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Jared Koechner and his University of Alabama-Birmingham teammates had high hopes for this past football season.

Coming off a four-win season a year ago, the Blazers longed for a bowl game this year and with five wins entering their regular-season finale against the University of Central Florida, they needed another victory to qualify for a bowl berth.

UAB and Louisburg High School alum Koechner fell one touchdown short in a 34-27 loss that ended their season with a 5-7 record. The defeat also spelled the end to Koechner’s football career.

“It was a tough loss,” he said. “We had all wanted to go to a bowl, but it didn’t happen. We did improve over last year and had an OK season, but we all wanted something more.”

The UAB senior played in all 12 games for the Blazers at right guard and completed his dream of playing Division I football. In his two years at UAB, Koechner helped the Blazers become one of the better offenses in Conference USA.

UAB averaged nearly 28 points per contest and 426 yards of total offense, including the conference’s top rushing offense, and sixth-best in the nation, which came to life in victories over rivals Southern Mississippi and Memphis earlier in the year.

“Those two wins are probably what I will remember most,” Koechner said. “Southern Miss and Memphis are our two big rivals, and we were able to beat them both. Especially to beat Southern Miss at home like we did, was just awesome. We had a great time after that win.”

Koechner’s journey to Division I football started after his days in Louisburg playing under coach Gary Griffin. Koechner went on to two years at Fort Scott Community College and then received a scholarship offer to play at UAB.

“Going from junior college to Division I football wasn’t that big of a jump for me, because I had played against some pretty big guys when I was at Fort Scott,” Koechner said. “The toughest thing for me was just moving to Alabama. It was a big change for me, since I lived in Kansas all my life, but it has been fun.”
Not only has Koechner excelled on the field, but he has made his mark in the classroom as well. During the last part of November, he was named the UAB Student Athlete of the Week.

Koechner owns a 3.45 overall grade-point average as an accounting major. He was named to the Conference USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll as a junior in 2008, his first year with the Blazers.

“I am hoping to graduate in August with my degree in accounting,” he said. “I have to take some summer classes, and then I will be able to wrap it all up. Football is all over for me, and I will miss it, but I am looking forward to the future.”

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