It’s not like we haven’t been here before with UAB head coach, Elite 11 purveyor, and former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer. When Dilfer was the head coach at Lipscomb University, a private, Christian liberal arts institution in Nashville in 2021, he was caught on video screaming at, and shoving, tight end Beau Dawson on the sideline… in a 62-7 win.
They def running at practice 😬 (via @BroBible) pic.twitter.com/mBbnFzEq6D
— Overtime (@overtime) August 28, 2021
After the fact, Dilfer released this statement about an act that could have been considered a Class A misdemeanor in the state of Tennessee.
I want to address the incident on our sideline during Friday night’s game vs. Independence that has drawn a lot of attention. First and foremost, I take full responsibility as the head coach and leader of our team for not de-escalating an emotional situation with one of our players, Beau Dawson. Beau is one of our finest student-athletes and embodies all the characteristics we are looking for in our Mustang players. Beau plays the game with the right kind of passion and is an inspiration to our other players.
During a moment of frustration in an attempt to get our team to play with more discipline, I unfairly singled Beau out. Somehow Beau Dawson has been portrayed publicly as the culprit in this situation, when in reality I should have been a better leader and shown greater wisdom and discernment in how I handled this incident. Overall, I could not be more proud of Beau and the rest of our team for how they handle the emotional nature of each game they compete in.
So, now, Dilfer is the head coach at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and it does not appear that the anger management classes are working very well. This happened after a defensive penalty, and Dilfer started going OFF on his coaches to a bizarre degree.
I mean, what. At least Dilfer didn’t put his hands on anybody this time.
Former NFL TV analyst Trent Dilfer is now the head coach at UAB… and he's losing his mind on the sidelines. 🏈😡pic.twitter.com/xMTtzMdNUQ
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 30, 2023
As one might expect, there was a lot to say on social media about it.
whomst among us would have guessed that trent dilfer has anger management issues https://t.co/whUQczPYj2 https://t.co/97bubSHgmR
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) September 30, 2023
Oh god he’s coaching college now? And where was this energy when the Bucs were trying to convert third downs?
— Drew Lawrence 🗞️ (@by_drew) September 30, 2023
Always nice to see these guys who talk for a living at humbled. He always seems to forget that he got carried by Ray Lewis. A worser version of Joe Flacco of his generation.
— Atomic Comet (@Atomic_Comet) September 30, 2023
That how I felt watching him try to play QB. Good grief dude.
— Tusi (@listentusi) September 30, 2023
Decades of people telling him he's the worst Super Bowl winning QB in the history of the NFL has finally gotten to him.
— Ron (@ronnie_20057) September 30, 2023
How did he get a college job after putting his hands in a high school kid? And acting like this in public is wild.
— J (@Jmic84) September 30, 2023
There is a difference between passion and losing the room. If that is how you treat your staff in public, good luck getting quality coaches to replace the ones who just quit or got fired. Regardless of circumstances
— Daniel Sandeen (@danandlissa) September 30, 2023
Here we have Trent Dilfer, UAB head coach who hired every assistant coach and player, failing to acknowledge that mistakes are a TEAM EFFORT and taking zero responsibility. And illustrating this “coaching method”like 2 year old. 😡pic.twitter.com/kBwtOhkTNK
— Marc Isenberg (@marcisenberg) September 30, 2023
Embarrassing behavior, but par for the course:https://t.co/CV2Un8Qtq8 https://t.co/NpFlNntPIf
— Luke Easterling (@LukeEasterling) September 30, 2023
Trent Dilfer, who also got physical with one of his high school players…dude needs to calm down: https://t.co/kLw2akQv2X pic.twitter.com/gEDaEULc9d
— Collin S (@cseguin03) September 30, 2023
trent dilfer is acting how everyone thought deion would pic.twitter.com/sO5U3RjvV2
— robbie triano (@TheTrianoKid) September 30, 2023
Trent Dilfer going Bo Pelini mode on his staff pic.twitter.com/e2f5GBaO76
— Colton Denning (@Dubsco) September 30, 2023
He did this same thing when he was a HS coach and struck a player…
When people show you who they are, believe them! https://t.co/zL5MsGxxQD
— Duke Manyweather (@BigDuke50) September 30, 2023
