UAB coach explains decision to play after teammate stabbing incident

University of Alabama at Birmingham interim head football coach Alex Mortensen addressed his team’s desire to play in South Florida on Saturday, just hours after a player was arrested for allegedly stabbing his own teammates.

Mortensen cited his player’s desires, especially since Saturday is the team’s senior day.

“We talked as a team, and we talked with the team, and these guys really wanted to play today, and the conversation came back to the seniors, today being senior day, they wanted to go play for them and give them an opportunity to compete and play, so that was probably the biggest thing,” Mortensen told reporters at the postgame press conference.

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South Florida Bulls coach Alex Golesh shakes hands with UAB Blazers interim coach Alex Mortensen after their game at Protective Stadium on November 22, 2025, in Birmingham, Alabama. (Stew Milne/Getty Images)

Mortensen added that several players “naturally chose not to play.”

“We want to be very understanding of what everyone is going through and make sure everyone understands that they have had the opportunity to seek advice, or whatever they need or want,” he said.

“We followed a process and a routine before the game, and I think staying committed to that probably helped the guys stay focused on their job.”

Mortensen took over as the team’s head coach in October after the program fired former head coach Trent Dilfer following a loss to Florida Atlantic.

“The team has been through a lot over the last few months,” Mortensen said.

UAB then lost the game 48-18 to fall to 3-8 on the season.

Two of the team’s players were allegedly stabbed by another player during the team’s practice Saturday morning, a university official confirmed to Fox News Digital.

The names of the victims and the arrested player have not been released.

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UAB Blazers interim head coach Alex Mortensen watches from the sidelines during the UConn Huskies game in East Hartford, Connecticut on November 1, 2025. (David Butler II/Imagn Images)

An online inmate survey at the Jefferson County Jail showed that Daniel Israel Mincey, 20, was arrested by UAB campus police shortly after noon Saturday and faces charges of “aggravated assault – A through M – attempted murder.” The university has not confirmed whether Mincey was the player involved in the incident.

According to the UAB football roster, Mincey is a redshirt freshman who joined the team after one season at Kentucky.

“We are pleased to report that two players injured in an incident this morning at the Football Operations Building are in stable condition,” the university said. “Our thoughts are with them and their families as they recover. The suspect, another player, remains in custody and an investigation is underway.”

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UAB Blazers interim coach Alex Mortensen on the court during the game against the UConn Huskies on November 1, 2025, in East Hartford, Connecticut. (Williams Paul/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The stabbing occurred hours before UAB hosted South Florida at 3 p.m. ET. The spokesperson confirmed the university had chosen to play.

“UAB’s top priority remains the safety and well-being of all our students. Given patient privacy and the ongoing investigation, we have no further comment at this time,” the university said.

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