As the college football calendar turns toward a new year, it also ushers in a wave of coaching changes-and this winter has been particularly turbulent. Among the many familiar names caught in the shuffle is veteran defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, who’s landed his next opportunity with UAB.
Grantham, a longtime fixture in SEC and Power 4 circles, is set to join Alex Mortensen’s staff as the new defensive coordinator for the Blazers. The move comes just months after his short-lived stint at Oklahoma State, where he was let go only four games into the 2025 season. But if there’s one thing we’ve learned about Grantham over the years, it’s that he doesn’t stay on the sidelines for long.
This latest chapter adds another stop to a coaching résumé that already reads like a college football road map. Grantham has called defenses at some of the sport’s most high-profile programs-Florida, Georgia, Louisville, and Oklahoma State-and even spent time in the NFL. His time at Georgia from 2010-2013 and Florida from 2018-2021 gave him a reputation as a fiery, aggressive play-caller who isn’t afraid to bring pressure and dictate the tempo from the defensive side of the ball.
Now, he brings that experience to Birmingham, where first-year head coach Alex Mortensen is looking to put his own stamp on the UAB program. Mortensen, recently promoted to the top job, is betting on Grantham’s deep well of knowledge and battle-tested approach to help elevate a defense that’s been searching for consistency in recent seasons.
For UAB, this hire signals an intent to compete-and compete with edge. Grantham’s defenses have often been known for their physicality and unpredictability. He’s not just a coach with experience; he’s someone who’s seen every kind of offense college football has to offer and knows how to build a unit that can punch back.
Of course, the question now becomes: what version of Todd Grantham are the Blazers getting? The one who helped engineer stout defenses in the SEC, or the one who struggled to get traction in Stillwater this past fall?
That remains to be seen. But what’s clear is that UAB is getting a coach who’s been through the fire, knows how to lead a defense, and is hungry for a rebound.
This is more than just a fresh start for Grantham-it’s a chance to reestablish his identity and help shape a program that’s looking to rise in the Group of Five ranks. And for Mortensen, it’s a bold move that shows he’s not afraid to bring in a veteran voice to help guide his first year at the helm.
The carousel keeps spinning, but for now, Grantham has found his next stop. And for UAB, that could be just the kind of defensive spark they’ve been missing.