Report: UAB To Fire AD, Shut Down Football Program

The UAB Blazers are bowl eligible for the first time since 2004, but if they are selected for a bowl, it might be the final game in the history of the program.

They’ve been playing football at UAB since 1991, but according to reports, it could be over soon.

USA Today’s Dan Wolken, citing a “person with knowledge” reported via Twitter:

Person with knowledge tells @USATODAYsports UAB athletic director is out, has indicated football shutting down.
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) November 30, 2014

Coach Bill Clark is also not optimistic, telling ESPN’s Joe Schad that he believes it’s over.

UAB coach Bill Clark said Sunday he believes the school’s football program is about to shut down.
— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) November 30, 2014

But Clark, in his first season at the school, is exuding optimism on his own timeline:

Contrary to news, We haven't heard any decision about our program. We are still fighting!#WTD #UABFootball
— Bill Clark (@CoachBillClark) November 30, 2014

Clark was hired in January after one season at Jacksonville State, where the Gamecocks were 11-4 and reached the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs.

He was defensive coordinator at South Alabama for five years prior to getting the head coaching job at Jacksonville State and spent 18 years as a high school coach in Alabama and Georgia.

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Athletic director Brian Mackin has been fighting administrators to keep the program alive, but it appears that UAB will be the first FBS school to drop football since the University of Pacific in 1995.

As far as when the Blazers will stop playing, it’s worth pointing out that Clark’s contract runs through 2016 and UAB has no non-conference games scheduled after that season.

UAB achieved bowl eligibility for just the second time in school history with a 45-24 win at Southern Miss on Saturday that featured a school-record 262 rushing yards by Jordan Howard.

Nov 29, 2014; Hattiesburg, MS, USA; UAB Blazers running back Jordan Howard (7) carries the ball as Southern Miss Golden Eagles defensive back Emmanuel Johnson (12) defends in the second half at M.M. Roberts Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports /

UAB finished 4-4 in Conference USA, tied for third in the East Division.

The Blazers are 86-135 since moving up to FBS in 1996. The program was 11-6-2 as a Division III independent in 1991-92 and was 21-12 as a Division I-AA independent from 1993-95.

They were forced to make the move to Division I as part of an NCAA ruling that barred schools from having athletic programs across multiple divisions.

Jim Hilyer was coach for the first four seasons, going 27-12-2. Watson Brown held the job for 12 seasons, going 62-74 and taking the Blazers to their only bowl game, a 59-40 loss to Hawaii in the Hawaii Bowl after a 7-4 regular season.

Neil Callaway was 18-42 from 2007-11 and Garrick McGee was 5-19 in 2012-13.

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