Mortensen’s First Offensive Staff Includes Expanded Role for Steele

By Steve Irvine

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - March 20, 2026

Alex Mortensen’s first offensive coaching staff as the UAB head coach will include an elevated role for Gordon Steele.

Steele, who served as the assistant offensive line coach last season, has added run game coordinator to his duties. The 39-year-old Steele, a former offensive line coach at South Alabama, offensive analyst at Alabama and son of longtime college defensive coordinator Kevin Steele, will still coach the offensive line alongside Matt McCants and quality control analyst Charlie Egers.

“We really feel good about Gordon,” Mortensen said on Friday, following UAB’s second spring practice session. “You know, Gordon has got a lot of experience and does a great job with the offensive line, does a great job with a lot of our game plan thoughts too. I think for an offensive line guy, too, he's got a unique ability to see the big picture. Really, really excited about being able to retain him and keep him here. And then, you know, I love our whole staff. Matt McCants does a great job in that room. (Co-running back coach) Danny Mitchell, obviously, has got a great insight on really both run and pass game. So I think we have a really strong staff.”

Mitchell and Hindley Brigham have been sharing the running back position since early January and have two spring practice sessions on the field together. Mitchell helped Brigham with the running backs in 2023 before Brigham spent a season at Louisiana Monroe. Mitchell served as the running back coach and run game coordinator last season. Brigham, who was the position coach for the three career rushing leaders in UAB history, and Mitchell are coaching one the deepest rooms on the roster.

“Right now, they're both working in the room together and I think it's a really good chemistry,” Mortensen said. “Hindley obviously has a lot of experience coaching running backs. He played the position. He's got some great insight to some of the details of it. And then Coach Mitchell is also an excellent running back coach, but he's also been a head coach. He's been a coordinator. He's coached quarterbacks. So I think his ability to see the big picture, especially in terms of how they fit in the pass game, how they fit into protections. Sometimes it's understanding defensive front structure coverage. So I think we've got a really good marriage there in terms of working with the position.”

Wide receiver coach Kevin Garver continues in his role as passing game coordinator and Reilly Jeffers in entering his fourth season as UAB’s tight end coach, as well as serving as the offensive recruiting coordinator. Luke Godsey is back as the assistant quarterback coach and offensive quality control coaches include Eger, Jack Henninger and Zach Peterson.