BREAKING: UAB to shut down football program today
It’s all but official now, and the official word is expected to come later this afternoon. According to reports from AL.com and other various outlets, UAB president Ray Watts is to deliver the news to administrative staff, as well as other university employees that t he UAB football program will be shut down by days end.
AL.com, in their story, reported that neither Blazers’ head coach Bill Clark or Athletic Director Brian Mackin returned messages for a comment.
The official announcement will end the month-long speculation that the end was coming for the program, but original reports that surfaced said the end of the program was looking to be 2016.
Kevin Scarbinsky noted this in his article, saying that the behind-the-scenes plans for ending the football program have been in tact for over a year:
"In a Nov. 6 statement, Watts said the entire UAB campus began a strategic planning initiative more than a year ago. As part of that process, Watts said, “the Athletic Department is conducting a full strategic review of its programs. The Athletic Department has engaged outside experts and is exploring a full range of options – not all of which will be implemented – to reach its desired results of sustained excellence.”– Kevin Scarbinsky, AL.com"
UAB began it’s football program in 1991 as a Division III school, and made the jump to division one just two years later, as a member of the now-FCS. The move to the FBS came in 1996, and the football team began C-USA play (oh, by the way, UAB is a charter member of the conference) in 1999.
This year’s 6-6 record for the Blazers is the first time they’ve been bowl eligible since 2004, when they lost to the Hawaii Warriors in the Hawaii Bowl.
When confirmed, UAB will be the first FBS team to lose it’s program since Pacific in 1995.
A picture is worth 1,000 words, and if this doesn’t get to you, than I feel sorry.
R.I.P. #UABFootball. pic.twitter.com/T4hK79SUWo
— AL.com (@aldotcom) December 2, 2014