Dilfer, fan of ‘big climbs up,’ talks strong vision for UAB
Trent Dilfer, the previous Super Bowl-winning quarterback and ESPN analyst, was presented as UAB’s head coach on Wednesday, laying out a vision for an age of Blazers football that he said “many individuals could not potentially envision.”
Dilfer, who is about to finish his 4th season as coach at Lipscomb Academy in Tennessee, stated he understands it’s going to be challenging to shift to the college game. He said he likes “huge climbs.”
“It’s a huge mountain,” he stated, “but I think the College Football Playoff is something we must speak about.”
It was a strong sentiment to reveal about a program that up until recently was a doormat in the Group of 5.
UAB didn’t start playing NCAA football till 1996– overshadowed by the University of Alabama and far less resourced. It had three gaining seasons and one bowl berth in the 17 seasons before Expense Clark took control of as head coach in 2014.
The program was then shuttered following the 2014 season and didn’t play once again till 2017.2 Associated
Clark remained on through the shutdown and the return, and he led the group to a 43-20 record and 2 Conference USA champions prior to he stepped down in the summer season to attend to an ailing back.Offensive planner Bryant Vincent rose to interim head coach and led the group to a 6-6 record during the regular season.Dilfer, 50, confessed that he wasn’t very well versed in the history of the program.”I understand this, “he said.” I know if you’re in the Southeast, you have a president that cares about quality and an [athletic director] that understands the effect of football on a donor base that wants football to be great, you can be really good. So whatever the brand name is on the jersey, I think this has a chance to be one of the best.” Dilfer, who won a Super Bowl as quarterback of the Baltimore Ravens in 2001, said he didn’t
know what to think when UAB athletic director Mark Ingram first evaluated his interest in the job.” I wouldn’t utilize the word’afraid,’ “he stated.”I was doubtful.”But the more Dilfer thought about it, the more
he stated his interest grew. People believed he was absurd for taking a job training high school football in Tennessee, he said, and on Thursday he’ll lead Lipscomb to a state championship game. “I’ll make very couple of promises,”he said.” But this promise I will make: You will get the best of me.”Dilfer stated he ‘d be lying if he said he understood how
to hire at an elite level. However he said he ‘d learn.He also acknowledged the players ‘sensations in him being induced as coach.The team sent out a letter to the school president on Tuesday morning, expressing their
aggravation over the handling of the training search and tossing their assistance behind Vincent to be named the irreversible head coach. “They’re losing a guy they really, really think in,” Dilfer stated.”Speaking to those players today, you can see the discomfort in their eyes. They love Coach Vincent.
They love that staff. And I stated, ‘I want to honor that. ‘I wish to help them end up strong.”But I also hope to make their trust as we go through this together because great things are coming. So we’ll connect with our present lineup and we’ll recruit them.
“Vincent will remain on and coach the team in the HomeTown Lenders Bahamas Bowl on Dec. 16 versus Louisiana Tech.