by Danny Kotula | Aug 31, 2021 | BREAKING NEWS, News, News Slider, Sports
Lipscomb Academy has addressed the controversy sparked by head football coach Trent Dilfer’s actions Friday night during a game against Independence High School. A viral video surfaced after the game on Friday night that has amassed over 11.4 million views on TikTok, a popular video sharing service. The video shows head coach and former Super Bowl-winning NFL quarterback Dilfer grabbing and pushing his starting tight end, Beau Dawson. During the altercation, Dawson throws his helmet, which causes Dilfer to verbally reprimand him as well. BroBible, an account featuring sports highlights and lifestyle videos for athletes, posted the video that took off over the weekend, and social media users across all platforms have come to the defense of both player and coach. Dawson, a senior, is the son of Phil Dawson, another NFL veteran who played as a kicker for 20 years. The Mustangs’ special-teams coordinator, Phil is a longtime friend of Dilfer dating back to their professional days. In an email to the Lipscomb Academy community obtained by Lumination Network, Head of School Brad Schultz and Associate Head of School for Athletics Michelle York stated that it is “never appropriate for a Lipscomb employee to have a physical response with a student while frustrated or angry” and that they “are confident a similar event will not happen in the future.” The email reads in full: “Many of you by now are probably aware of an unfortunate incident between our head football coach, Trent Dilfer, and one of his players at this past Friday’s game. “Coach Dilfer apologized to the player, issued a comprehensive public statement on social media, and discussed the...
by Jason Southall | Oct 5, 2019 | News Slider
The Lipscomb Academy Mustangs football team traveled to CPA to take on the Lions Friday night. Lipscomb Academy sophomore quarterback, Luther Richesson threw an interception on his fourth pass attempt of the night. But the game fell out of the Mustang’s favor when CPA then drove 78 yards down the field, ending with a 13-yard touchdown run by junior running back Tyler Reid with four minutes and 50 seconds remaining in the first quarter. After penalties killed Lipscomb’s next drive, junior punter Tate Taylor booted the ball all the way down to CPA’s 3, a 50-yard punt. The Mustangs defense held the Lions to a three and out, in which Lipscomb received the ball at CPA’s 47-yard line. In their only touchdown drive of the game, Luther Richesson went 3/3 for 36 yards, leading to a one-yard touchdown run by sophomore running back Jaden Lyles with seven minutes and 48 seconds left in the second quarter. Lyles ended the game with 10 carries, 26 yards, and one touchdown. CPA then spent all but 54 seconds of the rest of the half to lead a 13 play, 74-yard drive. Lions sophomore quarterback, Cade Law finished the drive with a five-yard touchdown run, making the score 14-7 at the half. CPA received the ball after the half, allowing them to score yet another touchdown, this time a one-yard rush by sophomore running back, Langston Patterson. One quarter later, quarterback Cade Law ran for eight yards for yet another touchdown, bringing the score to 28-7, which is where it stayed. Lipscomb quarterback, Luther Richesson ended the game completing 22 of his 38 passes...
by Erika Plunkett | Sep 21, 2019 | Galleries, News Slider
Alumni, friends, family and platinum recording artists gathered at the Lipscomb Academy football complex for a Homecoming drubbing of long-time rivals Goodpasture. The 63-21 whipping of the Cougars by the Mustangs puts the series now at 26-25 in the Bisons’ favor. Before the Mustangs took the field, the crowds gathered at the baseball field to hear Jerrod Niemann perform in the pregame Mustang Stampede concert. His set included his platinum hit “Lover, Lover” and a gold single “What Do You Want.” As the concert concluded, alumni gathered next to the stands to welcome the team onto the field as they battled for the Martin-McCadams Cup in this cross-town rivalry. The Mustangs took the field ready to play, as they lined up for the opening kickoff before the Cougars even took the field. The Cougars drew first blood, scoring off of a 66-yard reception by senior wide receiver David Harris, giving Goodpasture a 7-0 lead. Trent Dilfer’s Mustangs squad was quick to respond, with a perfectly executed quarterback sneak by sophomore Luther Richesson to even the score at seven. Much of the first half was back and forth between the two teams as the score would level at 7 and then again at 14. The Mustangs were finally able to gain some separation from the Cougars off two quick scores from sophomore running back Jaden Lyles and senior wide receiver Kyle McNamara, giving them a 28-14 lead going into halftime. Going into the second half, Goodpasture forced a turnover and cut the lead to a one-score game, but the Mustangs responded with a McNamara touchdown, and the Cougars never got...
by Erika Plunkett, Mckenzi Harris & Kathryn Farris | Aug 24, 2019 | BREAKING NEWS, News Slider, Sports
Super Bowl champion quarterback Trent Dilfer — who was under center for the Baltimore Ravens’ 34-7 2001 rout of the New York Giants — kicked off his era as Lipscomb Academy head coach with a 66-8 throttling of the visiting Glencliff Colts. And a rock star took part in the Friday night party as well. In January,Dilfer, who also has been an ESPN analyst, inherited a Mustang football team that had won only three games in the last two seasons. For the last seven months, he has poured countless hours into rebuilding a winning culture at Lipscomb Academy. Dilfer’s additions have included assembling a staff of more than 30 coaches; giving the players new uniforms and top-of-the-line, protective helmets; and increasing and redesigning practices and summer training, but these improvements are not limited to the football team. In his quest to make Lipscomb the top high school football program, Dilfer has enhanced the fan experience with the all-new Mustang Stampede, which includes a performance on the newly built soundstage next to the baseball field. All of these changes have brought national attention to the Mustangs, but Friday night it was finally time to see if this Lipscomb team would live up to the hype. Hundreds of people arrived two hours early for a free concert, which included Lipscomb University alumni, Daves Highway and Mustangs’ coach Patrick Carpenter, and was headlined by nine-time Grammy award-winning artist, Sheryl Crow (“All I Wanna Do,” “If It Makes You Happy,” etc.) Crow, a long-time Nashville resident, wore a Lipscomb jersey to show her support for the Mustangs and was joined on stage by...
by Russell Vannozzi | Jan 19, 2019 | News Slider, Sports
When Trent Dilfer toured Lipscomb’s campus, he knew he had found a special place. What the former NFL quarterback didn’t realize was that Lipscomb University had an affiliated high school on its campus that just happened to have a need for a new head football coach. It turned out to be the perfect marriage. “I didn’t even know much about the Academy,” Trent Dilfer said. “But to be here for the last few days and really dive deep and see what’s going on has been an amazing journey for me.” The official announcement of Dilfer’s hiring came during a jam-packed press conference at the McCadams Athletic Center Friday afternoon. But the news was leaked earlier in the day and caused the school to buzz with excitement, according to the players. “Rumors started going around [Friday] at school,” rising senior tight end Houston High said. “When we were walking through the hallways, that’s all everyone was talking about.” Lipscomb finished the 2018 season with a dismal 2-9 record. Coach Scott Tillman resigned in November, and the administration began a nationwide search for his replacement. The opening generated interest from more than 80 candidates, according to Lipscomb Academy headmaster Greg Glenn. “The resources here are great,” Dilfer said of Lipscomb. “There’s no reason we can’t be really, really, really good. I know the competition around here is insane. But I’m more concerned about what we’re going to do.” Following a 14-season NFL career that included a Super Bowl victory with the Baltimore Ravens in 2001, Dilfer spent a decade in the broadcast booth with the NFL Network and ESPN. However, he...
