BIRMINGHAM, AL (AP) � UAB football coach Watson Brown was named
interim director of the university's financially struggling athletic
program Thursday.
Brown will handle both duties until UAB finds a
successor to Herman Frazier, who left for the same post at the
University of Hawaii last week.
University of Alabama System Chancellor Malcolm
Portera, serving as UAB's interim president, said he sought input from
people within UAB and from outside supporters of the football program.
``The amount of enthusiasm and support that I received
about athletics was heartening,'' Portera said. ``Another consistent
message that I heard was that we have the right person here already.''
Brown will assume the interim duties Aug. 1. He also
served as head coach and AD at Rice in 1985.
His biggest administrative challenge likely will be to
drum up support for the athletic program.
The trustees of the University of Alabama System voted
unanimously April 19 to require UAB's athletic program to operate
without university money by 2004. The university's presidential
discretionary fund and state money pumped $7.5 million into athletics
during the last fiscal year.
``I know the challenges ahead and realize that it's
going to be a lot of work,'' Brown said. ``But at the same time, we
are totally committed to getting this done and having a successful
athletics program.''
Brown has guided the football team since 1995, a year
before the program moved up to Division I-A.
