A surprising name emerged in an ongoing college football coaching search Tuesday night that had the sport buzzing.
The UAB Blazers have reportedly found their next head coach, and it’s a major surprise. Trent Dilfer is the coach UAB has picked. Sports Illustrated writer Ross Dellenger reported that UAB was targeting Dilfer on Tuesday night, tweeting, “A splashy stunner: UAB is targeting former Super Bowl Champion QB Trent Dilfer as its next coach.”
A splashy stunner: UAB is targeting former Super Bowl champion QB Trent Dilfer as its next coach, sources tell @SINow. Confirming @FootballScoop.
Dilfer, in his 4th season as a HS coach, is 38-8 at Lipscomb Academy in Nashville with a state title. Also is coach of Elite 11 QB.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) November 30, 2022
Dilfer (seen above during a Sept. 23, 2021 game) has been out of the TV spotlight for a while. He has coached high school football at Lipscomb Academy in Nashville, Tennessee, and has run the Elite 11 national quarterback competition. On Wednesday, Lipscomb Academy said in an email to parents that Dilfer was resigning to take the UAB job.
Last year, Dilfer was in hot water after a viral video surfaced of him shoving a player. He apologized. To his credit, he hasn’t been involved in anything similar since. And he has won praise for his work with high school players.
Got to spend a lot of time around Trent Dilfer when I wrote The QB. He had recently taken over The Elite 11. I was really impressed with his vision and his passion for working with the kids and his coaches. Not shocked that less than a decade later he'd be a college HC. https://t.co/qF3ha01PJZ
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) November 30, 2022
Dilfer, of course, spent many years as an NFL quarterback. Famously, he won a Super Bowl with the 2000 Baltimore Ravens, who some argued had the best defense of all time. He then spent several years as an analyst for ESPN and then founded the Elite 11 quarterback camp for high school athletes.
The college football world reacted to the stunning news of Dilfer’s emergence as a candidate for the job:
I wonder what the record is for outgoing transfer portal entries in one month. I also wonder if UAB might get close to it. Players send the AD a letter backing the interim, and that day he goes and gets Trent Dilfer
— Alex Kirshner (@alex_kirshner) November 30, 2022
Every Ravens defender should get a small royalty check every time Trent Dilfer is described as a Super Bowl-winning QB, they literally allowed one touchdown in the entire 4-game postseason
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) November 30, 2022
Trent Dilfer is a good hire for UAB. I have no idea if it will work out.
— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) November 30, 2022
Trent Dilfer's first pep talk as UAB head coach:pic.twitter.com/zMJR574liI
— Mookie Alexander (@mookiealexander) November 30, 2022
The Jeff Saturday and Trent Dilfer hires have us thinking 😅 pic.twitter.com/Ptql4GsEi2
— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) November 30, 2022
Got to spend a lot of time around Trent Dilfer when I wrote The QB. He had recently taken over The Elite 11. I was really impressed with his vision and his passion for working with the kids and his coaches. Not shocked that less than a decade later he'd be a college HC. https://t.co/qF3ha01PJZ
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) November 30, 2022
This is real. The Blazers are going after Trent Dilfer.
UAB is a GOOD program and Trent Dilfer built a powerhouse at Lipscomb Academy. Plus, his Elite 11 work at least bodes well for evaluating talent.
Will it work? Who’s to say. https://t.co/o0uvvpvpcl
— Cole Thompson (@MrColeThompson) November 30, 2022
[Ross Dellenger on Twitter; photo from The Murfreesboro Daily News Journal, via USA Today Sports]
