Steve Irvine’s Five Storylines FOR UAB vs RICE
By Steve Irvine
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - November 22, 2024
RICE VS. UAB
Site, kickoff time: Protective Stadium, 1 p.m. CT
Record: UAB 2-8 overall, 1-5 AAC; Rice 3-7 overall, 2-4 AAC
Five storylines
1. Can UAB move the football successfully against Rice? The Owls are 30th in the country in total defense (322 yards per game) and fourth nationally in passing yards allowed per game (159.2 yards per game). Since Jalen Kitna took over at quarterback, the Blazers have focused on the passing game. UAB had 262 passes and 156 rushes in Kitna’s six starts, which averages 44 passes and 26 rushes per game. On Saturday, though, perhaps the game plan should focus on getting Lee Beebe Jr. and the running game working. Rice is 91st in the country in rush defense, allowing 162.8 yards per game on the ground. Rice limited Memphis to a season-low 159 passing yards in a 27-20 loss to the Tigers on Nov. 8. But the Tigers gained 224 yards on 41 carries with Mario Anderson Jr. rushing for 144 yards and a touchdown. This could be a game that UAB finally unleashes Beebe, who averages 13 rushes for 64 yards per game this season.
2. Will Jalen Kitna add to a frustrating amount of turnovers? No doubt that Kitna has done some good things in his first opportunity to run the show in college football. He’s thrown for 1,755 yards and 12 touchdowns and has completed 60.1 percent of his passes. But it’s kind of hard to focus on the good when he also has committed 15 turnovers (10 interceptions, five fumbles) in six games. UAB head coach Trent Dilfer said earlier this week that Kitna often tries to do too much, which leads to turnovers. The only game he didn’t throw an interception was during the lopsided win over Tulsa. He threw for 404 yards and six touchdowns in that game. Rice has not been good at forcing turnovers. The Owls have seven interceptions, which leads only UAB in the AAC stats, and recovered a pair of fumbles.
3. Can Rice establish the running game? Stats are no help in answering this question. UAB’s defense is last in the AAC and almost last nationally (129th out of 133) in rushing defense. The Blazers give up 230.6 yards rushing per game. Stop there and you would think that running back Dean Connors and the Rice offense will run the ball well. Connors is a 6-foot-2, 205-pound senior, who has rushed for 678 yards on 126 carries with eight touchdowns. However, statistically, Rice is 13th in the AAC and 114th in the country in rushing yards per game. The Owls average just 113.2 yards per game on the ground.
4. Will UAB’s seniors leave Protective Stadium with a win in their final game? Trent Dilfer preached to his players to use the Senior Day motivation on Saturday. Time will tell if that happens. UAB is scheduled to honor 20 seniors on Saturday.
5. Can Kam Shanks become UAB’s leader in single season punt return yardage? The shifty redshirt freshman didn’t get a chance to return a punt last week at Memphis. He remains 39 yards away from breaking Rodregis Brooks’ single season school record of 350 punt return yards. Shanks, who should receive All-American consideration as a punt returner, leads the country in punt return yards (312), punt return average (22.3) and punt return touchdowns (2).