*DeWayne McBride, Alabama-Birmingham Football News: Draft Scout Player News

08/22/21 - RB *DeWayne McBride, Jr/2023, Alabama-Birmingham

DeWayne McBride doesn't have the same reaction to his nickname as everyone else. The petrifying villain from the 1995 film Friday usually comes to mind when hearing the name Debo, but for McBride, it's a nickname he shares with his father, DeWayne McBride Sr. Despite the contrasting origins, the younger McBride embodies the intimidating and daunting air of Tommy Lister Jr.'s movie character in his bruising and elegant running style for the UAB football team. The Blazers have hit the midway point of fall camp, two weeks from the season opener against Jacksonville State at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, and McBride is prepared to lead UAB's vaunted rushing attack into the 2021 season following the departure of the program's all-time leading rusher. "Obviously, if you watched him last year, you saw how explosive he was and how he finishes runs," UAB head coach Bill Clark said. "High expectations for him and that's what we've heard this whole offseason. He's got high expectations for himself. I think he's been working really hard on pass protection and catching the ball out of the backfield."

Moving on from Spencer Brown was never going to be easy but Jermaine Brown Jr. was able to provide a glimpse in 2019 and McBride staked his claim for a high-usage role last season. While not on the field the first two games against Central Arkansas and Miami, McBride worked his way into the primary rotation quickly -- playing six of the final seven games -- with the aid of the elder Brown himself. "When I got here, he was a leader to me," McBride said. "I didn't know the plays and he helped me by staying on me every day and trying to get me right. He was a good leader." - Birmingham Post Herald

Jr/2023