UAB football alumnus Matt McCants, a former NFL player, has been named the program’s offensive line coach, Blazers head coach Trent Dilfer announced on Monday.
“I am so honored to announce one of the all-time great Blazers, Matt McCants, as our new offensive line coach,” Dilfer said in a statement released by the team. “As the leader of this program it is my responsibility to surround our student athletes with great men, great coaches and great recruiters – Matt is all three.”
“If our players develop into the type of men and football players that Coach McCants did while at UAB and in the NFL, then we are all winning on and off the field!”
McCants, who starred for UAB from 2007-2011, is one of the most decorated offensive linemen in school history. The Mobile native led the Blazer line to several dominant statistical seasons during his time in Birmingham, starting 42 games, earning two all-conference selections, and being named to several national award watchlists.
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McCants was selected by the New York Giants in the sixth round of the 2012 NFL Draft and would go on to enjoy a seven-year NFL career that saw him make stops in Oakland, Cleveland, and Chicago. He also spent a season playing for the Birmingham Iron of the short-lived AAF.
McCants has been with the UAB football program since his 2020 retirement from playing, spending 2021 as a volunteer assistant and 2022 as the team’s strength and conditioning coach. The upcoming season will be McCants’ first as an on-field coach.
Charles Vaughan is a contributing writer for Yellowhammer News.
