By: Randy Moore
Inside Tennessee
September 22, 2010
UAB's quarterback rushed for 214 yards and three touchdowns in Game 1. UAB's quarterback passed for 360 yards and three touchdowns in Game 3.
Fortunately for Tennessee, it was a different QB each time. Unfortunately for Tennessee, it must face them both Saturday at Neyland Stadium.
Sophomore David Isabelle rushed 22 times for 214 yards as the Game 1 starter vs. Florida Atlantic but was pulled when the Blazers fell behind 23-0 in the second quarter of Game 3 vs. Troy. Junior backup Bryan Ellis came off the bench at this point to complete 23 of 37 passes over the final 36 minutes, rallying UAB to a 34-33 victory.
Ellis will start Saturday vs. Tennessee but Isabelle will play, too. That means Vol defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox must prepare for two offensive schemes - one built around a traditional dropback passer, the other built around a running quarterback.
That's kind of like packing for a trip to a destination whose temperature will be 80 degrees one day and 30 degrees the next: Basically, you have to be ready for anything.
"Both bring something different to the table," Wilcox said of the Blazer QBs. "The one guy obviously is involved more in the quarterback runs - which is a different element - and the guy that's starting is obviously more of a traditional drop-back guy that came in and threw for a lot of yards.
"You don't really have time to have two totally different game plans but I think you have certain things you like against each guy."
Naturally, Wilcox will want his best pass rushers on the field when Ellis is behind center. Likewise, the coordinator will want his best run stoppers on the field when Isabelle is taking the snaps. Thus, matching UT's defensive personnel to UAB's quarterback is a part of Saturday's strategy.
"That can definitely factor in to it," Wilcox conceded.
The fact UAB has two quarterbacks as diverse as Isabelle and Ellis is a real luxury for Blazer head man Neil Callaway and a real headache for Vol head man Derek Dooley.
