UAB head coach Trent Dilfer recently spoke out against player poaching in college football, emphasizing that it is a form of cheating and goes against the rules. Dilfer, who is preparing for his first year as head coach of the UAB Blazers, addressed the issue during American Football Media Days.
The former NFL quarterback expressed his frustration with other programs using tactics to entice his players to enter the transfer portal. While Dilfer has no issue with his players exploring their options through the transfer portal, he believes it is unfair for other programs to actively recruit his players while they are still on his roster.
Dilfer stated, Don’t have a scouting department in your building that’s doing cut-ups of my players and then going and coercing them to enter the portal when they had no idea, they didn’t want to enter the portal. He made it clear that he will not tolerate such actions and will do everything in his power to protect his roster.
The coach revealed that he has evidence of these attempts to poach his players, including direct messages, WhatsApp conversations, text messages, and IP addresses. In an effort to combat this issue, he intends to meet with the NCAA’s head of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) to discuss the matter further.
Dilfer acknowledged that while he cannot compete with the financial resources of other programs, he plans to scare off any attempts to poach his players. He sees himself as a proactive advocate for his team and aims to deter other programs from interfering.
In conclusion, Trent Dilfer is taking a firm stance against player poaching in college football. He views it as a form of cheating and is determined to address the issue head-on. As he embarks on his first year as head coach of UAB, Dilfer is making it clear that he will not tolerate any attempts to poach his players.
