It’s Time To End The Trent Dilfer Experiment At UAB, Which Should’ve Never Started

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse for the UAB football program after being destroyed 41-18 by Navy last week, Tulane put the Blazers on blast, and it’s time for the Trent Dilfer experiment to end. 

The hiring of Dilfer in 2022 was thought to be some outside-the-box decision by AD Mark Ingram that would jolt the Blazers football program into a new era. The problem is that the program was already restored from the ashes of Paul Bryant Jr. and Bill Claek had gotten the Blazers back into the conversation around college football. 

Unfortunately, Bill Clark had to retire, which led to Bryan Vinvent being named interim head coach, leading the Blazers to a 7-6 record in 2022. But that wasn’t enough for the folks in Birmingham, who wanted to make a splash and find a coach that would bring notoriety to the football program. 

So, they decided to hire Trent Dilfer, who had only coached high school football, going 44-10 at Lipscomb Academy in Nashville, Tennessee. 

FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS – SEPTEMBER 14: Head Coach Trent Dilfer of the UAB Blazers during a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on September 14, 2024 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Razorbacks defeated the Blazers 37-27.  (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

The problem was that the UAB players wanted Bryan Vincent to continue coaching the team, not this outsider who had no college experience at any level. Being a former NFL quarterback and having his face plastered on ESPN was enough popularity that UAB thought this would work, hoping to sell more tickets and do something that only a few others in college football have pulled off. 

As many expected, this turned out to be a gigantic mess, that has only gotten worse since Dilfer arrived in Birmingham. UAB went 4-8 last season, and after losing 71-20 to Tulane on Saturday, are now 1-4 on the season. 

Dilfer’s comments in recent weeks trying to compare the UAB program to Alabama’s football program, along with taking shots at the NIL situation and the volleyball team have not gone unnoticed. 

Trent Dilfer Needs A History Lesson On UAB Football

The problem is, as much as Dilfer wants to say that he respects what UAB has gone through over the past 20 years, he doesn’t act like he cares one bit. This was going to be a springboard job for Dilfer, hoping that success at UAB would lead to bigger opportunities. 

Yea, that hasn’t happened, and he’s lost the entire fan base. All you had to do was look at the stands on Saturday in Birmingham to notice that. The local radio shows are out on Dilfer, along with some folks on the school’s campus. 

“He is living in his own world, thinking that he’s the biggest headline to happen to the UAB football team since it was shutdown,” one Power-4 coach told OutKick. “The bigger problem is that he thinks he’s above UAB. When you don’t respect the position, and are constantly looking for ways to leave your own mark but degrading the current situation, it won’t work. That’s a mess over there.”

Things aren’t going to get any easier for the Blazers, as they will play 5-0 Army next week, will certainly turn into another loss. 

I don’t blame the players in this situation, I blame the athletic director who thought this would be a good idea to bring in Dilfer in the first place. Making $1.2 million per season, this isn’t working, and Trent Dilfer has a buyout of $3.6 million if fired after the season. 

It’s time for the athletic director to own-up for his mistake, and figure out a way to pay the buyout. While you’re at it, find a coach who is looking to prop-up your own university, and not a guy who’s looking to promote himself. 

UAB can do better, and their fans deserve it.