Team Information
Ground | Protective Stadium |
City | Birmingham, Alabama |
Conference | American Athletic Conference, |
Nickname | Blazers |
About UAB Blazers Football
The 2023 UAB Blazers football team, representing the University of Alabama at Birmingham, competed in the American Athletic Conference (AAC). Under first-year head coach Trent Dilfer, the Blazers ended the season with a 4–8 overall record and a 3–5 mark in conference play. They played their home games at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama.
Name of Team | UAB Blazers Football Team |
First season | 1991 |
Athletic director | Mark Ingram |
Head coach | Trent Dilfer1st season, 4–8 (.333) |
Stadium | Protective Stadium(capacity: 47,100) |
Location | Birmingham, Alabama |
Conference | American Athletic Conference |
Division | USA West |
Field surface | FieldTurf |
Conference titles | 2 (2018, 2020) |
Division titles | 3 (2018, 2019, 2020) |
Fight song | UAB Fight Song |
Mascot | Blaze (Dragon) |
Rivals | Memphis (rivalry)Southern MissTroy |
Consensus All-Americans | - |
UAB Blazers Football Team Introduction
The University of Alabam is represented by the UAB Blazers football team at Birmingham in American football. Competing in the NCAA's Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and the American Athletic Conference (AAC), the team is coached by Trent Dilfer, who became head coach in November 2022. The Blazers play home games at Protective Stadium, which has a capacity of over 47,000 and has been their home since 2021. The program was briefly terminated after the 2014 season but returned in 2017. Since then, UAB has achieved significant success, including winning its first conference championship and bowl game in 2018.
UAB Blazers Football Team History
The UAB Blazers football team has a rich history. Established in 1991, they played at Legion Field until 2020 before moving to Protective Stadium in 2021. The program was discontinued after the 2014 season but was quickly reinstated and resumed play in 2017. Under new leadership, the team saw success, winning their first conference championship and bowl game in 2018. After Bill Clark, Trent Dilfer became head coach in November 2022. The Blazers compete in the NCAA's Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and the American Athletic Conference (AAC), continuing to build on their legacy in college football.
UAB Blazers Football Team Coaches
Head Coach Profile
Trent Dilfer, born on March 13, 1972, is the head football coach for the UAB Blazers. A former NFL quarterback, Dilfer played for 14 seasons, most notably leading the Baltimore Ravens to a Super Bowl victory in 2000. He played college football at Fresno State and was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1994. After retiring in 2008, Dilfer worked as an NFL analyst for ESPN and led the Elite 11 quarterback camp. He became UAB's head coach in 2023.
No. | Name | Season(s) | GC |
1 | Jim Hilyer | 1991–94 | 41 |
2 | Watson Brown | 1995–2006 | 136 |
3 | Neil Callaway | 2007–11 | 60 |
4 | Garrick McGee | 2012–13 | 24 |
5 | Bill Clark | 2014,2017–2021 | 75 |
X | No team | 2015–16 | — |
5 | Bill Clark | 2014,2017–2021 | 75 |
− | Bryant Vincent | 2022 | 12 |
6 | Trent Dilfer | 2023—present | 12 |
UAB Blazers Football Team Stadium
Protective Stadium, located in downtown Birmingham, Alabama, is the home of the UAB Blazers football team. Owned by the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Authority, the stadium opened in 2021. It has a seating capacity of over 47,000 and replaced Legion Field as the Blazers' home. The first UAB game at Protective Stadium was on October 2, 2021, against Liberty. The stadium hosts the annual Birmingham Bowl and the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) football championships. Additionally, it serves as a hub for the United States Football League (USFL), hosting games for the Birmingham Stallions and New Orleans Breakers.
UAB Blazers Football Team Rivals
Southern Miss:
UAB and Southern Miss have played 18 times since their first game in 2000. Southern Miss won the first nine games, but UAB has won 7 of the last nine, making the overall record 11-7 in favor of Southern Miss. The rivalry has been on hold since Southern Miss left for the Sun Belt Conference in 2022.
Troy:
UAB and Troy have met 12 times, with Troy leading the series 7-5. The rivalry paused after 2014 but is set to resume in 2028.
Memphis:
UAB and Memphis compete in "The Battle of the Bones," where the winner gets a 100-pound bronze rack of ribs. UAB leads the series 10-5, but Memphis won the last game. The rivalry was renewed in 2023 when UAB joined the American Athletic Conference.
The Battle of the Bones
The UAB Blazers and Memphis Tigers play in "The Battle of the Bones," a rivalry game. The winning team gets a 100-pound bronze statue of ribs, celebrating their love for barbecue. UAB has won 10 times, while Memphis won 5 times. Memphis won the last game. The rivalry started again in 2023 when UAB joined the American Athletic Conference.
UAB Blazers Football Team Record and Stats
Conference Championships
The Blazers have won two conference titles.
Season | Conference | Coach | Overall Record | Conference Record |
2018 | Conference USA | Bill Clark | 11–3 | 7–1 |
2020 | 6–3 | 3–1 |
Division championships
The Blazers joined Conference USA in 1999. 2005, the conference split into two divisions, and UAB played in the East Division until 2014. In 2017, UAB moved to the West Division and won three division titles. After losing three teams in 2021, Conference USA eliminated its divisions.
Season | Division | Coach | Opponent | CG result |
2018 | C-USA West | Bill Clark | Middle Tennessee | W 27–25 |
2019 | Florida Atlantic | L 6–49 | ||
2020 | Marshall | W 22–13 |
UAB Blazers Football Team Roster
Offense
Quarterbacks (QB):
Harrison Barker
Trace Campbell
Landry Lyddy
Carter Putt
Jacob Zeno
Running Backs (RB):
Tyjuan Able
Demetrius Battle
Lee Beebe
Isaiah Jacobs
Lee Witherspoon
Wide Receivers (WR):
Brandon Buckhaulter
Teddy Davenport
Fred Farrier II
Connor Harby
BJ Hawkins Jr.
Malachi Holt-Bennett
Iverson Hooks
T.J. Jones
Aron Marsch
Joey Merritt
Corri Milliner
Tejhaun Palmer
Calvin Parker
Ryan Peppins
Samario Rudolph
Kameran Shanks
Amare Thomas
Tyler Trawick
Dazalin Worsham
Dylan Wroblewski
Tight Ends (TE):
Bryce Damous
Terrell McDonald
Dallas Payne
J.C. Sivley
Clay Smelley
Offensive Line (OL):
Trey Bedosky
Cort Bradley
Mason Chorak
Arturo Escamilla
Zaire Flournoy
Ryan Gunter
Tennyson Hadfield
Luke Jones
Adam Lepkowski
Logan Moore
Brennan Moran
Jalen Nettles
Will Parker
Tater Reid
Delano Townsend
Brady Wilson
Antavious Woody
Quez Yates
Defense
Defensive Line (DL):
Jonathan Allen
Matthew Craig
Joker Gill
Tyrique Howard
Connor Knight
Fish McWilliams
Miquon Merriweather
Guerlens Milfort
Fred Owens
Kevin Penn
Eamon Smalls
Tyler Thomas
Emmanuel Waller
Elijah Williams
Linebackers (LB):
Jackson Bratton
Tamarious Brown
Reise Collier
Nikia Eason Jr.
Michael Fairbanks II
Brandon Franklin
Charlie Goode
Daniel Harris
Kendall Johnson
Jamarcus Jones
AJ Lee
Desmond Little
Jalen Mayala
Michael Moore
Everett Roussaw Jr.
James Smyre
Will Sorrells
Cornerbacks (CB):
Nasir Bashir
Colby Dempsey
AD Diamond
Jaylyn Ferguson
Ricky Lee III
BJ Mayes
Mac McWilliams
Trey Miles
Austin Mitchell
Safeties (S):
Chris Bracy
AJ Brown
Carl Fauntroy Jr.
Keon Handley Jr.
T'sai McDaniel
Kyle McKinney
Jason Riles Jr.
Keondre Swoopes
Ray Thornton III
Skyler Trawick
Special Teams
Kickers (K):
Jonah Delange
Jacob Marroquin
Matt Quinn
Punters (P):
Caden Long
Long Snappers (LS):
Xander Echols
Caleb Moser
UAB Blazers Football Team Schedule
August 29, 2024
Opponent: Alcorn State
Time: TBA
Venue: Protective Stadium
Tickets: Starting at $35.20
September 7, 2024
Opponent: UL-Monroe
Time: TBA
Venue: JPS Field at James L. Malone Stadium
September 14, 2024
Opponent: Arkansas
Time: TBA
Venue: Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium
Tickets: Starting at $29.76
September 28, 2024
Opponent: Navy
Time: TBA
Venue: Protective Stadium
Tickets: Starting at $34.10
October 5, 2024
Opponent: Tulane
Time: TBA
Venue: Protective Stadium
Tickets: Starting at $31.90
October 12, 2024
Opponent: Army
Time: TBA
Venue: Blaik Field at Michie Stadium
Tickets: Starting at $38.00
October 19, 2024
Opponent: South Florida
Time: TBA
Venue: Raymond James Stadium
Tickets: Starting at $11.00
November 2, 2024
Opponent: Tulsa
Time: TBA
Venue: Protective Stadium
Tickets: Starting at $33.00
November 9, 2024
Opponent: UConn
Time: TBA
Venue: Protective Stadium
Tickets: Starting at $34.10
November 16, 2024
Opponent: Memphis
Time: TBA
Venue: Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium
Tickets: Starting at $54.00
November 23, 2024
Opponent: Rice
Time: TBA
Venue: Protective Stadium
Tickets: Starting at $34.10
November 30, 2024
Opponent: Charlotte
Time: TBA
Venue: Jerry Richardson Stadium
Tickets: Starting at $41.00
FAQ's On UAB Blazers Football
A. The opening game is set for August 29, 2024, facing Alcorn State.
A. The Blazers play their home games at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama.
A. Tickets can be purchased online, starting at $35.20 for home games.
A. The Blazers are part of Conference USA (C-USA).
A. The Blazers have won three division titles in their history.