The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Football Spring Preview
3/16/2026 12:00:00β―PM | Football
Blazers enter first spring under head coach Alex Mortensen with 49 newcomers and competition across the roster
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.Β -Β A new chapter of UAB football begins on the practice field this springΒ with a roster that looks dramatically different from the one that finished the 2025 season.Β Β
With 49 newcomers, a new defensive system andΒ competition acrossΒ nearly everyΒ position group, the Blazers open their first spring under head coachΒ Alex MortensenΒ focused on evaluation, development andΒ establishingΒ the foundation for the program moving forward.Β
| SPRING QUICK FACTS | BY THE NUMBERS |
| Head Coach:Β Alex MortensenΒ (1st season) Defensive Coordinator:Β Todd GranthamΒ (1st season at UAB) Returning Starters: 6 (2 offense/2 defense/2 specialists) |
41 - Transfers added 8 - High school signees 49 - Total newcomers 27 - Defensive additions 14 - Power conference transfers 17 - Group of six transfers 8 - FCS transfers 2 - JUCO transfersΒ Β Β Β Β Β Β |
"Spring is very much about evaluating your players β especially in this current era," Mortensen said. "There are foundational aspects we try to introduce, but the most important things are evaluating the roster, developing fundamentals and understanding the basics of the systems."Β
For Mortensen and his staff, spring football is about understanding what the Blazers do best while continuing to build the foundation of the program.Β
"We're trying to find out our strengths and weaknesses, magnify our strengths and minimize our weaknesses," Mortensen said. "It'sΒ not just about coachingΒ scheme.Β It'sΒ about building guys fundamentally, developing units and developing theΒ team as a whole."Β
STORYLINES TO WATCHΒ Β
QuarterbackΒ Competition:Β Ryder Burton,Β Nate RogersΒ and Adrian Posse headline aΒ competitive quarterback room entering spring drills as the Blazers evaluate the position heading into the 2026 season. Burton and RogersΒ return with aΒ combined 19 games played betweenΒ them fromΒ a year ago. Burton has earned the first reps to open spring after finishing the 2025 season strong, including a standout performance against Memphis in which heΒ completed 20-of-27 passes for three touchdowns in his first start.Β Β
Mortensen praised Burton'sΒ armΒ talent,Β athleticismΒ and leadership, while noting the continued development of Rogers and Posey.Β Β
Rogers showed flashes of his athletic ability in a limited role, and the coaches hope to introduce the full offense to him in the spring.Β Posey brings significant upside with a strong arm and athletic ability as he continues gainingΒ comfort with the offense.Β Β
Local quarterbackΒ Cam JenningsΒ andΒ freshmanΒ Brogan McNab add talent and depth to the position group as the Blazers evaluate their options through the spring.
| KEY RETURNERS | KEY NEWCOMERS |
| QB -Β Ryder Burton RB -Β Marquise Collins WR -Β Kaleb Brown TE -Β Antonio Ferguson OL -Β Adam Lepkowski DL -Β Nigel Tate DL -Β Chris Burge DB -Β Delvon Gulley |
RB - Bam McReynolds (ULM) RB - Ja'vin Simpkins (Coastal Carolina) RB - Roderick Robinson II (Georgia) WR - EJ Reid (Wake Forest) WR - KJ Daniels (Oklahoma) LB - Ike Esonwune (Oklahoma State) LB - Braden Sullivan (EKU) |
New Faces on Defense:Β UAB added 27 defensive players through the transfer portal as defensive coordinatorΒ Todd GranthamΒ begins installing his system. Mortensen believes the Blazers have added length, size and athleticism along the defensive front and expects Grantham's system to introduce greater multiplicity.Β Β Β
"We need to get better on defense," Mortensen said. "I like the length and sizeΒ we'veΒ added up front, and Todd's system brings more variables in the front and coverage. Now weΒ have toΒ see who canΒ go doΒ it."Β Β Β
The defensive line features several new additions, whileΒ Nigel TateΒ is expected to be a major contributor after missing last season due to injury.Β AtΒ linebacker, players such as Braden Sullivan, Muaaz Byard, IkeΒ EsonwuneΒ and Colby Archie willΒ compete for roles throughout the spring. In the secondary, UAB will evaluate aΒ groupΒ that includesΒ Anta'VeonΒ McKenzie,Β Courage Ugo,Β Darrell Sweeting,Β Diezel Wilkinson,Β JaylenΒ ThompsonΒ and several othersΒ competing for playing time.Β
Replacing Offensive Production:Β With several of last season's top pass catchers gone, returning receivers and newcomers willΒ compete for larger roles in the passing game. The Blazers return just 7% of their receptions from wide receivers from 2025. The sameΒ holds true at running back as UABΒ returns just 5% ofΒ itsΒ rushing output from a year ago.
Wide receiver is one of the most open competitions on the rosterΒ afterΒ UAB lost most of its receivingΒ production fromΒ last season.Β Kaleb BrownΒ flashed play-making ability in 2025 and could be in line for a larger role, whileΒ Jaylen ElderΒ is another young receiver the staff hopes to see continue developing. Transfers EJ Reid, KJ Daniels, CJΒ SmithΒ and Ty MimsΒ will also have opportunities toΒ establishΒ themselves during spring practice as the Blazers search for reliable targets and explosive playmakers.Β
The running back room enters the spring with a strong mix of experience and talent. Transfer Bam McReynolds arrives withΒ nearly 1,800Β career yards of total offense, whileΒ Ja'vinΒ Simpkins, Coastal Carolina's leading rusher last season, adds another provenΒ option.Β Β
Former Georgia running back Roderick Robinson II brings size and talent to the position group alongsideΒ returning backΒ Marquise CollinsΒ andΒ freshmanΒ Hudson Higgins,Β one ofΒ deeper offensive rooms on the roster.Β Β
At tight end,Β Antonio FergusonΒ returns after showing flashes last season and could take on a larger role in an offense that values versatility andΒ flexibility.Β
Jonah DelangeΒ returns after connecting on 10 field goals last season, including six from beyond 40 yards.Β Owen SimpsonΒ remainsΒ the Blazers' kickoff specialist, while transfer punter Badger Hargett joinsΒ theΒ competition this spring alongsideΒ Evan Bishop.Β Β
Competition Across the Offensive Line:Β Veteran centerΒ Adam LepkowskiΒ anchors the line, but multiple spotsΒ remainΒ open as returners and transfersΒ compete toΒ establishΒ the starting five.Β Mortensen described Lepkowski as a player who understands the offense, brings energy to theΒ groupΒ and helps elevate those around him.Β Β
Returners such asΒ Calib PerezΒ andΒ Kyrik Mason, along with transfers including Keyon Cox, Barrett Maddox and Cooper Young, give the Blazers depth andΒ competition along the offensive line.Β Β
UAB will open spring practice on March 18thΒ at Legacy Pavilion and will wrap up spring practice with its annual SpringΒ ShowcaseΒ on April 18thΒ at the Football Operations Center.Β Β
2026 UAB FOOTBALL SEASON TICKETS ON SALE NOW:Β Season tickets for the 2026 UAB Football season areΒ on sale now. Season ticket packages featureΒ all sixΒ home games andΒ provideΒ the most cost-effective way to attend games at Protective Stadium. Explore pricing, benefits, and tailgating opportunitiesΒ here, or contact the UAB Athletics Ticket Office at (205) 975-UAB1. Fans can also request more information byΒ clicking here.Β Β Β Β Β
COMPETITIVE EXCELLENCE FUND:Β In the current landscape of college athletics, theΒ Competitive Excellence Fund has become integral in ourΒ departmentΒ mission to Win Champions, Graduate with Honors, and Impact theΒ community. Through your generosity, our coaches will have the greatest opportunity to recruit,Β retain, and resource talented student athletes worthy of wearing a UAB uniform.Β Click hereΒ or connect with Blazer Boosters on how you can continue to fuel success.Β
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