‘A lot of history': Vincent returns to Birmingham after years of titles, bowl wins with UAB

Bryant Vincent was asked on Monday about heading back to Birmingham for the first time since serving as UAB's interim head coach. His answer traced the highs and lows of UAB football history. 'You go back in 2014, UAB had been to one bowl game ever, and hadn't won it,' Vincent said. 'We get bowl eligible the first year and they shut the program down, bring it back, I'm able to go back in '18 and we won our first conference championship ever, first bowl game ever. 'Then you win the West again, then you win the West again in '20 and you win another conference championship. Then, obviously being the interim head coach in '22 and winning the Bahamas Bowl. There's a lot of history that was made there with coach Clark.' Vincent will return to Protective Stadium on Saturday when his Louisiana-Monroe squad faces UAB in a non-conference matchup. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. in Birmingham and the game will be streamed on ESPN+. The West Alabama graduate spent the 2014 season on UAB's staff as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach before the program was shut down. After three seasons at South Alabama, he returned in 2018 and served as interim head coach in 2022 after Bill Clark retired. From 2018-22, UAB went 42-21 under Clark and Vincent, winning two Conference USA championships and three bowl games. Vincent guided the Blazers to a 7-6 record and a Bahamas Bowl victory as interim head coach in 2022. The third-year ULM coach is trying to bring the same kind of culture to his third Warhawks team in Monroe. 'There was a lot of history there, a lot of relationships and stuff, but it isn't about that,' he said ahead of the matchup. 'It's about this team and that next step we've got to take as a team and as a program to be able to go on the road and have a shot to win the game in the fourth quarter against a really quality opponent.' UAB opened the season with a 42-23 loss at Illinois. The Blazers outgained Illinois 413-332 in total yardage in the loss and converted over 50 percent of their third-down attempts, but committed nine penalties for 69 yards. 'Coach Mortensen's done a great job, man,' Vincent said. 'He's a great coach, he's a great man, an outstanding offensive coach. You look at that game, they go to Illinois on a Thursday night, and they beat them in every stat but the scoreboard. I think they ran 86 offensive snaps and had the ball for over 41 minutes.' ULM fell 62-13 at Mississippi State on Saturday to open the season. The Warhawks trailed 48-3 before scoring its first touchdown of the game on a 40-yard pass from Derrick Jameson to Austin Carlisle in the third quarter. 'This is a really good UAB football team,' Vincent said. 'I think they showed that going on the road against Illinois — a really good, quality opponent — and going toe-to-toe with them.'