UAB Boosters Allege Trustees Could End Football Program

[Harry]

UAB has experienced a dramatic turnaround this year, as first-year coach Bill Clark has the Blazers on the verge of bowl eligibility. But behind the scenes, the future of UAB football doesn't look so bright.

In a letter sent today to UAB President Ray Watts, members of an organization called the UAB Football Foundation have alleged that the Alabama Board of Trustees is considering shutting down the UAB football program after the 2016 season.

The letter (which is embedded below) alleges that the board is studying the viability of the UAB football program, seeking evidence to support shutting down the program. The letter alleges this is why, unlike many of his coaching contemporaries in Conference USA, Clark was only offered a three-year contract last January — as such a deal coincides with the end of the 2016 season. UAB has zero non-conference games scheduled past 2016, which the letter also suggests is deliberate.

UAB Athletics declined comment.

Read more: http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2014/11/5/7164495/uab-boosters-allege-trustees-could-end-football-program

[Ryan Munthe]

UAB has experienced a dramatic turnaround this year, as first-year coach Bill Clark has the Blazers on the verge of bowl eligibility. But behind the scenes, the future of UAB football doesn't look so bright.

In a letter sent today to UAB President Ray Watts, members of an organization called the UAB Football Foundation have alleged that the Alabama Board of Trustees is considering shutting down the UAB football program after the 2016 season.

The letter (which is embedded below) alleges that the board is studying the viability of the UAB football program, seeking evidence to support shutting down the program. The letter alleges this is why, unlike many of his coaching contemporaries in Conference USA, Clark was only offered a three-year contract last January as such a deal coincides with the end of the 2016 season. UAB has zero non-conference games scheduled past 2016, which the letter also suggests is deliberate.

UAB Athletics declined comment.

Read more: http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2014/11/5/7164495/uab-boosters-allege-trustees-could-end-football-program

Absolutely disgusting. Pathetic. Alabama is so scared of competition.

[FirefightnRick]

Prior efforts to improve the infrastructure around the Blazer program have brought public pushback from the Board of Trustees, which handles the University of Alabama system (Tuscaloosa, Birmingham and Huntsville). UAB fan ire is particularly directed towards Trustees Finis St. John IV and Paul Bryant Jr. (son of the legendary coach Paul 'Bear' Bryant), the former who was accused of stalling, and killing a 2011 plan to fund an on-campus stadium to replace the dilapidated Legion Field. UAB has no current plans to build an on-campus stadium.

Bryant came under fire in 2006, when he blocked UAB from hiring Jimbo Fisher, and forced the university to hire Neil Callaway, who played under Bryant's father at Alabama. Callaway went 18-42 in five years at UAB.

This is why I mentioned we had no excuse losing to them. They have it worst than ULM,.. which I'm glad we don't play.

Rick

Edited November 6, 2014 by FirefightnRick

[Ben Gooding]

The University of Alabama can rot. They are everything that is wrong in college football and education for that matter. They are going to do whatever it takes to keep UAB at bay and couldn't literally care less if their program folds shop.

It kind of reminds me of how and why our BOR members get appointed, to keep the university at bay.

[UNT90]

The University of Alabama can rot. They are everything that is wrong in college football

No, that title belongs to that craphole of a university in San Antonio.

[meanJewGreen]

As one of the people who wrote this story, I can tell you the problems at UAB run much worse than the article states, including the fact that the trustees would not take a donation that would've paid for the indoor practice facility- instead wanting to put it in the scholarship deficit fund.

We can complain all we want about our situation, but at least we have supportive regents. How many of you would've taken Jimbo Fisher back in 2006? (bring out the Harbaugh conspiracy theorists)

[NT91]

Add South Alabama to take their place in CUSA or TEXAS ST.

[Army of Dad]

Add South Alabama to take their place in CUSA or TEXAS ST.

I tend to think LaLa is a better fit

[Ben Gooding]

Add South Alabama to take their place in CUSA or TEXAS ST.

Jesus no. ULL or Ark St. No one else.

[MeanGreenTexan]

Add South Alabama to take their place in CUSA or TEXAS ST.

Jesus no. ULL or Ark St. No one else.

Why does it have to be a SBC call up?

Think a little bigger... try and lure N.Ill away from the MAC. If Banowsky is serious about procuring markets, it doesnt get much better than Chicago.

[SilverEagle]

Move S. Miss to the east portion of CUSA and bring in LaLa to be in the west.

[Eagle1855]

Add Texas State, put Southern Miss in the east. Make the West a strong regional division with five Texas teams + La Tech. It makes too much sense and is a great benefit to UNT, UTSA & Rice.

Adding ULL does nothing for the conference, from a market perspective. Texas State may not either, but at least it's another Texas team with a large student body and a substantial alumni base.

Edited November 6, 2014 by Eagle1855

[BillySee58]

Move S. Miss to the east portion of CUSA and bring in LaLa to be in the west.

We don't need to move anyone to the East. Next year CUSA will have 7 schools in the East and 7 in the West, after Charlotte joins the Eastp. If UAB disbands then the West will be down to 6. If we added ULL to the West, we would still keep Southern Miss.

[Eagle1855]

We don't need to move anyone to the East. Next year CUSA will have 7 schools in the East and 7 in the West, after Charlotte joins the Eastp. If UAB disbands then the West will be down to 6. If we added ULL to the West, we would still keep Southern Miss.

I didn't realize UAB was moving to the West in 2015. My opinion stands, however.

I know everyone is nostalgic for our old running buddies, ULL and ASU, but from an outside perspective, they bring very little to the table.

[oldguystudent]

they bring very little to the table.

It's my understanding that LaLa brings quite a bit to the table at their tailgates. I'd like to experience that.

[Eagle1855]

It's my understanding that LaLa brings quite a bit to the table at their tailgates. I'd like to experience that.

You don't need to make them a memember of the conference to do so. Southern Louisiana and the Gulf Coast-area in general is a great place to spend a long weekend. Some of the best food in the country, no doubt.

[oldguystudent]

You don't need to make them a memember of the conference to do so. Southern Louisiana and the Gulf Coast-area in general is a great place to spend a long weekend. Some of the best food in the country, no doubt.

I know. I just genuinely lament that I never made it to a road game when they were conference mates. I've heard nothing but great things about them as hosts. Army of Dad suggested I head down to see them play baseball sometime, which I think would be a great little weekend, although the tailgating would be a fraction of what it is for football.

[Eagle1855]

I know. I just genuinely lament that I never made it to a road game when they were conference mates. I've heard nothing but great things about them as hosts.

Seconded. That part of the country is our regular get-away destination. One of the things I like about living in SE Texas is the close proximity to southern Louisiana. It's also one of the things I don't really like about living in SE Texas. Funny how that works...

If it has to be a former Sun Belt friend, ULL is my choice above all others (and that might be the preference of Southern Miss, too... though I don't know how La Tech would feel abou it).

But who knows... maybe the conference would look at someone like Georgia Southernm who's sitting at 7-2 on the season with close losses to GT and NC State....

[meangreenbob]

This is why I mentioned we had no excuse losing to them. They have it worst than ULM,.. which I'm glad we don't play.

Rick

I sadly agree.

[Army of Dad]

Why does it have to be a SBC call up?

Think a little bigger... try and lure N.Ill away from the MAC. If Banowsky is serious about procuring markets, it doesnt get much better than Chicago.

Is a MAC call up really better than the Sun Belt?

All joking aside, that is a different train of thought and I'm intrigued.

[tylermeangreen]

UNT does not even begin to hold a candle to the size or quality of ULL tailgates or the number of alumni that participate nor the enthusiasm generated - Not just students, ALUMNI. Their folks travel, and they travel with large numbers of motor homes..........

Some of you folks need to go a ULL game - I was there 3 years ago and was absolutely shocked - and then make your snide comments about ULL.

They would be a helluva addition to C-USA!

[MeanGreenTexan]

UNT does not even begin to hold a candle to the size or quality of ULL tailgates or the number of alumni that participate nor the enthusiasm generated - Not just students, ALUMNI. Their folks travel, and they travel with large numbers of motor homes..........

Some of you folks need to go a ULL game - I was there 3 years ago and was absolutely shocked - and then make your snide comments about ULL.

They would be a helluva addition to C-USA!

ULL's tailgate scene could be the greatest in America. Who knows?

I can tell you one thing though, when evaluating a school's entrance to a new conference, the tailgating scene is probably not even considered.

How much money will the school bring into the conference. That's what it boils down to. If ULL or ARSt can bring in more than N.Illinois, GA State or whatever team that happens to be in a larger market than Lafayette & Jonesboro, then they'd get the nod.

It's very sad though, how quickly this thread devolved into who UAB's replacement would be. If all of America feels this same way, then maybe the UA BOR is making the right decision. I'd be sad to see UAB go. It seemed like they were just turning the corner.

[NT91]

How about NMSU?

[UNTexas]

How about NMSU?

Absolutely not. Their program is in shambles. They need to go FCS. NMSU could care less about football. Besides, UNT doesn't need to fly into El Paso twice a year.

[Rudy]

I hope he's joking about NMSUcks.