From The Trussville Tribune staff reports
After leading his team to school records for conference and overall wins following a two-year program hiatus, UAB head coach Bill Clark has been named Conference USA Coach of the Year, as voted on by the league’s 14 head coaches and announced in a release Wednesday.
After not playing football in 2015 and 2016, the Blazers bevy of practices and self-scouting for two years paid immense returns with the 2017 season, as Clark led the Blazers to a program record for overall FBS wins (eight), conference wins (six) and home wins (six).
For just the second time in school history (Hawai’i, 2004), UAB will be competing in a bowl game as the Blazers tackle the Ohio Bobcats in the Bahamas Bowl on Friday, Dec. 22.
Despite only two seasons at the helm of the program, Clark already ranks second overall among Blazer coaches with a .583 winning percentage. He is 14-10 in two seasons at the helm and has guided the Blazers to bowl eligibility in both years.
Under Clark’s tutelage, UAB placed 11 players on the C-USA All-Conference teams, led by senior CB Darious Williams, a first-team selection who is currently tied for second nationally in passes defended with 20 and led C-USA in pass breakups (15) and interceptions (five) this season.
The Blazers also produced their first Freshman of the Year in running back Spencer Brown (fourth in C-USA with 1,292 rushing yards, along with 12 TDs on the ground).
This is Clark and UAB’s first Conference USA Coach of the Year honor. With his and Spencer Brown’s award, it marks the first time that UAB has won multiple major individual awards in the same season.
