• Sooners remember the last time they opened against a 5-6 opponent at home

Opening against Alabama-Birmingham would seem like a simple way to ease into the season. After all, the Blazers are coming off a 5-6 season.

But Oklahoma learned a hard lesson the last time it kicked off a season against 5-6 team from a mid-major conference. That was the 2005 opener when TCU came to Owen Field and dropped the Sooners 17-10.

OU sees the same kind of potential in the Blazers.

“They’ve got good athletes when you look at their talent across the board,” OU coach Bob Stoops said. “Very sound in what they do. It’s a challenge that we have to be ready for.”

UAB’s talent cupboard isn’t bare. It has the best defensive lineman in Conference USA in defensive end Larry McSwain. Offensively, running backs Corey White and Dan Burks have both rushed for over 1,500 yards in their careers.

Blazer coach Watson Brown, who was OU’s offensive coordinator from 1993-94, has an option-based offense that is usually one of the best in the conference.

“They love to run the football,” Stoops said. “He (Brown) really has three really good backs that he works a lot. You’ll see a lot of option, three backs in the backfield or one back with a second coming in and running option, misdirection plays with some two-backs and three-back. Almost wishbone type plays to some degree. And they’ll spread it out as well trying to throw the football.”

But UAB will be breaking in a new quarterback for the first time since the 2001 season. Darrell Hackney led the offense for the last four seasons, starting 38 games and throwing for 9,866 yards.

Senior Chris Williams will be the starter Saturday, but junior Sam Hunt will also play. They went through a quarterback battle throughout the spring and preseason.

“No one won out,” Brown said. “Chris is going out there first but there is not a starter. The reason that I am sending Chris out there first is because he has been there before. It will play out from here on in.”

Williams spent four seasons waiting behind Hackney. His only extensive action was in 2003 when he started three games after Hackney went down to season-ending injury. But he did lead the Blazers in a 16-13 loss at Georgia that season.

“My confidence is sky high,” Williams said. “I believe the thing that helped me to get to this point is having to wait and be patient for my turn. It is paying off now and I couldn’t be more excited.”

The Blazers are a three-touchdown underdog, but they are anxious to see what they can do.