The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Football Announces Staff Hires
3/11/2026 1:00:00 PM | Football
Alex Mortensen announces defensive staff additions
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – As UAB prepares to begin spring practice under head coach Alex Mortensen, the Blazers announced the hiring of three defensive staff members on Wednesday. Lionel Stokes, Nigel Madison and Anthony Marciano will join the program during spring drills as Mortensen continues to shape the defensive side of the staff. Stokes will coach cornerbacks, Madison will coach inside linebackers, and Marciano will serve as the assistant inside linebackers coach.
LIONEL STOKES, CORNERBACKS
Stokes comes to Birmingham from Michigan, where he has been a defensive analyst since 2024. In Ann Arbor, he worked with a defense which ranked 19th in the country against the run. Prior to his time at Michigan, Stokes was at Louisiana, where he was a defensive analyst for three seasons. During his time in Lafayette, he worked with the defensive backs and assisted with day-to-day operations of the defensive staff, including film breakdown, weekly game planning and managing academics. Stokes was a two-year starter for the Ragin' Cajuns from 2010-11, recording 135 tackles and five interceptions playing cornerback and safety. He was a part of the program's 2011 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl championship team. He earned an associate degree in mathematics from Copiah-Lincoln Community College in 2009 before earning his bachelor's degree in general studies from Louisiana in 2012.
NIGEL MADISON, INSIDE LINEBACKERS
Madison joins the Blazers after spending the 2025 season with Colorado State, where he served as the cornerbacks coach. He previously spent two seasons at Sacred Heart (FCS) as the inside linebackers coach. Madison's first full-time coaching position came at Oregon in 2022 as a defensive analyst. He was part of the Ducks staff that won the Holiday Bowl against North Carolina. He also served as a graduate assistant at FIU, working with the defensive line, and at Buffalo with the linebackers. Madison was a standout on the defensive line for Concordia-Ann Arbor (NAIA) from 2013-17. He began his coaching career in Ann Arbor, where he coached defensive line from 2018-19.
ANTHONY MARCIANO, ASSISTANT INSIDE LINEBACKERS
Marciano makes his way to the Southside from Baylor University, where he spent last season as the Bears' linebackers coach. He also spent time at Michigan from 2022-24 and Florida from 2020-21. Marciano was on the Wolverines staff that won the 2023 CFP National Championship, along with a pair of Big Ten championships. He began his coaching career at his alma mater, University of the Incarnate Word. While at UIW Marciano played four seasons (2014-18) at wide receiver.
Spring practice begins on March 18 at Legacy Pavilion and wraps up with the Spring Showcase on April 18 at the Football Operations Center.
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