UAB football is a month away from the start of fall practice but the talking season is in full swing.

Not to mention a new college football game set to be released this month.

The Blazers return 13 total starters — seven on offense and six on defense — from a unit that finished 4-8 overall in the first losing season since 2013, the year before Bill Clark was hired to lead the program.

Jacob Zeno will lead the UAB offense for a second straight season after coming off a record-setting year in the Blazers’ first season under Trent Dilfer. There are no usurpers to Zeno but how the rest are to be deployed is yet to be determined.

Departed: N/A

Returning starter(s): Jacob Zeno, Sr*

Other returning players: Harrison Barker, Sr* — Carter Putt, Sr* — Landry Lyddy, So* — Trace Campbell, So*

Spring/Summer arrivals: Jalen Kitna, Jr* — Adrian Posse, Fr — Nate Rogers, Fr — Cam Jennings, Fr

2023 position preview: QB | RB | WR | TE | OL | DL | OLB | LB | CB | S | ST

Outlook: Dilfer and his hive mind of offensive coaches almost doubled the size of the quarterback room in the offseason and can now technically field a starting lineup for an intramural baseball team.

Jacob Zeno is set to lead the Blazers for a second straight season and has plenty to prove despite having one of the best passing performances in UAB history. His accuracy and arm strength are on par with the best in college football but questionable decision-making and a constant collapsing pocket doomed several crucial possessions.

A second year in Dilfer’s system and improved offensive line play should make a difference in the sixth-year senior’s ability to keep the UAB offense on the field and possibly eclipse last season’s school record of 450 yards per game.

Zeno passed for 3,126 yards at a 73.6 percent clip last season, tossing 20 touchdowns and nine interceptions, and added 168 yards and four scores on the ground. He set the UAB single-season record for completions (279) and completion percentage (73.6 percent), the latter of which Zeno finished ranked second in the nation behind Oregon’s Bo Nix.

Harrison Barker, son of legendary Alabama quarterback Jay Barker, is the only other quarterback on the roster with a start on his resume, replacing an injured Zeno against rival Memphis. In four appearances, Barker threw for 75 yards with a touchdown and an interception and rushed for 87 yards while also converting a two-point conversion.

Former Louisiana Tech transfer Landry Lyddy was listed as the backup all of last season but played sparingly in three games, accounting for 121 yards with a touchdown and three interceptions. Trace Campbell, an Ole Miss tight end transfer, saw action in one game but was impressive during spring practice.

In the spring showcase, Lyddy and Campbell combined to go 10-of-12 for 236 yards and four touchdowns.

Former JUCO transfer Carter Putt provides depth in his final season and Florida transfer Jalen Kitna arrived in the spring. Both saw limited time in the spring showcase.

UAB signed 3-star prospect Adrian Posse to its 2024 recruiting class and the true freshman enrolled early to participate in spring drills. Nate Rogers was also an official signee but will try his hand at quarterback after a prolific career at Wetumpka (Ala.), where he accounted for 2,973 total yards and 29 touchdowns during his senior season.

Cam Jennings joins the Blazers as a walk-on after leading Parker (Ala.) to a deep run in the AHSAA Class 6A playoffs. He threw for 1,650 yards and 17 touchdowns after taking over the starting job early in the season due to an injury to Malik Muhammad.

Battle to Watch: Zeno is entrenched as the starter for his final college football season, but the backup position is still up for grabs heading into the fall. Barker and Lyddy have the most experience behind Zeno but Campbell and Kitna should make it an all-out rumble during the latter dog days of summer.

Keep an Eye on: Posse is the most polished passer of the three incoming freshmen and could develop into a multi-year starter for the Blazers. A 3-star prospect, according to all major recruiting services, the south Florida native possesses the raw skills for the modern age and already has an impressive build with his 6-foot-4, 235-pound frame.

Projected depth chart:

Jacob Zeno, Sr*

Landry Lyddy, So*

Harrison Barker, Sr*