Trent Dilfer knows the pressure ahead of his third year at UAB.

He also acknowledged the shortcomings of his first two seasons with the Blazers during his appearance at American Conference media day.

“Nobody’s more thankful than me that I even have a job,” Dilfer said on Friday in Charlotte. “After seven wins in two years, I’m incredibly grateful that we get an opportunity to try to fix this thing this year. It’s been incredibly disappointing.

“At times, I don’t know how to articulate what’s happened.”

Following a disappointing 3-9 season that saw UAB miss the postseason for the second consecutive year, Dilfer described the offseason as one filled with numerous self-teaching moments and introspection on his role as a football coach.

“I’ve had to rethink through some football stuff, I’ve had to rethink through some nurturing things and the one thing that I’ve come back to is that the biggest mistake that I make, that others make when they’re not successful, is they try to be something they’re not,” Dilfer said. We’re all wired a certain way and I’m wired as a nurturer. I’m wired as a positive guy. I’ve gone back and talked to teammates and said were the best qualities about me as a leader.

“I’ve gone back and talked to coaches that I’ve worked for or worked with me, and I’ve tried to go back to being a better version of me, and I think that’s what our building needs.”

The UAB coach has gone 7–17 during his time with the programs, posting a 6–11 mark in American Conference play with eighth and 11th-place finishes in 2023 and 2024, respectively.

Dilfer said one of his biggest challenges has been continuing to stay strong for the people alongside him, pointing to an acronym — L.O.S.S., learning opportunities, stay strong — and adding that “to stay strong is the hard part.”

The longtime NFL quarterback and Super Bowl XXXV described the challenge of embracing the uncomfortable heading into Year 3.

“There’s times I felt very weak,” Dilfer said. “There’s times where you just don’t feel like you have the stuff that they need. I know a lot of coaches, we’re in an era when college coaches will seem strong, invincible, we celebrate ego and brashness and this and that. I’m the opposite. I’ve been broken.

“I have a much richer football life than many of them, but I’m not afraid to admit that I’ve been broken by this, and that’s a good thing. I think if you think that’s a bad thing, then you’re probably where I was a few years ago, where you haven’t realized in your journey that this is part of it.”

Dilfer’s 2025 squad comes with plenty of questions heading into fall camp.

There are 48 new faces on this season’s UAB team, with 30 additions from the NCAA transfer portal. Three starters will return in quarterback Jalen Kitna, offensive lineman JonDarius Morgan and defensive back Sirad Bryant.

The defensive staff also saw plenty of turnover, with former Carolina Panthers/Washington Commanders linebackers coach and longtime Air Force assistant Steve Russ taking over as defensive coordinator.

Dilfer also added multiple staffers who have NFL experience, including linebackers coach Brent Vieselmeyer and defensive line coach Sam Mills III.

UAB will open the season on Thursday, Aug. 28, against Alabama State. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Protective Stadium in Birmingham.

“We’re trying to twist that towel to squeeze out every possible drop of potential our players have, our coaches have, our staffers have twisted that towel to maximize every resource that we have,” Dilfer said. “We’re loving the battle of doing so.”