by STEVE IRVINE News staff writer , Birmingham News

On Saturday, Zahn will wear a UAB football uniform at Legion Field as the Blazers open the 2009 season with a Conference USA game against Rice. Zahn will be responsible for kickoffs, field goals and extra points.

Who would have guessed that would be the answer to his question? Certainly not Zahn, who graduated in May from Highland High School in Gilbert, Ariz.

He wanted to kick in college but thought his only options were walking on at nearby Arizona State University or accepting a scholarship from a local junior college . Then he picked up the phone and UAB quarterbacks coach/recruiting coordinator Tyson Helton was on the other end.

''I actually felt pretty honored because a school that I've never even heard of had heard of me,'' Zahn said. ''I was like 'This is awesome.'''

UAB was looking for a kicker and the search lasted past National Signing Day. Helton first heard about Zahn after Zahn was one of more than 400 prep and junior college kickers, punters or long snappers to participate in the National Kicking & Snapping event run by former UCLA kicker Chris Sailer in Las Vegas. Zahn was a member of the ''Top 12'' kickers in the event from the class of 2009.

The decision to accept UAB's scholarship offer wasn't easy. Zahn spent about 10 days thinking it over.

''I mean, it's five states away so I was always concerned about that,'' Zahn said.

He eventually accepted and headed to Birmingham in June. Naturally, it wasn't an easy transition. He was on his own for the first time and knew no one when he arrived.

''There were obviously nights where I was like 'Why am I out here again?''' Zahn said. ''But I knew there was a reason I had to be here.''

The adjustment didn't last that long. He actually likes the humidity over the dry heat of back home. He's grown to like the fried food of the South and already feels at home here.

''There is this stuff called grass out here, so that's kind of nice,'' Zahn said. ''It's a desert where I'm from.''

Most importantly, he fit right in on the field, even though he faces the pressure of following former Lou Groza semifinalist Swayze Waters. For the past two years, Waters has taken nearly every punt, kickoff, field goal and extra point for the Blazers.

''It kind of just made me think like 'Wow, I've got huge, huge shoes to fill,''' Zahn said. ''At the same time, it was a compliment that they wanted me to be the guy to follow him.''

Of course, he had to win the job during fall camp in a close battle with sophomore Trey Ragland. Both of them actually won a job. Ragland will handle the team's punting duties, and Zahn will do everything else in the kicking game.

''I've been looking forward to going to the next level a long time,'' Zahn said. ''Now it's here and I'm just so pumped.''

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Check out Irvine's blog at http://blog.al.com/offthevine. sirvine@bhamnews.com

Rice AT UAB

When: Saturday, 3 p.m. Television: CSS Radio: FM-107.7

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