After six successful seasons under Bill Clark, the UAB Blazers ignored the will of the players to hire now-ULM Warhawks head coach Bryant Vincent and instead brought in Trent Dilfer. What seemed like a weird hire at the time is playing out as expected. After just under two years at the helm, Dilfer’s Blazers are 6-15, leading many to speculate the school could move on after this year.
We have the full details of Dilfer’s salary, contract, and net worth, including his potential buyout as the Blazers will again miss out on postseason play.
Trent Dilfer’s Salary and Contract in 2024
Dilfer agreed to a five-year deal to become the Blazers’ head coach in November 2022. The former Super Bowl-winning quarterback had been coaching at Lipscomb Academy in Nashville, Tenn. when he took the job. The initial contract aimed to keep Dilfer in Birmingham through the 2027 college football season, for a base salary of $1.2 million.
But while that salary seems high, it was an attempt to get out ahead of potential market movement, as there’s no incremental salary increase through the life of the contract. Dilfer earns a base salary of $1.2 million in each contract year. While the base salary is high, there aren’t many extra clauses in there, just a $50,000 talent fee and an annual promotion fee of $50,000, both paid annually.
The timing of Dilfer’s contract signing was interesting, as he would have been one of the most well-compensated coaches in Conference USA but is on the lower end in the American Athletic Conference, to which the Blazers moved in 2023.
At least publicly, Dilfer has made it clear his jump to the college ranks wasn’t about the money.
“Having the opportunity to lead such a quality program like UAB is one that I am beyond excited about,” Dilfer said in the official announcement when he was hired.
He also reportedly took a lower salary to put more money in the pockets of his assistants.
According to 1819news.com, Dilfer left $500,000 out of his contract to be added to his staff pool.
In addition to his high school head-coaching background, Dilfer helped found the Elite 11 Academy, working as a coach to help identify future quarterbacks.
Dilfer’s Net Worth
The total compensation of Dilfer’s five-year contract is around $6.5 million.
However, before he was a college head coach, he was a 14-year NFL veteran and long-time TV personality. Additionally, Dilfer has 18 potential performance-based incentives in his contract, though he’s never hit one.
Those incentives are listed below.
- If UAB wins 12 games: $200,000
- If UAB wins 11 games: $80,000
- If UAB wins 10 games: $75,000
- If UAB wins nine games: $25,000
- If UAB finishes in the College Football Playoff Top 10: $150,000
- If UAB finishes in the College Football Playoff Top 15: $100,000
- If UAB finishes in the College Football Playoff Top 25: $25,000
- If UAB reaches the first round of the College Football Playoff: $100,000*
- If UAB reaches the second round of the College Football Playoff: $200,000*
- If UAB appears in the College Football National Championship Game: $200,000*
- If UAB wins the College Football National Championship Game: $500,000*
- If UAB appears in the AAC Championship Game: $25,000
- If UAB wins the AAC Championship Game: $25,000
- If UAB wins any bowl game: $25,000
- If UAB beats any Power Five program in the regular season: $25,000
- If Dilfer is named the AAC Coach of the Year: $25,000
- If Dilfer is named the National Coach of the Year: $50,000
*Contract terms agreed before new College Football Playoff format announced
What Is Trent Dilfer’s Buyout?
According to On3’s Pete Nakos, Dilfer’s base salary of $1.2 million is fully guaranteed, to be paid out in monthly installments of $100,000 until January of 2028.
So, if Dilfer is fired after the 2024 season, the Blazers will owe him a total of $3.6 million for three years remaining on his contract.
That buyout drops once annually, taking $1.2 million off what he’s owed each year. The Blazers would save just the $100,000 for promotion and talent fees. Essentially, the Blazers are going to pay Dilfer between $3.9 and $4.2 million between now and 2028, whether he coaches there or not.
College Football Network has you covered with the latest from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, and every Group of Five conference and FBS Independent program.