The unofficial online home for fans of the UAB Blazers. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

Who do you think are the candidates?

Ryan Pratt - head coach at Houston Christian
Tony McManus - assistant coach - Memphis
Matthew Thorne - head coach AUM

Who else?

Did y’all fire the old coach?

(11-03-2023 04:09 AM)AssKickingChicken Wrote:  Did y’all fire the old coach?

While I never saw a release, he’s no longer listed on the roster online. So I’m taking that as a yes.

I don't have a name but I have to assume there's someone worthwhile on the Marshall staff. They've been on an incredible run and are a program I would assume with similar resources. Thorne is definitely who I'd be gunning for though.

Seems like we made the move and I’m thankful. Go ******* Blazers!

I’d prefer not to go the assistant route. Either cough up the $ for a winning D1 coach (Pratt doesn’t qualify) or hire Thorne.

Please don’t screw this up Ingram.

Thorne should be the no brainer hire here. He is familiar with the state and has been successful everywhere he’s been. I agree, no finding some random assistant somewhere. Grassie has been extremely successful, but that doesn’t mean his staff would be.

Glad to see them make a move & hopefully it’s the right one.

(11-02-2023 09:22 PM)the Dragon Wrote:  Who do you think are the candidates?

Ryan Pratt - head coach at Houston Christian
https://hcuhuskies.com/sports/mens-soccer/schedule

Tony McManus - assistant coach - Memphis
https://gotigersgo.com/sports/mens-soccer/schedule

Matthew Thorne - head coach AUM
https://aumathletics.com/sports/mens-soccer/schedule

Who else?

Maybe I looked at it wrong, but Houston Christian does not look that impressive

(11-03-2023 09:36 AM)Auburn_Blazer Wrote:  I don't have a name but I have to assume there's someone worthwhile on the Marshall staff.
https://herdzone.com/sports/mens-soccer/schedule

They've been on an incredible run and are a program I would assume with similar resources. Thorne is definitely who I'd be gunning for though.

(11-03-2023 09:46 AM)BlazerGreen Wrote:  Seems like we made the move and I’m thankful. Go ******* Blazers!

I’d prefer not to go the assistant route.

[b]Got to start somewhere and if we did go with an assistant Marshall seems like the route to take

Either cough up the $ for a winning D1 coach (Pratt doesn’t qualify) or hire Thorne.

Please don’t screw this up Ingram.

How about Rush Propst? I hear he’s good at just about everything and hiring him for soccer would atone for our error in passing him over for football. He’s born to be a Blazer! Let’s make this happen! Who’s with me?

(11-03-2023 08:11 PM)89_Blazer Wrote:  How about Rush Propst? I hear he’s good at just about everything and hiring him for soccer would atone for our error in passing him over for football. He’s born to be a Blazer! Let’s make this happen! Who’s with me?

Sorry, we’ve met our quota on high school coaches.

The Blazerman coached youth soccer league for 2-3 years. Could probably get him for a reasonable price.

I heard that UAB terminated its contract with the company that maintained the pitch. No clue if that helps or hurts.

(11-05-2023 09:49 AM)Auburn_Blazer Wrote:  I heard that UAB terminated its contract with the company that maintained the pitch. No clue if that helps or hurts.

It should help a lot, same with baseball if they did that too.

If we really made a commitment to compete nationally we would go get someone like this: Kyle Russell.

(11-05-2023 11:30 AM)BlazerGreen Wrote:  If we really made a commitment to compete nationally we would go get someone like this: Kyle Russell.

Would he realistically come here? Tell me if I'm wrong but it seems like it would be a lateral move.

(11-05-2023 08:57 PM)TT32 Wrote:  

(11-05-2023 11:30 AM)BlazerGreen Wrote:  If we really made a commitment to compete nationally we would go get someone like this: Kyle Russell.

Would he realistically come here? Tell me if I'm wrong but it seems like it would be a lateral move.

If he leaves FIU, it will be for a better place than UAB. Why would he want to go from the 3rd place team in the AAC to the bottom?

(11-05-2023 10:52 PM)Marathon Blazer Wrote:  

(11-05-2023 08:57 PM)TT32 Wrote:  

(11-05-2023 11:30 AM)BlazerGreen Wrote:  If we really made a commitment to compete nationally we would go get someone like this: Kyle Russell.

Would he realistically come here? Tell me if I'm wrong but it seems like it would be a lateral move.

If he leaves FIU, it will be for a better place than UAB. Why would he want to go from the 3rd place team in the AAC to the bottom?

Short answer: $. If our ambition matched our facilities in soccer, swiping a good D1 coach wouldn't be so unthinkable. One of the big reasons given for UAB and the other 5 CUSA schools moving to the AAC is the willingness to spend on athletics. It shouldn't be far-fetched for UAB to take any coach from FIU.

Sadly, our reality doesn't match that expectation. That's why Coach Thorne is IMO the best candidate for what we'll be willing to pay.

https://x.com/American_Conf/status/17213...95392?s=20

Forgot college soccer counts down, so weird.

I’ve heard there are some candidates interviewing on campus. Any clue who they are?