UAB Announces Football Staff Additions

By Steve Irvine

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - March 11, 2026

UAB’s defensive staff under new defensive coordinator Todd Grantham continues to take shape with the addition of cornerback coach Lionel Stokes, inside linebacker coach Nigel Madison and assistant inside linebacker coach Anthony Marciano.

Stokes, who was a two-year starter at safety Louisiana in 2010-11, has been a defensive analyst at Michigan since 2024. He was a defensive analyst at Louisiana for three seasons prior to Michigan. He also was the defensive back coach/defensive coordinator for three seasons at Jackson State and secondary coach at Nichols State and Howard Payne University.

Madison was the cornerback coach at Colorado State in 2025 after coaching inside linebackers at Sacred Heart the prior two seasons. He was a defensive analyst at Oregon in 2022 and had graduate assistant stints at FIU and Buffalo. Madison played on the defensive line at Concordia-Ann Arbor, an NAIA school, from 2013-17.

Marciano will assist Madison at the inside linebacker spot. Marciano coached in the inside linebackers at Baylor last season and also has been on the staff at Michigan (2022-24) and Florida (2020-21). He was at Michigan when the Wolverines won the national championship in 2023. Marciano is a former wide receiver at University of the Incarnate Word, where he also began his coaching career.

Other defensive coaches either remaining on staff or announced as earlier hires are defensive end coach John Jones, who is also the special teams coordinator, defensive line coach Sam Mills, secondary coach/passing game coordinator Brent Vieselmeyer, quality control/assistant cornerback coach Ryan McNamara, assistant defensive back Corbin Grantham and defensive analyst Spencer Duncan.

Alex Mortensen opens his first spring practice as the UAB head coach next Wednesday. The Blazers have 14 scheduled practice sessions before concluding the session with the Spring Showcase on April 18.