Alex Mortensen - Football Coach

Alex Mortensen

Title:
Offensive Coordinator
Email:
amortens@uab.edu
Phone:
975-9536

Updated May of 2025

Head Coach Trent Dilfer named Alex Mortensen as UAB’s Offensive Coordinator on Dec. 5, 2022. Mortensen is in his third season with the Blazers.

In Mortensen’s first two years as OC, the Blazers have averaged 421.3 yards of total offense and have established multiple school records along the way.

Mortensen made an immediate impact in his first season which resulted in UAB setting a single season school record for yards per game (450.0). For his efforts, Mortensen was named a Broyles Award nominee, which is annually given to the nation’s top assistant coach.

Mortensen helped guide quarterback Jacob Zeno to the most prolific single season by a UAB quarterback in school history. Zeno set the school record for single season completions (279) and completion percentage (73.6), while throwing for the second most yards in a season (3,126). Zeno was one of the top quarterbacks in the nation and finished 2023 ranked second nationally in completion percentage, seventh in completions per game (25.4), 11th in total offense (299.5) and 14th in passing yards per game (284.2).

Additionally, Mortensen helped running back Jermaine Brown Jr. lead the American Athletic Conference in all-purpose yards per game (129.1). Brown Jr. compiled 803 rushing yards, 416 receiving yards (on 41 receptions) and 331 kickoff return yards. Brown Jr. graduated as UAB’s career leader in all-purpose yards (5,026) and became just the third player in program history to rush for over 3,000 career yards.

Wide receiver Amare Thomas also re-wrote the record book in year one of Mortensen’s offense by setting the single season school record for receptions by a freshman with 53. He led the team in catches, while senior Tejhaun Palmer had 47 catches for 858 yards and seven touchdowns. His 858 yards were the seventh most in a season at UAB and Palmer earned Third Team All-Conference.

This past season in 2024, Mortensen’s offense was highlighted by quarterback Jalen Kitna who threw for over 2,200 yards and 17 touchdowns in just eight games, while Kam Shanks broke Thomas’ freshman receptions record with 62 catches. Both Shanks and Thomas hauled in 62 catches, while Lee Beebe Jr. rushed for 884 yards and seven touchdowns.

Mortensen came to UAB from the University of Alabama where he had been with the Crimson Tide for nine years as a graduate assistant (2014-16) and an offensive analyst (2017-22). He was a part of three national championships at Alabama and amassed a record of 115-12 while in Tuscaloosa.

Mortensen worked primarily with the quarterbacks at Alabama, which include Blake Sims, Jacob Coker, Jalen Hurts, Tua Tagovailoa, Mac Jones and Heisman winner Bryce Young. Three of the six quarterbacks Mortensen worked with at Alabama are currently starters in the NFL.

From 2018-2022, Alabama had one of the most efficient offenses in the nation and annually ranked top five nationally in total offense, scoring, passing offense and 3rd down conversion percentage. In 2020, the Crimson Tide was inside the top five in all four of those categories (4th in total offense, 2nd in scoring, 3rd in passing and 1st in 3rd down conversion percentage) en route to a 13-0 record and a National Championship.

He started his coaching career in 2012 at New Mexico Highlands as the quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator. While there, quarterback Emmanuel Lewis ranked second nationally in Division II for total offense (392.60) and passing yards per game (366.40).

Mortensen then spent the 2013 season with the St. Louis Rams before joining the Crimson Tide in 2014. He also had a brief stint with the AAF Birmingham Iron in 2019 as the wide receivers coach.

A native of Atlanta, Ga., Mortensen played quarterback at the University of Arkansas and graduated in 2009 with a Communications degree. He earned a Master’s degree in Sport Management from Alabama in 2016.

Alex is the son of the late Chris Mortensen and his mother Micki.