UAB Blazers: 2026 defense preview — position by position

UAB's defense was the program's identity under Bill Clark — two conference titles in four seasons, a unit that hit hard and made offenses earn every yard. Then Clark stepped down, the decline set in and the bottom fell out under Trent Dilfer. Todd Grantham is here to rebuild it from scratch.

Examining the UAB defense for 2026 based on preseason roster and fall camp observations. Analysis does not reflect final depth chart decisions. Check back for more updates as practice continues.

Conference: American

Defensive coordinator: Todd Grantham (Year 1 — 35 years experience, 9 as SEC coordinator)

2025 defense: 38.3 ppg allowed in conference play; Phil Steele projects 401.1 ypg and 31 ppg for 2026

Returning defensive production: 47% (SP+)

Returning defensive starters: 2 (Phil Steele) — near zero full-time starters back

THE PICTURE

Between 2017 and 2020, UAB's defense was among the best in Conference USA. Under head coach Bill Clark, the Blazers won two conference championships — not because they outrecruited the league but because they played together, played physical and made offenses earn every yard. The defense was the identity. It was the engine that drove the success of The Return.

Clark stepped down for health reasons in 2022. Bryant Vincent took over on an interim basis, and there were signs of slippage — the defense was still competitive but no longer dominant. Then Trent Dilfer arrived, and the bottom fell out.

In two and a half seasons under Dilfer, the Blazers could not stop anybody. The pass rush was weak. The run defense was leaky. UAB got pushed around in short yardage, gave up big plays and could not force turnovers. By 2025, the defense allowed 38.3 points per game in conference play — the third straight year of regression under Dilfer. ESPN SP+ ranked the unit 132nd nationally heading into 2026.

That is the hole Todd Grantham walked into.

Grantham has 35 years of coaching experience and nine seasons as an SEC coordinator. He has run defenses at Georgia, Florida, Mississippi State, Louisville and Oklahoma State. He has coached defensive linemen in the NFL for the Cowboys, Colts and Saints. He is not learning how to build a defense. He has never built one from this deep a starting point.

His connection to UAB is Alex Mortensen. Grantham spent a year on Nick Saban's staff at Alabama while Mortensen was there, and that overlap is what brought him to Birmingham.

"I have a relationship with Coach Mortensen," Grantham said during fall camp. "I have a lot of respect for what he does offensively. I knew the program and the kind of program it would be, being that I was with him at Alabama for a year from a discipline, accountability, toughness standpoint."

Mortensen, for his part, was direct about what he wanted in a defensive coordinator — and what comes first.

"Coach Grantham is one — I think he's smart. He knows a lot of football," Mortensen said at the American's 2026 Kickoff media event. "I think in this day and age you have to be flexible because your roster turns over. So you don't want to be so married to a system that you can't adjust and then we stick square pegs in round holes. He's got the ability to adapt. Secondly, he connects with the players. I think the players know that he can help them. ... And then finally, he's demanding. We're not running away from the demanding thing just because there's a portal."

Demanding is the word Grantham would use, too.

"Football's a tough sport for tough people," Grantham said. "... If you allow me to coach you, you're gonna get better. And that's been proven over my years of coaching."

Together, Grantham and Mortensen used 27 of UAB's 41 portal additions to overhaul the defensive roster. They brought in players from nine-plus programs at every level of college football — from Oklahoma State to Morgan State, Boston College to Campbell, Marshall to Eastern Washington. None of them have played a snap together in a game that counts.

The early returns from fall camp say this defense is improved. The defensive line and linebackers are bigger and faster. The secondary is fast and deep. The style will be aggressive — Grantham's defenses will blitz from all angles, play hard and strike you. Steve Irvine of the Birmingham Banner, who has watched UAB through every phase of the program's modern era, told Diehard Sports Network that this defense looks more physically mature than what UAB has put on the field in recent years. Fewer players in the development stage. Bigger, stronger, faster, more confident.

How it all fits together remains to be seen. Given the level of roster turnover across the American, it is fair to assume minimal improvement until this defense proves it against other teams. But the optimism is real. If the defense is even modestly improved from 2025, that would probably be enough to take a step or two forward in Mortensen's first full season. If it is actually pretty good — look out. This team could surprise people.

DEFENSIVE LINE

Cam Cunningham (Youngstown State) | Gr. | 6-1, 325 | 18 tackles, 1 INT at YSU. "Pulled a spin move" on Lepkowski in spring

Christopher Spencer (Old Dominion) | R-Sr. | 6-5, 290 | Ran with the ones all spring. 7 tackles, 1 sack at ODU

Nigel Tate (Boston College) | Gr. | 6-3, 330 | "Sensational" before Achilles injury. Hasn't played in 2 years

Marlin Dean (Georgia State) | Gr. | 6-5, 240 | 32 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 safety, 1 FF. Sack at spring showcase

Blanche Gold (Morgan State) | R-Sr. | 6-2, 240 | 45 tackles, 14 TFL, 7.5 sacks. "They think they have a big time guy"

Elijah Hall (Wake Forest / Liberty) | R-Sr. | 6-3, 255 | 20 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 4 sacks, 3 PBU

Tylin Jackson (Eastern Washington) | R-Jr. | 6-4, 255 | 55 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 2 FF. Missed spring (banged up)

Sterling Sanders (Boston College) | R-Fr. | 6-5, 305 | Sack at spring showcase. Good on the interior

Raymond "Cookie" Macias (Campbell) | R-So. | 6-1, 310 | 48 tackles, 4 TFL, 2.5 sacks

Chris Burge (returning) | R-So. | 6-3, 250 | 32 tackles, 5 TFL, team-high 3.5 sacks, team-high 17 QB pressures (PFF) in all 12 games

J'Quan Mason (returning) | R-So. | 6-4, 240 | Local guy. Good spring

Myles Cook (returning) | R-So. | 6-2, 285 | Played well in spring

The pundits say:

- Phil Steele: Lost 6 DL (27 starts, 22 TFL, 5 sacks). Added 10 transfers. "Unit passes the eye test but is another unproven group." Newcomers to watch: Nigel Tate and Marlin Dean.

- SP+: Defense ranked 132nd nationally heading into 2026.

What we know:

Cunningham and Spencer locked down first-team reps all spring. Cunningham is quick for a 325-pound interior lineman — he put a spin move on starting center Adam Lepkowski that drew attention from the staff. Spencer, at 6-5 and 290 pounds, gives Grantham a long, disruptive presence next to him.

The edge group carries legitimate production. Gold brought 7.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss from Morgan State. Hall had 4 sacks at Liberty. Jackson posted 3.5 sacks and 55 tackles at Eastern Washington but missed the entire spring with an injury — his availability for fall camp matters. Dean was one of the standout performers of the spring. At 6-5 and 240 pounds with long arms, he fits the prototypical edge rusher mold for this level. He had a sack at the spring showcase.

The DL coaching is a genuine asset. Sam Mills III — son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Sam Mills — spent 17 seasons coaching in the NFL with the Panthers and Commanders. John Jones, the special teams coordinator who also coaches defensive ends, is an Auburn graduate who coached at Thompson HS during its three-peat run of Alabama state championships. Grantham himself coached defensive linemen in the NFL for the Cowboys, Colts and Saints. The development infrastructure is real.

Burge, Mason and Cook provide continuity. Burge appeared in all 12 games in 2025 and led UAB with 3.5 sacks and a team-high 17 quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. He posted 32 tackles and 5 tackles for loss on the season. Five of those pressures, including a sack, came during the Blazers' shorthanded win at Tulsa to end the season — UAB's first road win since 2022. He added three more pressures during the upset of then-No. 22 Memphis. He is one of the better players in the room — and the talent upgrade around him is a good thing. In a room full of new faces, Burge provides the institutional knowledge and competitive standard that portal additions cannot bring with them.

What they said:

"Can we affect the quarterback? Sometimes you may not always sack them, but we talk about affecting the quarterback. Can we move them off a spot? Can we hit them? Can we disrupt them? That's a big thing." — Alex Mortensen, American Media Days

In fall camp, Grantham said the depth up front has developed beyond his initial expectations.

"We've developed a little bit of depth with some guys that have improved," Grantham said. "... We've got some guys that have done that and probably earned more reps than maybe I anticipated before spring ball started. ... We are gonna play a lot of guys up front."

The rotation is intentional. Grantham wants fresh pass rushers at the end of games — and that requires discipline during the first three quarters.

"Defensive line is a position that you gotta play a lot of guys because guys are gonna get tired," Grantham said. "... At the end of the game, winning the game, you gotta go finish with the rush. So you gotta make sure you keep some gas in the tank."

The question: Can a group assembled from nine different programs generate enough pass rush to improve UAB's turnover margin — the stat Mortensen identified as the single biggest factor in winning and losing?

LINEBACKER

Ike Esonwune (Oklahoma State) | R-Jr. | 6-1, 225 | 31 tackles, 2 PBU at OSU. Sack, PBU and 4th-down stop at spring showcase

Muaaz Byard (Middle Tennessee) | R-Sr. | 6-2, 230 | 57 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 1 INT, 2 PBU at MTSU

Braden Sullivan (Eastern Kentucky) | Jr. | 6-2, 245 | 171 tackles over 2 seasons, 7.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks at EKU

Colby Archie (Dodge City CC) | Jr. | 6-2, 220 | 41 tackles, 9 TFL, 7 sacks in JUCO

Mantrez Walker (Colorado) | R-Fr. | 6-1, 230 | 4-star (Rivals) from Buford, Ga. 4 games at Colorado

Malachi Character (HS — Upson-Lee, Ga.) | Fr. | 6-1, 210 | 369 career HS tackles (38 TFL). "Tremendous in the spring"

The pundits say:

- Phil Steele: Lost the No. 1, No. 4, No. 5 and No. 9 tacklers from 2025. "Same shape as last year — heavy portal turnover."

- Lindy's: Lists Esonwune as UAB's top newcomer.

What we know:

Esonwune is the defensive centerpiece. He played for Grantham at Oklahoma State, already knows the system and was one of two players Mortensen brought to American Media Days. He played multiple positions during the spring and emerged as the unquestioned leader of the unit. In a defense built from 27 strangers, that continuity with the coordinator is the closest thing to a competitive advantage Grantham has.

Byard established himself alongside Esonwune during spring practice. At 6-2 and 230 pounds with 57 tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss from Middle Tennessee, he gives Grantham two solid inside linebacker starters who can set the communication for the rest of the defense.

The depth behind them is a concern. Sullivan is still adjusting to the scheme after accumulating 171 tackles over two seasons at Eastern Kentucky. Walker was a 4-star recruit (Rivals) out of Buford, Ga., but played only four games at Colorado. Archie is a JUCO transfer who was tried at both inside linebacker and on the edge during the spring — versatility or unsettled role, depending on how camp goes. Character is a true freshman who flashed in limited spring reps but has never faced FBS competition. Archie brings personality — he paints himself up like the Joker before games — but the linebacker room needs bodies more than it needs face paint.

What they said:

"Ike has been a joy to have on our team. He transferred to us from Oklahoma State in January. He's wasted no time. He leads the right way. He's a good athlete. He's explosive, instinctive and tough as a football player." — Alex Mortensen, American Media Days

The question: After Esonwune and Byard, who is the third linebacker — and can this group handle a 12-game schedule without a proven third option?

SECONDARY

Darrell Sweeting (Temple / Marshall) | R-Jr. | 6-0, 185 | 37 tackles, 1 INT, 1 PBU. "Might have been one of the best defensive players on the field in spring"

Anta'Veon McKenzie (Sacramento State) | R-Jr. | 6-1, 195 | 48 tackles at Sac State. One-handed INT in spring — "maybe the best play of the spring"

Jo'Tavion "Jo" Pierce (Oklahoma State) | R-Fr. | 6-2, 210 | Played for Grantham at OSU. Started most of spring at safety

Jeremiah Jordan (Memphis / Harding) | R-Sr. | 6-2, 205 | 42 tackles, 2 INT, 13 PBU at Harding (D2 national champ). 19 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 sack at Memphis

Guylijah Theodule (Southern Miss / Marshall) | Jr. | 6-2, 175 | Played well early in spring, then hurt. Missed the rest

Diezel Wilkinson (Idaho / Montana) | Jr. | 6-0, 200 | 78 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 3 sacks in 15 games (FCS semifinal run)

Jaylen Thompson (Michigan State / Memphis) | R-So. | 6-2, 210 | "Played a lot at safety" per beat writer

Que Billingsley (Kennesaw State / Gardner-Webb) | R-Jr. | 6-0, 190 | 35 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 INT, 8 PBU. 59-yard fumble return TD in scrimmage

Draden Fullbright (Oklahoma State) | R-Fr. | 5-11, 175 | Followed Grantham from OSU. CFN's "top transfer in" for UAB

Kris Wokomah (Baylor) | R-So. | 6-0, 190 | "Good spring at safety." 2 games over 2 seasons at Baylor

Delvon Gulley (returning) | Jr. | 6-1, 190 | Started several games in 2025. Had coverage on final play of Memphis upset

Isaiah Crozier (Youngstown State) | R-Jr. | 6-0, 180 | Returning cornerback. 2 seasons at UAB

The pundits say:

- CFN: Named Draden Fullbright UAB's "top transfer in" — a signal that national outlets are tracking Grantham's Oklahoma State pipeline.

- Phil Steele: Made UAB's "Going Up" box for defensive yards per play — one of the few positive defensive projections for this unit.

What we know:

Sweeting was the best defensive player on the field during spring practice. The Marshall transfer arrived and immediately claimed a starting cornerback spot. At 6-0 and 185, he is not the biggest corner in the conference, but his instincts and ball skills separated him from everyone else in the secondary.

McKenzie is the most versatile piece in the entire defensive rebuild. He played corner, safety and nickel during the spring, and his one-handed interception in the second scrimmage was the signature defensive play of the entire spring session. UAB lost Adrian Maddox to Georgia — McKenzie has the skill set to fill that role as a player who can line up anywhere in the secondary.

Three Oklahoma State players followed Grantham to Birmingham: Pierce at safety, Fullbright at defensive back and Esonwune at linebacker. Pierce started at safety for most of the spring. In a defense where 27 players are learning a new system simultaneously, having three players who already know the calls and the expectations gives Grantham a nucleus to build around. That matters more than any individual stat line.

Billingsley had a 59-yard fumble return for a touchdown in the second scrimmage and was solid at nickel. Fullbright also had an interception in that scrimmage. The playmaking ability is there in practice — the question is whether it translates under the lights.

Gulley returns at cornerback with real game experience. He started several games in 2025, earned Freshman All-American honors at Alabama A&M before transferring and had the coverage on the final play of the Memphis upset. He was inconsistent in 2025 but improved significantly during the spring. If he can carry that growth into the fall, he gives UAB a proven corner opposite Sweeting.

The secondary coaching staff carries NFL weight. Brent Vieselmeyer coached in the secondary at Washington and with the Raiders. Lionel Stokes came from Michigan's defensive staff and was a two-year starter at Louisiana. Ryan McNamara spent 11 combined seasons at Florida and Mississippi State and helped develop 12 players who were drafted or spent multiple seasons in the NFL.

What they said:

"It is three phases. They got to get it out, but offense has got to protect it, too. ... Being a disciplined team. If someone's going to beat us, make them beat us physically. Let's not give the game away." — Alex Mortensen, American Media Days

In fall camp, Grantham confirmed the nickel scheme and the depth that makes it possible.

"We're gonna be a nickel, so therefore you're playing with three corners," Grantham said. "And then sometimes a safety may go down and play a linebacker. So you need a lot of guys there. I think we got a group back there that they have some talent to 'em. They do compete, and I think the competition has made 'em each a little bit better."

Asked which players have emerged as leaders in the secondary, Grantham pointed to four: "Ant is a guy that has done a good job leading. JJ, Diesel, Joe P. All of those guys there, at safety, 'cause they're the guys that really kinda talk. They're kinda communicators anyway."

That is Anta'Veon McKenzie, Jeremiah Jordan, Diezel Wilkinson and Jo'Tavion Pierce — four players from four different programs, all of them vocal enough to set the communication for a secondary that has never played a snap together in a game.

The question: Can the secondary generate the turnovers Mortensen identified as essential — and can a group that ranges from Sacramento State to Oklahoma State communicate well enough to avoid the blown coverages that plagued UAB's defense in 2025?

PUTTING IT TOGETHER

Todd Grantham has coordinated defenses across four decades and at every level of the sport. His standard does not change based on where he is coaching.

"I've been fortunate to coach the highest paid player in pro football a few times," Grantham said. "I'm gonna coach these guys the same way. ... It starts with your ability to play with effort, to play with physicalness, and then from there, your ability to hone in on what you gotta do and be your own worst critic."

The players, by every account, have bought in. Asked what area has shown the most improvement from spring to fall camp, Grantham did not hesitate: "Communication, understanding the little things."

That matters more than any individual talent on a defense assembled from 27 strangers. Communication is how a nickel defense with players from nine different programs avoids the blown coverages and missed assignments that defined UAB's defense in 2025. Grantham said the improvement has come through repetition in walkthroughs and reinforcement in the meeting room — and the players have taken it to the field.

Breakout pick: Nigel Tate, DT (6-3, 330, Boston College). Tate was sensational in spring 2025 before an Achilles injury ended his season before it started. He has not played in two years. He was jogging by the end of spring 2026. If healthy, he and Cunningham give UAB a legitimate interior rotation that can hold the point of attack. If the Achilles does not hold, the interior stays thin — and every defensive problem downstream gets harder to solve.

The bottom line: Phil Steele's computer projects UAB will allow 401.1 yards and 31 points per game. The 2025 defense gave up 38.3 points per game in conference play. Given the scale of the roster overhaul — 27 new defensive players from nine-plus programs, zero returning starters — it is fair to assume minimal improvement until this unit proves it against opponents.

But the indicators from camp point in the right direction. The defense is bigger, faster and more physically mature than anything UAB has fielded since the Bill Clark era. Grantham's pedigree is real. The players have responded to his demands. The communication has improved. The depth up front has developed beyond what Grantham himself expected.

If this defense is even modestly improved from 2025, that is probably enough to take a step or two forward in Mortensen's first full season. The offense has the running game, the quarterback and the offensive line to keep games competitive. It does not need the defense to be elite. It needs the defense to be competent — get stops, force a few turnovers and keep UAB in games long enough for the offense to win them.

If this defense is actually pretty good — if Grantham's rebuild produces a unit that can rush the passer, hold up in short yardage and force the turnovers Mortensen identified as the single most important factor in winning and losing — then look out. This team could surprise people.

The Blazers open at Illinois on Thursday, Sept. 3 and start conference play against Navy on Sept. 25. Grantham has the rest of fall camp to turn 27 strangers into a defense. It starts with this Saturday's scrimmage.

"I just wanna help guys get better, compete, develop, and they're better at the end of the year," Grantham said. "... And I wanna make our team better so that everybody associated with our program is excited to come to a game and watch us play."