OFFENSE

Take away the tight end position, and UAB has talent and experience everywhere you look on the offensive side. And playing without a tight end is an option for coordinator Kim Helton’s offense.

The offense starts with senior quarterback Bryan Ellis, who developed into a top-notch signal caller in his first season as a starter. He threw for 2,940 yards and 25 touchdowns in basically 10 games last season.

Ellis also has plenty of dependable targets, including a promising batch of youngsters. The potential star of the group is veteran Patrick Hearn, who had 35 catches last season despite playing through the pain of a sports hernia most of the year. Freshmen Jamarcus Nelson, the team’s fastest player, and D.J. Vinson are future stars, and Nick Adams is healthy after missing last year with a torn Achilles tendon.

Running back Pat Shed is poised for another big year after contributing 177 total yards per game last season. His backups — Greg Franklin and Georgia transfer Dontavious Jackson — are potentially outstanding.

Tying everything together is an offensive line that features experience at every spot. Tackle Matt McCants is a returning All-Conference USA player, guards Terence Edge and Caleb Thomas have been solid throughout their careers, and going at least two deep at every position shouldn’t be a problem. Center Darion Smith is among the best at his position in the conference. 

DEFENSE

Former Memphis head coach Tommy West takes over as UAB’s defensive coordinator. Can he work miracles and turn UAB’s defense around? He can’t if the Blazers don’t find some help up front. Defensive tackle Elliott Henigan has NFL potential but is surrounded by inexperience. The Blazers can’t have success if junior college tackles Tevin Wells and Jewel Christian aren’t ready to join the rotation right away. Defensive end is also filled with question marks.

Other than that, though, the Blazers could be solid. Middle linebacker Marvin Burdette is tackling machine, and his backup — junior college transfer D.A. Autry — might be just as good. Both are surrounded by some experienced playmakers.

Cornerback T.J. Ballou is outstanding, and the Blazers have experience on the other side with Marquis Coleman and Terrell Springs. If Chase Daniel is healthy then he’ll team with Jamie Bender to give UAB one of the best safety tandems in the conference. Of course, that’s if they can fight off the challenge of junior college transfers Johnny Cockrell, Calvin Jones and Lamar Johnson, who turned some heads during the spring.

SPECIALISTS

Two-year starter Trey Ragland returns at punter, but the Blazers will rely on a true freshman — either Colin Anderson or Ty Long — at kicker. The Blazers have plenty of capable options in the return game.

FINAL ANALYSIS

One of the first things that West did after taking over the defense was simplify things for his group. If simple means better, then Neil Callaway could have his first winning season as UAB’s head coach. Of course, only time will tell if the defense is ready to help the Blazers become a winner.

UAB’s offense is good enough to carry the Blazers. But is it good enough to help them reach bowl-eligibility after maneuvering through a rugged schedule that includes road games at Florida, East Carolina, Troy and Tulsa? If not, then Callaway might not be around for a sixth season.