***OFFICIAL GAME THREAD: UF vs UAB***
- Thread starter g8tr72
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- Sep 8, 2014
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This is from Steward Mandel (I posted it in the "will we beat UAB thread" - well worth the read):
UAB, back and better than ever
On Saturdays this time last season, while the rest of the nation’s football teams ran into amped-up stadiums and played for championships and bowl berths, the UAB Blazers would scrimmage at a soccer stadium and a hold a cookout afterward.
Head coach Bill Clark was “cautiously optimistic” about the level of talent he’d spent two years assembling, but “you just can’t simulate the urgency and intensity of a college football game without doing it,” he said.
As it turns out, UAB’s first football team in three years may be better than nearly all that came before it. With a 52-21 blowout of Rice on Saturday, the 6-3 Blazers became bowl-eligible for just the fifth time in the program’s 20 seasons at the FBS level. And unlike Clark’s first season in 2014, when UAB president Ray Watts controversially shut down the program (citing financial reasons) three days after the Blazers finished 6-6, the 2017 squad will definitely go bowling.
UAB’s only previous bowl trip was the 2004 Hawaii Bowl.
“We're not satisfied, and we’ve still got games left,” Clark told The All-American on Sunday, “but it was still a big accomplishment, to come from where we have.”
Suffice to say no coach has pulled off anything quite like the 49-year-old Alabama native, who stayed on as coach after donors convinced Watts to reinstate the program six months after shuttering it.
Just 15 players remain from his 2014 roster, three of whom left and then transferred back. There are 50 junior college transfers, seven FBS or FCS transfers, 18 redshirt freshmen and 10 true freshmen. One true frosh, running back Spencer Brown, ranks in the top 20 nationally with 1,049 rushing yards.
“I knew if we brought in the right guys we could at least compete,” Clark said. “We could sell playing time — you know you can come in and play immediately.
“Then I saw this past spring, hey, maybe we do have a chance. We went out in recruiting and got some guys that really bonded together.”
Just last week, UAB signed Clark to a contract extension that made him the fifth-highest-paid coach in the conference at $900,000. He’s already earned every penny.
UAB, back and better than ever
On Saturdays this time last season, while the rest of the nation’s football teams ran into amped-up stadiums and played for championships and bowl berths, the UAB Blazers would scrimmage at a soccer stadium and a hold a cookout afterward.
Head coach Bill Clark was “cautiously optimistic” about the level of talent he’d spent two years assembling, but “you just can’t simulate the urgency and intensity of a college football game without doing it,” he said.
As it turns out, UAB’s first football team in three years may be better than nearly all that came before it. With a 52-21 blowout of Rice on Saturday, the 6-3 Blazers became bowl-eligible for just the fifth time in the program’s 20 seasons at the FBS level. And unlike Clark’s first season in 2014, when UAB president Ray Watts controversially shut down the program (citing financial reasons) three days after the Blazers finished 6-6, the 2017 squad will definitely go bowling.
UAB’s only previous bowl trip was the 2004 Hawaii Bowl.
“We're not satisfied, and we’ve still got games left,” Clark told The All-American on Sunday, “but it was still a big accomplishment, to come from where we have.”
Suffice to say no coach has pulled off anything quite like the 49-year-old Alabama native, who stayed on as coach after donors convinced Watts to reinstate the program six months after shuttering it.
Just 15 players remain from his 2014 roster, three of whom left and then transferred back. There are 50 junior college transfers, seven FBS or FCS transfers, 18 redshirt freshmen and 10 true freshmen. One true frosh, running back Spencer Brown, ranks in the top 20 nationally with 1,049 rushing yards.
“I knew if we brought in the right guys we could at least compete,” Clark said. “We could sell playing time — you know you can come in and play immediately.
“Then I saw this past spring, hey, maybe we do have a chance. We went out in recruiting and got some guys that really bonded together.”
Just last week, UAB signed Clark to a contract extension that made him the fifth-highest-paid coach in the conference at $900,000. He’s already earned every penny.
- Dec 4, 2016
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By the time this game rolls around, we should be down to 50 scholarship players available. This season can’t get over fast enough.
- Jun 8, 2016
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- Jun 11, 2014
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- Jun 11, 2014
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It's a joke people, don't go jumping all over me for wishing a hurricane to your house.
- Sep 20, 2014
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should be riveting television
- Jun 14, 2014
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I've been planning on taking my oldest two kids to this game. It will be there first Gator game and we are going to be in Florida anyway. I am already pissed that it won't be the experience I want them to have just because the crowd won't be at the same level, but the boys better come to play and win!
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- Aug 28, 2014
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Can't wait, hope we wear the cursed blue jerseys.
- Oct 15, 2014
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- Nov 7, 2015
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UF +5 to UAB at home. Never would I picture being an underdog to UAB in The Swamp!!!!!!!!
Once again, I get more pi$$ed off at Mac every day. It's going to take a decade before his butter breath stink is wiped off this program.
Once again, I get more pi$$ed off at Mac every day. It's going to take a decade before his butter breath stink is wiped off this program.
- Jul 23, 2014
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Too soon to say that this will be our Georgia Southern - 2017?
- Jun 11, 2014
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I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you.
- Jun 11, 2014
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Nope. It's gonna happen. The team has checked out.
- Jun 17, 2014
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So what's the attendance gonna be? 65,000?? Or is that wishful thinking?
You could probably trade a scalper a stick of Juicy Fruit for a ticket on the way in...
You could probably trade a scalper a stick of Juicy Fruit for a ticket on the way in...
- Jun 11, 2014
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I'd go with about 68,000. I expect them to travel well since they're having a great season and are being picked to win so we'll say they'll bring about 3k to add to our 65k.
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