After a strong recovery from back surgery and taking on a handful of off-the-field roles in sports, Bill Clark could make his return to the college sidelines soon.

The former UAB coach told AL.com that he has received some interest from football programs for a coaching position, open to opportunities that he sees as a good fit.

Clark said he’d be looking for a job of similar status to UAB or above; some of the Group of Five head coaching vacancies currently include Southern Miss, Kennesaw State, Florida Atlantic and East Carolina.

“The people that have reached out to me have got great programs, and we’ll just see if there’s something that’s really a fit of where I see myself, and once again, maybe I see myself somewhere else and they don’t see me,” Clark said Saturday in Jacksonville. “I’m just wanting to be really careful, because my last hoorah, if there is one, I want it to be right.”

Clark stepped down from his position at UAB in the summer of 2022, citing the need for a spinal fusion because of “long-standing back issues that have grown more and more debilitating in the last year.”

He finished his six-season tenure with the program with a 49-26 record and two Conference USA championships, earning Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year honors in 2018 after leading the Blazers to an 11-3 record and a CUSA title.

“Back surgery is the great unknown, and for it to work, I just feel good,” Clark said. “I walk every day, I exercise, I stretch a lot, and so really a big thing for me was what do I want to do? I’ve consulted some teams, I’ve had three teams I’ve consulted the last few years, and then I started a radio show this year, which has been fun and a real season to talk about college football. It seems to have gone good.”

“I’ve said this year that let’s just hear what’s out there, and I’ve had some interest. It’s just got to be a marriage of somebody who wants me and then somebody that’s committed to doing what I think is the right way. So, we’ll see.”

Since being off the sidelines, Clark has hosted a radio show on JOX 94.5 in Birmingham and served as a color commentator for Jacksonville State’s home football games on ESPN+.

He said being off the sideline has changed his perspective on the potential opportunities he would accept, as he’s been enjoying his off-the-field roles.

“It’s been cool, it’s been fun and everybody’s just been great,” Clark said. “Maybe my side of it is giving you the coach’s side. The guys I’ve worked with on the radio side have been great and working with Eli on the broadcasts, Greg Seitz here, it’s just fun to get to come back home. Jax State’s always going to be my alma mater and so special to me.

“I’m just wanting to be really careful about what I get back into because I am happy. Life is good, but I don’t know. There may be another fit, so we’ll see.”

Clark said he’s consulted plenty of his friends and colleagues about the way coaching has changed since he stepped down, specifically about NIL, which was just starting to be more prominent when he stepped down.

When asked if he thought he’d be ready to take on the new look of college football, he said those conversations have helped him become knowledgeable enough to be comfortable with taking it on.

“X and O wise, I was always trying to be on the cutting edge and always trying to grow, and I’ve seen everything that’s out there right now,” Clark said. ”You’ve just got to embrace it. I think if you go into it now saying it’s terrible, this is what it is. If you want to get back in it, you’ve got to be ready to embrace it and go with it.”