Nov. 3, 2009

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The UAB football team opened its practice week Tuesday with a 90-minute morning workout in shorts and helmets.

The Blazers are working toward their first home game in more than a month when Florida Atlantic visits Legion Field for a 1 p.m. CT kickoff on Saturday. The final non-conference game of the season will also serve as homecoming for UAB.

In Tuesday's practice, the Blazers started to prepare for a Florida Atlantic offense that is averaging 27 points and more than 450 yards per game.

"It was a good practice," UAB head coach Neil Callaway said. "We still have a lot of work to do on Florida Atlantic. They have a very good offense, and we have a lot of work to do."

UAB will be looking to avenge a 49-34 loss to the Owls last season in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. A Justin Brooks touchdown run in that game brought the Blazers within one score with less than eight minutes to play, but the Owls held on for the win in the second game of the 2008 season.

The teams combined for 1,036 yards of total offense in that first-ever meeting with 482 for UAB and 554 for Florida Atlantic.

"They threw it well, and they just kind of moved the ball," Callaway said of last year's game. "We didn't stop them all day."

Saturday's game will be carried on the Blazers ISP Sports Network and can be heard in the Birmingham area on flagship station WUHT-FM 107.7 with David Crane (play-by-play) and Jake Arians (color) on the call. The pregame show will begin 90 minutes prior to kickoff.