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GAME 4 UAB at USC Saturday, Sept. 20 Columbia, SC BY WES WOLFE THE GAMECOCK The University of Alabama at Birmingham is entering into a new era this year, looking to up grade its nonconference schedule and move up in the world of Division I-A football. Its home sea son begins with hometown fa vorite and American Idol winner Ruben Studdard doing the half time show at the Southern Mississippi game at Legion Field in Birmingham. The game will be on Thursday night, Sept. 4, and will be nationally broadcast on ESPN2. UAB has scheduled high-pro file SEC teams South Carolina and Georgia, along with its line up of Conference USA rivals. UAB's tussle with 2002 SEC Champion Georgia will be the first meeting between the two schools. These games have been planned to raise awareness of the program and help recruit. UAB coach Watson Brown said in January, when the addition of Georgia was announced, that recruiting from Georgia high schools is a priority for UAB. UAB has had limited suc cess against SEC opponents, however. In 1996 UAB lost its first game as a Division I-A school against Auburn and also lost to Vanderbilt the same year. The Blazers fell to Tennessee in 1998 and Florida last year, but beat LSU in a shocker in Baton Rouge, La., in 2000. Last season was a disap pointing one for the Blazers, with UAB going 5-7 overall, 4-4 in Conference USA and only win ning one game on the road. The one road win was still a nail biter, a 29 26 victory at Army. UAB was also beat at every con ceivable statistical category on offense, be ing out rushed, out passed and out-scored by its oppo nents. However, not everything was looking bad for the Blazers last year. Quarterback Darrell Hackney was named Conference USA P.HOTO SPECIAL TO THE GAMECOCK Darrell Hackney was named to the 2003 Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award Watch List. He threw for 1,977 yards in 2002. Freshman of the Year last season. Hackney is on the watch list for the 2003 Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award, which is an nually given to the best quarterback in the na tion. The UAB quar terback threw for 1,977 yards and 14 touch do wqs last season. Hackney is one of only two sophomores to be named to the 42-person list. UAB is also looking for a spot on the national stage for its star placekicker. Junior Nick Hayes has been named one of 30 kickers on the Lou Groza Award Preseason Watch List. The Lou Groza Collegiate Place-kicker award is annually given to the best placekicker in the nation. Hayes was a semi-finalist for the award last year, when he made 17 of-22 field goals and all 29 extra - point attempts. Brown is optimistic about the upcoming season and be lieves that if the Blazers work hard enough, any game is winnable. “I don't think there is any body on our schedule, including Georgia, that we couldn't beat on that day, and there's no one on the schedule that can’t beat us. We have to go win our share and approach everyone the same. So much of it is prepara tion and attitude. Our players are good enough that if we are ready to play every game, we have a shot to win that game,” Brown said. ^tasHflinut^eerSpeciaHnsertio^i I I , 1 I = ► i US I f | www.knockknockclub.com