Q&A With Alex Mortensen At End of Fall Camp
By Steve Irvine
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - August 28, 2026
Alex Mortensen’s first fall camp as the UAB football head coach is over. Now it changes to putting all the effort into getting ready for the season opener next Thursday at Illinois.
The best news for UAB this week has been the return of several players who were previously sidelined or slowed by injuries. That group included defensive tackle Chris Spencer and wide receiver CJ Smith.
Mortensen stopped by after Thursday’s practice to talk about fully turning the page to game prep for the Illini and other things going on with the UAB football program.
On how the focus changes now that the season opener is a week away: “I think there's a little bit of a different feel. This week has still been a little bit more like camp type practices for us, where it's been a blend of camp and a blend of teaching the opponent. We'll really turn the page in our next practice, where psychologically, mentally, we're totally on to the first game. I think our intensity level and all those things, we expect those things to be higher every day. I think it will ramp up even more as we do that.”
On whether it’s a juggling act to be anxious for the first game and wanting to slow down the clock to continue to prepare: “You know, right now it's kind of like you can only control what you can control. So the timetable's the timetable and really it’s just trying to focus on getting us ready to play. Like so many things in life, you always say, ‘Well, I'd like more time so I can prepare more for this or that.’ But the time is the time. That's just where we're focused right now is just each day taking on the installation and taking on preparing for the opponent.”
On whether they got out of fall camp what was needed: “I think in a lot of areas we got what we needed out of camp. Probably like a lot of programs with the reduction in roster size and dealing with a few guys getting banged up, you always wish some of those guys could practice more. That's one thing but that's not anything new. That would be the biggest thing. But I do think we got a lot done in camp. We got a lot accomplished.”
On having less players wearing yellow jerseys this week: “We are definitely getting healthier. It’s coming at a good time, you know. I think this week we tapered the workload just a little, so I think that has helped as well. But some of these injuries just take time to heal too. We always want to push guys to practice. I think practicing is really important. I think it's one of the most important things we do. Sometimes medical decisions get made that are out of your control. But if a guy can go, we want him to go. We don't want to be overly conservative in that regard. But if the medical mandate is that they can't go or shouldn't go, then we don't.”
On the play of the offensive line: “I think our offensive line has done a good job. We have some good players there. It's a very competitive position with guys still competing for spots. They've worked hard and I think they've done a good job of learning and doing what we've asked them to do. They've had a good camp.”
On the number of sacks in scrimmages: “I wouldn't make a lot of the sack numbers from the scrimmages, total sack numbers or who those sacks were attributed to just because we had a quick whistle and we were playing touch if you will. That part of it, I would not overreact to in any direction whether it’s good for the defense or bad for the offensive guys.”
On Ryder Burton’s growth during camp: “I think Ryder has really grown a lot in this camp. He’s really continued to mature in his overall understanding of football. He’s a bright guy that I think has a good understanding of the game. Then I also think his judgement and decision making has also improved, as well as physical things. I think in every area he’s developed and he’s been very conscientious.”
On the difficulty of preparing for an opening game opponent in the transfer portal era: “I think opening games are always hard. I think under these circumstances it’s especially hard. I’m sure everyone in the country feels that way. Or most folks do because of the amount of players that are new. And then you mix in new (defensive coordinator Bobby Hauck) on one side of the ball with this group. It’s hard to know what to prepare for. You're trying to prepare for their schemes and their players. You're trying to do both and sometimes you gotta mix and match video to do that. I think you prepare for the game and then you do more as the game goes on. You're prepared to adapt and adjust during the game as you need to as well.”
On watching tape of Montana, where new Illinois defensive coordinator Bobby Hauck was at as the head coach: “Yeah, you watch where coaches have been and their coordinator. Of course they've got some coaches that return on that (Illinois) staff. Then you've got players that have come from a multitude of places, so you're really patching a lot of different video together.”