Bill Clark honored as Alabama Football Legend
The IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl kicks off Friday night at Cramton Bowl, marking the first meeting between in-state rivals Troy and Jacksonville State in 24 years.
The teams met Thursday for a luncheon at the Renaissance Hotel, celebrating this year’s Alabama Football Legend: Bill Clark.
Clark found success throughout the Yellowhammer State at both the high school and college level. Before reaching the FCS playoffs at Jacksonville State and becoming the winningest coach at UAB, Clark began his career in the River Region. He won two state titles at Prattville High School, posting a 106-11 record — the all-time best for an AHSAA coach with a minimum of 100 career games.
“Gosh, first head coaching job,” Clark said. “And really to kind of go from where we were to where we ended up. And the community, the folks, the players, the coaches. Just unbelievable memories.”
Clark said he was inspired to coach by watching his father Ragan.
“Being brought up as a coach’s son, I think that’s what I always knew I wanted to do,” Clark said. “It was just my calling. And I think God puts certain things in your heart and I think that’s what I was built to do.”
Bill Clark at UAB
Clark led UAB to its first ever bowl game in 2017. He went onto lead the Blazers to two Conference USA championships and four straight bowl appearances.
In 2021, his final season before retiring, the Blazers topped No. 13 BYU in the Independence Bowl.
“Fun for me is the training. It’s to take somebody to be better than maybe they thought they could be,” Clark said. “That’s what coaching is supposed to be. And I think a lot of the toughest jobs, where they hadn’t won before, were the ones I loved– to go from that to the ending result of winning a championship.”
