The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Blazers Complete Spring Drills with Annual Spring Showcase
4/18/2026 2:00:00 PM | Football
Fans in attendance got a look at a condensed scrimmage format that featured first-team units competing against each other for several drives, along with second-team reps and situational work that included red zone, two-point conversion and two-minute drills.
Despite being limited by injuries at several positions, head coach Alex Mortensen said the day accomplished its primary goal- execution and decision-making.
"We were very vanilla today. We just wanted to see guys execute," Mortensen said. "We had a lot of guys playing out of position, and I really appreciate them stepping up. One of the things we challenged the quarterbacks with was, if the picture is not right around you, don't let someone else's mistake become yours. I thought they did a good job of that and protected the ball well."
Quarterback Ryder Burton finished with 46 passing yards and a touchdown, while Nate Rogers added 60 yards through the air. Burton connected with Ty Mims on a 29-yard touchdown strike, one of the highlight plays of the day as Mims made an acrobatic catch while on his back.
On the ground, Bam McReynolds led the way with 42 yards on three carries, while Rod Robinson II added 19 yards on four attempts, including a long run that likely would have resulted in a bigger gain in a full-contact setting.
Burton noted the offense showed early rhythm but acknowledged there is still work to be done in key situations.
"I thought it went really well," Burton said. "Defense did a great job getting off the field on third and fourth down. On offense, I felt like we were better early, but we've got to do a better job executing on third and fourth and short."
Place Kicker Jonah Delange added a 55-yard field goal during the session.
Defensively, Ike Esonwune was active throughout the scrimmage, recording a sack, a pass breakup and a fourth-down stop. The unit also saw pressure from Marlin Dean and Sterling Sanders, who each recorded a sack, while Colby Archie and Myles Cook combined for a half sack apiece.
Esonwune emphasized the group's high expectations despite the solid outing.
"I feel like we could have been better," Esonwune said. "Even if it's a five-yard gain, I don't like the ball being run on us. We want to be the best we can be and do big things. I think we made progress this spring- from the playbook to the field to the chemistry- but at the end of the day, we know we can be better."
With several offensive linemen and receivers held out, the showcase leaned more on evaluation than scheme, giving staff an opportunity to assess depth and versatility across the roster. Mortensen also pointed to ball security and decision-making as key positives coming out of the session. "It was another work day," he said. "There are things we've got to do better, but we got out of it what we needed to."
With spring practice complete, the focus now shifts to the offseason as the Blazers prepare for the 2026 campaign. UAB opens the season on Sept. 5 at Illinois Fighting Illini football before hosting ULM Warhawks football in its home opener on Sept. 12 at Protective Stadium.
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