UAB fires head football Coach Trent Dilfer

October 12, 2025 – BIRMINGHAM, AL – The University of Alabama Birmingham (UAB) has parted ways with head football Coach Trent Dilfer.

The university released a statement from UAB Director of Athletics Mark Ingram on Sunday.

"We have made a decision to part ways with Head Football Coach Trent Dilfer. We agree that - unfortunately - our on-field performance has not lived up to the standard of winning we have for the program. This decision will allow us to move forward in the best long-term interest of the program. I have asked Alex Mortensen to serve as interim head coach to lead the team for the remainder of the season as we continue as a department and university to provide the support our student athletes need to compete. I wish Coach Dilfer the best and thank him for his class, tireless work and commitment during his tenure at UAB. While his efforts did not translate into a winning record, each young man who played for him will be a better person as a result."

Dilfer was 9 and 21 in his years at UAB. This season he was 2 and 4 and was not competitive in some of those losses. On Saturday (Dilfer's last game as head coach) UAB lost 53 to 33 to Florida Atlantic University. It wasn't that close. FAU jumped out to a 21 to 0 lead in the first quarter and never looked back. UAB's defense has been woeful this year. The Owls had 297 passing yards and 195 rushing yards against the Blazers as well as 24 first downs.

"We're playing bad football. I mean, it's obvious we're playing bad football and we got to find a way to play good football," Dilfer said after the loss.

Dilfer was a longtime NFL player. He was the starting Quarterback on a Baltimore Ravens team that won a Super Bowl. Following his NFL retirement he worked as analyst for ESPN. He left that position to coach high school football in the Nashville area where he has success. UAB hired him in 2022 to replace Coach Bill Clark who abruptly quick due to back problems.

Dilfer's tenure coincided with the controversial decision to move from Conference USA to the more competitive American Athletic Conference (AAC). UAB had had tremendous success under Clark in Conference USA; but has been uncompetitive in conference play. Dilfer had a 6 and 14 record in conference play and he was 0 and 15 on the road. UAB had gone to six straight bowl games prior to Dilfer. It has not been bowl eligible once during Dilfer's tenure.

UAB has struggled to adapt to the new world of college football where players can transfer in and out of programs at will and players get paid. UAB has an estimated $1 million in NIL money to pay players - Alabama and Auburn on the other hand both have individual players who make more than that. Dilfer was not a popular hire with the UAB fanbase and the fanbase has not donated to UAB's NIL collective to make sure that the Blazers can field a competitive team.

Offensive coordinator Alex Mortensen has been named the interim head coach while Ingram mounts a coaching search. Everyone around the program recognized that Dilfer was not going to be back for a fourth season; but it is unclear as to why Ingram felt the need to make the change in the middle of October rather than letting the season play out.

UAB's next game is homecoming against the Memphis Tigers on Saturday, October 18, 2025, at Protective Stadium in Birmingham at 3:00 p.m. CDT. Memphis is 6 and 0 (already bowl eligible) and is 21.5 point favorite.

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