UAB FOOTBALL FALL CAMP REPORT: update on safeties

By Steve Irvine

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - August 8, 2024

The UAB coaching staff rebuilt the safety position after the Blazers struggled at that spot last season. Trent Dilfer and his staff brought in some key players at safety through the transfer portal. Mix in a few returnees and it appears to be a position of strength during fall camp. We checked in with first-year safeties coach C.J. Cox, who joined the program in January, to see how the safeties are progressing in fall camp.

Word is this is a fun group of safeties to coach, is that accurate?

“They are. They're a joy to coach and I think they really care about football. It’s important to them and they want to be great. So anytime you're around a bunch of young men that want to be great, they'll take heed to what you're asking them to do and they'll apply it on the football field. They just want to make Coach Dilfer and our defensive staff and the rest of their teammates proud.”

How would you assess their play on the field so far?

“We're getting better. We're progressing. I think most importantly, they want to be assignment sound. We need them to be assignment sound because we're the last line of our defense. Ultimately, I believe that the success of our defense is going to fall on us, because we got to make sure we keep everything in front of us and we got to make sure we're communicating at a high level. But we're just getting better and better and better and that's all I can really ask for right now.”

As a coach, how much do you concentrate on your group’s communication, especially with the addition of some key pieces from the transfer portal?

“You watch every snap because the communication starts with us. We're communicating to the corners and the linebackers and then I'm right there behind them, especially during the walkthroughs and from time to time during team period. If we don't say anything, we don't get the proper communication and that leads to blown assignments and ultimately a bust equals a touchdown or they get into field goal range. I'm watching, I'm looking for that every single snap.”

Does the depth chart at safety change daily?

“Every other day. I rotate the guys every other day because they have to be able to play with whoever's available. Safety's a violent position and you just never know who's going to be available. I'm rotating these guys through, they're not just gonna get used to playing with one or two guys. They have to be able to communicate with anybody in our room to be able to execute whatever Sione (Toua’ufo) called for.”

What impression has Sirad Bryant thus far?

“Violence. You know, just kind of going back to the position itself, it's a violent position, and he brings that type of tenacity that you really want. He can set the tone in a period, just by the way he fits the run game. And then he's also a vocal leader too. Once he's on, he's on it. If he knows where he's going, it's just point A to point B, and he only knows one speed. So, just the attitude of getting from point A to point B at a fast pace, and then also when he arrives, he tries to arrive with bad intentions.”

How has spring transfer portal signee Tyjon Jones played in his first camp at UAB?

“I've been impressed with his football IQ. One thing about Tyjon, you go over something in the meeting, and he applies it right away. And then when he's on the football field, if he doesn't execute something the way he should, he can self -correct within a drive. So, I've been really impressed with his football IQ. And then he's just another guy that's violent, too. He likes to put his face in there, and he definitely has contact courage, so he's not afraid to do that.”

When you go into a season, is there a certain depth number that you feel like you need when it comes to the two safety spots and the nickel?

“You would like to have six to seven guys you really feel good about. When you're talking about the free safety and this strong safety and the nickel position, you want be two deep. In this day and age, at the Group of Five level, are you ever truly going to be three deep? Probably not. So, if you can get to six or seven of those three positions, then you're probably in great shape.”

Do you like where your numbers are at right now?

“Absolutely. And then I also cross train the guys, too, because they're all in the same room. I may have a nickel (back) like Adrian Maddox that I could slide to free safety or strong safety, if we were in that situation where we're in the pinch and we gotta move some guys around. They've already heard all the same coaching. We're cross training all of those guys, so they can all play strong safety, free safety, and nickel.”

Has there been anybody, young or old, that’s surprised you a little bit in this camp?

“I would say Chris Bracy right now. He's doing a really nice job. He’s been assignment sound and he's also been making plays on the football. He's ball aggressive right now and he's just seeing it. I always try to find a way to get their eyes on the quarterback any way I can. He's doing a good job with keying quarterback intentions and just playing the football. So that's awesome. Anyway, anytime we can take the ball away and give it back to our offense, because we have an explosive offense, that's exactly what we want to do. And he's been doing a really good job of that.

And then Ray (Thornton III). Ray's been consistent, you know, he's been Mr. Consistent. He doesn't really blow any assignments or anything like that. He's kind of stepping into that leadership role, where he's becoming more of a vocal leader. The guys listen to him and they really respect him.”

With Ray, how much does it help that he has a whole football cycle this year after arriving later in camp last season?

“He came in late and I think he was coming off of surgery. So, he was getting back in his shape, learning the scheme. Now, he's been with us for a year. He knows what we're trying to get accomplished. He spent some time with me, so we've been together since January. We've been learning each other and now we're really close. He knows how I coach. I know how to get to him. I know what his edge is. We have a good relationship. So he's been doing a hell of a job for us, he really has.”