UAB Announces Return of Football Program for 2017 Season

The University of Alabama at Birmingham has a plan to reinstate the football program in 2017 after cutting the sport in December, according to a release from the school's website Tuesday.  

Per that release, UAB "currently is working with donors who committed enough financial support earlier in the year to enable the programs’ return without impacting the school’s budget beyond its current subsidy." The NCAA informed the school that football can return for the 2017 season, with the team competing at the Football Bowl Subdivision level. 

The team would also be eligible for bowl competition and a Conference USA championship immediately.

The news thrilled head coach Bill Clark, per the school's release: 

"

I am so excited that UAB Football will return to FBS competition in 2017. Like our fans, I wanted to light the scoreboard much sooner, but doing it right is more important than doing it fast, and this was our best option. We want a program that is here to stay. We have to start by building a new, stronger foundation. We need to take our time to do it right, then we can compete for conference and bowl championships.

"

Given the number of players who transferred after the program met its demise, rebuilding the roster before 2017 may have been a tall task.

In December, UAB's president, Ray Watts, announced that football, rifle and bowling would be abolished (all three were reinstated Tuesday), as he claimed that maintaining football wasn't financially viable.

But with donors helping out, fundraising efforts in place and the support of the NCAA and Conference USA, the university appears to have a sustainable plan in place to maintain the football program.

It's a bittersweet result, perhaps, for those players who were so devastated when the school initially cut the program and who won't have eligibility in 2017, but for those who fought to have football reinstated, this is nonetheless a huge win.