Reports: UAB heading toward shutting down football

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The University of Alabama-Birmingham appears close to dropping football.

Coach Bill Clark told ESPN.com on Sunday he expects the school to end a program that has struggled financially and on the field for years.

Clark told ESPN.com: “Unless something changes before the weekend ends, I think it’s over. I think the odds are very high it ends this week.”

Sports Illustrated and USA Today, citing unidentified sources, reported UAB was taking steps to disband the program this week, including letting go athletic director Brian Mackin.

Clark later tweeted: “Contrary to news, We haven’t heard any decision about our program. We are still fighting!”

In its first season under Clark, UAB (6-6) is eligible for bowl game for the first time since 2004.

Additional reporting:

UAB football program can’t outrun past, escape shadow of Alabama — from ESPN.com

With UAB football team threatened, hundreds rally on campus — from AL.com

 

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