UAB linebacker Shaq Jones

UAB linebacker Shaq Jones summed up his allegiance to the school mere minutes after the Blazers announced Monday they plan to reinstate their football program.

“Ever faithful, ever loyal,” Jones told the Daily News. “I’ll remain at UAB.”

The rising senior linebacker who considered a transfer to Western Kentucky said he will stay at UAB and hope to use his final year of eligibility should the school’s football program return in 2016.

“I hoped for the day that we would hear that the football team would stay,” Jones said. “After the investigation was put in place, I decided to wait it out and see how it goes. It came out in our favor.”

Two of Jones’ former UAB teammates, defensive tackle Jontavius Morris and linebacker T.J. McCollum, transferred to WKU for the spring semester.

Both quickly adapted to life as Hilltoppers, with Morris becoming one of the breakout stars of WKU’s spring football session.

Both players said they expected Jones to join them at WKU over the summer, but Jones remained mum on his decision throughout the spring.

The 6-foot-3, 210-pounder tallied 50 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and an interception as a junior at UAB in 2014.

“It was really the only school,” Jones said of WKU. “The coaches there and the players there were very welcoming. I was grateful they gave me the opportunity to join their team. Western Kentucky was the place for me to go, but once there was a chance for UAB to come back, I was going to wait it out.”

Few of UAB’s former players will have the option to stay at the school like Jones, with most moving on to new institutions as Morris and McCollum did.

Jones said he’s sympathetic to his former teammates, but he knows they’re happy at their new homes.

“I feel for those guys,” Jones said. “I hate that we all had to split up, but I’ve talked to many teammates, and they talk highly about their universities. I’m happy for each one of them. They love the university they’re at, so it’s a bittersweet thing.”

— Zach Greenwell