Barbecue played a big part in convincing Brennan Moran that his final college football season would be spent at UAB.
"As far as Birmingham goes, man, you guys got the best barbecue down there," Manor said. "That was a really big selling point for me."
Moran is a 6-foot-4, 300-pound offensive lineman who grew up in North Sioux City, South Dakota and attended the University of Sioux Falls for the past five years. Moran said he's always had the dream of playing in FBS, so he entered the transfer portal with a year of college eligibility remaining. Once he's in the program, he will probably be UAB's first South Dakota product in football.
At one point, he was committed to Temple, but his mind was changed during a recent visit to Birmingham. He liked what he saw and heard from UAB head coach Trent Dilfer and offensive line coach Eddie Gordon. He also liked the city of Birmingham.
"Honestly, distance wasn't a big factor for me in this decision," Moran said. "I've been close to home for pretty much my entire life. It wasn't a big deal to me. Most of all it was about what's the best fit for me, where I feel like I could make the biggest impact and win a championship."
Moran was a two-time all-state player in high school and helped his team reach the state title game in South Dakota as a senior. He's a two-time all-conference player at USF and has started at guard, tackle and center during his career. For the past two seasons, he's been the starter at left guard.
"I think that is a big selling point for me," Moran said. "My old o-line coach used to call me a Swiss Army Knife."
He joins an offensive line unit that came out of spring practice with concerns about depth. Right guard Zaire Flournoy, who had worked his way onto the first team, is lost for the season with an Achilles injury. A few other UAB offensive linemen missed time during spring but are expected to be ready for summer workouts.
"I know I'm going to have to come in and earn my keep and show my worth," said Moran, who will graduate from USF in May with a major in biology and minor in chemistry. "I definitely wanted to go somewhere I could play."
The transfer portal has been open since Saturday and will remain open until the final Saturday in April. As of now, UAB scholarship players who entered the transfer portal include wide receiver Jordan Palmer, defensive backs Xavier Lanier and Codey Martin, quarterback Damon Stewart and linebacker Charles Daniels III.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email steve.irvine@1819News.com.
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