 18, 1910. The Barons remained tenants through the 1961 season.

The Black Barons played home games at Rickwood from their first season as members of the Negro Southern League in 1920 through the franchise’s demise in 1960.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.

General

‘My Mother Stole My Life’ on Lifetime: How to watch without cable

The new Lifetime movie My Mother Stole My Life is set to premiere on Lifetime Movie Network Thursday, Nov. 21 at 8/7c.

In Lifetime’s My Mother Stole My Life, a mother steals her estranged daughter’s identity to escape an abusive boyfriend but when he finds her again, she’s threatened all the more. But is the ex-boyfriend behind the threat or someone else? It’s the forgiving daughter who must save her mother from the exposed villain.

Patrice Goodman and Blaise Crocker both star in the 2024 Lifetime movie.

Where can I watch Lifetime’s My Mother Stole My Life?

Those without a basic cable set up can still live stream the premiere of My Mother Stole My Lifeon Thursday with aPhilo subscription.

Philo offers a 7-day free trialfor new subscribers who can watch for free before committing to a paid subscription. Users can also watch the new Lifetime movie on-demand after it premieres.

Those who do have a cable provider can also watchMy Mother Stole My Lifeusing the Lifetime app.

What is Philo?

Philo is considered one of the cheaper live streaming services available as it allows users to stream over 70 live TV channels for just $28 a month after itsfree trial.

Other thanLifetime, popular channels offered with Philoinclude the Hallmark Channel, MTV, AMC, HGTV, History Channel, Discovery Channel, CMT, TLC, BET and more.

Philo also offers unlimited DVR along with various movies and TV shows users can watch on-demand.

General

Update: Alabama under a wind advisory until Thursday evening

An updated wind advisory was issued by the National Weather Service on Thursday at 12:32 p.m. in effect until 6 p.m. for Marion, Lamar, Fayette, Winston, Walker, Blount, Etowah, Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne, St. Clair, Talladega, Clay and Randolph counties.

The weather service states to expect, “Northwest winds 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 40 mph.”

Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.

General

Hollis Wright Player of the Week for Week 13 ran his way to second win

The Week 13 Hollis Wright Birmingham Player of the Week picked up first-place honors for the second time this season after a big night in a road win in the second-round Alabama High School Athletic Association football playoffs.

Parker’s Terence Gaines, who took top honors in Week 2, finished atop the poll after running for 186 yards on 14 carries in a 28-7 win at Mountain Brook. Gaines scored on a 63-yard run on the game’s third play.

Gaines got 65,649 of the 81,577 total votes in the survey, good for 80 percent.

The Thundering Herd, 11-1 and ranked second in Class 6A, will host No. 9 Muscle Shoals (9-2) on Friday for a chance to play in the semifinals.

Leeds quarterback Conner Nelson, who has taken the top spot in the weekly poll four times, collected 15,218 votes to finish second in the survey. The 6-2, 200-pound senior ran for 164 yards and 3 touchdowns and completed 3-of-4 passes for 62 yards in a 36-22 win over previously unbeaten Fairview.

No. 9 Leeds (9-2) will face No. 7 Corner (11-1) at home in the quarterfinals.

Ramsay running back Jayden Martin got 432 votes to finish third in the poll. The 5-9, 170-pound junior had 304 yards on the ground on 21 carries with 4 touchdowns. He also scored on a pass reception in a 40-27 win over Scottsboro.

The Rams (8-3) will travel to No. 5 Moody (9-2) for a quarterfinal matchup on Friday.

Watch for the weekly nominees on Sundays this fall and be sure to cast your vote each week.

General

Wind advisory for North Alabama until Thursday evening

The National Weather Service issued a wind advisory at 11:58 a.m. on Thursday in effect until 6 p.m. for Lauderdale, Colbert, Franklin, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Morgan, Marshall, Jackson, DeKalb and Cullman counties.

The weather service states to anticipate, “Northwest winds up to 20 mph with gusts around 35 mph.”

“Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result,” says the weather service. “Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high profile vehicles. Use extra caution.”

Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.

General

Matt Gaetz withdraws as attorney general nominee: ‘He was doing very well,’ Trump says

Matt Gaetz withdrew Thursday as President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general following continued scrutiny over a federal sex trafficking investigation that cast doubt on his ability to be confirmed as the nation’s chief federal law enforcement officer.

The abrupt withdrawal is a setback to Trump’s push to install steadfast loyalists in his incoming administration, but also a recognition of the resistance the Republican is already encountering from members of his own party to picks with checkered backgrounds. By bowing out, Gaetz averts what was shaping up to be a pitched confirmation battle that would have tested how far Senate Republicans were willing to go to confirm Trump’s Cabinet selections.

The Florida Republican’s announcement came one day after meeting with senators in an effort to win their support for his confirmation to lead the Justice Department.

“While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition,” Gaetz said in a statement announcing his decision. “There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General. Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1.”

Trump, in a social media post, said: “I greatly appreciate the recent efforts of Matt Gaetz in seeking approval to be Attorney General. He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administration, for which he has much respect. Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do!”

Gaetz’s announcement came days after an attorney for two women said that his clients told House Ethics Committee investigators that Gaetz paid them for sex on multiple occasions beginning in 2017, when Gaetz was a Florida congressman.

One of the women testified she saw Gaetz having sex with a 17-year-old at a party in Florida in 2017, according to the attorney, Joel Leppard. Leppard has said that his client testified she didn’t think Gaetz knew the girl was underage, stopped their relationship when he found out and did not resume it until after she turned 18. The age of consent in Florida is 18.

Gaetz has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, and said last year that the Justice Department’s investigation into sex trafficking allegations involving underage girls had ended with no federal charges against him.

Gaetz’s political future is uncertain, at the moment.

He had abruptly resigned his congressional seat upon being selected to be as attorney general. That move was seen as a way to shut down the ethics investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct.

Republicans on the committee declined this week to release its findings, over objections from Democrats in a split vote. But the committee did agree to finish its work and is scheduled to meet again Dec. 5 to discuss the matter.

Gaetz did win reelection in November for the new Congress, which convenes Jan. 3, 2025. But it’s unclear whether he would take office. There are plans for a special election in Florida for his seat.