The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Clark Previews Saturday’s Conference USA Title Game
11/26/2018 4:32:00 PM | Football
BIRMINGHAM - Playing in the school's first Conference USA Championship game this Saturday at Middle Tennessee, UAB head football coach Bill Clark addressed the media at his weekly press conference on Monday at the Football Operations Center.
THREE THINGS TO KNOW:
Head Coach Bill Clark
Opening Statement:
"I want to thank all of our fans and supporters. Once again, that's why we're here. They brought our program back from the dead. They have raised over 50 million. If you were at the game Saturday, what a great support group we had there. I am so appreciative of them coming out and supporting our players like they did. We had a great fan base there. The band did a great job. Thank you for all that support we had last week. Obviously, this is a huge moment in UAB history and in UAB football history, to have won the west and have a chance to play in the championship game. We need folks there. I'm asking our fans: we need you there. It's a 12:30 p.m. kickoff. We need to turn out and support this game and support this team. We appreciate all you've done for us. I hate that we couldn't get the game back home. Obviously, the team and I hate that we couldn't get the game back to Birmingham for everybody but it is what it is right now.
"Let's talk about the game: we were very disappointed Saturday. It starts with me. We didn't get the job done. Give Middle Tennessee all the credit. They played very well, especially defensively against our offense. We had some people out, no doubt, but we aren't going to make excuses. They were very hungry. They were trying to get into the championship game and they did. No excuses on our side. We just didn't get the job done. We have a lot of things to correct and a lot of things to fix. Obviously, they're a very good team. I thought, going in, that we were probably the two best teams in the league and it showed. Once again, give them a lot of credit. Offensively, we know we have a lot of things to clean up. We still have some guys injured. We're just going to have to fight through that. Defensively, we probably played a pretty solid game even though that's still not our expectation against a really good offense. Special teams, for the most part, was really solid. There are a lot of things to do. It's the championship game and we'll be ready to play."
On playing the same opponent in back-to-back weeks:
"I don't know how many times that has happened. Being an old high school coach, that was a playoff scenario. Teams have had to play each other back-to-back. Maybe they played in the regular season and they were in the same area or region and ended up playing them again. That happens a good bit. I have been part of that. The back-to-back, I don't even know how many times I've heard of that. It's very interesting. I'm anxious to see how they handle it. Obviously, we've got our thoughts already. I had some thoughts going in. There was a chance if FIU wins or we win, you had all those thoughts going in. I will say, we did not handle it, and it starts with me, being the west champion, having an SEC game, then playing them. We did not handle it well, for whatever reason. Granted, injuries did play a role. We're not going to make any excuses. There are none to be made. We didn't play like we should play. They played excellent and I expect them to play just the same way. We're going to see how well we play. The back-to-back game creates a lot of questions. Do we stay the same? Do we change? What plays did you like and not like? There are all kinds of factors that are going to be playing in to this one."
On the Championship Game's site:
"Home field advantage is such a big deal. That's why they call it home field. Staying in your same spot every week to your locker room and all those things that go into it. I promise you, I would've loved to have played that same game in Birmingham to have a chance to get to this one. We had them here last year and it was their turn to get to host us. Like I said, we did not handle it perfectly. I don't think we were where we needed to be. Our players would be the first to tell you that. I don't want it to sound like we're making some kind of excuse. It was important to us to get to come back home. We did want to win the game, so it was not that we took it off or any of that. We go to win every single game. I, for sure, don't want to make any excuses at all, other than giving them all the credit. We are going to see how we handle this one. I believe in this staff and I believe in these players. I think we'll be ready to play."
On having support at the Championship Game:
"I was really looking forward to getting this game here. We're three hours away, maybe less than three hours. We need our folks there. It's an early kick. You've got time to get there, though. We had a great crowd there, but we need more. This team deserves that. They deserve to have a great crowd. If we were playing in Miami, I could understand it. We're close enough that people can come see us. It would be great to get our big group there."
Linebacker Fitzgerald Mofor
On playing Middle Tennessee two consecutive games:
"I feel like we will be able to bounce back. Texas A&M was a big loss for us, but the last time that we lost and had to figure out who we really were was Coastal Carolina earlier this season. It molded and shaped us to come out. The loss that we had last Saturday will do the same."
On adjustments from the first meeting:
"The biggest thing, for us defensively, is a sense of urgency. This time around, we know what to expect. We feel like we know what they're going to do. This time around, we have a lot more experience. Playing fast and playing hard is something that we do every Saturday. This Saturday, the sense of urgency will be turned up a notch because it's win-or-go-home."
Wide Receiver Kailon Carter
On Saturday's game:
"We were pretty disappointed. We were not executing on some of the plays that were called. We're going to do a better job coming around to this week. We just have to go back and work. It's a brand-new week. We get another swing at it. We feel pretty good about it."
On adjustments to be made during the week:
"We're going to come out with a little more enthusiasm. We've just got to be ready to go. We're going to come out firing like they were."
THREE THINGS TO KNOW:
- UAB and Middle Tennessee are each making their first appearance in the Conference USA title game this Saturday. The game will be played at 12:30 p.m. CST on CBS Sports Network. UAB finished the regular season by setting school records for overall (9) and C-USA wins (7). The Blazers are in search of their first 10-win season in program history.
- The Blazers finished the regular season ranked eighth nationally in total defense (287.2). UAB will be looking for a bit of revenge after Middle Tennessee compiled 394 yards of total offense last week. Along with total defense, UAB boasts top-10 national ranks in seven different statistical categories: first in fourth down defense (.214), second in third down defense (.255), fourth in sacks per game (3.42), sixth in tackles for loss per game (8.1), seventh in passing yards allowed (166.3) and ninth in scoring defense (16.7).
- Running back Spencer Brown is seven yards shy of back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons to begin his career. The true sophomore has tallied a school record 15 rushing touchdowns this year and has scored 25 career rushing touchdowns in 25 career games.
Head Coach Bill Clark
Opening Statement:
"I want to thank all of our fans and supporters. Once again, that's why we're here. They brought our program back from the dead. They have raised over 50 million. If you were at the game Saturday, what a great support group we had there. I am so appreciative of them coming out and supporting our players like they did. We had a great fan base there. The band did a great job. Thank you for all that support we had last week. Obviously, this is a huge moment in UAB history and in UAB football history, to have won the west and have a chance to play in the championship game. We need folks there. I'm asking our fans: we need you there. It's a 12:30 p.m. kickoff. We need to turn out and support this game and support this team. We appreciate all you've done for us. I hate that we couldn't get the game back home. Obviously, the team and I hate that we couldn't get the game back to Birmingham for everybody but it is what it is right now.
"Let's talk about the game: we were very disappointed Saturday. It starts with me. We didn't get the job done. Give Middle Tennessee all the credit. They played very well, especially defensively against our offense. We had some people out, no doubt, but we aren't going to make excuses. They were very hungry. They were trying to get into the championship game and they did. No excuses on our side. We just didn't get the job done. We have a lot of things to correct and a lot of things to fix. Obviously, they're a very good team. I thought, going in, that we were probably the two best teams in the league and it showed. Once again, give them a lot of credit. Offensively, we know we have a lot of things to clean up. We still have some guys injured. We're just going to have to fight through that. Defensively, we probably played a pretty solid game even though that's still not our expectation against a really good offense. Special teams, for the most part, was really solid. There are a lot of things to do. It's the championship game and we'll be ready to play."
On playing the same opponent in back-to-back weeks:
"I don't know how many times that has happened. Being an old high school coach, that was a playoff scenario. Teams have had to play each other back-to-back. Maybe they played in the regular season and they were in the same area or region and ended up playing them again. That happens a good bit. I have been part of that. The back-to-back, I don't even know how many times I've heard of that. It's very interesting. I'm anxious to see how they handle it. Obviously, we've got our thoughts already. I had some thoughts going in. There was a chance if FIU wins or we win, you had all those thoughts going in. I will say, we did not handle it, and it starts with me, being the west champion, having an SEC game, then playing them. We did not handle it well, for whatever reason. Granted, injuries did play a role. We're not going to make any excuses. There are none to be made. We didn't play like we should play. They played excellent and I expect them to play just the same way. We're going to see how well we play. The back-to-back game creates a lot of questions. Do we stay the same? Do we change? What plays did you like and not like? There are all kinds of factors that are going to be playing in to this one."
On the Championship Game's site:
"Home field advantage is such a big deal. That's why they call it home field. Staying in your same spot every week to your locker room and all those things that go into it. I promise you, I would've loved to have played that same game in Birmingham to have a chance to get to this one. We had them here last year and it was their turn to get to host us. Like I said, we did not handle it perfectly. I don't think we were where we needed to be. Our players would be the first to tell you that. I don't want it to sound like we're making some kind of excuse. It was important to us to get to come back home. We did want to win the game, so it was not that we took it off or any of that. We go to win every single game. I, for sure, don't want to make any excuses at all, other than giving them all the credit. We are going to see how we handle this one. I believe in this staff and I believe in these players. I think we'll be ready to play."
On having support at the Championship Game:
"I was really looking forward to getting this game here. We're three hours away, maybe less than three hours. We need our folks there. It's an early kick. You've got time to get there, though. We had a great crowd there, but we need more. This team deserves that. They deserve to have a great crowd. If we were playing in Miami, I could understand it. We're close enough that people can come see us. It would be great to get our big group there."
Linebacker Fitzgerald Mofor
On playing Middle Tennessee two consecutive games:
"I feel like we will be able to bounce back. Texas A&M was a big loss for us, but the last time that we lost and had to figure out who we really were was Coastal Carolina earlier this season. It molded and shaped us to come out. The loss that we had last Saturday will do the same."
On adjustments from the first meeting:
"The biggest thing, for us defensively, is a sense of urgency. This time around, we know what to expect. We feel like we know what they're going to do. This time around, we have a lot more experience. Playing fast and playing hard is something that we do every Saturday. This Saturday, the sense of urgency will be turned up a notch because it's win-or-go-home."
Wide Receiver Kailon Carter
On Saturday's game:
"We were pretty disappointed. We were not executing on some of the plays that were called. We're going to do a better job coming around to this week. We just have to go back and work. It's a brand-new week. We get another swing at it. We feel pretty good about it."
On adjustments to be made during the week:
"We're going to come out with a little more enthusiasm. We've just got to be ready to go. We're going to come out firing like they were."
Players Mentioned
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