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UAB player blatantly steps on foot of Tennessee kicker Max Gilbert

IMG_6598by: Nick Kosko09/20/25nickkosko59

UAB’s Sirad Bryant was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for stepping on the foot of Tennessee kicker Max Gilbert. Following a touchdown and extra point giving the Vols a 21-0 lead in the first quarter, Bryant stomped on Gilbert’s foot following the play.

The act resulted in a 15-yard penalty enforced on the kickoff. Bryant remained in the game though, as it was his first unsportsmanlike conduct foul.

You can see the sequence below, which was caught on replay by the SEC Network TV cameras. Bryant sidesteps one player before laying his foot to Gilbert’s.

This actually wasn’t Bryant’s first run-in with penalties. While he was at Georgia Tech three years ago, prior to his transfer to UAB, Bryant was ejected for targeting a defenseless wide receiver.

As a member of the Class of 2021, Bryant was a four-star recruit out of Cordele (Ga.), according to the Rivals Industry Ranking. He was the No. 29 overall prospect in the state, the No. 29 safety in the class and the No. 371 overall prospect in the class.

UAB, which got off to a 2-1 start this season, went in as heavy underdogs to Tennessee on Saturday. But head coach Trent Dilfer came into the campaign under the gun and certainly was coaching for his job, according to some analysts.

The UAB Blazers brought in Dilfer ahead of the 2023 season. At the time, the program was coming out of the Bill Clark era, who was incredibly popular with the fanbase. It also came as UAB transitioned into the American Athletic Conference, making for an important time in the program’s history.

It hasn’t gone well for Dilfer. In two seasons there, he’s just 7-17, not including the 2025 campaign. The hope is that he can take a leap forward in his third season with the program. If that doesn’t happen, though, Dilfer will feel just how warm that hot seat really is.