When UAB fired Trent Dilfer on Sunday, the question didn’t linger long: Is Bill Clark coming back?
Numerous fans echoed the same sentiment across X on Sunday night: this is Bill Clark’s job if he wants it.
Clark’s name immediately vaulted to the top of the list, and for good reason. The former Blazers coach didn’t just win in Birmingham, he built the blueprint. Nobody in recent memory accomplished more with less. Clark’s legacy is undeniable.
Honesty, Bill Clark should be every program’s first call if they are hiring a head football coach.
More: UAB fires Trent Dilfer
When the program was shut down in 2014, it was Clark who stayed. He recruited without a team, held the staff together, and helped resurrect UAB from the ashes.
Between 2017 and 2021, Clark transformed the Blazers into a dominant force, achieving 49 victories and securing two league championships and numerous Coach-of-the-Year accolades. He stepped down in 2022 because of back problems that necessitated significant surgery, but if he’s fit and prepared to coach, I expect he’ll be the top choice.
Still, the search won’t be short on intrigue. Ed Orgeron’s name brings championship pedigree. The former national championship winning coach recently indicated he’d like to lead a program again.
Brent Pry might be an interesting option. The ex-head coach at Virginia Tech, Pry dedicated years to developing top-10 defenses at Penn State and has coaching experience in the South with Memphis, Louisiana-Lafayette, and Georgia Southern.
Skip Holtz offers a local choice and brings immediate stability. He was at the helm of Louisiana Tech from 2013 to 2021 and recently served as the championship-winning head coach of the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions.
Furthermore, 32-year-old Clint Killough, the coach of Incarnate Word, might be poised to transition to an FBS institution. Additionally, former Texas and FAU coach Tom Herman would be a fitting choice and would likely be warmly welcomed by the Birmingham community.
However, with athletic director Mark Ingram — the individual who took a chance on Trent Dilfer — you can't dismiss the possibility of another wild card.
I want the job https://t.co/x7KEr4GnGi
— Roddy White (@roddywhiteTV) October 12, 2025
And following former UAB and NFL wide receiver Roddy White's tweet stating, "I want the job," the meaning of "wild card" might have just broadened.