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Best reasons we can think of for Trent Dilfer opting out of EA Sports CFB 26

UAB head coach Trent Dilfer is one of several coaches who decided not to appear in the video game, but his reasons could be very different. Maybe.

By Michael Collins

Sep 14, 2024; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; UAB Blazers head coach Trent Dilfer in the third quarter against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Arkansas won 37-27. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images
Sep 14, 2024; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; UAB Blazers head coach Trent Dilfer in the third quarter against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Arkansas won 37-27. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images / Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images
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Trent Dilfer has gone from a somewhat obscure NFL footnote, to an analyst some equated with nails on a chalkboard, to now one of the most mercurial head coaches ever to prowl a football sideline.

Dilfer is one of a handful of college coaches you won't see in EA Sports College Football 26, a list that includes Deion Sanders, Bill Belichick, Mario Cristobal, Kirk Ferentz, and Frank Reich, among others.

UAB finished with a pitiful 3-9 record last season, with only two conference wins, and Dilfer has come under fire even before the 2025 season has begun.

That prompted us to think, what reasons would Trent Dilfer give for deciding not to have his name, image and likeness included in one of the most popular video games on the market? The answers we came up with were quite...Dilferous.

Hypothetical reasons Trent Dilfer doesn't want to be in College Football 26

5. He balked at the idea of not getting his own NIL deal for being in the game

Why should players get to have all the fun, right Trent? Dilfer probably requested an NIL package with more riders and perks than Jim Harbaugh's deal with the Chargers (or with Michigan for that matter). Stand firm on that hill, coach.

4. EA Sports said no to his requests to both wear a headset and hold an ESPN microphone for in-game commentary

No one loves the sound of his own voice quite like Trent Dilfer, and bet the house he wanted more than just a digital headset on his avatar.

3. He was set to be graded below 70 on "Awareness"

Dilfer wasn't exactly known for his situational awareness on the field, but on the sideline things have gotten even worse. His rally cry of "I won a Super Bowl" doesn't seem to help bring his brain to the present moment.

2. His video game avatar threw a pick-six in the tutorials section

In a 13-year NFL career, Dilfer threw 129 interceptions versus just 113 touchdowns. While the ratio was a little better during his three years at Fresno State, he still managed to throw 21 interceptions in just 32 games, 14 of them coming in 1992 alone.

1. UAB’s digital playbook didn’t include "yelling at referees , assistant coaches, and players" as a sideline adjustment.

Temper on the sidelines and unbridled outbursts towards officials have become hallmarks of Dilfer's coaching...umm...legacy(?). If he can't get red-faced and end up on SportsCenter's Not Top 10, what's the point?

Video games are big business, and burning a bridge with EA Spots would probably be a mistake for most coaches. In Dilfer's case, it's probably not as dire. He'll be lucky to still be in his same job next year if UAB doesn't turn things around.

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