Watts: "We are likely dropping UAB football after 2018"
At a press conference at school HQ in Birmingham this morning, UAB president Ray Watts uttered the words no fans in the area were anticipating hearing: "We are likely dropping UAB football after 2018."
Watts and school admin have yet to confirm the decision, but the end result is looking more and more accurate to the statement. UAB has been in financial trouble for the past several years and has been receiving very little support from the University of Alabama system over the past 10 years athletically.
Watts elaborated by stating the university really had two choices to improve the financial situation: cut football and save other sports, or cut several other sports to save football. He says "administration is still deliberating over what to do."
UAB is clearly up in arms as a school and community, as students and fans held protests calling for the firing of Watts, among other higher-ups in the Alabama university system, including trustee Paul Bryant Jr., who is believed to be the mastermind behind the financial troubles. Reports say he is forcing UAB to run the athletic department through him. Both Watts and Bryant Jr. declined to comment.
Country music star Sam Hunt, a former QB at UAB and Middle Tennessee St., took to twitter to say simply, "Free UAB", as did Atlanta Falcons WR Roddy White, who holds multiple UAB receiving records.
UAB left Conference USA at the close of 2017 and is now independent in football, and is in the Sun Belt for all other sports. The Blazers finished 3-9 in 2016, and faded to 1-11 last year. Head coach Bill Clark was fired in December.
WR coach Larry Leonard was promoted to the head post in January, and has led the Blazers to a 1-2 start in 2018.
Clark eloquently said last year that they just needed to keep winning. Coach Leonard delivered a powerful statement upon hearing the news.
Should UAB shutter their football program, it is believed the NCAA will pool FCS teams capable of moving to the FBS in attempts to make it financially possible to move up. Tennessee St., Texas Southern, Georgia Southern, Appalachian St., North Dakota St. and New Hampshire are among potential candidates to join the FBS in such a scenario.