NFL Legend Trent Dilfer Building a High School Football Powerhouse in Tennessee

Before Trent Dilfer arrived at Lipscomb Academy in 2019, the Mustangs' football program was struggling. The Nashville-area Catholic high school had only won three games in the two previous seasons.

Three years later, Dilfer has a state championship on his coaching resume and an overall record of 32-10. He also has Lipscomb on the national radar, ranked No. 29 in the preseason High School Football America 100 national rankings, powered by NFL Play Football.

Lipscomb kicked off the 2022 campaign with a season-opening 17-7 win over No. 65 Milton in Georgia.

Most expect Dilfer to take Lipscomb to its third straight Tennessee Division II-AA state championship game this year.

The Mustangs won the state championship last year by beating Christ Presbyterian Academy, led by fellow former NFL quarterback Ingle Martin. CPA beat Dilfer and Lipscomb for the title in 2020.

Dilfer had a 14-season NFL career playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks, Cleveland Browns,  and San Francisco 49ers. He won the Super Bowl XXXV MVP award with the Ravens in 2000. 

Related: Trent Dilfer Shares His Coaching Philosophy

Below, Dilfer talks with High School Football America’s Jeff Fisher about building Lipscomb into a national power and his rivalry with Ingle Martin and CPA.

Photo via Lipscomb Academy