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UAB and coach Bill Clark working on long-term deal

Now that football is back at UAB after a brief hiatus, coach Bill Clark wants to stay with the school.

Clark told Al.com that he's working with the school on a new long-term contract. He said his current deal runs through the end of 2016 and needs a new deal to help recruit. UAB's athletic director said negotiations were ongoing.

"It's going to be a commitment to myself and my family, and my staff that we want to be here, we're going to be here," Clark told the site. "But it's our school saying, 'Football is here to stay, this is our coach, this is his staff. We're going to commit to him and the things it takes to do it the right way.' "

UAB announced the decision to drop football following the 2014 season. After much protestation from various groups and a private fundraising effort that garnered over $17 million, the school restored football along with rifle and bowling in June. The school said it would like to make the football program profitable within five years.

Clark won't be coaching any games in the near future, however. The team may not see the field again until possibly the 2017 season, meaning Clark's current contract is set to expire before UAB will likely play a game. So it makes immense sense for the school to lock him up to a deal that includes actual football games. No one wants to recruit players he may never coach. And having to find a new coach would be another step back for UAB.

"Having Bill because of all his relationships, for all the reasons UAB hired him, is an advantage," said Ingram, who in May was hired as athletic director, one month before school president Ray Watts announced football's return. "Trying to do this without coach would be really, really hard. Really, really hard."

The school is currently in the midst of a transition plan to present to the NCAA.

The Blazers are expected to be a full member of Conference-USA when football begins again. If football hadn't returned, UAB was set to be looking for a new conference.

 

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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!