UAB Needs Its Coach's Full Attention, Not A Sideline Selfie

Leadership is about focus, and focus is about timing. That’s why the image of UAB head coach Trent Dilfer on his phone right before kickoff against Tennessee felt so jarring. Television cameras caught him appearing to text and take a video right before kickoff of the Tennessee game. For a program trying to earn respect on the road, the optics weren’t just bad—they were embarrassing.

Dilfer explained himself afterward. He said he keeps his phone on the sideline every game, that his daughter is close to giving birth, and that he wanted to show her the environment. He also said he sometimes FaceTimes or sends a video to his grandson. Those are touching reasons, and they remind us that coaches are human. But there is a time and place for everything. Right before kickoff is not that time. A head coach’s job demands complete attention in key moments, and it starts before kickoff.

The results only made the moment look worse. Tennessee scored on all three of its first-quarter drives. No one can say a phone caused missed tackles or blown coverages, but leadership sets a tone. When your coach appears even a little distracted, fans and players notice. And when that coach is 9–19 over three seasons and still looking for his first road win, the patience for tone-deaf decisions runs thin.

Players take their cues from the top. Culture isn’t taught as much as it’s caught. If the boss is on his phone seconds before the game, what message does that send about urgency and standards? Alumni, students, and donors see it too. Fair or not, the coach is the face of the program. The face of the program can’t look unfocused in moments that matters most.

There’s a simple fix. Set a clear rule: no personal phone use on the sideline until the final whistle. Assign a staffer to relay any urgent family updates. Address the team and the public, acknowledge the mistake, and move on. That’s not cruelty; it’s professionalism. Compassion for family moments and a hard line on game-time focus can both be true.

UAB deserves a coach who treats every game like it matters and treats UAB football like it matters. Putting the phone away alone won't save his job, but it at least shows he respects the program he is paid to coach.