RYDER BURTON LEADS UAB TO TOP 25 UPSET AFTER 3 YEARS OF WAITING
UAB quarterback Ryder Burton is an example of staying prepared for your opportunity. The Springville, Utah native has played for three schools over the past three years, without seeing any significant playing time until yesterday, amid a rollercoaster week in the Blazers program. On October 12th, the news broke that UAB was firing head coach Trent Dilfer after the team's 2-4 start to the season. Then, yesterday, before the Blazers’ home game against No. 22 Memphis, it was announced that starting quarterback Jalen Kitna would miss the game due to an upper-body injury.
This resulted in Burton receiving the opportunity he needed from interim head coach Alex Mortensen. He made an instant impact by completing 74% of his passes for 258 yards and 3 touchdowns, leading the Blazers to a 31-24 upset win over No. 22 Memphis. In his post-game presser, Burton spoke on how he was ready for this moment, “I’ve been to three schools in three years, and it’s tough when you’re not playing the game you love. But I prepared like I’m the starter for three years, and I think tonight showed dividends of that.”
Before playing for UAB, he began his college career at BYU, where he redshirted in 2023, and then he transferred to West Virginia in 2024, where he had a backup role. His patience and perseverance paid off in a big way yesterday, delivering UAB’s first Top 25 win since 2021.