UAB reportedly reinstating football program

Football is reportedly returning to UAB less than six months after president Ray Watts announced that the school would have to drop the program.

UAB has scheduled an announcement for Monday afternoon, and several reports indicate that that the football program will be reinstated. New athletic director Mark Ingram has decided to form a committee that will help raise between $13 and $20 million to upgrade facilities on campus.

Over the weekend, AL.com’s John Archibald reported that the odds of UAB reinstating its football program were a “coin flip,” as donors must commit at least $17 million to cover the costs that would go along with bringing the program back in addition to the $13 million-plus to upgrade facilities.

It appears donors have pledged enough money to convince Watts that football will be sustainable at UAB for the near future.

Watts had a meeting with the football team last year after announcing that the program would be cut, during which several players unloaded on him for not caring about their well-being. In April, one former UAB player carried his football helmet with him across the graduation stage and refused to shake Watts’ hand.

After all that, it appears the Blazers will not miss a football game.