Trent Dilfer was texting while coaching against Tennessee

UAB coach Trent Dilfer during a college football game between Tennessee and UAB at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Sept. 20, 2025. (© Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

UAB shocked the college football world when they hired former ESPN analyst and 14-year NFL veteran Trent Dilfer to lead their program. Many in the landscape were skeptical of this hire. To say this has not worked out well would be an understatement.

The Blazers are 9-19 under Dilfer and have consistently had one of the worst defenses in college football. On Saturday, this American program traveled to Knoxville for a pay game against a ranked Tennessee squad. The Volunteers rolled as expected with a ton of points being put on the board, but the biggest firework occurred before the opening kickoff.

Just what exactly was Trent Dilfer doing before toe met leather at Neyland Stadium?

Trent Dilfer taking pics of Neyland stadium while getting blown out as a 39.5-point dog 😭 pic.twitter.com/XL9j0r8SsQ
— br_betting (@br_betting) September 20, 2025

pic.twitter.com/R81wuxxb6e
— no context college football (@nocontextcfb) September 20, 2025

Was Dilfer texting? On Snapchat? Firing up a betting app? Spending some time on Instagram? Just taking a photo to hang in his office after his coaching career is over? This feels like anyone’s guess.

I’m sure the third-year head coach will be asked about these pregame antics in the postgame press conference. He will likely also be asked about one of his players strangely stomping on a kicker’s foot. Some could say that UAB football was off its rocker in East Tennessee on Saturday.

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??? uhh ejection??????? pic.twitter.com/tys9NModJ5
— gmannVOLS (@gmannVOLS) September 20, 2025

There will be plenty of hot seat chatter following Week 4. Arkansas just another close road game to Memphis that could indicate the end for head coach Sam Pittman. Was Dabo Swinney serious about asking Clemson to fire him? The home result against Syracuse probably didn’t help matters. Dilfer also will find his way into that conversation after this strange activity around kickoff.

Regardless, the college football season never fails to deliver. Trent Dilfer was literally on his phone during a big game for his program. What a sport.

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