Spring practice has come and gone for the UAB football team after the Blazers wrapped up their offseason Saturday with the annual UAB Pepsi Spring Game at Legion Field.

The Green earned a 34-0 victory over the Gold as the first-team offensive and defensive units played against the second-team with a simplified game plan and running-clock in the second half.

“I was proud of everyone who came out to support our players,” UAB coach Bill Clark said. “The band sounded good, we had our cheerleaders out and it was a game day experience for our guys. I thought we had a really solid spring; we have to have a great summer. Really pleased up to this point.”

The Blazers are coming off an unprecedented season that saw them finish with an 11-3 record and the first conference title and bowl victory in program history.

A total of 35 seniors graduated or exhausted their eligibility after the Blazers’ 37-13 victory over Northern Illinois in the Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl, leaving 15 vacated starting positions and creating intense competition throughout the spring.

Here are 10 takeaways from spring practice as the Blazers enter summer conditioning before starting fall camp:

Quality depth behind QB Tyler Johnston

Johnston established himself at quarterback in the latter half of last season and has the confidence and talent to be one of the top signal-callers in Conference USA going into the 2019 season.

A edshirt sophomore, he received a medical hardship waiver after the 2017 season, so he has at least three years of eligibility remaining. However, recruiting efforts by Clark and offensive coordinator Bryant Vincent have stocked the cupboard at the position with Dylan Hopkins and Bryson Lucero.

Hopkins, a former Tennessee Mr. Football runner-up, solidified his status as Johnston’s backup with a productive spring practice and an impressive performance in the spring game that saw him throw for 113 yards and a touchdown while completing 71 percent of his passes.

A redshirt year is likely for Lucero, who was gearing up for his final season at IMG Academy (Fla.) this time last year, but the talented freshman has the physical gifts to compete going forward with the Blazers.

Offensive line reforming

The biggest question heading into the spring was how to replace four starters on the offensive line. That was somewhat answered with the spring game, but competition will still continue in fall camp.

Colby Ragland has taken command at left tackle with Patrick Nuss getting the start at right tackle in the spring game. Nuss and Sydney Wells are locked in a battle at that position so nothing has been settled.

David Galten and Andrew Smith started at left and right guard, respectively, with Greg Fecanin backing up returning center Lee Dufour. There are eight more offensive linemen in the mix for the second group as the Blazers build depth.

Although the first-team unit went against the second-team defense, it did pave the way for 133 yards on the ground without Spencer Brown leading the charge.

‘Going back home’: UAB’s Kris Moll comfortable with move back to linebacker https://t.co/85lKqSOuAW — AL.com sports (@aldotcomSports) March 24, 2019

Deep and explosive receiving corps

The Blazers lost their top five receivers from last season, but a drop-off in production is not expected as the new crop of receivers are just as talented and reliable, albeit with less game experience.

Austin Watkins was a big-play receiver for Johnston in the first half of the spring game as he pulled down three catches for 109 yards and a 35-yard touchdown. All three of Watkins’ receptions went for at least 35 yards.

Kendell Parham, the Blazers’ leading returning receiver with 197 yards, also had a good spring and capped it with a 38-yard performance on three receptions. Parham is not bound to catching passes, however, as the senior proved last season he can score from any position with a 64-yard touchdown run against Coastal Carolina.

Besides Parham and Watkins, TD Marshall and Kevin Davis have been turning heads and combined for six catches, 106 yards and Marshall’s 25-yard touchdown.

Who’s running behind Brown?

Going into last season, UAB was blessed with a deep and talented running back contingent after two promising transfer running backs showed promise alongside Brown, the 2017 CUSA Freshman of the Year, and the reliable Lucious Stanley.

Now, one of the transfer backs has moved to defense – and excelling – and the other is no longer with the team. Besides Brown and Stanley, there were only six running backs on the spring roster and two of them went down with injury before the spring game leaving the team with four healthy backs.

Stanley had a productive day with 38 yards and a touchdown, but former Spain Park standout Larry Wooden showed he can be counted on this season after rushing for 95 yards in the spring game. Wooden was strong, fast and aggressive in his debut and was able to find slim creases and explode through running lanes created by the new offensive line.

Werlean Pollock was raved about by coaches early in spring practice, but with his status currently unknown, Wooden has the ability to step in and form a strong backfield with Brown and Stanley.

Tight ends involved in pass game

A hidden aspect to the Blazers’ rushing success the past two seasons has been the tireless run-blocking efforts of the tight ends.

The position group accounted for only 204 receiving yards – about 7 percent of the team’s receiving total – and a touchdown last season. However, that might be changing as an influx of athletic tight ends with receiving skills have provided another durable option for Johnston in the passing game.

Hayden Pittman is a returning starter at the position and Gerrit Prince was able to take advantage of opportunities late in the season for UAB and combined for 35 yards on three receptions. Prince caught a 26-yard touchdown pass from Johnston in the second quarter.

Bringing the tight end position more into the passing game should wield plenty of benefits as it gives opponents another weapon to prepare for besides the running game and other receivers.

Return game could be special

Two newcomers, Myron Mitchell and Damien Miller, provided a possible glimpse into what could be a dangerous return duo.

Mitchell and Miller had long returns in the spring game and have the speed to score from any point on the field. Mitchell has experience in the return game while at Butler CC (Kan.), but Miller has a proven track record as a productive return man.

A true freshman from Fairfield, Miller played defensive back for the Tigers – even garnering notice from Carolina Panthers QB Cam Newton at his 7v7 camp last summer – and excelled with the ball in his hands. According to statistics provided by Fairfield, Miller caught two touchdown passes while scoring 13 touchdowns on punt and kickoff returns during his senior season in 2018.

Throw in former AHSAA Track & Field champion Starling Thomas V and the Blazers might just have more potential in the return game than any team in CUSA.

D-Block restocking

The UAB defensive front was most the destructive force in the conference last season and could be just as disruptive despite returning just two starters in the front seven – and Kris Moll moving full-time to linebacker.

Garrett Marino is a ball-o-hate coming at you fast and Fish McWilliams, Antonio Moultrie and Michael Wright have the talent and physicality to create havoc along the offensive line. Both McWilliams and Wright started with Marino on the line in the spring game but Moultrie, along with Tyrus Butler, Tony Fair, Mi’Cario Stanley and Michael Fairbanks II, are primed to be apart of the regular rotation in order to keep the unit fresh and fast.

Fitzgerald Mofor, Adrienne Talan and Moll got the start at linebacker in the spring game but there are plenty of young and hungry underclassman ready to contribute. Jalen Rayam, Nikia Eason, Will Conner, and most notably Deshaun Oliver Jr., all had impressive spring performances and will continue to battle this fall for playing opportunities.

Thomas Johnston, brother of Tyler, also returns but will have his hand in the ground as he moves to the JACK position vacated by Jamell Garcia-Williams.

Former high school teammates Adarius "Fish" McWilliams and Antonio Moultrie are helping to rebuild UAB's ferocious defensive line this spring as the Blazers return only one starter after a record-breaking season https://t.co/LTilK0WyJa pic.twitter.com/addW99snZa — AL.com sports (@aldotcomSports) April 3, 2019

No-Fly Zone returns

The secondary lost two valuable starters in Broderick Thomas and Mar’Sean Diggs, but the return of Brontae Harris and Dy’jonn Turner have eased the transition in the defensive backfield.

Although they were going against the second offensive unit, UAB’s first-team defense held David Hendrick and Lucero to a combined 77 passing yards with Grayson Cash and Turner each coming down with an interception.

Full-fledged starting roles still have yet to be determined but Harris and CD Daniels earned starts at cornerback – Xavier Lanier, Sherrod Curry Jr., Chase Biles, and Miller and Thomas, also were solid at cornerback – while five different defensive backs seem to be competing between the two safety and star positions.

Jarrion Street, Will Boler, Will Dawkins, Cash and Turner all played extensively, but it was Street at star and Boler and Turner at safety to start the sprig game on defense. Along with the offensive line, the secondary might have the most competition of any one position group at the moment.

Vogel and Greenwell

His given name is Nick Vogel, but most know him as Vogeltron: Defender of the Universe.

Term of endearment aside, Vogel returns as one of two players, along with Lee Dufour, from Clark’s first team in 2014. Vogel has the leg to prevent kickoff returns, as evident by his 88.8 touchback percentage (71-of-80), and was 15-of-24 on field goals last season. The senior was perfect from within 40 yards but only 25 percent from beyond that point.

One of the more pleasant surprises from last season – besides the conference title and bowl win – was the emergence of true freshman punter Kyle Greenwell.

Greenwell had a 40.1 yard average per kick last season and was flipping field position again during the spring game with a 43.2 average in a work-filled game punting for both teams. But it’s not just leg strength as the Blazers allowed only eight returns on 58 kicks with Greenwell pinning the opposition 15 times inside the 20-yard line while forcing 30 fair catches and four touchbacks.

Winning the field position battle should come as no trouble for UAB in 2019.

Injury report

The Blazers are relatively healthy heading into the summer break with only seven players off the 97-man roster withheld from the spring game.

Spencer Brown had offseason surgery and was out for precautionary reasons so he’ll be ready to suit up once fall camp begins.

Freshmen cornerback Damon Miller – twin brother of Damien Miller – and offensive lineman Jayme Motley-Simmons are recovering from injuries suffered during their final season in high school and should be available in time for fall.

The other four players held out of the spring game – receiver Demetrius Davis, tight end Keilan Knight and running backs Jonathan Haden and Werlean Pollock – all suffered injuries during spring practice to which the extent is unknown at his time.

Linebacker Kris Moll was the only injury that occurred in the spring game but was not serious. Clark updated Moll’s status during postgame interviews, confirming the junior was fine and was held out the rest of the game as a precaution.

‘We got people counting on us’: Meet UAB’s 2 promising young safeties https://t.co/EoKvX9qGMG — AL.com sports (@aldotcomSports) April 4, 2019

Here are the official “unofficial” statistics provided by the UAB athletics media office:

Green Team

Tyler Johnston: 7-of-13, 152 yds, 2 TDs 1 Int / 4 carries 12 yds

Dylan Hopkins: 10-of-14, 113 yds, 1 TD / 6 carries -8 yds

Larry Wooden: 14 carries, 95 yds / 3 receptions, 2 yds

Lucious Stanley: 7 carries, 34 yds 1 TD / 2 receptions, 12 yds

Austin Watkins: 3 receptions, 109 yards, TD

Kevin Davis: 5 receptions, 81 yards

Kendall Parham: 3 receptions, 38 yards

Alec Marsch: 2 receptions, 28 yards

Hayden Pittman: 2 receptions, 9 yards

Gerrit Prince: 1 reception, 26 yards, TD

TD Marshall: 1 reception, 25 yards, TD

Sederian Copeland: 1 reception, 6 yards

Fitzgerald Mofor: 5 tackles (1 for loss)

Jalen Rayam: 3 tackles (1 for loss)

Luke Brasher: 3 tackles (1 for loss)

Will Dawkins: 3 tackles

Dy’jonn Turner: 2 tackles, 1 Int (20 yds)

Jarrion Street: 2 tackles

Michael Wright: 2 tackles

Grayson Cash: 1 tackle, 1 Int (0 yds)

Nikia Eason: 1 sack

Gold Team

Bryson Lucero: 9-of-19, 64 yds, 1 Int / 3 carries -3 yds

David Hendrick: 3-of-10, 13 yds, 1 Int / 6 carries 7 yds

Isaiah Montgomery: 7 carries, 32 yds

Rashad Mosley: 6 carries, 1 yd

Conner Howell: 4 receptions, 23 yds

Tevin Sharpe: 1 reception, 8 yds

Tyler Pye: 1 reception, 7 yds

Deshaun Oliver Jr: 8 tackles, 1 forced fumble

Jordan Jones: 6 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 QBH

MiCario Stanley: 5 tackles

DeAnjelo Anderson: 4 tackles, 1 sack

Chase Biles: 4 tackles

Trey Whitmore: 3 tackles, 1 PBU, 1 QBH

Noah Wilder: 3 tackles, 1 Int (0 yds)

Kyle Harrell: 3 tackles, 1 sack

Sherrod Curry Jr: 3 tackles, 1 PBU

Damien Miller: 3 tackles

Terrell McDonald: 3 tackles

Rubin Stinson: 3 tackles

Orlando Swann: 2 tackles, 1 PBU

Will Conner: 2 tackles (1 for loss)

Thomas Johnston: 2 tackles (1 for loss)

Xavier Lanier: 2 tackles

Monti Turner: 2 tackles

Tony Fair: 2 tackles