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Clark moving up?
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UAB Band Dad Offline
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Post: #1
Clark moving up?
We've got another dead week, so I'm going to throw out a discussion starter.

The South Carolina job is already open. It would not be surprising if Tennessee's does as well, and I suspect that Auburn would like to make a change if they can come up with the money for Gus' buy out. I have long said that I didn't expect Clark to make a move before he had at least one season at Protective with his players, but both UT and AU are the kind of job he really can't turn down if he is offered. USC not so much, although they'll be waving some serious money around as well.

The problem for Clark in that scenario is that he needs to be able to attract, retain, and develop four star players. I don't think that's a problem for him on defense, but on the offensive side it might be. If you're a hot young offensive stud and you look at UAB's game film, how excited are you when you compare it to many of the P5 offenses who are recruiting you? Or even the high school offense that positioned you to be a hot recruit? Same question pertains with regard to P5 AD's looking for a new football coach as well.

I saw it said on another board that while there was speculation that South Carolina would go after Hugh Freeze, that they might need to look at someone like Josh Heupel at UCF because of his offense. USC may need that gaudy offensive output to take the fan's minds off of continuing to lose (because they are South Carolina football).

Clark's comfort zone is old school SEC-style football. Smash mouth defense, a power running game, and enough passing to make gains there and to open up the run. In an era where even Alabama is passing 35 times a game, how much do Clark's offenses hinder his consideration on the coaching carousel?

It might be enough to keep him at UAB for a while longer, and as much as we love the guy, the passing game and offense in general is already becoming an issue here. Imagine the fan boards at the schools with the usual SEC unrealistic expectations.

Thoughts?
(This post was last modified: 11-16-2020 07:54 PM by UAB Band Dad.)
11-16-2020 12:49 PM
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blazerjay Offline
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Post: #2
No way Clark moving up
With our performance and lack of consistency over the last two seasons in a very weak conference, I don't think any big school has him at the top of their lists at this point. Until he can show that he thinks each and every game on the schedule is important enough to try our best to win, (unlike Tennessee in 2019), and he shows a willingness to choose the best coaches for his staff over just who he's buddies with, he's not going anywhere of note.

I think he is with us for the foreseeable future.

South Carolina won't hire a defensive coach this go around, unless there is nothing else available.

As far as Tennessee, the just followed the Auburn philosophy and gave Pruitt an extension. No way they buy him out this season.

It will be next year before Gus's buyout even comes into a range that Auburn would think about cutting him loose.
(This post was last modified: 11-16-2020 01:35 PM by blazerjay.)
11-16-2020 01:34 PM
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jaymay2525 Offline
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Post: #3
RE: Clark moving up
He can turn down UT, that isn't the job it used to be. They are on par with the Ole Miss, Miss State, Ark, SC now in my opinion
11-16-2020 01:48 PM
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BatesUAB Offline
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Post: #4
RE: Clark moving up
Good points above. Given the crazy financial times, and what Auburn owes Gus, he'll be back next year. But I also don't think anybody would be hiring Clark right now at a school he would entertain. Have you seen our football team??? Not exactly a paragon of excellence.
11-16-2020 01:50 PM
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Blazer88 Offline
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Post: #5
RE: Clark moving up
None of those schools would have Clark at the top of their list
11-16-2020 02:00 PM
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The Answer UAB Offline
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Post: #6
RE: Clark moving up
Yeah I really don't see Clark being able to move up right now, unless the perfect set of circumstances were to occur.

His offense is stuck in the 1980s. His teams rack up 100 yards of penalties every game without any sign of improvement. His teams play with borderline lack of discipline. He is too loyal to his coaches when they've done nothing to earn it. He hasn't recruited at a high level. His teams take games off (@ MTSU in 2018 and @ UT in 2019 come to mind). His teams play down to the competition and we have WTF losses, usually due to some combination of the issues I've already mentioned.

He is a very good defensive head coach and a good head coach/leader of a program. He has been incredibly loyal to us. I in no way mean to demean what he's done for our program, but the deficiencies are glaringly obvious at this point after several years coaching our program. He's got to improve those areas or we will be stuck in the mud as a program, and I don't think he would be at the top of any bigger conference program's lists at this time.
11-16-2020 02:07 PM
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blazr Away
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Post: #7
Clark moving up
I just...some of the things being said in this thread...

You’d think it would be at least a decade after 2015/16 before someone said our program was stuck in the mud. Or at least until we lose a game in a brand new stadium...


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11-16-2020 02:40 PM
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UAB Band Dad Offline
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Post: #8
RE: Clark moving up
(11-16-2020 01:48 PM)jaymay2525 Wrote:  He can turn down UT, that isn't the job it used to be. They are on par with the Ole Miss, Miss State, Ark, SC now in my opinion

He *can* but that's still a core SEC job, with all the facilities you could ask for in place and paying SEC money. If you're the guy who brings them back to being in the top three in their division, you're set. It's a program with a legitimate path to a national championship if your season breaks right. UT has sucked for the last few years, but it is still a job in the top half of the SEC, and that means that it is potentially one of the top twenty, twenty-five jobs in the country.

I doubt that it's a job he has his sights set on, but it would still be a difficult offer to turn down when you're coaching in C-USA.

*edit* and no, I'm not wanting him gone, or expecting him to leave immediately, and I can certainly see the warts on our team. He's nowhere near as hot as he was a couple of years ago, and that's good for us - if he sees what the weak spots are and addresses them. If he stands pat in the post-season again this year, the fans are going to be increasingly restless and critical. Our expectations have been raised.
(This post was last modified: 11-16-2020 03:41 PM by UAB Band Dad.)
11-16-2020 03:08 PM
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The Answer UAB Offline
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Post: #9
RE: Clark moving up
(11-16-2020 02:40 PM)blazr Wrote:  I just...some of the things being said in this thread...

You’d think it would be at least a decade after 2015/16 before someone said our program was stuck in the mud. Or at least until we lose a game in a brand new stadium...


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I didn't say we are stuck in the mud currently, but not far from it. We've had the same issues plaguing us for the past 4+ years and nothing has changed. I've seen nothing to indicate they will change yet. Another year of just being in the running to win the worst division in d1 football, 100 penalty yards per game, awful offense and qb play, and a low tier bowl game will be stuck in the mud to me. Some changes need to be made. We are teetering between boring mediocrity and being a really good program. I trust Clark will take us there.

Clark isn't infallible. There are glaringly obvious things that need to change for us to take a real step forward instead of getting the same results year in and year out.
(This post was last modified: 11-16-2020 03:13 PM by The Answer UAB.)
11-16-2020 03:11 PM
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BatesUAB Offline
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Post: #10
RE: Clark moving up
(11-16-2020 02:40 PM)blazr Wrote:  I just...some of the things being said in this thread...

You’d think it would be at least a decade after 2015/16 before someone said our program was stuck in the mud. Or at least until we lose a game in a brand new stadium...


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I feel you. And I don't want anyone to think that I'm not fully behind Clark, because I am. I just think there is a limited number of places where Clark would go from UAB- I don't think he would go to a Vandy or a Texas Tech or an Illinois. The places he would go- say a Florida State or a South Carolina- I think those schools wouldn't have Clark's name high on their list.
11-16-2020 03:34 PM
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Post: #11
RE: Clark moving up
(11-16-2020 02:00 PM)Blazer88 Wrote:  None of those schools would have Clark at the top of their list

Not even in their initial top 10.

I’ll just continue to try and enjoy while he is here and demand he make a full offensive change and work on pre-snap and dead ball discipline
(This post was last modified: 11-16-2020 03:36 PM by BlazinBham.)
11-16-2020 03:36 PM
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Post: #12
Clark moving up
Clark doesn’t have a life-long lock as our HC. I agree on that. But there are lots of potential “next steps” coming up including the stadium, P5 opponents, high-lvl G5 opponents in the new stadium, likely conf juggling with both the AAC running out of waivers in having 11 teams AND TV contracts due to be renewed or renegotiated.

I think Clark deserves to show what he can do when all those pieces start coming together. If he does move on, one could argue that UAB is one of the top G5 jobs in the country at this point in time.


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11-16-2020 04:12 PM
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UAB Band Dad Offline
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Post: #13
RE: Clark moving up
If and when Clark does move on, UAB is far better positioned for a coaching search and is a more attractive job than it has ever been.
11-16-2020 04:54 PM
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BlazerMatt Offline
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Post: #14
RE: Clark moving up
The market just isn’t there for him. His teams have **** the bed in pretty much every nationally relevant game, and worse from a P5 AD’s POV, he hasn’t shown that he can recruit. If you can’t out-recruit southern miss, then there aren’t many power five ADs who are going to come banging on your door.
11-16-2020 05:08 PM
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Auburn_Blazer Offline
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Post: #15
RE: Clark moving up
At this point we don't need to worry about Clark going anywhere until these guys move on:
  • Hugh Freeze
  • Billy Napier
  • Luke Fickell
  • Jamey Chadwell

I'm not at all trying to throw shade on Clark, but an athletic director is going to take a peak at these rankings and move onto the next person.

UAB Scoring Offense ranking since the return:
2017 - 70th
2018 - 60th
2019 - 97th
2020 - 60th

UAB Penalties Per Game ranking since the return:
2017 - 54th
2018 - 98th
2019 - 112th
2020 - 127th
11-16-2020 05:09 PM
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blazers9911 Online
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Post: #16
RE: Clark moving up
(11-16-2020 03:11 PM)The Answer UAB Wrote:  
(11-16-2020 02:40 PM)blazr Wrote:  I just...some of the things being said in this thread...

You’d think it would be at least a decade after 2015/16 before someone said our program was stuck in the mud. Or at least until we lose a game in a brand new stadium...


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I didn't say we are stuck in the mud currently, but not far from it. We've had the same issues plaguing us for the past 4+ years and nothing has changed. I've seen nothing to indicate they will change yet. Another year of just being in the running to win the worst division in d1 football, 100 penalty yards per game, awful offense and qb play, and a low tier bowl game will be stuck in the mud to me. Some changes need to be made. We are teetering between boring mediocrity and being a really good program. I trust Clark will take us there.

Clark isn't infallible. There are glaringly obvious things that need to change for us to take a real step forward instead of getting the same results year in and year out.

What game would you like Clark, or any other cusa coach for that matter, to take their team to that isn’t “low tier”?

I agree with a lot of what is being said in this thread, and disagree with a lot of it. We live in a what have you done for me now society, and that shows here. This was always going to be a weird year, and if seems some of our fans have gone a bit off the deep end at this point. There are some recurring issues that I definitely think we need to work out, but the sky is most definitely not falling.
11-16-2020 05:20 PM
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BlazrDawg Offline
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Post: #17
RE: Clark moving up
This thread should have had a ? at the end of "up". Then I wouldn't have jumped on it like a hongry bear on a honey comb.
11-16-2020 06:22 PM
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UAB Band Dad Offline
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Post: #18
RE: Clark moving up?
Easily fixed.
11-16-2020 07:54 PM
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BlazerGreen Offline
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Post: #19
RE: Clark moving up?
(11-16-2020 05:09 PM)Auburn_Blazer Wrote:  At this point we don't need to worry about Clark going anywhere until these guys move on:
  • Hugh Freeze
  • Billy Napier
  • Luke Fickell
  • Jamey Chadwell

I'm not at all trying to throw shade on Clark, but an athletic director is going to take a peak at these rankings and move onto the next person.

UAB Scoring Offense ranking since the return:
2017 - 70th
2018 - 60th
2019 - 97th
2020 - 60th

UAB Penalties Per Game ranking since the return:
2017 - 54th
2018 - 98th
2019 - 112th
2020 - 127th

For me, it's the penalties. Clark can change OC's but the penalties have been in all three phases of the game. If I was an AD the ranking and the trend would bother me very much.
11-16-2020 09:28 PM
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Blazer4Life14 Offline
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Post: #20
RE: Clark moving up?
Clark ain’t going anywhere....not till we spring some OOC upsets or win the conference 3 or 4 years in a row.
11-16-2020 09:57 PM
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