Former Vol Mark Ingram pays tribute to Jim Hilyer.
UAB athletics director and former Tennessee football player Mark Ingram payed tribute Thursday to former Blazers’ head coach Jim Hilyer.
Hilyer died Wednesday. He was 86.
“It was our honor to induct Dr. Jim Hilyer this past year into the UAB Athletics Hall of Fame,” Ingram said. “Coach Hilyer has meant so much to so many of our players, fans and alumni. The impact that he made will never be forgotten. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.”
Hilyer served as UAB’s first head coach in program history. He compiled a 27–12–2 record from 1991-94 when the Blazers’ fielded official teams.
Ingram was hired as UAB’s athletics director on May 1, 2015, leaving his position as executive senior associate athletics director at Temple.
Ingram played at Tennessee from 1995-96. He was a long snapper for the Vols.
After completing a master’s degree at UT in sports administration in 1997, Ingram joined UT’s athletics department in 1998, serving as an assistant director of development.
From 2002-06, Ingram was an assistant athletics director for development at the University of Missouri, and then served in the same role at the University of Georgia before returning to Tennessee in 2007 as senior associate athletics director.
During his time working in UT’s athletics department, Ingram helped with renovations across campus that included Neyland Stadium and Lindsey Nelson Stadium. His responsibilities were raising money and working on design that included getting Charlie Anderson on board to build the Anderson Training Center with a $48 million contribution.
An inside look at VFL Mark Ingram’s accomplishments as UAB’s athletics director
