Ad Disclosure
Bill Clark might no longer be calling the plays at UAB, but his impact is still felt inside the wall of the Blazers’ program. On Thursday night, Clark’s former players honored him in one of the more inspiring ways.
Leading 38-0 at halftime over Alabama A&M, UAB players swarmed Clark on the sideline before entering the locker room. From there, the Blazers all took a knee and listened to another pep talk while Protective Stadium erupted with applause.
The Blazers would go on to win 59-0 over the Bulldogs. Running back Lee Witherspoon would be the x-factor on the ground, scoring a pair of touchdowns off 8 carries.
Really cool moment. At the end of the 1st half, every UAB Blazer ran over to former Head Coach Bill Clark and took a knee. Clark was forced into retirement this past offseason due to a debilitating back injury which required surgery. They love their coach. @abc3340 @UAB_FB pic.twitter.com/0QxK42BbM9
— Johnny Congdon (@congdonsation) September 2, 2022
Clark, 54, surprised the college football community when he announced his retirement in June due to ongoing back issues. After stepping away from the program, Clark underwent spinal fusion surgery to correct the issue. In his place, the Blazers named offensive coordinator Bryant Vincent interim head coach for the 2022 season.
Hired in 2014 from Jacksonville State, Clark revived UAB football after the university shut down the program following his first season due to financial issues. Returning to the field in 2017, Clark went 49-26 in 6 seasons. Under his direction, the Blazers won 2 Conference USA titles and 3 West Division championships.
Clark posted an all-time coaching record of 60-30. He also led the Blazers to 5 consecutive bowl appearances.
Cole Thompson is a freelance writer for Saturday Football who has covered college football and the NFL for multiple websites. Thompson is currently based in Houston, Texas, and also can be heard daily on SportsMap National Radio's 'Just Sayin It' from 3am-6am.
