UAB Blazers Look For A Fast Start In The AAC Opener Against The Navy Midshipmen

By Steve Irvine

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - September 5, 2025

UAB AT NAVY

NAVY-MARINE CORP MEMORIAL STADIUM

SATURDAY, 2:30 P.M. CST, CBS SPORTS NETWORK

When Navy has the ball: Navy is hunting – and generally finding big plays – in an offense that blends the traditional triple option and the spread offense. Navy offensive coordinator Drew Cronic, who has married both styles together, has put together an offense that is impossible to stop if you don’t figure it out. And figuring out is difficult. Cronic is the offensive architect for Navy but it’s quarterback Blake Horvath making it click these days. Horvath wasn’t eligible for inclusion in national and conference passing efficiency stats a year ago because he didn’t have at least 15 attempts per game. If he was eligible, Horvath’s rating of 164.43 would have been second in The American and eighth in the country. He also threw for 13 touchdowns in 2024, which tied a school record, and was the third Navy quarterback to throw and rush for more than 1,200 yards in a season. He had 1,203 yards rushing and 1,373 yards passing. With all that said, he opened the 2025 season by sharing the position with Blake Woodson and it was Woodson putting up the eye-popping stats (7 carries for 180 yards, two TDs). Those two are just the start of an explosive offense that was second in the nation last season with 464 rushing yards per game. Fullback Alex Tecza returns after rushing for 1,134 yards and 13 touchdowns over the past two seasons. Eli Heidenreich is a versatile playmaker in the run and pass game. The 6-foot, 206-pound senior’s career numbers include 64 catches for 1,118 yards with 11 receiving touchdowns and 728 yards rushing with five touchdowns. He is two touchdown receptions short of tying the Navy record for career touchdowns in that category. Navy also has speed on the outside, including Olympic Trials sprinter Nathan Kent, who had a 77-yard touchdown reception against UAB last season. So what is a defense to do against this group? UAB defensive coordinator Steve Russ, who is familiar with the option from his time at Air Force, wasn’t willing to talk scheme during his meeting with reporters this week. He’ll have some defensive wrinkles but scheme won’t matter if the Blazers repeat the mistakes they made in the season opening win over Alabama State.

When UAB has the ball: UAB’s offense did little wrong in the season opener. Navy’s defense did little wrong – other than give up a big-strike passing touchdown – in the season opener. Both sides will get a much tougher challenge this week. Navy defensive coordinator PJ Volker said defensive success begins in the running game. “One of the big things for us is we have to be stout against the run,” Volker said. They were just that in the opening win over VMI, which netted 58 yards on 22 carries and didn’t have a first down in the rushing game. UAB’s running game, on the other hand, rode Jevon Jackson, Solomon Beebe and Isiah Jacobs. Those three combined for 262 yards on 33 carries with five rushing touchdowns. Jackson, who had 166 yards rushing, and Beebe each scored twice and Jacobs had the fourth-quarter scoring run that put the game on ice. Trent Dilfer admitted to choosing a conservative approach in last week’s game. Does he unleash Jalen Kitna and the passing game in this season? Now, Kitna was still very effective last week, completing 18-of-23 passes for 247 yards with touchdown passes to Iverson Hooks and Corri Milliner. Will he be asked to do more this week against a Navy defense that gave up a 77-yard touchdown pass in the 52-7 win over VMI?  Or will Dilfer once again choose the conservative approach? “We typically can march the football if we just play our style of football,” Dilfer said. “If we get caught up in trying to be something we’re not is where we've made mistakes before.” Of course, a big part of that is winning up front. Navy nose tackle Landon Robinson, a 2024 all-conference player, had two of the team’s five sacks in the season opener. Limiting his success will be important. A week ago, Kitna not only wasn’t sacked but he was never hit on a passing play. Doing that again will be difficult against a Navy defense that has done a good job of rushing the quarterback in the two meetings with the Blazers. If Kitna has time, he could take advantage of an inexperienced Navy secondary. Hooks and Milliner, who had a combined 12 catches for 171 yards last week need to take advantage of the opportunity. Avoiding turnovers and drive-altering penalties was a strength against Alabama State and needs to be again at Navy.

Special teams: Chances are solid that UAB’s Patrick Foley will get his first punt of his senior season. However, the Blazers would love to limit his participation to holding on extra points and the occasional field goal attempt like he did against Alabama State. UAB also hopes it’s a busy day for punt returner Iverson Hooks, who returned a pair of punts for 38 yards and is 14th in the country in punt return average after the first game. Hooks looked close to breaking it for something bigger on both of his returns. Solomon Beebe averaged 22 yards on five kickoff returns and his 23rd in the country in yards per return.

Hello my name is: Chris Burge. The 6-foot-3, 260-pound redshirt stepped up when there was a need at defensive end against Alabama State. Burge, who is from nearby Leeds, had four tackles, one tackle for loss and one sack against the Hornets. His extended role came largely because of the absence of injured defensive ends Jamichael Rogers and J’Quan Mason. Burge might get another extended opportunity again on Saturday.

Trend to follow: What will happen on third down on Saturday when Navy has the football? UAB, which is a three-touchdown underdog, has no chance at keeping it close if the Blazers can’t get off the field. Alabama State was 13-of-15 on third down in the opener. Navy was 10-of-13 in the win over VMI. Perhaps that’s not a trend yet but it is a huge area to look for in this game. In previous two meetings between these two teams, Navy is 9-of-20 on third down.

How Navy wins: Limit UAB’s running game success, thus making the Blazers one dimensional, and create turnover opportunities. Navy can’t let Jalen Kitna remain comfortable in the pocket.

How UAB wins: Remember last week when UAB had no quarterback pressures and no turnovers? If they can do the same thing this week then the Blazers have a chance to be competitive. Limiting big plays, which UAB did not do last week, is also critical.

Coach’s corner: Drew Cronic took an interesting career path, moving from being a successful lower-level head coach, including four seasons at  Mercer, to becoming the offensive coordinator at Navy. Cronic was 75-23 as a college head coach at Lenoir-Rhyne, Reinhardt and Mercer and was 28-17 at Mercer. He made an immediate in his first season at Navy. The Midshipmen scored 407 points in 2024, which was 195 more points than they scored the previous season.

One more thing: Jonah Delange is a tremendous kicker – one of the best in the country – but a busy afternoon for him is probably not part of UAB’s recipe for success on Saturday. Navy generally scores touchdowns when it reaches the red zone. In fact, the Midshipmen led the nation in red zone touchdowns last season and began the season by scoring touchdowns in five of six red zone trips. UAB struggled in that area last season, scoring touchdowns on 21 of 44 (48 percent) red zone trips. But opened the season by also scoring five touchdowns in six red zone trips. UAB had just seven red zone rushing touchdowns last season. The Blazers had four red zone rushing touchdowns in the win over Alabama State.