The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Clark and Carter Address Media at Bahamas Bowl Press Conference
12/1/2017 2:36:00 PM | Football
NASSAU, Bahamas - In advance of UAB's Bahamas Bowl game vs. Ohio University, head coach Bill Clark and Senior Associate Athletics Director and CFO Bryant Carter addressed the media on Friday morning at Thomas A. Robinson Memorial Stadium in the Bahamas.
NOTES:
Senior Associate AD Bryant Carter:
"It is a tremendous pleasure and honor to be playing in the fourth annual Bahamas Bowl. UAB has had a great year. It is also a privilege to be playing such an esteemed university as Ohio coached by Frank Solich who in his own right has a tremendous history and coaching success with a very reputable program in Ohio.
"This UAB team has endured so much this year and we have accomplished so much. The Bahamas Bowl is a reward and also an opportunity that has been presented to a team that is very deserving. We haven't played in two years. No one outside of our UAB community thought we would be here. But we did it. And we did it the right way. I am very proud of our coaching staff and head coach Bill Clark and what we have been able to do. We've written history. We've had a lot of eyes looking upon us and I think we answered the call.
"We thank you for the opportunity to be here. We are thankful for the invitation that was presented to us. The Atlantis is a spectacular resort. I can't think of another group that is more deserving than UAB football and again we are very honored to be a part of this bowl and the history thereof."
Head Coach Bill Clark:
"It is good to be back. This is my third trip here. I was here two years ago representing Conference USA. Seeing the field and the improvements that have been made. Lea [Miller] and Richard [Giannini], what a job you have done putting on this bowl, and to the Bahamian people, thank you so much.
"Speaking on behalf of UAB, our administration, players, coaches and staff, thank you so much. Congratulations Coach Solich and Ohio. What a great job they have done this year and we know it is going to be a true battle and test when we play those guys.
"Just to tell you about our story. Obviously we didn't play for two years so when I got to come visit, Conference USA asked me if I wanted to come here and represent for the conference, and it took me about two seconds to say yes. As when all this was coming to fruition this year, it was asked, 'is this something you would like to do?' and once again, very quickly, it was 'yes, no doubt, we would love to do this.'
"Taking you back to two years ago. Taking our program from a total shutdown, the people of Birmingham, our alumni, our students…In fact, the students voted to raise their tuition to help bring football back when I was down here in the Atlantis two years ago. I still remember being in a meeting that night when they made that vote. But that process to raise money, build facilities and go find players, I had no idea what this season was going to look like. But for our players and coaches and all of our fans to do what they did this year to get us bowl eligible was such a big deal. To cap off what was a storybook season in just coming back, setting records and getting bowl record, and then to get to come to this great place at the Atlantis in the Bahamas, to give our guys a reward and to play a great opponent in Ohio, we couldn't be more excited. I just want to say thank you and we look forward to being here. Go Blazers."
NOTES:
- Representatives from the UAB football team and administration concluded a three-day site visit with today's press conference.
- UAB is playing it just its second bowl game in program history and looks to become the first Blazer team to be victorious in the postseason.
- UAB and Ohio will meet for the first time on Dec. 22. The game kicks at 11:30 a.m. CST on ESPN.
Senior Associate AD Bryant Carter:
"It is a tremendous pleasure and honor to be playing in the fourth annual Bahamas Bowl. UAB has had a great year. It is also a privilege to be playing such an esteemed university as Ohio coached by Frank Solich who in his own right has a tremendous history and coaching success with a very reputable program in Ohio.
"This UAB team has endured so much this year and we have accomplished so much. The Bahamas Bowl is a reward and also an opportunity that has been presented to a team that is very deserving. We haven't played in two years. No one outside of our UAB community thought we would be here. But we did it. And we did it the right way. I am very proud of our coaching staff and head coach Bill Clark and what we have been able to do. We've written history. We've had a lot of eyes looking upon us and I think we answered the call.
"We thank you for the opportunity to be here. We are thankful for the invitation that was presented to us. The Atlantis is a spectacular resort. I can't think of another group that is more deserving than UAB football and again we are very honored to be a part of this bowl and the history thereof."
Head Coach Bill Clark:
"It is good to be back. This is my third trip here. I was here two years ago representing Conference USA. Seeing the field and the improvements that have been made. Lea [Miller] and Richard [Giannini], what a job you have done putting on this bowl, and to the Bahamian people, thank you so much.
"Speaking on behalf of UAB, our administration, players, coaches and staff, thank you so much. Congratulations Coach Solich and Ohio. What a great job they have done this year and we know it is going to be a true battle and test when we play those guys.
"Just to tell you about our story. Obviously we didn't play for two years so when I got to come visit, Conference USA asked me if I wanted to come here and represent for the conference, and it took me about two seconds to say yes. As when all this was coming to fruition this year, it was asked, 'is this something you would like to do?' and once again, very quickly, it was 'yes, no doubt, we would love to do this.'
"Taking you back to two years ago. Taking our program from a total shutdown, the people of Birmingham, our alumni, our students…In fact, the students voted to raise their tuition to help bring football back when I was down here in the Atlantis two years ago. I still remember being in a meeting that night when they made that vote. But that process to raise money, build facilities and go find players, I had no idea what this season was going to look like. But for our players and coaches and all of our fans to do what they did this year to get us bowl eligible was such a big deal. To cap off what was a storybook season in just coming back, setting records and getting bowl record, and then to get to come to this great place at the Atlantis in the Bahamas, to give our guys a reward and to play a great opponent in Ohio, we couldn't be more excited. I just want to say thank you and we look forward to being here. Go Blazers."
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