Blog Article

Trent Dilfer’s UAB Tenure: A Program-Killer in the Making?

Mark Haines on October 15, 2024

Is this a program-killer in the making?

Picture this: It’s a crisp autumn Saturday in Birmingham, Alabama. The stands at Protective Stadium are sparse, and the energy is subdued. On the sideline, a man with a Super Bowl ring on his finger and a deer-in-headlights look in his eyes watches as his team gets steamrolled.

This isn’t some fever dream. This is the reality of UAB football under Trent Dilfer.

Now, I’ve seen my fair share of coaching hot seats. But Dilfer’s? It’s not just hot. It’s supernova hot. We’re talking “center of the sun” hot. And here’s the kicker: It’s all happening faster than you can say “freakin’ Alabama.”

The Unlikely Experiment Gone Wrong

In the high-stakes world of college football, UAB decided to roll the dice on a former NFL quarterback turned high school coach with zero college experience. It was the kind of move that either ends up in the genius column or… well, let’s say it’s currently trending towards the “What Were They Thinking?” file.

As Joseph Goodman, the lead sports columnist for the Alabama Media Group puts it: “There was always a chance at UAB with Trent Dilfer that things could go horribly wrong in a hurry. Well, we’re here after six weeks of his second season on the Southside.”