The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Football
- Title:
- Safeties
UAB Head Football Coach Alex Mortensen hired Ryan McNamara to work with the defensive backs on Jan. 23, 2026. McNamara arrives in Birmingham after serving as Oklahoma Stateβs assistant linebackers coach during the 2025 season.
McNamara joined the Cowboys following three seasons at Central Michigan, where he served as linebackers coach in 2024 after working as the programβs general manager from 2022-23. In that role, he oversaw recruiting and player personnel and helped secure the Mid-American Conferenceβs top-rated recruiting class in 2023.
In nearly 20 years of coaching, McNamara has helped 10 teams reach bowl games, developed 18 players who were either selected in the NFL Draft or went on to spend multiple seasons in the NFL, and accumulated 11 years of coaching experience in the SEC at Florida and Mississippi State.
Prior to Central Michigan, McNamara spent seven seasons at Florida as the defensive backs assistant. During his tenure, the Gators won three SEC East Division titles, appeared in multiple SEC Championship Games and fielded some of the SECβs top pass defenses. He also helped develop first-round NFL Draft picks C.J. Henderson and Kaiir Elam.
Before Florida, McNamara coached at Valdosta State, where he served as defensive backs coach, recruiting coordinator and special teams coordinator. During his time with the Blazers, he helped the program win a Division II national championship, make three playoff appearances and develop future NFL standout Kenny Moore.
McNamara also spent four seasons at Mississippi State as a defensive quality control assistant and graduate assistant. During his tenure, the Bulldogs reached four consecutive bowl games, and he helped mentor Thorpe Award winner Jonathan Banks and All-SEC linebacker Matt Wells.
A native of Norcross, Ga., McNamara earned a bachelorβs degree in business administration from Florida in 2005, an MBA from Valdosta State in 2009 and a masterβs degree in community college education from Mississippi State in 2012.
Prior to entering coaching, McNamara worked at EA Sports Tiburon in Maitland, Fla., from 2003-06, contributing to the production of the Madden NFL video game franchise.
McNamara and his wife, Jennie, have two daughters, Elsie and Quinn.
