The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Reaction To Conference USA's New Members And Future Plans
Here are comments regarding this news from UAB director of athletics and head football coach Watson Brown, along with Blazers' head men's basketball coach Mike Anderson.
Watson Brown: "I'm excited about the new members. The conference has had a plan, has worked on it all the way through. We knew what schools were likely to leave although South Florida's departure was late. That was the last piece of it. I feel good about the future of this league and I really I think this is going to be good for everybody. The Commissioner has been on top of this and we didn't wait to see what we would do."
(On the geography of Conference USA schools changing): "The changes will have an effect on the geography of the league, no doubt about that. I think we're closer to our divisional rivals, especially on the other side, and I think that will be a positive. I think it's going to be a very strong football league."
(On C-USA maintaining its bowl tie-ins): "Well, I think that remains to be seen, not only for our conference, but for the Big East, too. All of that will be up for grabs, but we sure hope so. That's for down the road and probably won't be determined for another year or two."
(On C-USA basketball) "We lost some good basketball programs with this, but there are some really good ones left. We're proud of our tradition and our basketball program here. I think we're adding some quality programs. Tulsa has had an outstanding program over the years."
(On potential C-USA Championship Game): "I hope there is one (a championship game). I think having two divisions and a championship game is the way to go. That was the way it was originally set up anyway, so now we can move forward on that and feel good about it."
Mike Anderson: "The ACC started all this off, so now it is sort of a trickle effect and now Conference USA has a new look. For me, it is sort of ironic because I am fmailiar with several of these schools already when I was with Arkansas and we were a member of the Southwest Conference. I think Conference USA has a very good name and I think it gives us a chance now with 12 successful schools to stand on our own merit. We have lost some schools with tradition, but at the same time, we have also added some quality teams."
(On the addition of Tulsa - Coach Mike Anderson's alma mater): "Everything that has taken place with me over the past two years has been ironic, and this adds to the list. Coming from Arkansas to coming home to Birmingham and now my alma mater is in the same conference. I'm sure my wife will look forward to it also because she is from Tulsa. I think Tulsa brings something to Conference USA, especially from the basketball standpoint. They have had a lot of success, so it will be interesting to see what happens. Really, every school which is joining brings a little something to this conference and I am looking forward to each of them joining."
(On basketball in the new C-USA): "I think it will take some time for this conference to build to become what it is now. It is a conference that will have to rise up and I think with these additions, it will have no problem doing that."
(On what the changes mean for UAB basketball): "I don't think it changes anything at all. First of all, my objective in the basketball program is to be one of the top programs in the country, so that doesn't change anything. With that said, you also want to be one of the better teams in the conference, so that is what we are trying to make happen here."
