“Coach created opportunities for me because of the things that I learned from him.” Billy Napier said of his time working under Nick Saban at Alabama as the offensive analyst. It’s not just Nick Saban‘s achievements, but also his ability to mentor assistant coaches who go on to become head coaches in their own right. And now, another feather had been added to Saban’s mentorship hat.

The most recent joinee of the Saban alumni club is Alex Mortensen. Mortenson had first joined Alabama as the Offensive Graduate Assistant in 2014 and later became an analyst. Now, he was named as the interim head coach of UAB on Sunday. This comes after UAB fired its HC, Trent Dilfer, after a poor win-loss record of 9-21 in over two and a half seasons.

A testament to Nick Saban’s impact in college football is the fact that out of 136 FBS coaches, 12% are his alums. His influence is so vast that many people who worked under him, whether as assistants or staff, have taken the helm at CFB teams. Alex Mortensen now joins the exclusive list of 16 former Nick Saban assistants or staffers who are currently FBS head coaches. The list includes the likes of Kirby Smart, Dan Lanning, Mario Cristobal, Lane Kiffin , and many others.

While that is great news for Alex Mortensen, he must remember that he has a tough job ahead of him. Trent Dilfer only managed a 9-21 record in his time at UAB. Add the three consecutive blowout losses that the Blazers faced this season, and you understand why UAB pulled the pug on him.

Alex Mortensen will have to work on fixing the UAB defense, which is the worst in the AAC. They started their season with a 52-42 win against Alabama State. But they couldn’t replicate their performance the rest of Dilfer’s reign. Currently, they sit 13th in the conference, with a 2-4 record, going 0-3 against AAC opponents.

But the million-dollar question remains: Can Alex Mortensen live up to Nick Saban’s legacy? Nick Saban is often considered the greatest head coach in the history of the sport. But how did he build his legacy?

Nick Saban’s golden legacy will be untouched for years to come

Nick Saban started his coaching career in 1990 at Toledo, where he took them to a 9-2 record in just one season. He then left to serve a short stint in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns. But he felt his place was in college football, so he returned to the scene in 1995 to serve as an HC for Michigan State. He led them to a 9-2 season and caught the eyes of LSU management, who hired him soon after.

At LSU, Nick Saban created history. He led them to a BCS National Championship in 2003. But this was not the end of Saban’s success. He joined Alabama as their HC, where he created one of the most dominant dynasties in college football history. Under him, Alabama won six national championships, specifically in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, and 2020. Alabama also produced more than 40 first-round NFL Draft picks and over 100 players under Saban’s reign.

He implemented a philosophy in his time there, which was known as Saban’s Process, that focused on daily improvements rather than results. The ‘Process’ became a widely accepted philosophy, cementing Saban as one of the greatest to ever do it. He was not just a serial winner, but also an icon for both aspiring coaches and players. Alex Mortensen’s recent addition to the list just immortalizes Saban.

Maybe this is how he keeps his already legendary status, well, legendary.