Trent Dilfer Is Coming Home and Tennessee High School Football Is Set to Change Again

After a turbulent college stint at UAB, the Super Bowl–winning quarterback returns to the place where his modern coaching legacy was built: Lipscomb Academy

Former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer is returning to Lipscomb Academy in Tennessee for his second stint as the school's head coach. / Mark Zaleski / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK

Trent Dilfer is back on the Tennessee high school sidelines — and back where his second act in football coaching first took off.

Trent Dilfer Returns to Familiar Ground

The former NFL quarterback and ex-University Alabama-Birmingham (UAB) head coach has been named the head football coach at Lipscomb Academy, returning to the Nashville private school he once turned into a state power. It marks a homecoming for Dilfer, who led the Mustangs from 2019 to 2022 before leaving for the college ranks.

For Lipscomb Academy, it is a reunion rooted in results. For Dilfer, it is a return to the level where his coaching philosophy found its clearest expression.

Building a Powerhouse at Lipscomb Academy

During his first stint at Lipscomb Academy, Dilfer transformed the Mustangs into one of Tennessee’s most consistent programs.

From 2019–22, Lipscomb Academy compiled a 44–10 overall record, captured three straight conference championships, and never finished below .500. Even in his inaugural season in 2019 — a transition year by most measures — the Mustangs went 7–6, laying the groundwork for what followed.

Dilfer’s teams were known for physicality, discipline, and quarterback development — an extension of his own football identity. His success at Lipscomb quickly made him one of the most talked-about high school coaches in the country, and it ultimately opened the door to the college game.

Why Dilfer Left — And What Happened After

Dilfer departed Lipscomb Academy following the 2022 season to become head coach at UAB, taking over a program that had recently won a Conference USA title and was transitioning into the American Athletic Conference.

His tenure in Birmingham proved turbulent.

Across two and a half seasons, Dilfer posted a 9–21 overall record with the Blazers. The 2025 season began with optimism — a 2–1 start that hinted at progress — but momentum quickly faded as UAB dropped three consecutive games. The slide ultimately led to Dilfer’s dismissal midway through the season.

While the college results fell short of expectations, Dilfer was consistent in framing his time at UAB as a learning experience — one that reinforced his belief in culture-building and long-term program development.

Lipscomb’s Slide — And the Opportunity Ahead

Dilfer’s departure also marked a turning point for Lipscomb Academy.

Since 2023, the Mustangs have gone 12–20, finishing below .500 in each of the past three seasons. The contrast to Dilfer’s tenure — when Lipscomb never posted a losing record — has been stark.

His return signals a clear reset and a return to an identity that once made the Mustangs a fixture atop their conference.

From High School Star to Super Bowl Champion

Before becoming a headline-grabbing coach, Dilfer was a prodigy under center.

He starred at Aptos High School (Calif.), where he set national passing records and emerged as one of the top quarterback recruits in the country. Dilfer went on to play at Fresno State, becoming one of the most prolific passers in NCAA history at the time.

Selected sixth overall in the 1994 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dilfer enjoyed a 14-year NFL career, highlighted by winning Super Bowl XXXV as the starting quarterback of the Baltimore Ravens. Following his playing days, he transitioned into broadcasting, quarterback training, and eventually coaching — carving out a unique path back to the high school game.

A Full-Circle Moment

Now, Dilfer returns to Lipscomb Academy not as a newcomer or a rising coach, but as a seasoned football lifer — shaped by the highs of championships and the lessons of setbacks.

For Tennessee high school football, his return brings renewed attention. For Lipscomb Academy, it brings something simpler and more powerful: belief.

And for Trent Dilfer, it is a full-circle moment — back on the sideline where his coaching vision once flourished, and where it now gets another chance to rise.