UAB Promotes Alex Mortensen to Permanent Head Coach

The University of Alabama at Birmingham has promoted Alex Mortensen to permanent head football coach, removing the interim tag he held since mid-October after the firing of Trent Dilfer. The 40-year-old Mortensen, who guided the Blazers to a 2-4 finish in the latter half of the season, steps into his first full-time head coaching role at the program.

Mortensen took over on October 12, when UAB dismissed Dilfer following a 2-4 start to the 2024 campaign. Dilfer, a former NFL quarterback and Super Bowl champion with the Baltimore Ravens, compiled a 9-21 record over two-plus seasons at UAB, including a 0-15 mark in road games and 5-14 in American Athletic Conference play. Under Mortensen's interim leadership, the Blazers secured notable victories, including a 31-24 upset over then-No. 22 and undefeated Memphis in his debut game, as well as a come-from-behind 31-24 road win against Tulsa that snapped a 17-game away losing streak. The team ended the season with an overall 4-8 record, marking UAB's third consecutive losing campaign and the first such streak since nine straight from 2005 to 2013.

The latter part of Mortensen's interim tenure was marred by a violent incident on campus....